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By: Maggie M. Barnett, Esq., COO at ShipHeroShortages and bottlenecks have battered global supply chains throughout 2020 and 2021. The COVID-19 outbreak and other unexpected events caused critical suppliers worldwide to suddenly have short supplies, leaving companies reaching for alternate sources of supply that often had dramatic price increases. It has become more evident than ever that companies, manufacturers, and retailers need to build resilience against the uncertainty of the supply chain and the events that can upend it.To better prepare for supply chain challenges, company leaders and supply chain managers need to develop a plan for how to avoid supply constraints. Flexibility also needs to be considered so that when emergencies do happen, the company can adapt to unexpected changes, whether short-term or long-term. One of the first steps to creating resilience against shortages and other supply chain issues is understanding what causes these disruptions.
Supply chain disruption is when a crisis or unexpected change causes problems with the normal flow of goods between entities all along the supply chain. The coronavirus outbreak is an excellent example of a crisis that caused supply chain disruption, such as when personal protective equipment became inaccessible for many hospitals in North America. Other examples of changes that can cause supply chain disruption include dramatic changes in consumer demand, tariffs, or natural disasters such as earthquakes.
2021 has been a large scale example of how supply chain disruption can upend entire industries. Among a handful of other complexities such as the Suez Canal blockage, COVID-19 caused immense constraints on raw material supplies, semiconductors, and other commodities. Understanding today's issues and their effects helps us to have better visibility of future supply chain disruptions.
COVID-19 had dramatic effects on global companies. The beginning of the pandemic saw consumers panic-buying in bulk. Inventory levels couldn't keep up with the sudden increase in demand for essential products such as toilet paper, food, PPE, and water. Large-scale workforce safety measures inevitably increased lead times, and outbreaks of the virus slowed companies even further.
The Suez Canal sees around 13% of the volume of global trade, as it is a gateway for expedited transportation between the Atlantic Ocean and the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. The nearest alternative route is navigating around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, eight or more days of extra travel. On March 23rd, a huge container ship called The Ever Given got lodged diagonally in the canal due to high-speed winds and was stuck there for six days.Over 350 ships were stuck finding alternate routes or waiting during the Suez Canal blockage, leading to a ripple effect throughout the supply chain. Inventory shortages, loss of perishable goods, and a domino effect of delays caused a supply management nightmare. The waves from this event continued to be felt months after the event as warehouses and shipping companies got set significantly behind.
Auto dealerships are facing shortages as they try to replenish their inventory from the pandemic. Simultaneously, car sales are up 48% over their lowest point in the pandemic. Retailers' inventory to sales ratio is only 1.07, and inventories for retailers have shrunk 5% YoY. Due to tight capacity across the global supply chain and high demand, companies have had to extend lead times for inventory planning. Not helping the matter is the shortage of semiconductors that is affecting car production levels.
Lead retailers such as Walmart have also had to lengthen lead times as the inventory to sales ratio dropped to 1.23 in March 2021, according to the Census Bureau, the lowest ever recorded.
The pandemic impacted all supply chain members and their ties simultaneously in a way we have never seen before. Border closures, supply market lockdowns, labor shortages, and shipment interruptions caused problems across all supply tiers. At the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, 94% of Fortune 1000 companies already saw supply chain disruptions.Many factors caused a critical shortage of hospital PPE, including the fact that at the time, more than 70% of respiratory protection supplies used in the United States were made in China. Manufacturers pivoted to help production, but demand worldwide was extreme. The US government stepped in to help, though federal policy like tariffs also added further disruption. Simultaneously, the general public was panic-buying resources such as PPE, grocery items, sanitizing agents, and household items like toilet paper. The reliance on just-in-time ordering and instant warehousing meant that average consumers could not reliably purchase essential items.
There are dozens of reasons why a supply chain can be disrupted. Here are some of the most common reasons.
COVID-19 is a prime example of pandemic-related supply chain disruption. These large-scale events can cause a ripple effect in the global supply chain that is extremely hard to recover from due to the worldwide impact.
Hurricanes, fires, and floods all can cause supply chain disruption. Hurricane Katrina is a great case study, where large-scale power outages and the inability to use transportation routes caused significant supply issues.
Around the same time as the Suez Canal incident, a COVID-19 outbreak shut down one of China's busiest ports, the Yantian Port. Incidents like the canal blockage and the temporary shutdown at Yantian can disrupt entire supply chains for months.
Recalls of incorrectly made or unsafe products can sometimes be isolated incidents but also can cause much larger ripples. For example, if a large supplier recalls a part used by many manufacturers, it could cause a delay across many parts of the sector.
In May, a cyberattack caused the Colonial Pipeline to shut down its network. The pipeline sources close to half of the East Coast's fuel, about 2.5 million barrels per day of gas. Cyberattacks are growing more common, and many crucial parts of the supply chain are incredibly vulnerable to these threats.
Tariffs and trade wars can cause significant issues for manufacturers and suppliers. We have seen this with the US trade with China throughout 2021 and continuing shortages because of these policies.
If necessary materials are affected by supply chain disruption, you need to have an alternate action plan. Whether having backup suppliers, an emergency budget, or a stockpile of these essential items, you will already be more resilient by coming up with a strategy.
Stockpiling essential items for your company can help you prepare for any situation. Order ahead a handful of months so that your business will have plenty of time to enact its supply chain emergency plan before running out.
By looking at where your risk is within your supply chain, you can help your supply chain leaders know where they need to create more flexibility. By predicting potential pain points before they become problems, you can encourage trade agility and find alternatives.
If your leading suppliers suddenly lost the capability to get you your goods, what would you do? Identifying backup suppliers for all of your goods and services categories can help provide resilience against issues in the future.
When picking suppliers, try to pick those in different locations that ship to you through various avenues. When you diversify your supply base, you ensure that while one supplier may be unable to get to you, the others should still be functional.
Collaborating with a supply chain logistics expert can help you find alternatives in case of an emergency. Professional logistics leaders also can help you find ways to make your supply chain more robust and resilient. 3PL can also help you grow your company's ability to have flexibility in times when some areas or resources may be unavailable.
Technology is adapting to help try to prevent these widespread supply chain issues in the future. Implementing some of these AI-driven risk evaluation tools can provide ways to predict and combat cyber threats. Automation and AI often have a better ability to find potential shortages before most suppliers even know they exist.
Clearly explain to your customer base what is happening within the industry and what steps you are taking to resolve the issue. By keeping an open line of honest communication, they will be more accepting and understanding of your predicament.
Decide which parts of the supply chain are the most vital to getting your product out. Once you have identified the most critical components of your supply chain, find alternative suppliers for those items as soon as possible.
Calculate how much inventory you have left and how long it will last you. Evaluating where you are at with your stock will help you figure out the urgency with which you need a new supply line.
If customer behavior is causing part of your disruption, start assessing buyer behavior. By seeing how your customer base is purchasing, you can better react to their needs and shift in needed areas.
In the case of an event like COVID-19 or a natural disaster, consider the safety of your suppliers and employees. Ensuring the safety of all involved people and parties should be paramount. Consider staggered shifts, remote work, and alternative schedules to guarantee a safe working environment as much as possible.
Not every item you are receiving during a supply chain disruption is as crucial as the others. Just as you identified things that are the most essential to your company's function, also provide slowdown and flexibilities with those that are not. Communicating this information to your suppliers can help you get what you need more readily and not clog them up with less important items.
Adjust your overhead so you can cover and financial impact or issues with your cash flow. Determine what areas will suffer the most, and find ways to cover these losses in a way that is as financially healthy as possible.
Supply chain disruption is inevitable to some degree. The best thing your company can do is encourage visibility and resilience to ensure that if something does happen, you can combat it in a way that is healthy financially and for your workforce. Preparation and plans in case of emergency go a long way in protecting your company from disruption and can buy you precious time to implement alternatives and backup plans.Examine your supply chain, and consider ways that it may be affected in the future, and how you can create robust practices that will help soften the blow of any issues.If youâre new to ShipHero Fulfillment, please schedule a meeting today with our experts to learn more about how we can help you get your orders picked, packed, and delivered with our fulfillment service. No setup fees - simply pay as you go. ShipHero works to ensure that organizations invest in the solutions that match their needs, to improve productivity, revenue, and success.Click HERE to Schedule a Meeting TodayMaggie M. Barnett, Esq., COOShipHeroAbout the author: Maggie M. Barnett, Esq., is the COO of ShipHero. She is responsible for planning and executing the overall operational, legal, managerial and administrative procedures, reporting structures and operational controls of the organization. Barnettâs greatest strengths are leadership, risk mitigation, change management and a passion for business transformation. She is known for her expertise in delivering operational excellence and an ability to provide guidance and mitigating risk. Her leadership of ShipHero is grounded in a servant mentality, always doing the right thing for our stakeholders. Her passion for ShipHero comes from the ability to drive operational excellence throughout the organization impacting the lives of our employees, customers, and partners.Follow Maggie on Twitter&LinkedIn.
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While your team is still walking aisles, your competitors are cutting pick times in half with automation. Guess whoâs shipping faster and stealing market share?
Automation isn't the future anymore. It's the present. For growing eCommerce brands or fulfillment centers under pressure to deliver faster, cheaper, and more accurately, automated warehouse picking systems are no longer a luxury. They're a necessity.
In this guide, you'll learn how automated picking systems work, the types available, how to choose the right one, and how ShipHero can help you streamline fulfillment processes with confidence.
Automated warehouse picking systems use software, robotics, and real-time data to locate, retrieve, and prepare items for shipment, without relying solely on human labor. Instead of employees walking long distances and manually selecting items, automated systems bring items to workers or direct them with tools like lights, voice commands, or mobile robots.
For example, in the eCommerce space, brands use Goods-to-Person (GTP) systems to increase operational efficiency and efficiently handle large catalogs of SKUs. In retail, where seasonal order surges can overwhelm manual processes, automated solutions help companies double their picking speed and maintain consistent fulfillment even during peak demand.
The process is surprisingly seamless:
This flow is driven by smart software that integrates with warehouse management systems and supports key warehouse processes, including picking, packing, and tracking real-time inventory.
Want a deeper look at the tech behind it? Read this guide on warehouse automation software.
Thereâs no universal solution for warehouse automation. The best picking system depends on your space, order volume, and the variety of products you offer. Some work better for high-SKU, high-volume operations; others are ideal for smaller, more focused setups. Below, we break down the top systems and which warehouse types theyâre best suited for.
GTP systems deliver inventory directly to a stationary picker, eliminating walking marathons. This setup enhances inventory management, reduces physical strain on workers, and improves worker safety.
It also optimizes order accuracy by minimizing human error. By minimizing walking time and keeping pickers in one place, GTP systems significantly boost pick rates while also cutting down on labor fatigue.
Pick-to-Light is an automated solution that uses LED light bars to guide workers to the right location for picking items, enhancing accuracy, speed, and efficiency while reducing errors.
When paired with Pack-to-Light and Receive-to-Light, your entire workflow is streamlined. Pack-to-Light ensures precise packing, while Receive-to-Light optimizes inventory storage and retrieval. Together, these technologies simplify inventory management, reduce labor costs, and accelerate fulfillment.
At ShipHero, we offer all three solutions, Pick-to-Light, Pack-to-Light, and Receive-to-Light, under one roof, seamlessly integrating with your existing systems to optimize warehouse operations. The combination can help boost efficiency by 20% while also cutting costs by up to 30% for batches of 10 to 30 orders.
Pickers wear headsets and follow voice commands to locate items, like a GPS for your warehouse. This hands-free approach automates repetitive tasks, shortens training time, and reduces picking errors, even in noisy environments. It also improves accuracy, even in noisy environments where traditional methods might fall short.
AMRs, or autonomous mobile robots, navigate the warehouse floor independently, delivering items or bins to human workers or packing stations.
Unlike fixed systems, AMRs offer greater flexibility and adapt to varying warehouse sizes, support scalable operations, and offer the flexibility to grow without major infrastructure changes. Theyâre also highly scalable, which makes them a smart choice for warehouses looking to grow or adjust operations without major infrastructure changes.
These are high-tech racking systems equipped with robotic cranes or shuttles that automatically store and retrieve inventory. Theyâre especially well-suited for large warehouses with high inventory turnover, where speed and space efficiency are critical.
Businesses that need to maximize vertical storage find these systems invaluable, and industries such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, and electronics often benefit the most from their precision and scalability.
Still not convinced? The real-world benefits speak for themselves. Automation significantly reduces human error, particularly in fast-paced warehouse environments where accuracy is crucial. It also speeds up fulfillment, often cutting pick times in half or more.
By streamlining operations, businesses can lower labor costs by either reducing headcount or reassigning team members to more valuable tasks.
By transitioning to automation, companies often see dramatic improvements in efficiency and cost savings. For example, automation can reduce warehouse labor costs by up to 60%, allowing businesses to reallocate resources and scale more effectively.
Itâs not always smooth sailing when implementing automated picking systems. One of the biggest hurdles is the high initial investment, as hardware, software, and integration can come with a steep upfront cost.
Staff training is another challenge, as teams need time to learn how to use the new technology effectively. There can also be short-term disruption; installation and onboarding may temporarily slow down operations. But the long-term gains are often worth it.
For example, James Enterprise struggled with paper-based picking and processing delays before switching to ShipHeroâs Warehouse Management System.
The transition required workflow changes and staff training, but with proper planning, such as going paperless, reorganizing their layout, and utilizing smart pick paths, they boosted productivity by 38%. New hires cut their pick time from 55 to 34 seconds in just five days, proving that smart automation pays off.
Finding the right automated picking system starts with understanding your specific needs. Warehouse size plays a big role, as larger spaces often benefit most from solutions like AMRs or AS/RS that can cover more ground efficiently. If your business manages a high variety of SKUs, systems like GTP or voice picking can offer the flexibility and accuracy you need.
For those working with tighter budgets, starting with light-based or voice-guided systems can provide a solid foundation without breaking the bank. Regardless of your starting point, scalability is crucial; your system should be able to grow in tandem with your business. Partnering with ShipHero ensures you get expert, customized guidance and future-proof solutions designed specifically for your operation.
Implementing warehouse picking automation isnât just about installing new tech; itâs about doing it strategically. To get the most out of your investment and avoid common pitfalls, follow these proven best practices:
âBest Practices for Successful Warehouse Picking Automation
For example, Black Wolf Nation and its 3PL arm, ONE23 Fulfillment, partnered with ShipHero to scale their operations. By adopting ShipHero's warehouse management software, they increased their order volume from 10,000 to over 25,000 per month in less than a year. This strategic implementation allowed them to efficiently manage growth and expand into the 3PL space.
Most companies see a return on investment within 12 to 24 months, depending on the system and order volume.
Yes. Many automated systems are designed to be scalable and cost-effective, which makes them ideal for small warehouses. Solutions like Pick-to-Light and voice picking can start small and expand as your operation grows.
Yes. Advanced systems feature adjustable grippers, sensors, and packaging logic to safely handle delicate or irregularly shaped products.
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Warehouse management systems make daily warehouse operations efficient. And wave planning is at the heart of it.
As part of the supply chain industry where efficiency is of utmost importance, the fast-paced environment of warehouse management requires every aspect of operations to work on schedule. This is where wave planning comes into play and brings efficiency to the table.
It integrates with warehouse management systems and streamlines end-to-end warehouse operations to meet customer expectations of fast shipping and real-time updates.
Wave planning batches orders for optimized picking routes, shipping, and priority. It supports operational workflows and integrates with warehouse wave picking strategies to maximize productivity, reduce errors, and improve overall daily warehouse output.
This turns warehouse operations into an organized process of handling and systematizing hundreds of orders a day.
Applying the best practices for wave management allows for maximum efficiency in managing daily warehouse operations. Start with these:
Not all orders need to be shipped at the same time. Some can wait, others canât. Strategic planning means prioritizing orders based on shipping deadlines to ensure they are shipped out and delivered on time. This increases customer satisfaction and overall operational efficiency. To better understand the core workflows that make this strategy effective, explore how we have explained the six key warehouse processes.
Accessing real-time data allows you to monitor every wave thatâs happening, from orders getting picked up to those that are delayed. This lets you take action accordingly, especially when spotting issues as they are happening.
Downtimes are red flags in wave management. They are equal to unproductivity and possible shipment delays, both affecting operations to meet quotas and customer satisfaction.
Reduce idle time in operations with these methods:
High-demand periods like holidays, promotions, and occasional spikes can cause chaos, especially if you donât have a plan in place. That chaos can overwhelm your normal operations and lead to delays and unsatisfied customers.
Avoid this by ensuring scalability for peak periods with effective wave planning:
If youâre preparing your warehouse for high-volume fulfillment, it may be worth exploring how automated warehouse picking systems can make wave execution more efficient and adaptable.
Warehouses have different zones to which pickers are assigned.
Having specific picking zones gives structure to the picking process, making it easier to execute even through high-volume orders.Having defined picking zones helps:
Wave management gives you the flexibility to adapt quickly when an unexpected change occurs during operations.
A common issue often faced in wave management is the sudden changes in order volume. This disrupts the flow of current waves and may have an avalanche effect on the whole operation if not solved immediately.
Hereâs how wave management adjusts operations to meet demand fluctuations:
A warehouse management system creates an overall plan that controls the flow of a warehouse's production. Using tools and automation, a WMS simplifies and streamlines wave management to execute warehouse operations from fulfillment to packing and delivery.
The main difference between wave planning and wave management is that the former is where the strategizing happens, while the latter is the execution and overseeing that the plan takes place.
Wave planning is the strategic part of grouping what orders should be fulfilled together, setting the time for wave releases, and adjusting them based on warehouse capacity and labor availability.
Wave management is the main operational part where the production happens. It tracks the real-time progress of wave execution to ensure things are running smoothly according to plan.
The main difference between digital and wholesale waves lies in their order size, wave planning, and operational goal. Due to their differences, each wave type requires different planning and strategy.
Digital waves service the B2C channel, are high in volume, and often have small, single-item orders that require urgent or same-day deliveries. The wave strategy used is frequent and short for flexibility. For this wave type, warehouse managers use WMS-integrated mobile devices for tech support
Meanwhile, wholesale waves are for bulk orders, often for retail distribution, resellers, or B2B supply chains. Wholesale waves have a lower order volume with large shipments and more flexible timelines.
Yes, it can be used if they have large volumes of orders per day, orders with time-blocked pickups, or group orders with shipping deadlines.
Yes. eCommerce and retail, grocery and food distribution, healthcare and pharmaceutical, industrial supply, and consumer packaged goods industries are industries that benefit from wave planning. These are industries with high order volume, delivery sensitivity, and high operational complexity.
Yes, wave management is designed to make warehouse operations, including same-day shipping, possible. Wave management creates a structure that speeds up the order fulfillment, speeding up the process for all warehouse operations, such as same-day shipping.
Your warehouse isnât slow because your team isnât working hard. Itâs slow because theyâre working inefficiently. When every picker is chasing orders in random directions, you lose time, increase errors, and risk customer satisfaction.
Wave picking fixes that by turning chaos into coordination. By grouping orders for optimized picking routes and releasing them in scheduled âwaves,â you can streamline picking, reduce walking time, and enhance picking speed, especially in high-volume eCommerce environments.
In this guide, weâll explain what wave picking is, how it works, and how to use it to run a faster, leaner, and more accurate warehouse.
Wave picking is a warehouse picking strategy where orders are grouped and released in scheduled âwavesâ throughout the day. Each wave organizes orders based on factors like delivery time, product type, or warehouse zone, to help your team pick faster, move smarter, and stay organized. When paired with automated warehouse picking systems, wave picking becomes even more powerful, and minimizes manual effort while maximizing speed and accuracy.
For example, a warehouse might group all orders that need same-day shipping into a morning wave, while standard shipping orders are picked in the afternoon. This keeps the flow structured and reduces chaos on the floor.
Brands using wave picking have seen measurable results. A study published in Acta Logistica found that accurately batching and releasing orders in structured waves reduced cycle times by more than 13% compared to unplanned methods, proving how it standardizes warehouse processes and improves resource utilization. This demonstrates how even modest changes in picking structure can lead to significant gains in warehouse efficiency.
Wave picking operates through a structured, three-phase process: pre-wave, wave, and post-wave.
Each stage plays a critical role in coordinating order fulfillment, from organizing batches of orders to guiding pickers efficiently through the warehouse and ensuring fast, accurate packing and shipping. Understanding how each phase works is key to unlocking the full efficiency potential of wave picking.
Before picking begins, the warehouse management system (WMS) organizes inventory for efficiency by grouping orders into waves based on factors like shipping deadlines, SKU type, or zone. It then generates batch pick lists, allocates resources, and ensures that equipment and carts are ready, laying the groundwork for a smooth picking process using proven picking strategies.
Good Company, a 3PL provider, exemplified this by leveraging ShipHero's multi-item batch feature. This streamlined their pre-wave setup, enabling them to group multiple orders with shared items into single picking runs. This drastically reduced picker travel, and as they scaled from 500-600 to 6,000-10,000 units daily within 18 months, allowed them to halve their pick time. This demonstrates the immense power of an optimized pre-wave process.
Once a wave begins, pickers follow optimized routes through the warehouse to collect items. The goal is to reduce backtracking and congestion by assigning pickers to specific zones or paths.
E-Commerce Xpress, an eCommerce fulfillment provider, has significantly streamlined its picking process by adopting ShipHero's Warehouse Management System (WMS). Their previous manual methods caused inefficiencies and excessive picker travel. By using ShipHero's multi-batch order feature, they transformed their picking phase. This technology groups multiple orders into single runs, creating highly optimized routes and eliminating unnecessary trips. The result was profound: E-Commerce Xpress could fulfill 200 orders in just 2 hours with one person, a task that previously required four staff members 4-5 hours. This showcases how wave picking handles peak operational loads and supports multi-order fulfillment with ease.
After items are picked, they move to packing and shipping. This phase includes labeling, verifying accuracy, and dispatching the final product. A well-organized post-wave process ensures orders are completed on time and without mistakes.Consider Vareya, a 3PL and fulfillment company, which dramatically improved its post-wave efficiency and client satisfaction by adopting ShipHero's Warehouse Management System (WMS). Previously, Vareya struggled with disconnected systems, resulting in significant errors and excessive paperwork. By migrating to ShipHero, they automated workflows and shipping labels, ensuring efficiency and accuracy in packing and dispatch. This allowed them to triple business volume and meet customer service levels consistently.
To get the full benefits of wave picking, itâs essential to follow proven best practices that align your people, tools, and workflows. From using the right technology to organizing pick paths and handling carts efficiently, these core strategiesâlike those in our warehouse picking strategies guideâwill help you maximize speed, accuracy, and productivity in every wave.
A powerful WMS like ShipHero automates wave creation, drives real-time decision-making, and optimizes paths. It ensures every wave is precisely executed and synced with inventory.
Calculating optimal picking routes is one of the most effective ways to reduce travel time on the warehouse floor, a major contributor to inefficiency. By using route optimization software, pickers follow the shortest and most logical paths through the facility, thereby avoiding unnecessary backtracking and congestion. This not only speeds up fulfillment but also reduces fatigue and boosts overall productivity, especially in high-volume environments where every second counts.
Efficient cart handling is key to successful wave picking. Organizing carts by order, zone, or SKU reduces sorting time and speeds up packing. This keeps the workflow smooth, reduces errors, and enhances overall fulfillment efficiency.
Wave picking comes in different forms, each suited to specific warehouse needs. Whether youâre handling large SKU volumes, urgent orders, or multiple zones, choosing the right strategy can boost speed, accuracy, and efficiency.
Organizing wave picking by product type allows warehouses to group similar SKUs into the same wave. This reduces picker travel time, as items are often stored near each other, and enables faster, more efficient picking by creating consistent, repeatable paths through the warehouse. Itâs especially useful for high-assortment operations where grouping like products streamlines the process.
Wave picking by order priority ensures that urgent orders, such as express shipments or VIP customers, are grouped and processed first. By releasing these high-priority orders in the earliest waves, warehouses can ensure faster turnaround times and meet strict delivery deadlines, thereby maintaining high customer satisfaction and consistent service levels.
Dividing the warehouse into picking zones allows each wave to focus on a specific area, reducing unnecessary movement and streamlining the picking process. Assigning pickers to dedicated zones allows waves to run simultaneously in different zones, reducing congestion and enabling scalability in operations.
Wave picking is a fulfillment strategy designed to group orders into scheduled "waves" based on factors like shipping deadlines, product locations, or customer types.
This method is especially valuable in high-volume or time-sensitive operations where precision and speed are critical. Below are four key benefits of using wave picking in your warehouse:
Wave picking keeps operations structured, which allows you to process more orders per shift without expanding your physical footprint.
By reducing idle time and unnecessary movement, wave picking streamlines the entire fulfillment process. After adopting ShipHeroâs WMS, American Tall saw a 275% increase in picking efficiency and cut fulfillment errors by 50%, allowing them to scale operations by 400%âclear proof of how structured picking methods lead to faster, more reliable order delivery.
With batch pick lists, scanning, and real-time tracking, wave picking drastically reduces errors in item selection and order completion.
Fewer errors, faster picks, and optimized labor use = lower costs. Wave picking helps you do more with fewer resources.
The main difference between wave picking and batch picking lies in their timing and level of structure. Wave picking organizes and releases orders at scheduled times throughout the day, which is ideal for high-volume warehouses where precise timing and a smooth workflow are essential. This method offers a structured approach that reduces errors and supports scalability, but it requires more upfront planning and a reliable warehouse management system.
In contrast, batch picking allows warehouse staff to pick multiple orders in a single trip without being tied to a specific schedule. Itâs a simpler, more flexible method thatâs well-suited for smaller operations with lower order complexity.
While batch picking is easy to implement and has a lower barrier to entry, it becomes less efficient when dealing with large volumes or time-sensitive orders. Choosing the right approach depends on your warehouse size, order volume, and fulfillment goals.
Yes. Wave picking can scale down for smaller operations to help them improve organization, reduce picker confusion, and streamline fulfillment.
No. Only certain WMS platforms, such as ShipHero, offer full wave picking functionality, including automated order grouping, routing, and inventory syncing.
Absolutely. Wave picking was designed for fast-paced, high-volume environments where timing, accuracy, and scalability are critical.
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