Packaging fees: when a 3PL can bill for boxes and mailers

Packaging fees are what a 3PL charges for the boxes, mailers, tape and void fill (dunnage) used to ship your orders. Some 3PLs include standard packaging in the pick and pack fee; others bill each box or mailer as a separate line. If you supply custom packaging, you usually pay to store it, not a materials fee.

The packaging line is easy to overlook because each charge is small. It is also one of the easiest to check, because there should normally be one package per shipped order.

What packaging covers

Shipping containers: corrugated boxes in several sizes, poly mailers, bubble mailers.
Dunnage: void fill such as paper, air pillows or bubble wrap that keeps items from moving.
Closures and labels: tape and shipping labels.
Extras: tissue, stickers, inserts and gift wrap, usually only if you ask for them.

Packaging choices also affect postage. A bigger box than the item needs can raise the billable weight, so see dimensional weight as well.

How 3PLs bill packaging

Structure	How it works	What to check
Included in pick and pack	Standard boxes, mailers and dunnage are part of the per-order fee	No separate packaging lines for standard materials
Per unit of material	Each box or mailer has a price, often by size	One package per order; size billed against size used
Flat per order	One packaging charge per order	Charged only on shipped orders
Cost plus markup	Materials at the 3PL's cost plus a percentage	The markup in the contract
Custom packaging you supply	You ship materials in; the 3PL stores and uses them	No materials fee on your own packaging
Special handling	Extra protection such as bubble wrap	When it applies and who approved it

Published examples show the range of approaches. ShipBob says plain brown boxes in many standard sizes, poly mailers, bubble mailers, tape, dunnage and shipping labels are provided free for all orders, and that brands using custom branded boxes, mailers and inserts pay only to store them. eFulfillment Service lists excessive handling charges of $0.30 per unit, for example for bubble wrapping (as published at the time of writing).

Typical packaging fees

Because so many 3PLs bundle packaging into the pick fee, ranges are rough:

Speed Commerce's August 2026 review of published sources found $0.25 to $2.50 per order for packaging materials when billed separately, with a blended midpoint of $0.60, and notes that whether packaging is in the pick rate is the main reason pick and pack figures differ.
Speed Commerce's 2026 fee guide says plain packaging is often included, or billed at $0.50 to $2.00 per order, or at cost plus 20 to 40%.
Fulfill.com notes that some providers bundle packaging into the pick fee while others line-item every mailer, which makes quotes harder to compare.

When you compare two quotes, add packaging to the pick and pack fee for both before deciding which is cheaper. Our page on pick and pack fees shows how to do that.

How the amount is calculated

Worked example (made up). Juniper & Pine, a made-up brand, ships through Ridgeline Fulfillment, a made-up warehouse. Its rate card bills a poly mailer at $0.40, separately from the pick and pack fee. In November, Ridgeline shipped 1,000 orders, each in one poly mailer.

Correct packaging charge: 1,000 × $0.40 = $400.00

If the invoice bills 1,030 mailers, it reads 1,030 × $0.40 = $412.00. The 30 extra mailers ($12.00) need an explanation: re-packs after damage, a second mailer on orders that shipped as one package, or mailers billed on cancelled orders.

The "included" error. Now suppose a different contract says the pick and pack fee includes standard poly mailers and boxes. Then every standard mailer line is an overcharge: 1,000 × $0.40 = $400.00 for the month. One way it can happen is a billing setup that adds a standard materials rate to every order by default, even on contracts where packaging is included.

Billing errors on the packaging line

Packaging billed although included. Standard materials charged when the contract includes them in pick and pack.
More packages than orders. Mailers or boxes billed above the number of packages shipped.
Wrong size. A large box billed when the shipping data shows a small box was used. The package dimensions in the carrier data show what was actually used.
Your own packaging billed as materials. Custom boxes or mailers you supplied, charged at the 3PL's materials rate.
Dunnage billed separately when the contract includes it, or billed on mailer orders that do not use it.
Packaging on cancelled orders. Materials charged for orders that never shipped.
Markup above the contract on cost-plus packaging.

Our list of common 3PL billing errors covers related problems on other lines.

How to check packaging charges

You need the signed rate card and any statement of work that mentions packaging, the packaging lines on the invoice (ideally by order), the 3PL's shipment data with package type and dimensions, a record of custom packaging you sent in, and your Shopify order export.

Read what the contract includes in pick and pack. If standard packaging is included, any standard packaging line is a question.
Count shipped orders in Shopify for the period, excluding cancelled orders (the export's Canceled at column).
Compare packages billed with orders shipped. Orders that legitimately ship in two packages should show two tracking numbers.
Check box sizes billed against the dimensions in the shipment data.
Check that no materials fee was charged on your own custom packaging.
Recalculate quantity × rate, and the markup if packaging is cost plus.

Questions to settle in the contract

Which materials are included in the pick and pack fee: boxes, mailers, dunnage, tape?
Which materials are billed, at what price, and by size?
Who chooses the box size, and what happens if a larger box is used?
How is custom packaging you supply handled, stored and billed?
If your custom packaging runs out, can the 3PL substitute its own, and at what price?
If packaging is cost plus, what is the markup and can you see the cost?
Are inserts and special handling billed, and do they need your approval?

Our 3PL contract checklist includes these terms. Have a lawyer review the agreement before you sign it.

Get your packaging charges checked

3PL Checker compares the packaging lines on your invoice with your rate card and your shipped Shopify orders, and flags materials billed when they were included or billed for more packages than you shipped. The first audit is free, and a person reviews every finding.

Questions

What is 3PL packaging?

It is the boxes, mailers, tape, void fill and labels a 3PL uses to ship your orders, and the charges for them. A 3PL can supply standard packaging, use your custom packaging, or both.

Are packaging fees included in pick and pack?

It depends on the 3PL. Some include standard boxes and mailers in the pick and pack fee, and others bill each box or mailer as its own line, so check your rate card before comparing quotes.

Can a 3PL use my custom packaging?

Usually, yes. You ship your branded boxes or mailers to the warehouse, and the 3PL uses them on your orders. You typically pay to store them and possibly to receive them, but you should not pay a materials fee for packaging you supplied.

What are packaging charges on a 3PL invoice?

They are the lines for packaging materials used on your orders, such as boxes, poly mailers, bubble mailers, dunnage, tape or inserts. They may be billed per unit of material, as a flat amount per order, or at cost plus a markup.