Rising labor costs, volatile cardboard prices and post-Brexit compliance rules have pushed pick-and-pack fees to the top of every e-commerce P&L. Whether you ship 200 or 20 000 orders a month, understanding today’s market rates—and the fine print behind them—can save (or sink) your margin. This guide distils fresh 2025 data from UK 3PL rate cards so you can benchmark quotes, spot hidden surcharges and negotiate like a pro.
What Exactly Is “Pick and Pack”?
Pick and pack fees cover two labor steps:
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Picking – locating each SKU in the warehouse.
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Packing – boxing, void-filling, labeling and handing off to the carrier.
Anything extra—custom inserts, kitting, fragile wrapping—adds surcharges you need to track.
2025 Market-Rate Snapshot
| Cost Component | Low (£) | High (£) | Typical Band | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First pick per order | 0.85 | 1.50 | 0.95–1.25 | Amzprepfulfilmentpeople.co.uk |
| Additional pick (per item) | 0.10 | 0.50 | 0.20–0.30 | e-pickpack.co.uk |
| Flat per-order fee (bundled) | 1.00 | 3.00 | 1.50–2.50 | e-pickpack.co.ukCBF Fulfilment |
| Special/fragile packing | 0.30 | 1.50 | 0.30–1.00 | ukprefulfillment.com |
Headline: A standard single-item order now averages £1.50–£2.20 for pick & pack before postage.
Five Factors Driving 2025 Fees
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Order Volume – Tier breaks (e.g., 5 000 + orders/mth) can drop first-pick rates by 15 – 25 %.
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SKU Complexity – Kitting, lot tracking, or serial-number capture drive per-item premiums.
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Product Size & Fragility – Ceramic kitchenware pays higher special-pack fees than T-shirts.
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Packaging Inputs – Corrugate prices rose ~8 % YoY; some 3PLs pass that straight through.
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Peak-Season Labor – Q4 surcharges of £0.10–£0.25 per order are now common.
Pricing Models Explained
| Model | How You’re Charged | Best For | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per Order + Per Item | Flat first-pick + incremental picks | Mixed-SKU orders | Hidden “special pack” lines |
| Tiered Volume | Declining rates as monthly orders grow | Scaling brands | Reset if volume dips |
| Bundled (All-in) | One fee covers pick, pack, box | Simple SKU catalogs | Expensive for multi-item orders |
| Hourly Labor | Warehouse time billed per hour | Flash campaigns | Low transparency |
Real-World Examples
| 3PL | First Pick | Extra Pick | Custom Pack | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Pre Fulfilment | £1.05 | £0.22 | £0.70 | Tier breaks at 2 500 / 5 000 orders |
| Fulfilment People | £1.02 | £0.20 | £0.60 | Minimum 500 orders/month fulfilmentpeople.co.uk |
| AMZ Prep UK | £0.90 | £0.25 | £0.80 | Amazon-led compliance focus Amzprep |
| E-PickPack | £1.50 flat (1 item) | £0.35 | £1.00 | Good for fragile goods e-pickpack.co.uk |
Always request a written rate card; most providers exclude VAT in headline numbers.
Hidden & “Gotcha” Fees to Flag in 2025
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Peak Q4 surcharge (often not quoted until September).
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Returns handling (£1.50–£2.50 per unit typical).
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Packaging mark-ups (10–25 % above trade price).
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Manual order correction fees when addresses fail validation.
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Energy surcharge (introduced by some warehouses after 2024 utility spikes).
Calculate Your True Cost Per Order
Formula
Example – 2-item kitchenware order, first pick £1.05, extra pick £0.22, custom pack £0.70, box £0.18, storage £0.15, returns 3 % @ £1.80.
1.05 + 0.22 + 0.70 + 0.18 + 0.15 + (0.03 × 1.80) ≈ £2.40
Five Ways to Cut Pick & Pack Costs in 2025
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Shrink SKU Dimensions – save on both pick rate tiers and shipping weight.
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Bundle Popular Combos – one kit = one pick.
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Negotiate Annual Volume Commitments for deeper tier discounts.
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Use Supplier-Branded Boxes to offset packaging charges.
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Automate Returns Triage to reduce manual handling fees.
2025 Pick-and-Pack Pricing Checklist
Grab a printable checklist covering 25 cost-line items to audit before signing any 3PL contract.
Conclusion & CTA
Pick-and-pack pricing in the UK now spans £0.85 to £1.50 for the first pick and £0.20 to £0.50 for each extra item, but hidden surcharges can double that figure. Run the true-cost formula above, pressure-test every quote and leverage 2025 benchmarks to negotiate.
Need a transparent quote in 24 hours? Reach out to UK Pre Fulfilment—and see exactly what you’ll pay, line by line, before peak season hits.
