What Is Pick and Pack Order Fulfillment?
Pick and pack order fulfillment is a key service offered by fulfillment and distribution centers. Products are shipped to a distribution warehouse, unpacked and then stocked. When orders come in, warehouse workers pick the items from cartons, bins or shelves, pack them together to fill an order and ship them out.
Pick, pack and ship services can vary from a few items, to massive orders, and providers should offer flexible pricing to support differing business needs.
How does Pick, Pack and Ship Work?
The pick and pack process really starts with stocking. Warehouses are carefully organized so that workers can quickly locate items and pack them together as orders come in. The warehouse operator needs to consider a range of factors such as how frequently an item is ordered, its size and what items it’s commonly ordered with, to make order fulfillment as efficient as possible.
Careful labeling, inventory management and quality control are also crucial, to ensure orders are filled accurately and in a consistent time frame..
Good warehouse management and planning makes the process fairly straightforward when new orders come in. Workers are directed to the correct shelves to gather products for the particular order, typically using a designated route optimized for efficiency. Then, workers pack items away, generate and attach a shipping label and pack items together for shipping.
Workers also update information about items at each major stage of the process. Software records the changes in inventory as products are pulled from shelves, and tracks packages as they’re sent to customers. Restocking is often automated too, so the warehouse always has enough items onhand.
What Should I Look For in Pick and Pack Fulfillment?
- Flexible services and pricing: Your pick, pack and ship provider should be able to accommodate a wide range of products and quantities. Whether you’re sending out a couple pieces of furniture every week, or a hundred items every day, your provider should be able to tailor their services to your needs, at a competitive price.
- Shipping services: Fulfillment service should work with a wide range of shipping services, both nationally and internationally. Ideally, your provider should be able to offer you expedited service when needed — in addition to flexible pricing and shipping options.
- Shipping costs: Fulfillment providers develop relationships with shipping and logistics companies, which they can use to save you money. Not only does this reduce the cost of sending products to customers, but it can also makes it more affordable for you to send products to the warehouse in the first place.
- Kitting and assembly: Pick and pack services are good for individual orders that can’t be packed beforehand. However, when you’re assembling customized sets of products, kitting is an economical and efficient way to fulfill orders, by preparing custom sets ahead of time.
Kitting is also very useful in cases where you have complex or unusual packaging or product requirements — for example, if you’re sending out a collection of products in specially branded packaging to commemorate a new product release or other significant event.
- Quick shipping: The quicker the shipment, the quicker the delivery. Look for a pick and pack fulfillment partner that offers same day shipping on orders sent before noon, and 24-hour shipping on all orders.
- A responsive partner: As a vendor, you’re always dealing with changing market conditions, product innovation and customer demands. When you change your shipping policies or make a last minute substitution for an order, you need to know you can get the message through to your partner quickly.
Look for a partner with a seamless interface that lets you manage your inventory and policies online, and a responsive customer service team that’s focused on quick resolution.
Pick, Pack and Ship Fulfillment That Makes Your Life Easier
A fulfillment partner doesn’t just reduce costs or improve efficiency, they also make it easier to run your business. SalesInUSA can automate your fulfillment process, allowing you to focus on your business, not your logistics. From pick and pack fulfillment, to kitting to storage, we’ll make sure you’re getting the best service at the best price, every time.