Sellers usually compare aggregators on the headline rate for a 500g surface shipment. That number is rarely what you end up paying per order.
The full cost stack
| Line item | What it is |
|---|---|
| Forward freight | The base rate for the slab and zone |
| Fuel or handling surcharge | A percentage added on top of freight |
| COD fee | A flat fee or a percentage of order value, whichever is higher |
| RTO freight | Charged when a shipment comes back |
| Weight discrepancy | Applied when measured weight exceeds declared weight |
| Address correction | Charged on manual re-routing |
| Platform or subscription fee | A monthly charge on some platforms |
| NDR and communication | Per-attempt or per-message charges |
Working out your real per-order cost
Take a month of shipments and divide total logistics spend by delivered orders, not by shipped orders. RTO parcels shipped twice with no revenue attached are what turn a healthy-looking rate into a loss.
Where the savings are
- Packaging that respects slab boundaries.
- RTO reduction, which is usually worth more than any rate negotiation.
- Zone-aware courier selection.
- Invoice reconciliation, so you only pay for what actually happened.
RoutikQ charges no platform fee on the free tier: you pay for the shipping you book, and every surcharge is visible before you print the label.