Order Fulfillment Cost Calculator
Fulfilment cost as a share of order value.
Fulfilment as share of order value
17.1%
$7.20 on a $42.00 order
Most fulfilment cost is per order rather than per item, which is why raising basket size improves this faster than cutting cost.
How the Order Fulfillment Cost Calculator works
Fulfilment cost expressed in currency tells you little without the order value beside it. £6 to fulfil a £25 order is a serious problem; the same £6 on a £120 order barely registers. The ratio is what determines whether a basket size is worth serving.
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 should fulfilment cost as a share of order value?
Under 15% is comfortable for most ecommerce, 15-25% is workable on higher-margin goods, and above 25% usually means either the order value is too low or the fulfilment process is too expensive.
How does basket size change it?
Dramatically, because most of the cost is per order rather than per item. Doubling the basket rarely doubles fulfilment cost, which is why raising average order value is one of the most reliable ways to improve unit economics.
Should I set a minimum order value?
It can be worth it where small orders are genuinely loss-making, but it also loses customers who would have grown. A free shipping threshold that nudges basket size upward usually works better than a hard minimum.
How do I lower the ratio?
Raise order value through bundles, thresholds and cross-sells, or lower the cost through better packing, cheaper services and batch processing. The first is usually easier and improves revenue at the same time.