How Much Does Ecommerce Fulfilment Cost in the UK?

UK domestic ecommerce fulfilment with Airbox Fulfilment starts from around £3.50 per order including shipping, depending on volume. The price of each order depends mainly on four things: your order volume, the size and weight of the order, the packaging it needs and where it is going.

This guide explains what goes into a fulfilment price, what changes it, and the fees to check before you sign with any UK 3PL.

What a fulfilment price covers

Most UK 3PLs build the cost of fulfilment from a few parts:

• Goods-in: receiving and checking your stock into the warehouse.
• Storage: the space your stock takes up while it waits to be sold.
• Pick and pack: picking the items in each order and packing them.
• Packaging: the boxes, mailers and void fill used for each order.
• Shipping: the carrier charge, set by parcel size, weight, destination and delivery speed.

Some 3PLs quote each part separately and some quote a price per order. Airbox's starting price of around £3.50 per UK domestic order includes shipping, so when you compare quotes, check whether each one includes postage.

What drives the cost per order

Order volume

Volume has the biggest effect on price. Higher, steadier volumes usually earn lower rates per order. Airbox prices UK domestic orders from around £3.50 depending on volume, and there is scope to negotiate pricing as volumes grow.

Order size and weight

A single small item costs less to pick, pack and ship than a multi-item or heavy order. Weight and parcel size also set the carrier rate, which is usually the largest part of the cost of each order.

Packaging

A standard mailer costs less than a branded box with tissue wrap, ribbon or a handwritten note. Presentation packing adds time to each order, and Airbox prices it per unit.

Destination

UK domestic orders cost the least to deliver. Orders to the EU and further afield cost more to ship. Airbox also runs a site in Zoetermeer in the Netherlands, so brands selling into Europe can ship EU orders from inside the EU.

Fees to check before you sign

Ask every 3PL for its full rate card and check for:

• setup or onboarding fees
• a minimum monthly spend or minimum order volume
• peak surcharges at Black Friday and Christmas
• account management, integration or software fees
• whether shipping is included in the price per order

How Airbox prices fulfilment

Airbox Fulfilment charges no setup fees, no onboarding costs and no minimum volumes. Onboarding is billed at the standard goods-in tariff, and there is scope to negotiate pricing as volumes grow. UK domestic orders start from around £3.50 per order including shipping, depending on volume.

There are no peak surcharges, even though Airbox runs 24/7 during peak with capacity of three times standard D2C volume. Presentation packing is priced per unit, and subscription box kitting, gift set assembly and promotional packs are priced per unit through a time-and-motion study.

For a quote based on your order profile, contact Airbox on 020 8283 0200 or at join@airboxfulfilment.com.

UK fulfilment cost: common questions

How much does ecommerce fulfilment cost per order in the UK?

With Airbox Fulfilment, UK domestic orders start from around £3.50 per order including shipping, depending on volume. Order size and weight, packaging and destination also change the price.

Does Airbox charge setup fees?

No. Airbox Fulfilment charges no setup fees and no onboarding costs. Onboarding is billed at the standard goods-in tariff.

Is there a minimum order volume?

Some 3PLs set a minimum monthly volume or spend. Airbox has no minimum volumes.

Do 3PLs charge more at peak?

Some add peak surcharges for Black Friday and Christmas. Airbox has no peak surcharges.

What makes fulfilment cost more per order?

Lower volumes, heavier or multi-item orders, premium packaging and deliveries outside the UK all raise the cost per order.