Enter fulfillment assumptions
Use your current fee card or a proposed 3PL quote. The form uses a responsive three-column grid on large screens.
Example data table
This sample scenario shows how a mid-volume ecommerce seller can compare monthly outsourced fulfillment charges and per-order economics.
| Scenario | Orders | Avg items | Storage pallets | Avg order value | Total monthly cost | Cost per order | Cost as % of AOV | Margin after fulfillment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard DTC brand | 2,500 | 2.4 | 22 | $52.00 | $25,180.50 | $10.07 | 19.37% | 80.63% |
Formula used
max(Average items per order − 1, 0)
Orders × [First item fee + (Additional items per order × Additional item fee)]
Receiving pallets × Receiving cost per pallet
Storage pallets × Storage cost per pallet
Orders × Return rate
Expected returns × Return fee per return
Orders × Average items × Shrinkage rate × Average COGS per item
Account management fee + Software fee + (Onboarding fee ÷ Onboarding months)
Receiving + Pick and pack + Packaging + Inserts + Kitting + Shipping + Storage + Returns + Shrinkage + Fixed monthly fees
Total monthly 3PL cost ÷ Orders
(Cost per order ÷ Average order value) × 100
Semi-fixed monthly cost ÷ (Average order value − Variable cost per order)
How to use this calculator
- Enter your monthly order volume and average items per order.
- Add revenue and product cost assumptions to evaluate fulfillment burden against sales value.
- Fill in warehouse activity drivers such as receiving pallets, storage pallets, and shrinkage rate.
- Enter your quoted 3PL fee card for pick fees, extra item fees, packaging, kitting, returns, and shipping.
- Include recurring overhead such as account management, software, and amortized onboarding charges.
- Submit the form to see the pricing summary above the form, detailed cost breakdown, and sensitivity graph.
- Use the CSV export for spreadsheets and the PDF export for stakeholder review or vendor comparison.
FAQs
1) What does this calculator estimate?
It estimates monthly outsourced fulfillment cost using common 3PL pricing drivers such as receiving, storage, pick and pack, packaging, shipping, returns, shrinkage, and recurring account fees.
2) Why include average items per order?
Many providers charge a first-item fee plus an extra fee for each additional unit. Average items per order helps model realistic pick and pack charges.
3) Should shipping be included here?
Yes, when you want a full operational view. Excluding shipping can understate the real fulfillment burden and distort cost-per-order comparisons across providers.
4) What is the break-even orders figure?
It shows the order volume needed to absorb semi-fixed monthly costs, assuming your average order value remains above variable fulfillment cost per order.
5) How should I use return rate?
Enter the share of shipped orders that are expected to come back. The calculator multiplies that rate by return handling fees to estimate monthly reverse-logistics cost.
6) Why is shrinkage included?
Shrinkage reflects loss, damage, and inventory discrepancies. Including it gives a truer cost picture, especially for fragile, high-value, or fast-moving products.
7) Can I compare two 3PL quotes with this page?
Yes. Run the calculator once for each provider, export both results, and compare total monthly cost, cost per order, and cost as a percentage of average order value.
8) Does this replace a detailed warehouse contract review?
No. It is a strong screening tool, but storage minimums, carrier zones, SLA penalties, and special project fees should still be reviewed in the final contract.