What belongs in the packaging cost per unit?

The carton, inserts, corner protectors, tape and labels for one unit, plus pack-out labor if the packer bills per unit. Fixed setup belongs in its own field, not here.

Why is the allocation share capped at 100 percent?

A share above 100 would charge this order more packaging than was bought. When several orders draw on one buy, their shares must total no more than 100 percent.

How does order size change the cost per unit?

Variable packaging moves in step with units, so only the fixed setup share shrinks as the order grows. Doubling units roughly halves the setup share and leaves the rest unchanged.

What does a negative cost-versus-target value mean?

It means the blended cost per unit is above the target you entered. Check the allocation share first, then the carton price, and raise the order size only if that quantity is real.

Furniture, Fixtures & Interior Products calculator

Flat-Pack Packaging Cost Calculator

Cost a flat-pack packaging run from the units packed, a per-unit packaging rate, the share charged to this order and fixed setup. The blended cost per unit is measured against your target.

What this calculator does

Total, variable and fixed flat-pack packaging cost, the cost per packaged unit, and the gap to target.

Formula used

Variable packaging cost = units × packaging cost per unit × allocation ÷ 100
Total packaging cost = variable packaging cost + fixed setup
Cost per packaged unit = total packaging cost ÷ units
Cost vs target per unit = target cost per unit − cost per packaged unit

Inputs explained

Flat-Pack Units: Flat-pack units packaged in this order.
Packaging Cost per Unit: Carton, inserts and protectors for one unit.
Allocation to This Order: Share of the packaging buy charged to this order.
Fixed Packaging Setup Cost: One-time carton setup charged to the run.
Target Cost per Unit: Packaging cost per unit the order must clear.

How to use the result

Best suited to quoting a flat-pack order, allocating a bulk carton buy, testing a slimmer carton.
Freight, damage returns and mixed carton formats need separate per-unit rates. Packaging labor is assumed to sit inside the per-unit packaging cost.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for lumber stands at 286.633 (BLS, Aug 2026), up 7.6% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
The U.S. has 14,378 furniture and related products establishments employing about 355,594 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

What belongs in the packaging cost per unit? The carton, inserts, corner protectors, tape and labels for one unit, plus pack-out labor if the packer bills per unit. Fixed setup belongs in its own field, not here.
Why is the allocation share capped at 100 percent? A share above 100 would charge this order more packaging than was bought. When several orders draw on one buy, their shares must total no more than 100 percent.
How does order size change the cost per unit? Variable packaging moves in step with units, so only the fixed setup share shrinks as the order grows. Doubling units roughly halves the setup share and leaves the rest unchanged.
What does a negative cost-versus-target value mean? It means the blended cost per unit is above the target you entered. Check the allocation share first, then the carton price, and raise the order size only if that quantity is real.

Last reviewed 2026-10-01.