Pick and Pack Fulfillment Strategies for Improved Warehouse Management (2024)

Early 20th century warehouses were often cramped and poorly lit, and workers had to manually sort through piles of goods, write down orders on paper and replenish them by hand – a time-consuming and error-prone process.

The introduction of computerized inventory control systems in the 1980s marked a turning point: barcodes and affordable scanners allowed real-time tracking, reducing errors and speeding up operations. Order ProcessingAnother major transformation occurred in the late 1990s to accommodate the explosion of e-commerce. With online orders flooding in for the first time, businesses needed a more efficient way to fulfill them.

Pick and pack fulfillment has solved this problem by combining advanced software, optimized layouts, and skilled workers to fulfill orders at unprecedented speed. Here we explain how pick and pack fulfillment works and implementation strategies for your business.

What is Pick & Pack Fulfillment?

Pick and pack fulfillment is an order fulfillment process in which warehouse staff pick specific items from inventory based on a customer order and then carefully pack them to ensure safe transportation and delivery. Customer SatisfactionThis method is often used in e-commerce and retail to efficiently process multiple item orders.

Technology like Warehouse Management System (WMS), Barcode Scannerand Inventory Management Software Everything works together in this process to minimize errors and speed up shipping times.

You can manage your pick and pack services in-house using your own facilities and staff, or outsource it. Third Party Logistics Providers (3PL)3PL: Order FulfillmentThey offer expertise, scalability and often cost savings, making them an attractive option for companies focused on their core business. Business Operations Departing logistics To the experts.

Pick and pack fulfillment process

1. Contract
2. Order Picking
3. Order Packaging
4. Fulfilling orders

The picking and packing process ensures that products reach customers quickly and in perfect condition. The process is divided into four main stages:

1. Order

The process begins when a customer places an order on a website. The WMS processes the order instantly, translating it into steps that warehouse staff can execute. The WMS assigns each order a unique identifier and prioritizes it based on factors such as delivery method.

2. Order picking

Warehouse staff then begin the picking process, guided by the WMS as they navigate picking and packing within the warehouse. Fulfillment Center Items are located using optimized routes – advanced systems use voice-directed picking and light-guided systems to accelerate this process – and pickers scan each item to verify and update it. Stock Levels.

3. Order Packaging

After picking, the parcels are moved to the packing station. Here, the packing fulfillment team selects the appropriate packing material based on the size, fragility, and value of the goods. To ensure the safety of the products, they use materials such as boxes, bubble wrap, and air pillows. Packers are tasked with: Packing list Please include your order details and return information.

4. Shipping your order

Your order is packed and ready to ship. Your team Shipping Label The shipping method generated by the WMS already calculates the most cost-effective shipping method based on the order value, weight, and delivery speed, and then hands the package over to the selected carrier. CarrierA WMS tracks every step of a delivery and provides real-time updates on order status.

Choosing a strategy

Here are some picking strategies you can choose from.

Piece Picking

Piece picking, also known as discrete picking, is the simplest method: pickers move through the warehouse collecting items for one order, then move on to the next, fulfilling one order at a time.

This method is ideal for businesses with low order volumes or large, complex products that require individual attention. For example, a custom furniture retailer might use piece picking to carefully select and inspect each unique, handcrafted item.

Batch Picking

Batch picking involves grouping similar orders together to collect items for multiple orders in one trip through the warehouse.

This strategy cuts travel time and works well for companies that fulfill many small orders with large warehouse spaces. For example, an online beauty retailer can pick lipstick orders in bulk and collect all of the “ruby red” shades for that day’s orders in one efficient warehouse run.

Zone Picking

In zone picking, the warehouse is divided into sections or zones, often based on product type or demand frequency. Each picker is assigned a zone and is responsible for picking all items in their area. Orders that require items from multiple zones are passed sequentially from one zone to the next.

This method is ideal for large warehouses or when certain products require special handling. For example, a large sporting goods retailer might have one zone for apparel, one zone for footwear, and another zone for equipment, with experts handling fragile goods.

Wave Picking

Wave picking combines elements of batch and zone picking by creating “waves” of orders based on shipping priority, product type, or carrier route. Pickers then process these orders by zone, or batch. This strategy is ideal for businesses with large volumes of orders, as it prioritizes urgent orders while leveraging the efficiencies of batching.

The major book retailer will consolidate next-day delivery orders across all zones into one wave during its holiday sales, with priority orders being picked up and shipped first, followed by a wave of standard delivery.

Packaging Strategy

Packaging is not just about putting products in boxes. It requires efficiency, cost reduction and quality improvement. Customer ExperienceBy implementing a smart pack process, you can streamline your fulfillment services, reduce shipping costs, and leave a lasting impression on your customers. Here’s how:

Kitting

Kitting It involves preassembling related products into packages that are ready to ship. At fulfillment centers, workers at packing stations gather items that are often sold together and prepackage them.

For example, a skin care company might find that customers often buy the same set of moisturizer, toner, and face wash. When an order for these items comes in, a picker grabs a pre-prepared kit instead of the individual items. Kitting is bundleA strategy in which a brand offers a special selection of carefully selected products.

Cartonization

Cartonization uses algorithms to determine the best box size and packaging materials for each order. Instead of defaulting to a few standard box sizes, cartonization software analyzes the dimensions and fragility of your items to recommend the smallest, most suitable box and the most efficient placement.

This strategy significantly reduces shipping costs by minimizing wasted space, reducing void-filling space, and lowering dimensional weight charges.

Brand packaging

Branded packaging elevates the basic packaging process into a brand-building opportunity. Instead of a generic brown box, you can use custom-designed boxes, tape, or Insert your logocolor, and Brand Message.

Whether it’s a colorful box from a toy company or a fabric-upholstered jewelry box from a high-end retailer, branded packaging elevates the unboxing moment, increases perceived value, and encourages sharing on social media.