The quoted price from a 3PL rarely reflects what you'll actually pay. Between the rate card and your monthly invoice sits a gap that can be wide enough to turn a profitable fulfilment setup into a costly surprise. Understanding where the hidden charges typically lurk — before you sign anything — is one of the most important steps in choosing a fulfilment partner.
Many 3PLs charge a goods-in or receiving fee every time a pallet or box arrives at the warehouse. This is sometimes listed as a per-pallet charge, sometimes per-carton, and sometimes per-unit. If you're sending stock in frequently — or if your supplier ships in smaller consignments — these charges accumulate fast. Some providers bury the rate in the appendix of their contract, presenting only the pick-and-pack headline rate during the sales process.
At PackPro, goods-in is charged at a flat £1.00 per unit received. No pallet fees, no carton fees, no surprises.
A common clause in 3PL contracts is a monthly minimum — a floor you pay regardless of how many orders you dispatch. If your volume drops seasonally or you're early-stage and growing, you'll pay for capacity you're not using. Some providers set minimums as high as £500–£1,000 per month, which can make the arrangement unviable at lower volumes.
Storage sounds simple — a rate per pallet or per cubic metre per week — but the devil is in the surcharges. Long-term storage penalties (often applied after 90 or 180 days), seasonal storage rate increases over peak periods, and minimum storage commitments all inflate what you actually pay. Ask any prospective 3PL for a worked example of your expected monthly storage charge before you commit.
Platform access fees, integration setup fees, report fees, and "account management" charges are common in larger 3PL contracts. Some providers charge for every new platform integration. Others apply a monthly software fee on top of fulfilment charges. These can add £50–£300 per month to your bill without adding any operational value.
Returns handling is often excluded from headline pricing. The charge per return can range from 50p to several pounds depending on what's included — inspection, repackaging, restock, and disposal all attract separate line items at some providers. At scale, a poor returns policy can meaningfully erode your margins.
PackPro publishes its pricing openly. View our rate card or ask for a bespoke quote — no obligation, no small print surprises.