How Much Does E-commerce Fulfilment Cost in Northern Ireland?

E-commerce fulfilment costs depend on more than the number of parcels you send: storage, incoming stock, extra items and returns all affect the bill. Here is how my Pack & Post NI pricing works, with a worked example for 200 monthly orders and a practical way to compare outsourcing with packing everything yourself.

Start with the whole bill, not one headline fee

I run Pack & Post NI in Belfast, and I prefer to separate the charges so small brands can see what they are paying for. A picking fee alone will not tell you the cost of getting an order from your stock shelf to your customer.

All Pack & Post NI prices in this guide are excluding VAT. There is no subscription and no minimums, but you still need to budget for whichever services you use.

The figures below are my rate card, not a claim about what every Northern Ireland fulfilment business charges. You can check the pricing page and use your own order details to build a realistic comparison.

Onboarding: the one-off starting cost

Onboarding is £150 one-off. Keep it separate from ongoing monthly costs when you assess a quote: it affects your initial outlay, but it is not a recurring subscription.

Before moving stock, discuss your products, order process and packing requirements. Ask what information is required and what the starting arrangements cover. You should understand the process before booking a stock delivery, rather than discovering missing product details when orders are waiting.

Pick and pack: orders and extra items

Picking and packing costs £2.00 per order, including a box or mailer. Each additional item in that order costs 25p.

For a single-item order, the charge is £2.00. For two items, it is £2.25; for three, £2.50. Those amounts exclude the shipping label and any other applicable services.

This matters when you sell bundles. A hypothetical Lisburn skincare shop might advertise one gift set, but if it requires three separately picked products, the picking requirements need to be clear. Explain how sets arrive and how they should be assembled before relying on an estimate.

For budgeting, count both orders and physical items. Average order value alone will not tell you how much picking work is involved.

Storage and goods in: the stock behind the orders

Storage is £8 per shelf per month. Goods in costs £15 per delivery.

Shelf requirements depend on the products and quantities you hold, not just monthly sales. Lightweight accessories and bulky homeware can need very different amounts of space. Share product measurements and expected stock levels when asking for a quote.

Incoming deliveries also deserve attention. In a hypothetical month, receiving two stock deliveries would cost £30 in goods-in charges; receiving four would cost £60. That does not automatically make fewer deliveries better, because larger deliveries may increase the stock you need to store.

A small NI brand should compare its supplier schedule with its stock needs. Aim for a workable replenishment pattern rather than changing deliveries solely to reduce one line of the bill.

Labels, returns and optional extras

Shipping labels are charged at the discounted courier rate plus 50p per label. I use Royal Mail, Evri and DPD, with shipping to Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

The actual courier charge depends on the shipment. Supply parcel dimensions, weight, destinations and service requirements before expecting an accurate postage figure. My courier comparison explains the choices to consider.

Returns cost £1.50 per item. Forecast them separately from outbound orders: an order containing several returned items is not the same as one returned item. Any return postage needs separate consideration; do not assume the handling charge covers it.

Gift wrap and inserts start from 30p. Because that is a starting price, discuss the exact job and charging basis before including it in your budget. Ordinary picking and packing already includes a box or mailer, so avoid adding that standard packaging twice when comparing costs.

Worked example: 200 orders in one month

This is an illustrative scenario, not a quote. Assume a brand sends 200 orders, each requiring one outbound label. Of those orders, 150 contain one item and 50 contain two items, giving 50 extra items overall.

Also assume four shelves, two incoming deliveries and ten returned items during the month. No gift wrap or inserts are included. The business is starting this month, so onboarding applies.

The ongoing subtotal works out at approximately £2.95 per outbound order before courier charges and VAT. That allocation includes the assumed storage, goods in and returns; it is not a replacement picking rate.

If the same pattern continued after onboarding, the subtotal would be £589.50 plus the actual courier charges and VAT. Different shelf usage, returns or item counts would change it.

DIY packing versus outsourcing: include your time

Doing it yourself can be sensible, especially when order volumes are manageable and storage is readily available. But compare like with like: postage exists under both arrangements, and your own packing supplies are not free just because you buy them separately.

For a time illustration, assume you measure six minutes per order for picking, packing and label preparation. At 200 orders, that is 20 hours. This is a hypothetical input, not an industry average, and excludes receiving stock, returns and other administration.

Multiply those hours by a value you choose for your own time. Then add your actual supplies, storage and other costs. Do not invent an hourly saving simply to make outsourcing look attractive.

When does outsourcing become cheaper?

There is no honest universal order threshold. Outsourcing becomes cheaper when the comparable cost of doing the work yourself, including the value you assign to the time genuinely released, exceeds the complete outsourced cost.

For the example above, compare the £589.50 recurring subtotal plus quoted courier charges with your own equivalent costs. Assess the £150 onboarding separately when deciding whether the initial spend works for you.

Keep cash savings and capacity separate. Freeing an evening for marketing can be worthwhile, but it does not guarantee extra sales. You will also still spend some time managing stock and communicating instructions.

If your own arrangement remains cheaper and manageable, there is no need to force a change. If packing is restricting the business, request a quote using real figures and read how fulfilment works before deciding.

FAQ

Is postage included in the £2.00 fee?

No. The £2.00 covers picking and packing with a box or mailer. Labels cost the discounted courier rate plus 50p each. Additional items and other applicable services are charged separately.

Is there a monthly subscription or minimum order volume?

No. Pack & Post NI has no subscription and no minimums. That does not remove charges for storage or services you use, so include those when forecasting a quieter month.

How can I get a more accurate estimate?

Provide monthly orders, items per order, product sizes, stock quantities, delivery destinations, incoming deliveries and expected returns. Include any special packing requests. Those details make an estimate more useful than order volume alone.

Should I spread onboarding across my orders?

You can allocate it across a chosen period for internal planning, but keep it identified as a £150 one-off charge. It is part of your initial outlay, not a recurring monthly fee. All quoted prices here exclude VAT.