What Order Picking Involves

Order picking is the step where staff pull the items for each order from storage. It often takes more labor than any other warehouse task, and it decides whether the customer receives the right goods.

The method a warehouse uses shapes speed, accuracy and cost.

Common Order Picking Methods

• Discrete picking, one order at a time
• Batch picking, several orders in one trip
• Zone picking, where each picker covers one area
• Wave picking, where orders release in timed groups

Discrete picking is simple and accurate but involves more walking. Batch picking cuts travel but needs a sort step afterward. Zone picking keeps workers in familiar areas, while orders pass from zone to zone.

Pallet, Case or Unit Picks

Order size also affects the method. Full pallet picks use forklifts and move a lot of product per trip. Case picks pull cartons from pallets or shelves. Unit picks pull single items, often from bins.

Unit picking, however, takes the most labor per item. Because of that, ecommerce operations spend much of their effort on this step.

Where Order Picking Errors Start

Errors usually come from similar items stored side by side, unclear location labels or missing scans. A picker may grab the right item in the wrong size or the wrong quantity.

For that reason, scanning each pick against the order catches many errors. So does slotting similar items apart. The article on warehouse inventory accuracy covers how picks affect records.

Safety in Pick Aisles

Throughout a shift, pickers walk aisles, climb step stools and work near forklifts. Federal rules require walking working surfaces to stay clean, orderly and free of hazards. The OSHA walking working surfaces standard sets that baseline.

Busy picking areas also need clear traffic rules between people and equipment.

Measuring Order Picking

Warehouses track picks per hour and pick accuracy. Ask how the warehouse measures each number. A warehouse that counts lines per hour and one that counts units per hour will report very different figures for the same work.

For example, a hypothetical apparel seller might ask a provider for its accuracy method before signing. That question clears up what a quoted percentage means. The guide on warehouse KPIs explains other common measures.

Slotting and Travel

Where items sit affects how fast staff can pick them. Fast moving items placed near packing stations cut walking time. Heavy items placed at waist height reduce strain.

Warehouses call this slotting, and they review it as demand shifts. So ask how often a provider reslots and whether it charges for the labor when your sales mix changes.