User is prompted to select a shipping method for non-inventory items, as well as for items that have a default shipping method. Currently, when a shopper adds a non-inventory item to the cart, a shipping method is still required and calculated before checkout. This also applies when the cart contains both non-inventory and inventory items—shipping is calculated for the entire order.
The feature to disable shipping method for non-inventory item is still being tracked via an enhancement request. The alternate solution is to use a Service item type instead of Non-Inventory.
A service item is an item created to track time and record billable hours. Service items are classified as Services for Purchase, Services for Resale, or Services for Sale. This item will bypass the Shipping Method steps on web store checkout process.
When submitting a web order of a Service item, the Sales Order created will have a null value in Shipping Method field, that is for new customer. But for the existing customer, the Shipping Method value will still depend on the Default Shipping Method set in the Customer record.