Understanding 3PL Pricing: What You’re Really Paying For

Choosing a third-party logistics (3PL) partner can be a game-changer for your ecommerce brand, but for many founders, understanding how 3PL pricing actually works can feel like navigating a maze.

With terms like “pick fees”, “storage charges”, “handling costs” and “minimum order volumes” floating around, it’s no wonder ecommerce brands worry about being caught off guard by hidden fees.

In this post, we’ll break down the typical costs involved in 3PL fulfilment, explain where your money goes, and show you how Packitle keeps pricing simple, transparent, and scalable — whether you're fulfilling 100 or 5000 orders per month.

🧾 The Core Components of 3PL Pricing

Every 3PL charges differently, but most pricing models follow a similar structure made up of 5 core components:

1. Receiving Fees

When your inventory arrives at the fulfilment centre, the 3PL checks, unpacks, and shelves it.

• Some charge by the pallet, by the hour, or per unit.

• Packitle offers clear receiving rates with no surprise admin fees.

2. Storage Fees

Ongoing fees for storing your stock in the warehouse.

• Charged per shelf/bin/pallet per week or month.

• Packitle calculates storage based on actual space used, not inflated flat rates.

3. Pick and Pack Fees

The cost of picking items from shelves and packing them for shipment.

• Usually charged per order (e.g., $x for the first item, plus $x per additional item).

• At Packitle, we offer flat-rate pick and pack pricing, so you know what to expect.

4. Packaging Materials

Some 3PLs charge extra for boxes, tape, and protective packaging.

• Packitle works closely with clients to source the most cost-effective packaging solutions, including both standard and custom-branded options.

5. Shipping Costs

The price of sending the parcel to the customer, including courier fees.

• This varies based on size, weight, destination, and speed.

• We work with multiple carriers to give you the best rates, and pass those savings directly to you.

💬 Optional & Hidden Fees to Watch Out For

Many 3PLs advertise low pick and pack fees but then add extra charges for:

• Minimum monthly spend

• High-volume surcharges during peak seasons

• Long-term storage penalties

✅ At Packitle, we keep it simple - our pricing is all-in, transparent, and built to scale with your brand.

🔍 Packitle’s Approach to Pricing

We’ve built our pricing model to reflect what brands actually need: clarity, flexibility, and fairness.

Here’s how we do it differently:

Fee Type	Packitle’s Approach
Administration	Fixed, transparent, no hidden costs
Storage	Pay only for the space you use
Pick & Pack	Clear per-order rates
Packaging	Standard available, BYO custom options available
Shipping	Carrier-agnostic, rate-optimised
Receiving Goods	Fixed, transparent, no hidden costs
Returns Handling	Fair, brand-sensitive return processing

💡 Tips for Managing Your Fulfilment Costs

• Send stock in bulk rather than drip-feeding, to reduce receiving fees

• Forecast your inventory to avoid long-term storage charges

• Standardise packaging sizes to keep shipping costs predictable

• Use branded packaging strategically, for key SKUs or promotions

• Track your fulfilment KPIs to spot inefficiencies before they become costly

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🔚 Final Thoughts

3PL pricing shouldn’t feel like guesswork. At Packitle, we believe in full pricing transparency and working in partnership with our clients to make fulfilment not just a cost, but a growth driver.

By understanding what you’re really paying for, you’ll be better equipped to choose the right partner, avoid unnecessary spend, and build a smoother, more profitable fulfilment operation.

📣 Ready for Clear, Scalable Fulfilment Pricing?

Packitle helps ecommerce brands across Australia and beyond scale with honest, reliable, and cost-effective 3PL fulfilment.

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