How much does fulfilment cost in Europe? the pricing, without the guesswork

There is no single rate because the bill is built from several line items — storage, pick and pack, carrier and returns — and driven by your order profile and country. As a rough shape, expect a monthly storage charge per pallet or bin, a pick and pack fee in the low single-digit euros per order plus a smaller fee per extra item, and the carrier cost on top. The only reliable figure is a quote priced against your own volume and basket.

It typically covers picking the first item in an order from its storage location and packing it ready to ship, with a smaller additional fee for each extra item in the same order. Standard packaging is often included, while custom boxes, inserts or gift wrapping are costed separately. Always check whether the quoted fee is per order or per item, as that changes the comparison completely.

Labour, warehouse property and carrier rates differ significantly across Europe, so the same operation costs more in some countries than others. Where you ship matters too — domestic parcels are cheaper than cross-border ones. The lowest storage rate is not automatically the cheapest overall once carrier costs to your actual markets are included, which is why you compare on the full basket.

Give every partner the same numbers: your monthly order count, average items per order, typical parcel weight, storage footprint and return rate, plus the countries you ship to. Then compare the total for that basket, not the headline pick fee. A partner with a higher pick fee but cheaper carrier rates to your main market can easily be the cheaper choice overall.

The lines people miss are inbound receiving, returns handling, storage on slow-moving stock, account or software fees, and surcharges for oversized or hazardous items. Cross-border sellers should also confirm how VAT, IOSS and cash on delivery are billed. Ask for a full fee schedule rather than a summary, and price the extras against your real order mix.