Cost structure / standard tiers
Cartonization affects material cost, labor, damage, and freight billing.
| Cost Driver | Typical Range | Operational Cause |
|---|---|---|
| Extra void fill | $0.05-$0.40/order | Oversized carton |
| Dimensional weight increase | 10-40% billed weight uplift | Large box relative to item weight |
| Manual repack labor | $0.50-$2/order | System carton choice fails |
| Damage exposure | Claim or replacement cost | Under-protected packaging |
The lowest packaging cost is not always the lowest shipped cost if the carton triggers higher dimensional billing.
Risk mitigation / operational guidance
Maintain accurate item dimensions and weights in the WMS or order management system. Review the top 50 SKUs by parcel spend and test whether carton size changes reduce billed weight without raising damage rates. Use carton rules by product family rather than one generic box logic for all orders. Monitor carrier invoice billed weight against actual weight to catch dimensional-weight leakage.