Pricing · Education
How fulfillment pricing actually works.
3PL quotes can feel like a black box. Here’s a plain-English breakdown of what you’re paying for, so you can compare AMSCO to anyone else, line by line.
The building blocks of a fulfillment quote
Almost every 3PL prices the same handful of activities. Understand these five and you can read any quote, and spot the ones hiding fees.
1. Receiving
The cost to inbound your product: unloading, counting against the packing list, and shelving it. Usually billed per carton, pallet, or unit at intake. Good receiving is where accurate inventory starts.
2. Storage
What you pay to keep product on our shelves, typically by the bin, shelf, or pallet position per month. You pay for the space you actually use, and it scales up for peak season and back down after.
3. Pick & pack
The core fulfillment cost: pulling the items for each order and packing them. Often a base pick fee per order plus a small charge for additional items. This is where accuracy and speed earn their keep.
4. Shipping
The carrier cost to move the parcel. We rate UPS, USPS, and DHL on every order and ship the cheapest eligible fast service, passing through our negotiated rates. Our Midwest location keeps zones, and therefore cost, low.
5. Value-adds
Kitting, custom packaging, inserts, returns processing, and special projects, billed only when you use them. No paying for services you don’t need.
What good pricing looks like
- Transparent: every line explained, no mystery fees.
- Usage-based: you pay for what you actually use.
- No punitive minimums: room to grow and to have a slow month.
- Fair terms: month to month, not locked in for years.
Want real numbers for your brand? Use the instant estimator on our quote page for shipping, then get a full quote for storage and fulfillment tailored to your SKUs and volume.
Estimate your monthly fulfillment cost
A quick ballpark for pick, pack, and storage on standard items. Shipping is estimated separately on the quote page.
Estimate only, for standard items. Oversized or heavy items are priced separately. Storage assumes one bin ($3/mo) or one pallet (about $30/mo) per SKU. Shipping is not included. Final rates are set in your signed service agreement.
Instant estimate
Estimate a shipment in seconds
Enter a package and destination ZIP. The tool prices UPS, USPS, and DHL and shows the best rate for that shipment.
Estimates only. Final pricing is confirmed on your quote.
FAQ
Questions, answered
How much does fulfillment cost per order?
It depends on your products, order profile, and volume, that’s why we quote it rather than post a flat rate. Use our estimator for shipping and request a quote for a full breakdown.
Are there hidden or long-term fees?
No, we walk you through every line in your quote, and our terms are month to month.
Can I estimate my shipping cost right now?
Yes, our Get a Quote page has an instant shipping estimator that prices a package to any U.S. ZIP.
Get real numbers for your brand
Estimate shipping instantly, then request a full fulfillment quote.