Successful, scalable eCommerce order fulfillment hinges on efficient pick-and-pack warehouse operations. The heart of any fulfillment center, pick and pack, is filling an online order, from when it is received to when a shipping carrier loads it onto a truck destined for the customer’s front door. The faster the fulfillment center or 3PL (third-party logistics company) can pick, pack and ship, the quicker your eCommerce business can grow.
But what is pick and pack, and what does the pick and pack process look like in an industry-leading warehouse? Find out exactly what happens after you hit that “buy” button.
Pick, and Pack is a crucial aspect of e-commerce fulfillment services. It refers to selecting products from inventory, packing them securely, and preparing them for shipping to customers. The pick-and-pack process is an essential part of the order fulfillment process, and it can make or break the customer experience.
The pick-and-pack process starts with receiving an order from a customer. Once the order is received, the fulfillment center staff will locate the product(s) from the warehouse, picking them up from their respective locations. The staff must ensure the accuracy of the product picked and quality-check the items to ensure they are not damaged, expired, or wrong item.
After the product has been picked, the packing process begins. The packaging will depend on the product's size, shape, weight, and fragility, and ensuring it is securely packed to protect it during the transportation is essential. The packing material should be high quality to prevent any damage or breakage during transport.
Once the item has been picked up and the package has been secured, the box is labeled with the shipping information and ready to ship to the customer. The pick and pack process requires an efficient and organized inventory management system, experienced staff, and efficient warehouse space to ensure accurate and timely order fulfillment. E-commerce businesses may outsource their pick-and-pack services to a third-party logistics provider to benefit from their expertise, technology, and infrastructure, helping streamline the order fulfillment process and improve customer satisfaction.
Overall, pick and pack is critical for e-commerce businesses to ensure accurate, timely, and efficient order fulfillment. It should be given the appropriate attention and investment to optimize the customer experience.
Custom Pick and Pack Services
While most fulfillment centers focus on speed and turnaround, some offer custom services outside the usual order fulfillment flow. That way, their eCommerce clients can grow in whatever direction they choose.
FBA Prep/Amazon Prep
While Amazon’s marketplace is a great channel to increase sales and reach new customers, failure to comply with FBA — Fulfillment by Amazon — product preparation may result in the refusal, disposal, or return of inventory and charges for noncompliance. E-commerce businesses that sell through multiple channels and wish to retain their autonomy from Amazon can partner with a 3PL that offers FBA prep and multi-channel fulfillment services. FBA prep services might include unboxing bulk shipments and bagging or individual boxing units, managing inventory with expiration dates, adding barcodes, and doing whatever it takes to make sure your products are FBA compliant.
Light Assembly
Often, merchandise arrives at the fulfillment center straight from the manufacturer and may require light assembly work to prep it for picking. For example, bulk packaging or manufacturing labels may be stripped away before items are shelved. Bulk containers may need to be deconsolidated and their contents repackaged in individual bags or boxes. Fragile items can be repackaged to prevent breakage, and small manufacturing mistakes can be corrected without sending the merchandise back to the factory. Again, not all 3PLs offer these services.
An experienced fulfillment partner—like FR-Logistics—is invaluable when selling wholesale to retailers. You’ll need software that integrates with both B2C and B2B platforms and bulk processing capabilities, so you can simultaneously sell directly to consumers and wholesale to retailers using the same fulfillment provider. A 3PL that can handle B2C and B2B fulfillment will offer multiple shipping options, customized labeling and packing lists, multi-retailer support, cross-docking, and consolidation/deconsolidation services.
Returns or Reverse Logistics
The opposite of pick and pack, reverse logistics is handling returns. It includes unpacking the returned merchandise, running quality checks, and either repacking and reshelving the item or donating or disposing of it. The quicker this happens, the sooner your customer gets a refund, and the happier they’ll be.
Picking the Right Fulfillment Center
The main thing to understand about pick and pack fulfillment services is that they can be modified to fit your eCommerce business needs. Accuracy and speed are always top priorities, but better options exist if you’re struggling to get what you need from your current fulfillment center.
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Enabled fulfillment centers like FR-Logistics, which focus on streamlining their pick-and-pack operations, can quickly scale their services as your business grows. If flexibility is necessary, look for a 3PL that offers custom pick and pack services. The larger your business, the more you’ll need an experienced partner to handle multi-channel integrations and powerful software to manage orders and inventory. But no matter the size of your business or how complex the technology is, the right partner with modernized warehouses and powerful but user-friendly fulfillment software can make pick-and-pack fulfillment services a breeze. Contact FR-Logistics today to find out more.
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