Basic Pick and Pack Services: How They Work and Why Your Business Needs Them
Basic pick and pack services may be offered when your business makes use of a third-party fulfillment centre.
When you enlist basic pick and pack services, they select the items ordered, from your store, out of the warehouse inventory. Pack them in boxes that are then ready to be shipped to your customer.
Not only does pick and pack require a certain amount of physical fitness, but also attention to detail, speed, and accuracy. The speed at which items are shipped depends heavily on how fast they are found and packed.
Traditionally, workers would use a paper order list to keep track of the items they selected and the number of items packed into each box.
Today, however, this is mostly done with handheld scanning devices.
How do basic pick and pack services fit into the order fulfillment process?
You may be wondering about the specifics of the pick and pack process. To fully grasp the method, it is necessary to have a good understanding of the basics of order fulfillment. The following steps are all crucial parts of the order fulfillment process:
The steps involved in basic pick and pack services
Receiving of Goods
When workers at the fulfillment centre receive shipments of products, they remove them from their packaging and store them.
Storage of Goods
When the goods are stored, an inventory management system will be used. This tracks the amount and precise location of each product in storage.
Picking
When a customer places an order from your store, it is registered by your fulfillment services provider. Next, they will search for the items in the order, pick them and bring them to the packaging station.
Packing
The packing process involves placing the products in boxes or envelopes and preparing them for shipment. In many cases, this includes adding packaging materials around or inside the box or envelope. Then labeling the box or envelope, and adding address information to the package.
If several items are in a single order, this process may also include bundling those things together.
Distribution
Once everything is packed and ready to go, it is necessary to get the order out to the customer. This process will depend on how far the package is being shipped and the type of package that it is.
What are the basic pick and pack methods commonly used?
When it comes to basic pick and pack services, not all facilities use the same approach. Various methods exist, and each comes with its own uses and advantages. The following are some of the most common methods employed by most pick and pack facilities:
Piece Picking
When products are picked as they are ordered, this is referred to as “piece picking.” This method typically takes place in a single warehouse area and is very common, although it is not overly efficient.
Batch Picking
With batch picking, orders are combined into batches, so a picker must pick multiple orders at the same time. In this way, they can trim their travel time between picks.
Zone Picking
Some fulfillment centres divide their warehouse into different zones. Each zone will have items where they are either picked individually or in batches.
Wave Picking
A warehouse must also be split into zones for wave picking to work. A “wave” of orders moves through the fulfillment centre, and items are grouped as they are picked based on their size or shape.
How your business can benefit from basic pick and pack services
If you truly want your business to reach its full potential and succeed, finding reliable basic pick and pack services in Ontario is the key.
These days, customers have high standards for order fulfillment, and they want to receive their orders quickly and on time. However, without the right infrastructure for quick and efficient order fulfillment, that will be impossible for your business.
Since effective order fulfillment is the most important factor relating to success in e-commerce, a pick and pack fulfillment centre will boost your order-fulfillment capabilities. It is a service worth investing in.
In addition to maximizing customer satisfaction, enlisting even basic pick and pack services will save you a lot of time. How? Because you won’t have to worry about unpacking boxes, sorting through items, or doing any of the administrative work.
The basic pick and pack services are also typically customizable to suit your needs. You can scale up or down and decide on the specifics of what you require from the fulfillment facility staff.
Additionally, having a professional third-party company handle your picking, packing, and shipping will improve your order accuracy. This will lead to fewer upset customers, which is good for your business.
Why Wills Transfer’s pick and pack services are the best
If your business requires pick and pack services in Ontario, Wills Transfer Limited should be your top choice, as we have over 75 years of experience in the order fulfillment and logistics industry, and over the course of this time, we have optimized our pick and pack process.
We are dedicated to making your order fulfillment process streamlined and efficient. Because of this, you can consistently maintain the highest level of customer satisfaction. With the utmost care and precision, we pick, pack, prepare, and ready outbound shipments for your domestic or international customers. All without compromising speed.
Our tailored approach to the pick and pack services we provide your business can be adjusted as needed. Especially if your business has unique pick and pack requirements.
We optimize how your products are stored and how your inventory is tracked by using our advanced warehouse management software. This ensures that everything runs smoothly at all times.
Our pick and pack services also include breaking down cartons to pick individual items and constructing new pallets, packs, or cartons. This flexibility means your orders are packaged based on your customers’ specifications.
For more information about our pick and pack services or to learn more about our other warehousing and order fulfillment services, call Wills Transfer Limited at 613-704-7549 or contact us here
