Hi, I am about to launch new store and sell mostly very light items, simple operation with 10-20 skus, and most of the orders are just multiple packs of one of the top 3 skus with weight 0.5~1lb. We will plan to manufature from china and ship to USA. At 2000 orders per month, what would be a reasonable cost per order for 3p fulfillment service and how much will it be for example 10 items for one order if I’m using SFN (reason I ask this is because cost calculator for SFN doesn’t make sense to me - cost me $20 or more)
Topic summary
Cost expectations for outsourcing fulfillment of lightweight items are being sought for a new store. The merchant plans 10–20 SKUs, with most orders being multiple packs of the top 3 SKUs, each order weighing ~0.5–1 lb.
Operations context: Manufactured in China, shipped to the U.S.; target volume ~2,000 orders/month. Evaluating 3PL (third‑party logistics) vs SFN (Shopify Fulfillment Network).
Key questions:
- What is a reasonable per‑order cost for a 3PL at this volume and item profile?
- For SFN, what would a 10‑item order cost? The SFN cost calculator is showing $20+ per order, which seems high to the poster.
Current status: Inquiry only; no cost benchmarks, explanations, or confirmations provided yet. The thread is open with unresolved questions about realistic per‑order pricing and the accuracy/interpretation of SFN calculator estimates.