To calculate the packaging cost of one order, add up the actual cost of the box, protective material, void fill, tape and label. Then add the cost of your packer's time separately. The price of a roll on its own does not tell you how much it costs to prepare one parcel.

Below is a method for online stores and a worked example. All prices and consumption rates in the example are hypothetical: they are not Viskom prices or a packaging standard. Use your own purchase prices and measurements.

What to include in the packaging cost

  • Outer packaging: a box, mailer bag or envelope.
  • Material for wrapping and separating items.
  • Void fill for the empty space.
  • Tape, labels and other consumables.
  • Time for erecting the box, wrapping, sealing and labelling.

Calculate shipping to the customer separately. If you need the full cost of the packing operation, add a share of equipment, electricity and storage costs using your own method. Do not count the same cost twice.

How to measure material consumption per parcel

Choose a typical order: the same items, the same box and the same protection layout. For a first measurement you can pack 10 such parcels. This is a convenient trial batch, not a universal standard.

Record the total consumption of paper and tape in metres, void fill in grams and labels in pieces. Include offcuts and spoilage if they occurred during the work.

Average consumption = total material used ÷ number of orders packed.

For example, 8 m of paper was used for 10 parcels: 8 ÷ 10 = 0.8 m per parcel. Repeat the measurement for a different product or a different roll width. If you use Honeycomb paper, note whether you measure the length before or after expanding it. To calculate from the roll length, you need the consumption in the same state in which the roll length is specified.

Formulas for rolls, void fill and labels

  • Roll material: roll price ÷ roll length in metres × metres used per parcel.
  • Void fill: price per kilogram × grams used ÷ 1000.
  • Labels: pack price ÷ number of labels × labels per parcel.
  • Labour: hourly labour cost × packing time in minutes ÷ 60.

Compare amounts on the same basis: the same units of measurement and the same approach to including taxes and material delivery. For rolls of different widths, the price per running metre alone is not enough: what matters is the actual consumption for your product.

Worked example in UAH

Suppose one order requires the following materials. All amounts are hypothetical.

  1. Box: 1 pc × 12.00 UAH = 12.00 UAH.
  2. Paper: a 50 m roll costs 300.00 UAH. Price per metre: 300 ÷ 50 = 6.00 UAH/m. 0.8 m used per parcel: 6 × 0.8 = 4.80 UAH.
  3. Tape: a 100 m roll costs 150.00 UAH. Price per metre: 150 ÷ 100 = 1.50 UAH/m. 1.2 m used: 1.50 × 1.2 = 1.80 UAH.
  4. Void fill: 100.00 UAH/kg, 30 g used = 0.03 kg. Cost: 100 × 0.03 = 3.00 UAH.
  5. Label: 100.00 UAH per 500 pcs. Cost of one: 100 ÷ 500 = 0.20 UAH.

Materials total: 12.00 + 4.80 + 1.80 + 3.00 + 0.20 = 21.80 UAH per order.

Hypothetical hourly labour cost: 120.00 UAH; packing time: 3 minutes. Labour: 120 × 3 ÷ 60 = 6.00 UAH.

Materials and labour: 21.80 + 6.00 = 27.80 UAH per order. For 100 identical orders: 27.80 × 100 = 2,780.00 UAH, excluding shipping and other overheads.

In this example the intermediate results are exact. If fractions of a kopiyka appear in your calculation, keep them until the total and round the final amount to 0.01 UAH using standard rounding.

How to compare two packaging options

Compare the same product with the same protection requirements. For each option, record material costs, labour time and the results of your packaging tests. A lower amount is not an advantage if the product is not protected well enough. To choose a wrapping method, see our guide to packing fragile items.

For example, option A costs 27.80 UAH and option B costs 25.30 UAH. Difference: 27.80 − 25.30 = 2.50 UAH per order. Relative cost reduction compared with option A: 2.50 ÷ 27.80 × 100 ≈ 8.99%, rounded to two decimal places. This is the result of a hypothetical example, not a promise of savings.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to add an allowance for offcuts?

If the measured consumption already includes offcuts, you do not need to add them again. For forward planning, use your own statistics rather than an arbitrary percentage.

Why is a bigger roll not always better value?

Check the unit price of the material, its width, the actual consumption and the purchase volume you need. A lower roll price does not guarantee a lower packaging cost per parcel.

When should I recalculate costs?

After a change in purchase prices, box size, order contents, materials or packing method. It is convenient to keep separate calculations for different product groups.

When choosing packaging materials at Viskom, have the dimensions and weight of your product, the box type and the expected number of shipments ready. This makes it easier to discuss specific materials and check their consumption on a trial batch.

Read more: How to save on packaging without compromising product quality.

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