Yeah and you are subsidizing places that cost more to ship to, and depending on the average basket size of the shop you are likely paying for shipping for each

Yeah and you are subsidizing places that cost more to ship to, and depending on the average basket size of the shop you are likely paying for shipping for each item individually. Often shipping rates include a flat per package fee with a smaller weight component, so a real rate for multiple items would be much cheaper than the combined built in. Still as a psychological thing I think customers just prefer to see free and don't think too much about how it could be costing them more. Most of our shipping is free because it seems to give better results, even if the customer ends up paying more in some cases.