3PL Reality Check — See what your fulfillment is costing you | Saltbox

What is your 3PL actually costing you?

Punch in your current fees and see your real annual spend, plus what a Saltbox membership would cost at your volume.

Most founders who run this are surprised by the gap. Take 90 seconds and find out.

1

Enter your current 3PL costs

Average orders shipped per month over the last 3 months.

Most 3PLs charge $2 to $5 per order. Check your invoice line items.

$

Pallet, shelf, or bin charges combined. Add long-term storage surcharges if billed monthly.

$

How your 3PL adds margin on top of the carrier rate. Pick the form your invoice uses.

$

Tech, software, integrations, account management. Some 3PLs bundle this into a flat monthly fee.

$

Total receiving charges in a typical month (per pallet, per carton, or per unit, combined).

$

Charge per return. We assume 5% returns rate (e-comm typical). Adjust your fee, not the rate.

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How we estimate. Returns volume uses a 5% returns rate on your monthly orders. If you entered shipping markup as a %, we apply it to an $8 average carrier rate. Saltbox side reflects the published Access plan rate. Warehouse suite pricing is custom.
2

Here's what the numbers say

Your current 3PL
$227,400
per year
Saltbox
$4,188
membership per year
Annual gap
$223,212
98% less on membership vs your current 3PL
Cost per order, current 3PL $6.32
Cost per order, Saltbox membership $0.12
What this means. At 3,000 orders/month, you're paying about $6.32 per order to your 3PL. The gap above shows the delta vs. a Saltbox membership floor — before Parsel shipping rates and eForce on-demand labor are layered in.

Saltbox pricing shown reflects published Access plan rates and is provided for illustrative purposes. Warehouse suite pricing is customized based on space size, location, and term. Membership does not include carrier shipping spend or on-site labor, which members handle directly (often at lower rates via Parsel and Saltbox Operations Services). Actual costs vary. Book a call for a personalized quote.

Book a call to see your actual Saltbox quote
1,000+

Product-based businesses operating at Saltbox on month-to-month memberships across 12 markets.

Parsel

Negotiated carrier rates Saltbox members access directly. No 3PL markup layered on shipping.

Saltbox Operations Services

On-demand labor for peak season, FBA prep, or short-term lift. Starts at $45/hour. Use it only when you need it.

Ready to ditch your subpar 3PL?

Download our 3PL exit checklist on how to move out and move on from your 3PL provider.

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