Enter Fulfillment Inputs
The calculator area uses 3 columns on large screens, 2 on smaller screens, and 1 on mobile screens.
Plotly Cost Breakdown
This chart visualizes the main fulfillment cost drivers from your current inputs.
Example Data Table
| Example Metric | Sample Value |
|---|---|
| Orders Shipped | 420 |
| Total Units Shipped | 780 |
| Pick Fee Per Order | $1.35 |
| Additional Unit Pick Fee | $0.28 |
| Pack Fee Per Order | $0.95 |
| Packaging Material Cost | $0.62 |
| Monthly Storage Cost | $165.00 |
| Return Rate | 7.5% |
Formula Used
Additional Units = max(Total Units Shipped − Orders Shipped, 0)
Base Handling Cost = Orders × (Pick Fee + Pack Fee + Packaging + Insert + Receiving + Weight Surcharge + Dimensional Surcharge + Custom Handling)
Returns Cost = (Orders × Return Rate%) × Return Processing Fee
Subtotal = Base Handling Cost + Additional Unit Picking + Storage + Returns Cost
Total Fulfillment Fee = Subtotal × (1 + Overall Surcharge%)
Fee Per Order = Total Fulfillment Fee ÷ Orders
Fee Per Unit = Total Fulfillment Fee ÷ Units
Revenue Needed = Total Fulfillment Fee ÷ (1 − Target Margin%)
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the number of shipped orders and total shipped units.
- Add your per-order picking, packing, and material charges.
- Include receiving, weight, dimensional, and custom handling values.
- Enter monthly storage, return rate, and return processing fee.
- Add a surcharge percentage for fuel, admin, or partner markups.
- Set your target margin to see revenue recovery needs.
- Press the calculate button to show results above the form.
- Download the summary as CSV or PDF if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a fulfillment fee?
A fulfillment fee is the total operational cost to pick, pack, store, process, and prepare ecommerce orders for outbound delivery. It often combines fixed order fees, per-unit picking fees, packaging costs, storage, and surcharges.
2. Why does this calculator use both orders and units?
Many warehouses charge a base fee per order and an extra fee for each additional unit after the first item. Using both values helps estimate blended fulfillment expense more realistically.
3. Should storage be included in fulfillment pricing?
Yes. Storage affects your landed fulfillment cost, especially for slow-moving inventory. Allocating storage across shipped orders shows the real operational burden behind each sale.
4. How are returns handled here?
The calculator estimates return volume from your return rate and multiplies that by the return processing fee. This creates a monthly reserve for reverse logistics and restocking work.
5. What does surcharge percentage represent?
It can represent fuel, administrative overhead, seasonal handling, carrier pass-through costs, or third-party markup. Applying it to the subtotal gives a more practical end estimate.
6. Why is fee per unit useful?
Fee per unit helps compare fulfillment efficiency across different product mixes. It is especially useful when analyzing bundles, multi-item orders, and pricing thresholds for free shipping.
7. What does revenue needed at target margin mean?
It estimates the sales revenue required to recover the fulfillment expense while preserving your chosen margin target. This can support pricing, channel decisions, and contribution analysis.
8. Can I use this for third-party logistics comparisons?
Yes. Enter one provider’s rates, record the result, then replace the inputs with another provider’s pricing. Comparing totals, per-order fees, and margin recovery needs can reveal the better option.