Start with a representative month.
Use a normal month and a peak month, rather than a single average that hides the busiest work. Record orders, items per order, active SKUs, storage, deliveries and returns. If your B2B and consumer orders have different handling requirements, describe both.
Separate the cost components.
Receiving: describe each delivery method and the goods within each receipt. A container, a pallet and a loose carton are different units of work. Ask whether the quoted methods are alternatives or cumulative for the same stock.
Storage: establish the charging unit and time period. A cubic metre rate may have per-SKU minimums or age conditions. A pallet rate depends on the definition of a standard pallet, ownership, oversize treatment and partial-period rules.
Order processing and picks: keep the order count separate from picked items. An order containing several items can have a different cost profile from a single-item order, and item weights may affect pick charges.
Packaging and extra handling: identify repacked parcels, materials, labels, kits, inspections and additional labour. Agree whether overlapping services replace or add to each other.
Freight: specify what transport the figure covers. Warehouse services and outbound freight should be visible separately. A return-label service may already include return postage.
Make each unit explicit.
Label daily, weekly, monthly and one-off costs. If a planning estimate converts a weekly rate using 52 ÷ 12, treat that as an average-month convention, not an invoice rule. Confirm the actual treatment of partial weeks and billing dates in the quote.
Keep missing prices visible.
An unpriced service is a question to resolve. A priced-services subtotal does not become the full operating cost simply because some selected activities have no figure yet. List those activities alongside the estimate.
Compare on the same scope.
Give providers the same input profile and check which assumptions they use. Compare the normal and peak scenarios, recurring services, one-off setup or transfer work, freight, GST basis and conditions. A single cost-per-order figure only helps when its scope is clear.
Prepare the next conversation.
Use the CSG planner to capture your requirements and carry them into a quote. Service rates and applicable rules are confirmed against your product and operating profile. Do not use an indicative estimate as a binding offer.
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