The Six Components of 3PL Cost
Every 3PL prices in some combination of these six buckets:
- Receiving — inbound inventory handling
- Storage — monthly cost to hold inventory
- Pick & Pack — labor to fulfill each order
- Shipping — carrier costs (often pass-through)
- Returns — handling reverse logistics
- Setup / Integration — one-time fees
If a quote doesn't separate these out, ask. Bundled pricing usually hides high storage or unfavorable shipping markups.
1. Receiving Fees
What you'll pay when inventory arrives. Typical ranges:
- Pallets: $15–$50 per pallet
- Cartons: $1–$5 per carton
- Individual units (loose): $0.10–$0.50 per unit
- Container unload (live): $300–$800 per 40' container
Ask whether the receiving fee includes count verification, photos, and putaway — some providers charge separately for each.
2. Storage Costs
Storage is where you'll see the biggest 3PL-to-3PL variance. Common pricing models:
- Per pallet per month: $15–$45
- Per shelf bin per month: $2–$8
- Per cubic foot per month: $0.40–$1.20
- Long-term storage surcharge: Many 3PLs charge 2–3× standard rates after 6–12 months
VC-backed national 3PLs typically price per cubic foot — which works against you for low-velocity SKUs. Regional 3PLs like Reconxx more often use pallet/bin pricing, which favors brands with concentrated bestsellers.
3. Pick & Pack Fees
The labor cost per order. Often quoted as a "first pick" plus "additional pick" model:
- First pick (1-unit order): $2.50–$4.50
- Additional units in the same order: $0.25–$0.75 each
- Pack labor (often bundled): $0.50–$1.50 per order
- Custom packaging / branded inserts: +$0.50–$2.00
- Kitting / bundling: $1.00–$3.00 per kit
4. Shipping Costs
This is usually the biggest line item — and the most opaque. Two patterns:
- Cost-plus: The 3PL passes through the carrier rate plus a markup (5–15%). Transparent.
- "Negotiated rates": The 3PL keeps a percentage of the difference between their bulk rate and what they charge you. Less transparent but can still beat cost-plus if their rates are deep.
Always ask for a sample shipping invoice on real orders from your last 30 days. That tells you the actual blended cost.
5. Returns Processing
Often overlooked until your return rate hits 8–15% (typical for apparel and consumer goods):
- Per return inspection: $2.50–$6.00
- Restocking fee (per SKU): $0.50–$1.50
- Disposal / donation: $0.25–$1.00
6. Setup, Integration, and Account Fees
- Onboarding / setup: $0–$2,500 (waived at many smaller 3PLs)
- Integration fees (Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce): $0–$500 per channel
- Monthly account / WMS fee: $0–$500/month
- Minimum monthly spend: Some providers enforce $250–$1,000 monthly minimums
This is where competitor research pays off. ShipBob has a $275/month minimum; ShipMonk's effective minimum varies but is meaningfully higher than most regional 3PLs.
A Realistic Worked Example
An apparel brand shipping 750 orders/month, average 1.4 units per order, 12% return rate, stored on 4 pallets of inventory:
- Storage: 4 pallets × $30 = $120
- Pick & pack: 750 × $3.25 (first pick + 0.4 additional × $0.40) = $2,438
- Returns: 90 returns × $4 = $360
- Shipping: ~$5,500 (pass-through, not 3PL fee but the brand's cost)
- Account fee: $150
Total non-shipping 3PL spend: ~$3,068/month, or about $4.09 per order excluding shipping.
What Reconxx Charges
We publish real ranges because we believe pricing should be transparent. Our typical brand pays $3.50–$5.50 per order all-in on the fulfillment side, with pallet storage at $25–$35/pallet/month. Get a real quote for your specific volume.
What to Ask Before You Sign
- Show me a sample monthly invoice from a brand my size.
- What's your effective shipping rate to my top 5 zip codes?
- What's your long-term storage policy?
- What's the SLA on order cutoff and same-day ship?
- What's the actual minimum I'll pay if I have a slow month?
Related reading: What fulfillment services actually do and how to decide whether a 3PL is right for you.