Before you ship your first package, you need to make 5 core decisions: fulfillment models, rates, carriers, packaging, and returns. Getting these right early means your shipping setup grows with your store instead of getting rebuilt every time it does.  Your fulfillment method dictates your daily operations and your profit margins. Stores typically use 1 of 3 models, moving from manual setups to automated partnerships as order volumes grow. Model 1: Dropshipping With dropshipping, you list products on your site, and a supplier manufactures and ships each item directly to your customers. You do not store physical inventory. Your profit is the difference between your retail price and what the supplier charges you. To manage dropshipping inside WooCommerce, use 1 of these 4 extensions: Dropshipping for WooCommerce by OPMC ($79/year): The official platform extension. It manages packing slips, tracks supplier inventory, and integrates directly with AliExpress and Amazon Affiliates.…