Fulfillment Cost Calculator
Everything between the order and the doorstep.
Fulfilment cost per order
$8.70
18.1% of order value
Postage gets the attention, but labour, packaging and returns together are often the larger half.
How the Fulfillment Cost Calculator works
Fulfilment cost is more than postage. Picking labour, packaging materials, storage allocated to the units sold, and the share of orders that come back all belong in the figure — and together they often exceed the postage line that gets all the attention.
Not financial advice. Marketplace fees change, and they vary by country, plan and seller status. Every rate here is an editable default, not a quoted price — check the platform's current fee schedule before you price a product against it. This is not tax or business advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical fulfilment cost per order?
For small ecommerce, commonly £4-9 per order all in, with postage the largest single component. It rises quickly for multi-item orders, fragile goods needing protective packing, and categories with high return rates.
Should I fulfil in house or use a 3PL?
In house is usually cheaper at low volume where your time is already committed and space is free. A 3PL wins once volume justifies its rates and you value the time back. Compare on total cost per order including your own labour at a real rate.
What do people forget to count?
Their own time, packaging materials beyond the box, printer and label costs, trips to the post office, and returns processing. Counted honestly, these routinely add £2-3 an order to what looked like a postage-only cost.
How does order size change fulfilment cost?
Per-order costs — labour, the box, the label — are spread over more items, so cost per item falls as basket size rises. That is a large part of why free shipping thresholds and bundles improve unit economics beyond the extra revenue.