Pick And Pack in eCommerce

Pick And Pack: Simplified Definition

Pick and pack services are among the first and most significant procedures in a complex series of interconnected processes in order fulfillment. It's the process of retrieving ordered products from inventory and packing them for shipment or delivery.

To maintain the company's flawless order rate, save handling time, limit freight charges and save other costs, it is critical for an eCommerce business to perform Pick and Pack services with utmost efficiency.

Pick And Pack: Technical Definition

ClickPost defines Pick and pack as the most common sort of order fulfillment service deployed by eCommerce businesses.

That starts by picking the appropriate quantity of each product from a warehouse's inventory and then packing products in shipping boxes with proper packaging materials, labeling, documenting, and delivering to the ultimate customer.

This not only allows businesses to maintain an effective inventory management system for tracking and accountability but also ensures that the products reach the customers in a damage-free condition. 

What are Pick and Pack services?

Pick and pack is the process in which fulfillment centers collect ordered items from the inventory and package them for distribution to the end customers, thereby helping warehouse managers streamline operations, achieve a higher perfect order rate, and improve customer satisfaction.

What is the difference between picking and packing?

Picking is the first step in the Pick and Pack services for order fulfillment. In this step, you use a picking list to locate and acquire the appropriate quantity of each product from its designated warehouse location. Packing is the following step after picking.

The products are placed into the appropriate shipping boxes in relevant packing materials. They are then documented, labeled, and dispatched to the ultimate consumer.

What are Pick and Pack Strategies?

Businesses and shipping companies that do pick and pack fulfillment have several different ways to do it. For example, picking can be done employing multiple strategies like zone picking, piece picking, batch picking, and wave picking.

Similarly, to manage quality control and ease the shipping process most cost-effectively, packing needs to be strategized with an efficient warehouse management system, reducing the number of boxes, selecting the suitable packing material for each product, etc.

How much do the Pick and pack warehousing services cost?

The pick and pack process and its associated cost actually involve a series of order fulfillment functions.

This included receiving and processing the order in the warehouse, picking, scanning, and sorting items, and updating inventory in the system. Packing consists of packaging, material selection, labeling, quality-control, sealing and staging the box for the parcel carrier.

This process may also include other value-added services, such as warehouse kitting and packaging. All of these individual services have their associated labor cost.

You can arrive at a set cost per order using your total order volume and the calculated labor cost for individual services.

How to manage your pick and pack costs?

Warehouse space, labor, and parcel delivery are the three key cost components of the pick and pack fulfillment services. Since shipping is the most expensive component, you'll want to do everything you can to cut down on parcel shipping expenses.

Using automation can improve pick efficiency and save labor costs. Implementing an effective warehouse management system, data optimization, and so on are all standard approaches to accomplish this.

What are the benefits of Pick and Pack Warehousing?

Pick and pack order fulfillment services provide several benefits. 

• Improved customer satisfaction by precise order filling and on-time, damage-free delivery. 
• By eliminating the need for a middleman, the entire process is streamlined and made more efficient. 
• The use of well-managed and coordinated handling techniques guarantees a shorter turnaround time for the shipments. 
• Pick and pack services are geared to handle orders of any size, i.e., there are no minimum order charges, resulting in reduced human labor, minimal waste, and greater cost-effectiveness.

What are the Challenges to the Pick and Pack Process?

According to Gwynne Richards’s book Warehouse Management, many challenges can make the pick and pack process inefficient and costly. For example, having an inaccurate inventory record can lead to incorrect scheduling and a longer lead time.

Similarly, incorrect product placement, unorganized warehouse, inefficient picking methods, etc., can increase the turn-around time, ultimately reducing customer satisfaction.

Third, missing or inaccurate product information can also have a negative impact on the pick and pack process.

How to Optimize the Pick and Pack Process?

Inefficient and error-laden pick and pack services can further inflate business expenses and hamper the overall order-fulfillment process. Thus pick and pack services need to be optimized. Methods for doing so include: 

• Utilizing mobile technologies such as barcode & RFID scanners reduces human error and improves inventory accuracy. 
• Conduct ABC performance analysis and get optimal warehouse design to reduce turn-around time, improve efficiency, and decrease operational costs. 
• Use business intelligence technology to collect, analyze, present, and utilize product data to make informed business decisions and optimize the pick and pack process.