In the early 20th century, warehouses were often cramped, poorly lit spaces where workers were required to stack, store, and file orders manually. This meant warehouse processes were slow and errors were common.
The introduction of computerised inventory systems and barcode scanners in the 1980s made it easier to manage orders and track the whereabouts of goods – ultimately minimising errors and speeding up order processing.
In addition, the surge in e-commerce businesses in the 1990s made the need for a more efficient method for fulfilling in-store and online orders more prevalent.
In today’s fast-paced world of e-commerce, more businesses are striving to streamline their warehouse operations – ensuring the best customer service while boosting their profit margins.
This is where our pick and pack warehouse can help.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about pick and pack order fulfilment and how John K. Philips can help you.
What is a pick and pack warehouse?
A pick and pack warehouse is a warehouse that stores inventory.
When a customer places an order, items are picked off the warehouse shelves, packaged by the operations team, and distributed by a reputable courier service.
The best pick and pack warehouses are organised in a way that allows each step of the process to take place without restriction or interference.
From providing real-time processing and live tracking information to producing picking lists and printing shipping labels to attach to packaged goods, a fully integrated warehouse management system is crucial to the effectiveness of the fulfilment strategy.
How does the pick and pack fulfilment process work?
In most cases, a pick and pack warehouse will follow a four-step process to ensure the right products are dispatched quickly and efficiently.
Order received
Once a customer completes a transaction, fulfilment software will process the order and generate a packing slip, listing the required items.
Whether purchases are made directly from your e-commerce store or via social media platforms, a fully automated system will ensure all orders end up in the same place – making it easier to monitor stock levels.
Order picking
Workers will navigate the pick and pack warehouse using optimised routes and use a scanner to locate the appropriate items and update quantities remaining as items are selected.
Depending on the warehouse layout and the pick and pack strategy (i.e. zone picking, batch picking, or wave picking), multiple orders may be picked at a time – ensuring maximum efficiency.
Order packing
Once orders have been picked, they’ll be taken to the designated packing station where the most suitable packing materials will be selected based on size, fragility, and item value (i.e. cardboard boxes, mailing bags, bubble wrap, etc.).
Packers will also include a packing slip, detailing the order contents and return information, and attach a shipping label to the outside of the packaged order.
Order shipped
The final step for a pick and pack warehouse is to choose the best shipping method. This is typically based on the package’s size, weight, and destination – plus the customer’s preference and budget.
Your packaged goods will be handed to the carrier and the warehouse management system will provide real-time updates, allowing you to track every step of the journey. This means that you needn’t worry about deliveries going missing in transit.
How can your business benefit from our pick and pack warehouse services?
Few warehouse operations are as crucial as picking and packing.
Get it right and orders will be fulfilled faster and more accurately, resulting in fewer mistakes and returns.
But speedy fulfilment is not the only reason why you should consider using our pick and pack warehouse.
· Lower labour costs
By optimising pick, pack, and ship processes and implementing efficient strategies, workers are able to complete more orders in less time. This not only saves your business money but improves customer satisfaction, too.
· Cheaper shipping costs
At John K. Philips, we effectively manage the process at our pick and pack warehouse. Our packing team optimise package size and ensures the most appropriate packing materials are used – leading to substantial savings on shipping fees.
· Efficient inventory control
Using the latest technology and warehouse management systems, we can limit excess inventory. We’ll make sure the right products are readily available for fulfilment and will help you avoid overstocking and paying for unnecessary storage space at our facility.
· Greater accuracy
With access to advanced management software and real-time tracking, the chance of errors is marginally reduced. And we’ll monitor the movements of your consignments even when they’ve left our pick and pack warehouse with the courier, ensuring they reach their destination safely and on time.
To learn more about our pick and pack services and how we can help streamline your business operations at our 135,000sq. ft warehouse in Westbrook, Warrington, call 01744 751 000.