Improve Your Warehouse Processes With Pick and Pack Services

There’s more to an order fulfilment process than meets the eye. There is an art & science to good inventory management. And it extends beyond neatly stacking the goods on shelves in a warehouse. With appropriate pick & pack services, you’ll be able to optimise your order fulfilment process & enhance the speed & accuracy of your order delivery.

However, before introducing pick & pack services in your warehousing & distribution methods, here’s all you need to know about this service that’s been the talk of eCommerce businesses.

What are Pick and Pack Services?

It is an order fulfilment service often used by eCommerce retailers that receive small quantities of orders, which are then shipped over to the customer. In this process, the eCommerce retailers depend on individuals or third-party organisations to pull (pick) the ordered items from master cartons in the warehouse, place (pack) them in boxes addressed to the individual customers & ship them off to the customer’s address. It gives the warehouse workers easy access to the products, saves handling time & is highly cost-effective.

Several third-party logistics (3PL) organisations provide this service to eCommerce retailers. And with the massive boost that eCommerce has seen in recent years, the scope for the service has only grown multifold times.

What is a Pick and Pack Warehouse?

It is the warehouse where the products get stocked. The people working at the warehouse are then responsible for picking & packing the individual items per the orders received from the customers. They must also ensure that the shipments get delivered to the correct recipient. Warehouses have different processes to execute the packaging.

The most common practices are:

• Piece Packing

Workers at the warehouse pick one order at a time & pack them in boxes for shipping.

• Batch Packing

Workers at the warehouse pick a batch of orders at a time & pack them in boxes for shipping.

• Zone Packing

The warehouse is divided into different zones & each worker operates in their allotted zones. They pick & pack the ordered products that are available in their zone only and then forward the partially packed orders to the other zones where this process is repeated till the packing process is complete & the orders are ready for shipping.

• Wave Packing

Workers at the warehouse pick batches of partial orders in their zone & pack them with the products. They then send this batch of partially packaged boxes to the other zones to complete the packing process for shipping.

The Standard Pick and Pack Process

The standard pick & pack process remains the same irrespective of whether the eCommerce retailers use the services of a 3PL or have a setup of their own. The entire process consists of four stages.

1. The order is received.

The eCommerce sales channel is integrated with the fulfilment warehouse. Whenever a customer places an order, a slip (digital or physical) with the order details gets generated.

2. The order gets picked.

Depending on the information on the order slip, the warehouse workers pack the orders in compliance with the packing methods (piece, batch, zone or wave).

3. The order gets packed.

Once the order gets picked, it gets packed securely, sealed & labelled. The order is now ready to be shipped over to the customer.

4. The order is shipped.

Based on the customer details on the slip, the order gets sorted by the carrier & loaded into the loading dock. The packed orders are ready for pick-up by the regular transporter.

Why Opt for 3PL Pick and Pack Services?

Many eCommerce retailers are turning to third-party logistics (3PL) pick and pack services. The reasons behind doing so are listed below.

• They can offer customers a broader selection of products to choose from.

• The fulfilment process gets streamlined. Thus retailers can rest assured about timely deliveries.

• The process is efficient & hassle-free.

• If optimised & done correctly, the process is highly cost-effective as well.

Are You Looking for 3PL Pick and Pack Services for Your eCommerce Business?

Outsourcing your order fulfilment to 3PL pick & pack services has several benefits. However, to make the best of these benefits, you must choose one that aligns best with your eCommerce business’ logistics. Keep in mind the extent & needs of your business, and select a warehousing and distribution service that can cater to these needs.

The only way to determine the right 3PL pick and pack services are best for you are to define your business’s needs & discussing them with the service owner/in-charge. Compare warehouses, inspect their storage facilities & determine their efficiency before you choose the right one for your business.