Fueld Fulfillment price index
GTA Pallet Storage Price Index
Compare monthly pallet storage costs across GTA warehouses. Each row shows the rate and a modeled first-month total for a 10-pallet, one-month scenario, so you can see what you would actually pay.
- Last reviewed:
- not yet
- Suppliers represented:
- 0
What you can compare
This index covers standard 48-by-40-inch wooden pallets stored ambient (non-refrigerated) in the Greater Toronto Area, on a month-to-month basis. It compares rack storage and floor storage separately and shows each facility's monthly rate per pallet alongside the modeled first-month cost for a 10-pallet scenario. Only facilities that store pallets independently of fulfillment are included; bundled storage where storage is sold only with pick, pack and ship is shown separately.
First prices coming soon
What affects storage prices and how to compare offers fairly
- The monthly rate is often the first line shown, but it may not reflect what you actually pay. A facility with a low rate and high handling fees can cost more overall than one with a higher rate and lower extras.
- A minimum pallet count or minimum monthly bill can raise the cost significantly when you store fewer pallets. Always check whether the minimum applies to storage alone or to all charges.
- Rack storage typically costs more per pallet than floor storage because it uses less warehouse floor space per pallet slot. Floor storage can be less expensive for high-volume, low-turnover inventory.
- Long-term or seasonal surcharges can appear in the fine print; ask about them before committing.
- Some warehouses include insurance; others require you to carry your own coverage. This difference is not always visible in the headline rate.
- Compare rates at the same pallet count. A price for a single pallet is not comparable to a price for 50 pallets at the same facility.
Practical buying guidance
What the quoted price includes
The monthly storage rate alone covers only the physical pallet slot. It does not include receiving (unloading an inbound shipment onto the shelf or floor), retrieval (picking an outbound order from storage), account or setup fees, or any minimum charges. This index models a first-month total that adds receiving and retrieval for a 10-pallet scenario and shows whether the minimum bill affects the total. A total marked as incomplete means one or more of the handling fees or fees were not confirmed.
Common additional charges
- Receiving: a per-pallet charge to unload and put away an inbound shipment. Often the largest handling cost for a new pallet storage customer.
- Retrieval: a per-pallet charge to pick and stage an outbound order.
- Setup or account opening fee: charged once when you open an account.
- Monthly account or platform fee: a fixed monthly charge regardless of pallet count.
- Minimum monthly bill: a floor under the total monthly charge. When it covers all charges, a small pallet count can cost the same as a large one.
- Long-term storage surcharge: applies after a pallet has been in storage beyond a certain period, such as 90 or 180 days.
- Extra handling: charged when a pallet requires special treatment—for example, if it is oversized, overweight, or has unstable stacking.
Storage methods and service levels
- Rack storage
- Pallets are stored on industrial racking (often selective or drive-in). This method maximises the number of pallets a facility can hold and allows selective access without moving other pallets. It typically costs more per pallet than floor storage because of the racking infrastructure and the space it requires.
- Floor storage
- Pallets are stacked on the warehouse floor, sometimes in designated lanes or blocks. This approach works well for high-volume, low-velocity inventory that is not accessed frequently. It is generally less expensive per pallet but requires more floor space.
- Storage-only vs. fulfillment bundle
- This index focuses on storage-only arrangements where a warehouse will store pallets without requiring you to use its pick, pack and ship services. Facilities that bundle storage with fulfillment are shown under 'storage with conditions' and are not included in the summary.
Questions to ask before buying
- What is the minimum pallet count? If I store fewer pallets, what do I actually pay per month?
- What does the minimum monthly bill cover—storage only, or all charges?
- What are the receiving and retrieval charges per pallet, and are they fixed or volume-based?
- Is there a setup fee, account fee, or any other charge not in the storage rate?
- What is the long-term storage surcharge threshold and the surcharge amount?
- Do I need my own insurance, or is warehouse insurance included?
- Can I retrieve individual pallets without picking the entire pallet (case pick or split pick), and what does that cost?
- What happens to my pallets if the facility closes or is sold?
- How far in advance must I give notice to exit the agreement?
Frequently asked questions
Why does the summary show a rate range and a total range?
The rate per pallet per month lets you compare the base storage cost independently of handling fees. The first-month total models what you would actually pay including receiving, retrieval, and any fixed fees. A facility with a low rate but high extras can have a higher total cost than one with a higher rate but lower handling charges.
What does 'incomplete' mean on a total?
A total is marked incomplete when we could not confirm one or more of the handling fees, setup fees or minimum charges. The number shown is the minimum known cost; the actual first month could cost more once all fees are confirmed.
Why are some facilities shown under 'storage with conditions'?
These are facilities that either bundle storage with fulfillment services or where we could not confirm that storage is available independently. They are shown for completeness but are not included in the summary ranges.
How fresh is this data?
Each row shows when it was last checked. If a row is more than 60 days old it is marked as 'needs confirmation' and excluded from the summary until it is rechecked. An offer with a failed check shows the last good price but notes the most recent check did not succeed.
Does this index include refrigerated or hazardous-goods storage?
No. This index covers ambient (room-temperature) storage of standard wooden pallets only. Refrigerated, hazardous-goods, oversized or unusually heavy pallets are excluded from the main comparison.
Is this the whole GTA storage market?
No. This index represents a sample of GTA warehouses that publish their rates or responded to a scenario quote request. It is not comprehensive and should be used as one input among several when comparing storage options.
Sources and method
Fueld checks each supplier's published prices or asks for a quote, and records the date of every check. A price older than the limit for this index is marked, and a quote or promotion is dropped from the summaries the day after it expires. These are observed offers, not the whole market.
- Public price pages are checked monthly. Scenario quotes are reconfirmed every 60 days or sooner if the quote expiry is approaching.
- The reference scenario used when requesting quotes is 10 standard 48-by-40-inch wooden pallets stored for one calendar month, received once and retrieved once. The height, weight, and product category are set to a baseline all participating facilities can support.
- Where a facility quotes a daily or weekly rate, it is converted to a monthly rate using their stated terms, provided the terms allow it.
- A price change from a facility over time is recorded as a new observation; it does not replace the earlier price in history.
- Rates are shown before tax unless the source states tax is included.