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Pick and Pack Cost Calculator — Fulfillment Cost Per Order

Calculate your true pick and pack cost per order. Break down labour, packaging materials, overhead and equipment to find cost per order, per line item and per unit.

Quick answer: Average pick and pack cost runs $2.50–$5.00 per order for simple e-commerce fulfillment. Complex multi-line B2B orders can run $8–$15+. Labour is typically 60–70% of total fulfillment cost.

📦 Pick and Pack Cost Calculator

Rent, equipment, systems allocated to fulfillment
Cost Per Order
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Cost Per Line Item
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Labour % of Total
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How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter daily order volume — average orders processed per day.
  2. Enter picking team details — number of pickers and all-in hourly rate including benefits.
  3. Enter materials cost — average packaging cost per order — boxes, dunnage, tape, labels.
  4. Add overhead — warehouse rent, WMS, conveyors and equipment allocated to fulfillment.

Worked Example

200 orders/day, 2.5 lines each. 4 pickers at $22/hr. $0.85 materials/order. $400/day overhead.

  1. Daily labour: 4 × $22 × 8 = $704
  2. Daily materials: $0.85 × 200 = $170
  3. Daily total: $704 + $170 + $400 = $1,274
  4. Cost per order: $1,274 ÷ 200 = $6.37

At $6.37/order, improving picker productivity from 25 to 30 orders/picker/hour would reduce cost per order by $1.20 — saving $240/day or ~$63,000/year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Simple e-commerce fulfillment (1–2 items, standard packaging) averages $2.50–$5.00 per order. Multi-line B2B orders with custom packaging run $6–$15. 3PL warehouses typically charge $1.50–$3.50 per order plus materials, with volume discounts.

Improve slotting (fast-moving SKUs nearest packing stations), implement batch or zone picking, use pick-to-light or voice picking technology, reduce packaging variety, and benchmark picker productivity (typical: 80–120 lines/hour for simple picks).