Packaging & Logistics worked example
Carton Cost Per Unit with total carton cost of 1,800 $: a worked example
This worked example runs the carton cost per unit numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: total carton cost of 1,800 $ instead of the typical 3,600 $. Find carton cost per unit by dividing total corrugate and carton spend by the units shipped.
The inputs for this scenario
- Total carton cost: 1,800 $ (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 3,600)
- Units shipped: 3,000 units (held at the documented default)
- Unit conversion factor: 1 x (held at the documented default)
Working through the calculation
- The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Carton cost per unit = total carton cost รท units shipped.
- Carton cost per unit works out to 0.6 $ / unit at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
- Cost per unit before conversion works out to 0.6 $ / unit at these inputs.
- Unit conversion factor works out to 1 x at these inputs.
- Units shipped works out to 3,000 units at these inputs.
How this compares with the baseline
- Against the tool's baseline example, where total carton cost sits at 3,600 $ and the headline result is 1.2 $ / unit, this scenario comes in 50% below the baseline at 0.6 $ / unit.
- Use it when negotiating corrugate contracts, evaluating a board-grade or case-pack change, or breaking out carton spend from total packaging cost. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.
Results at a glance
- Carton cost per unit: 0.6 $ / unit (headline result)
- Cost per unit before conversion: 0.6 $ / unit
- Unit conversion factor: 1 x
- Units shipped: 3,000 units
Run it with your numbers
- To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Carton Cost Per Unit calculator, set total carton cost to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.
Last reviewed 2026-05-12.