Basics first
The price per unit is not what you pay
What you pay per unit is the price plus the shipping, the fees, the extra stock a minimum order forces you to buy, and any membership. That is the landed cost. Two suppliers can show the same unit price and land $0.05 apart, and on 6,000 units a year that is $300.
Three things move the number most: where free shipping starts, the smallest order you can place and how long it takes to arrive. The table below shows what each supplier says about them.
Each supplier
What they publish, and what we could not read
Uline · Packaging and shipping supplies
Minimum order: No minimum dollar amount (a minimum may apply to sale items)
Shipping: Free-shipping rules were not on the pages we read. Ships freight prepaid and invoices the charges; UPS Ground when possible
Speed: Orders placed before 6:00 PM local branch time, Monday to Friday, within the continental U.S. qualify for same-day shipping; many arrive next business day
Returns: Not read
If you give a UPS or FedEx collect account number, the order gets a $1.50 handling fee and does not qualify for shipping specials. Freight extras (liftgate, inside delivery, delivery appointment) may cost more and an appointment adds one day; no amounts are stated. The page says over 99% of orders ship complete.
Read on October 24, 2026 from the supplier’s own page.
Paper Mart · Boxes, bags and retail packaging
Minimum order: No minimum order stated
Shipping: No free-shipping threshold stated. The cost is shown before checkout and depends on method, weight and size. Address corrections, remote areas, liftgate and residential delivery can add fees
Speed: Orders placed by 12:00 PM Pacific, Monday to Friday, begin processing that day and ship within 2 business days. Factory Direct items: 3 to 5 business days to process, then 2 to 5 to ship
Returns: 30 days from receipt for most items. You pay return shipping, and shipping fees are not refunded. Factory Direct and custom items cannot be returned unless defective. Opened food-grade packaging is not eligible
A restocking fee may apply to some orders; the policy does not say which or how much.
Read on October 24, 2026 from the supplier’s own page.
EcoEnclose · Sustainable and custom printed mailers and boxes
Minimum order: Custom minimums are large and set by print method. EcoEnclose's own 2021 article lists, for digital printing, 100 shipping boxes and 250 paper mailers, and 500 poly mailers for post-production printing. Confirm current numbers
Shipping: Not read
Speed: Stock items 1 to 2 business days. Stock corrugated boxes 4 to 8 business days. Custom: poly mailers 5 to 6 weeks; paper mailers and shipping boxes 3 to 4 weeks (2 to 3 weeks rush). The clock starts after artwork approval and payment, and excludes transit
Returns: Not read
Multi-product orders can ship in parts: stock first, branded items on their own lead times.
Read on October 24, 2026 from the supplier’s own page.
Staples · Office and everyday supplies
Minimum order: Not stated on the page we read
Shipping: Free delivery on most orders with a subtotal of $75 or more
Speed: Not stated on the page we read
Returns: Not stated on the page we read
The page does not list delivery fees under $75.
Read on October 24, 2026 from the supplier’s own page.
Office Depot · Office and everyday supplies
Minimum order: Not stated on the page we read
Shipping: Qualifying orders delivered within local delivery areas ship free. The dollar amount was not on the page we could read
Speed: Free next-business-day delivery on all ink and toner
Returns: Not read
The more detailed delivery help article could not be read, so confirm the free-delivery amount with Office Depot.
Read on October 24, 2026 from the supplier’s own page.
Quill · Office, cleaning and breakroom supplies
Minimum order: Orders under $25 may incur a handling fee; the page leaves the amount blank
Shipping: Free shipping on orders of $25 or more in the contiguous 48 states, and on ink and toner at any size. Heavy items add $12.75 each and oversized items $2.75 each, up to 5 units of an item
Speed: Next-day if ordered Monday to Thursday by 2:00 p.m. local time, subject to credit approval; remote areas may not qualify
Returns: On a separate page we did not read
Quill+ and Rewards+ members get free shipping with no minimum; what the program costs was not on the page we read. Orders can be set for future delivery up to 120 days out.
Read on October 24, 2026 from the supplier’s own page.
WebstaurantStore · Restaurant and food service supplies
Minimum order: Not read for regular orders
Shipping: WebstaurantPlus costs $99 a month ($49 for each extra address). It gives free standard shipping on Plus-eligible items with a $29 minimum order. Items without the Plus logo ship at normal rates; liftgate and expedited fees still apply
Speed: Not read
Returns: Not read
The membership is not prorated or refunded once its benefits have been used in a month. A savings guarantee returns the difference as a credit, expiring after a year, if 12 months of savings are less than the fee. Shipping address must be in the 48 contiguous states.
Read on October 24, 2026 from the supplier’s own page.
Grainger · Industrial, maintenance and safety supplies
Minimum order: Not stated
Shipping: No free-shipping terms on the page we read
Speed: Not stated
Returns: Returns, warranty and special orders are handled through order support
A line of credit can be used instead of paying up front, subject to Grainger's approval. An account is recommended; the page does not say whether one is required to buy.
Read on October 24, 2026 from the supplier’s own page.
What the price leaves out
Eight things to check before you order
- The free-shipping line moves. Quill starts at $25 and Staples at $75 on the pages we read. A $40 order ships free at one and not at the other.
- “Free” has exclusions. Quill’s free shipping leaves out heavy items ($12.75 each) and oversized items ($2.75 each).
- Minimums tie up cash. Uline states no minimum dollar amount. Custom packaging is different: EcoEnclose’s 2021 article lists minimums of 100 custom shipping boxes, 250 paper mailers and 500 poly mailers, and far higher for some print methods.
- Custom packaging takes weeks. EcoEnclose lists 3 to 6 weeks for most custom items, from artwork approval and payment, plus transit. Order before you are low, not when you are out.
- A membership has to earn its fee. WebstaurantPlus costs $99 a month and is not refunded once used in a month. It only wins if the shipping it saves on eligible items is more than $99 a month.
- Freight comes with extras. Uline freight can add liftgate, inside delivery and delivery-appointment services, and an appointment adds a day. Paper Mart lists fees for liftgate, residential delivery, remote areas and address corrections. Ask for the total before you accept.
- Returns are not equal. Paper Mart takes returns within 30 days, but you pay return shipping and shipping fees are not refunded, and custom items cannot be returned unless defective.
- Cutoffs differ. Uline’s same-day cutoff is 6:00 PM local branch time. Paper Mart’s is 12:00 PM Pacific and ships within 2 business days. Quill’s next-day order cutoff is 2:00 p.m. local, Monday to Thursday.
Ask every supplier
Ten questions, in this order
- What is the price per unit at the quantity I will actually buy?
- What will shipping cost on that order, to my address, in total?
- Is there a minimum order, and is it dollars or units?
- What is left out of free shipping: heavy or oversized items, liftgate, residential delivery, my state?
- What is the lead time, and when does it start: at payment, artwork approval or proof?
- Can I return it, how long do I have and who pays return shipping? Are custom items returnable?
- Is there a membership or program fee, and is it refundable?
- Will you accept my resale certificate if I am buying to resell?
- Can I have the quote in writing, with the item number and the shipping method?
- What happens when an order arrives damaged or short?
Compare your own quotes
Find the real cost per unit
Enter two or three suppliers. You get the landed cost per unit, the cash each order takes and the cost for the year. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Supplier Landed Cost: What One Unit Really Costs You
https://groundworkbusinessadvisory.com/calculators/supplier-landed-cost/ ·
Your result
Estimates from the numbers you enter. Calculated on your device; nothing you type is sent to us.
Open the full calculator page · Step-by-step guide to do it by hand or in a spreadsheet · Reorder point calculator: when to order
How this page is made
Where the facts come from
Every supplier fact on this page was read from that supplier’s own page on October 24, 2026. Where a page did not say, we say “not stated” or “not read” instead of guessing. Prices, thresholds and policies change, so the date is on every entry and we recheck each quarter. We take no payment from any supplier on this page, and we do not rank them.
We chose suppliers that small businesses commonly buy from, that sell online and that publish their shipping terms. Missing one you use, or see a number that is out of date? Email info@groundworkbusinessadvisory.com and we will check it against the supplier’s page.
Anticipated Questions
Which supplier is cheapest?
There is no single answer. The price per unit is only part of it. Shipping, fees, minimum orders and memberships change the real cost, and the free-shipping line moves by supplier ($25 at Quill and $75 at Staples on the pages we read). Use the landed cost calculator with your own order size to see which costs least for you.
Is free shipping really free?
Often with limits. Quill's free shipping leaves out heavy and oversized items, which carry per-item charges. WebstaurantStore's free shipping on Plus-eligible items needs a $99-a-month membership. Check what is left out before you count on it.
How far ahead should I order custom packaging?
EcoEnclose lists 3 to 6 weeks for most custom-printed items, counted from artwork approval and payment, and not counting transit. Stock items ship in 1 to 2 business days. Use the reorder point calculator to find when to order so you do not run out while waiting.
Is this list a recommendation?
No. It is what each supplier publishes, read on the date shown. We take no payment from any supplier on this page.
