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Objects! with ShipHero talks with the entrepreneurs, innovators and idealists that put items on the shelf and bring packages to your doorstep. From hot sauce to board games, toothbrushes to frying pans, startup side-gigs to enterprise players, join ShipHero founder, Nicholas Daniel-Richards, as he demystifies the manufacturing and logistics behind some of our most beloved household objects, with transformational ideas that are guaranteed to make you say, why didn’t I think of that?. This fast-paced and intriguing podcast covers thousands of travelled miles in less than an hour, so next time you’re standing in your local store and see a label that says ‘Made in <A Land Far, Far Away>’, you’ll know just how it got into your hands.Objects! with ShipHero discusses in detail what it takes to transform an intangible idea into a tangible object that is designed, sold, manufactured, shipped, and delivered in the digital world. If you are a successful entrepreneur looking to grow or an aspiring innovator with an idea, Objects! with ShipHero provides a detailed, 360′ exploration with the masterminds behind modern ecommerce and shipping solutions. So settle in, buckle up, and prepare to get objectified! … no wait, not that. Get ready to say “I objects!”… we’ll work on it. Available on iTunes and at this link.
In Episode 2 of Objects! with ShipHero, we uncover how Joe Spisak and his close circle of friends rode an overnight board game success into becoming a business mogul in the fulfillment industry by “just getting it done”. Joe Spisak is credited as the creator of board games Dicey and OK Boomer!, and founder of the Third Party Logistics (3PL) company ShipDaddy (unrelated).(By the way, see if you can spot all of the board game titles hidden in the article)
In 2015, a recently-graduated Joe Spisak began to showcase his genius early on when he and his housemate Logan decided to stay on their college campus for an additional year, living the college life without the college classes. But in a cruel twist of fate, the pair quickly discovered that their brilliant endeavor had one serious flaw.“We were basically getting fed up playing beer pong, flip cup, quarters…. You know the traditional college games.” says Joe Spisak in his conversation with ShipHero founder Nicholas Daniel-Richards.So instead of suffering through another horribly monotonous night of flipping cups, they decided to flip the script by creating their own drinking game: The Wheel of Fun, prototype and precursor to their now wildly-popular game Dicey.The game concept was simple: spin a wheel and land on a color, then pick a card from the color category, and finally, complete whatever outrageous and laugh-out-loud funny suggestion on the card.The game was an instant hit, with friends and fellow bar patrons basically begging Joe to play The Wheel of Fun nightly. After some intense product testing and feedback from these unfocused focus groups, a single die soon replaced the wheel of misfortune and the game was henceforth referred to as Dicey — sensibly due to the fact that it may get you into some dicey situations, oh and the dice.
Fast forward to 2017 and Joe had moved on to an impressive technical corporate job; however, the uproarious success of Dicey still rattled around Joe’s skull just like the whispers of his collegiate legacy still rattled the halls of his alma-mater. He couldn’t risk this opportunity passing him by, so after one quick call to Logan the Dicey duo were back in business.As it turned out, developing a game from scratch was no trivial pursuit. Working with Joe’s sister, a talented UX designer, the team developed a brand, a box, and detailed design specs — all the necessary components to manufacture a game. Next step was to raise capital and find a supplier.If raising capital was the easy part, securing $21,000 on Kickstarter in just 30 days, then finding a supplier was certainly the fun part. To meet with high-quality board game manufacturers, Joe and Logan attended Gen Con, the largest tabletop board game convention in North America and held in Indianapolis — just how big is Gen Con? Joe tells us that the convention reserves Lucas Oil Stadium, the NFL stadium of the Indianapolis Colts, to play the quarter-finals of Settlers of Catan.With both the funds and manufacturer secured, the remaining topic was fulfillment: how to physically get the product into the hands of the customers. Joe and Logan went with a traditional fulfillment company, and with all the pieces in place (pun intended), orders for Dicey started piling in due in part to effective social media marketing as well as significant exposure from being on the Barstool Sports’ Big Brain Competition — yes, that is where you recognize them from. The success of Dicey was undeniable, and it actually became the second-most popular board game invented in Pennsylvania, a close second behind the game Monopoly. But as their order volume rose, so did problems with their fulfillment experience.
“What was the first scary moment you experienced between the orders coming in and the actual fulfillment process?” asks Nicholas in their podcast conversation.“I think the scary moment was working with fulfillment providers and sending them emails and waiting 72 hours and praying to God to get a hold of someone that understood the nuances of your account. You spend two years building this brand, creating this ecommerce company, and then the whole back end of the business, the most important part of taking the game and delivering it to the customers was completely out of your hands. And what blew my mind, was not only the lack of support… but also the lack of customization you can do.” – Joe SpisakCustomers were complaining about a poor unboxing experience and Dicey’s success was being compromised by subpar fulfillment service. About a year and a half into selling their product, the team had already gone through three different 3PLs, which is a staggering figure in the ecommerce world considering the time and money it takes to move freights of inventory from one warehouse to another.They were frustrated that seemingly simple modifications to the fulfillment process, like including a pamphlet in the box, were impossible; not to mention, the whole process felt highly impersonal and many fulfillment agents had no clue about the nuances of their account. What they needed was a white-glove fulfillment service with trustworthy and caring people, and when you want something done right you better do it yourself.ShipDaddy had its first warehouse in a 800 sq-ft room in an abandoned town morgue that Joe got in exchange for completing a website project for the local realtor. They used what they learnt from their past 3PL providers to implement best practices and, most importantly, hired people that aligned to their mission, values, and dedication to high-end service. They vertically integrated up the value chain and were successfully fulfilling their own product.ShipDaddy officially became a 3PL when other brands approached them that were having the exact same trouble with their fulfillment experience: impersonal and inflexible. It seemed that ShipDaddy held a local monopoly on the “Handle with Care” business model. As for their growth strategy, they focused on solving problems as they came in, and continually developed their capabilities to meet the needs of their customers. Primarily, they have moved into the Print on Demand, Merchandising, and Digital Media Creation spaces in addition to ecommerce fulfillment.
One of Joe’s first hires was a close friend named Brady, who earned the title Brady the ShipDaddy, half in part due to his military nickname “Dad” that he earned by caring for other soldiers like a father, and the other half in part for his stellar work ethic in the warehouse. When it came time to create a business brand, Joe thought it a no-brainer to name it after a friend that embodies the spirit and values of their 3PL company.
Joe tells us that ShipDaddy just hired their 20th employee, and they have since moved on from the morgue to a 10,000 sq-ft warehouse and will soon be moving to a 140,000 sq-ft building across the road. Their roadmap for the next year includes opening a West Coast location, acquiring the right customers that fit with their business model, further expanding their capabilities, and hiring more fantastic people that can vibe with Brady and the bunch.Last year, 2020 (feels awesome saying that), Joe created a new board game called OK Boomer! that is fun for up to three generations. ShipDaddy is proof that a smart group of people and an idea can become an entrepreneurial success.
Do you have an idea that’s been gnawing at you? You are living in an era that is full of ways to convert that idea into a viable business. The reality is there’s no magical five step program, and we’re all making this up. However, there’s lots of tools, resources, and fantastically passionate and smart people that we can all learn from who are building all sorts of new brands and yes, ShipHero gets to do the shipping.If you have an object that you want to profile, please send a note to John Wakim at pitch@shiphero.com - we’re always on the lookout for a new object to cover. For more info, episode details, and links to the stuff we discuss, visit https://shiphero.com/podcast.Listen to the podcast episode here.The Objects! With ShipHero podcast is brought to you by ShipHero, the leader in ecommerce order fulfillment services.
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Imagine running a warehouse where orders are picked quickly, inventory is accurate, and all operations run smoothly without any errors or delays. Thanks to Artificial Intelligence, this can now become a reality with ease.
AI is transforming warehouse management by enhancing efficiency, intelligence, and the ability to meet the rapid demands of today’s eCommerce-driven market.
ShipHero is pioneering this revolution with its AI-powered warehouse solutions, setting new industry benchmarks. This article explores ShipHero’s AI Picking feature, highlighting how it’s transforming warehouse management and enhancing operational efficiency.
The integration of AI technologies, including machine learning, robotics, and predictive analytics, is revolutionizing warehouse operations, driving significant improvements in efficiency, accuracy, and overall performance. These innovations are optimizing processes across various areas, from inventory management to order fulfillment. Below are the key benefits of AI in warehouse management.
A combination of AI technologies is shaping smarter warehouse systems to help revolutionize warehouse management.
ShipHero has taken AI integration to the next level with its AI Picking feature, designed to significantly improve warehouse efficiency. This feature automates the picking process, reducing the reliance on manual labor and enhancing productivity in ways that were once thought impossible.
Let’s dive deeper into how ShipHero’s AI Picking works and the advantages it offers.
AI Picking optimizes warehouse operations in two key ways:
The AI Picking feature delivers a wide range of benefits:
The transformative power of AI extends far beyond just picking. AI is also revolutionizing other aspects of warehouse management, driving improvements in operational efficiency, inventory management, and safety.
AI automates tasks, reducing errors and increasing speed. Automated sorting and real-time inventory tracking ensure accuracy, while real-time monitoring helps managers adapt and ensure timely deliveries.
AI plays a vital role in maintaining accurate inventory levels. By leveraging predictive analytics, AI can forecast demand and optimize stock levels, helping warehouses avoid both stockouts and overstock situations. This leads to better inventory management and fewer disruptions in supply chains.
AI-driven systems can monitor warehouse conditions to ensure safety and compliance with industry regulations. These systems can analyze warehouse data and predict potential hazards before they occur, proactively reducing risks and ensuring a safer working environment.
AI technologies are playing a transformative role in the supply chain and logistics sectors by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing decision-making.
These intelligent systems effortlessly manage supply chain processes by using data to optimize operations, predict trends, and automate routine tasks. This ultimately reshapes everything, from how goods are moved to stored and delivered.
The future of warehouse management looks promising with greater automation and efficiency, but future warehouse digitization brings challenges, such as high upfront costs and the need for skilled personnel.
AI-powered drones, autonomous robots, and IoT integration are smart warehouse technologies that are revolutionizing warehouse operations. Drones will deliver goods quickly, while robots automate sorting and transportation, thereby reducing the need for manual labor.
IoT and AI integration will enable real-time monitoring and optimization of operations. Smart technology in warehouses is leading to fully automated systems that are faster, scalable, and need minimal human input.
While AI offers immense benefits, businesses must also consider certain challenges. High initial investments in AI technology, data security concerns, and the need for skilled personnel are just a few of the hurdles that must be addressed.
However, with a strategic approach, companies can eliminate the challenges and embrace AI’s full potential to boost accuracy in picking and improve overall warehouse operations.
AI minimizes error by automating tasks like inventory tracking, order picking, and sorting, ensuring greater accuracy and efficiency.
Yes, AI-driven predictive analytics can predict demand, track inventory levels, and improve supply chain efficiency by forecasting needs with greater accuracy to help businesses stay ahead of trends and market fluctuations.
AI solutions are becoming more cost-effective thanks to cloud-based services and subscription pricing models. These options make AI technology more accessible to small businesses, allowing them to take advantage of its benefits without large upfront costs.
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When pallets roll in and loading docks buzz, your warehouse’s receiving process becomes the gatekeeper of inventory accuracy. And if that gate isn’t well-guarded with structure, speed, and oversight, errors slip in.
A mislabeled item here, a damaged shipment there, and suddenly your warehouse faces stock discrepancies, late order fulfillment, or even lost customers.
A warehouse receiving process checklist streamlines receiving operations and ensures compliance across teams, regardless of who’s on shift.
A warehouse receiving process checklist ensures every shipment that enters your facility is properly documented, inspected, and integrated into your inventory system.
Unlike ad hoc or verbal processes, this structured document verifies product condition upon arrival, checks against purchase orders to confirm accuracy, and documents all inspections for future reference.
However, ShipHero’s digital platform already seamlessly integrates this checklist into your system, automating the tracking of goods from the moment they arrive.
Because it captures critical shipment details, a receiving checklist can double as a warehouse audit checklist sample, especially when preparing for performance reviews or inventory audits.
If you’re looking for ways to improve accuracy and accountability, learning how to audit your warehouse with a structured receiving checklist is a great place to start.
A well-structured warehouse receiving process checklist is crucial for ensuring accurate and efficient inventory management. Including the mentioned key components helps streamline the process, reduces errors, and enhances overall warehouse performance.
Here’s what you must include in your checklist to maintain control and accountability:
This anchors the entire inspection. By referencing the purchase order (PO) number, warehouse teams can verify the received goods against the original order, ensuring the correct items and quantities are delivered.
Having the supplier’s full details improves accountability. If there’s a delivery issue, this info helps your team evaluate supplier performance and speed up resolution.
Timestamping each delivery helps you review delivery schedules, track shipment delays, and identify potential gaps in receiving coverage.
Here, staff will assess damage or discrepancies, confirm specifications (e.g., size, color), take photos if needed, and record all inspections in case of claims or audits. An effective inventory audit checklist incorporates these inspection protocols to ensure accuracy from the moment goods arrive.
Listing the material name (e.g., product name, SKU, or description) prevents mix-ups during inventory allocation and ensures all items are accounted for. This also helps your Warehouse Management System (WMS) update stock records correctly.
Identifying who delivered and who received the shipment establishes accountability, helps resolve disputes over damaged or missing items, and ensures proper handoff records.
Maintaining proper documentation, such as packing slips, invoices, and bills of lading, facilitates order reconciliation and supports formal audits and record keeping.
A single receiving error often ripples through the entire warehouse. A structured receiving checklist breaks this cycle by establishing clear protocols that coordinate with supply chain operations and create accountability at every step. It drives big improvements in:
This plays out in real operations. A mid-sized clothing retailer had ongoing issues with stock discrepancies during receipt. However, implementing a standardized receiving checklist significantly reduced the number of missing items and stock inaccuracies.
Employees also appreciated having clear instructions to follow, which reduced confusion and helped maintain a smoother workflow during peak delivery periods.
Before drafting your checklist, take a closer look at your existing receiving workflow. Next, identify any inefficiencies and pinpoint areas that could benefit from more structure and consistency.
Choose the data points you’ll need based on your warehouse flow, system integration, and team size. Include only what’s necessary to document key handoff moments.
You can go with paper, but digital formats (via tablets or mobile apps) are easier to scale. Software-based checklists can instantly update records and integrate with your WMS.
Use inventory management platforms or cloud-based tools to build your checklist. For example, ShipHero’s template system allows you to configure fields, set mandatory requirements, and establish workflow rules that guide staff through the receiving process. This makes sure every receiving action is consistent and auditable.
Train staff to make sure every team member follows standardized procedures. This minimizes human error, especially for new or seasonal workers.
Roll out the checklist during a test period. Assign clear roles (e.g., receiver, inspector), gather feedback, and then launch warehouse-wide. Revisit and refine it quarterly to keep up with operational changes.
Your warehouse receiving checklist works even better when paired with these best practices:
Spacing out deliveries helps reduce bottlenecks and allows teams sufficient time to track inventory levels accurately. It also allows for more accurate inspections.
Keep receiving areas clutter-free and near the entrance. This shortens the time it takes to organize storage locations after goods are received.
Invest in equipment such as barcode scanners, conveyors, or forklifts to speed up receiving operations, especially during peak seasons.
Don’t let broken items enter inventory. Flag them, document the issue, and notify procurement so the issue can be escalated quickly.
By leveraging real-time inventory tracking and barcode scanning, you can eliminate the need for manual checklists, ensuring that every received item is accurately logged. ShipHero automates the entire receiving workflow, reducing human errors and speeding up the process.
Customizable receiving workflows allow you to tailor the system to your warehouse’s specific needs, eliminating the need for paper-based checklists. Improve efficiency, accuracy, and consistency, all with ShipHero’s advanced automation tools.
At least annually, or anytime your business introduces a new product line, supplier, or technology upgrades.
Absolutely. Cross-training builds flexibility, enabling teams to cover for absences and maintain efficiency even during peak periods or periods of high turnover.
One missed check can cost you thousands of dollars. You may have a damaged pallet, a missing fire extinguisher, or a skipped safety step that can put your team at risk.
Warehouse daily checklists serve as a pilot’s pre-flight checklist. Before takeoff, every switch, lever, and system is checked. Why? Because skipping one step can lead to serious problems. The same goes for your warehouse.
Without a solid checklist, you risk delays, missed shipments, or worse, accidents and safety violations. A checklist ensures your team follows the right procedures and nothing falls through the cracks.
Here’s everything you need to include in a warehouse daily checklist, its definition, and templates you could use to get started fast.
A warehouse daily checklist is a structured form that helps warehouse staff systematically inspect, verify, and record essential tasks on a daily basis. It covers all the daily to-dos that keep your warehouse operations running smoothly and safely, such as inventory tracking and forklift inspections.
The warehousing and storage industry reported an injury rate of 4.8 per 100 full-time workers, nearly double the national average of 2.7. Following a daily warehouse checklist ensures the right procedures and safety protocols are followed and nothing important gets missed.
A great warehouse daily checklist supports the safety of your warehouse, reduces errors, and keeps your workflow on point. Here’s how to make a checklist that your warehouse workers will actually use and benefit from.
Every component of your checklist ensures your facility, staff, and inventory remain safe, compliant, and productive.
Common components include:
Instructions should be clear and structured to help your team move through inspections efficiently and consistently.
Your daily warehouse checklist doesn’t have to be very detailed and complicated. It needs to be thorough, practical, and easy to follow.
Here’s how to build a great one:
When your checklist comprehensively details the tasks in a concise manner, it becomes a tool that delivers massive impact. This ensures your warehouse operations run smoothly, safely, and efficiently.
Ready to skip the setup and just get started? Feel free to copy our Warehouse Daily Checklist Template to your Google Docs or Microsoft Word document. It’s accessible, user-friendly, and 100% customizable to your needs.
Simply plug in your specific details, and you’re set. It’s built to save time, support compliance, and help you manage your daily workflow like a pro.
ShipHero’s Warehouse Management System (WMS) boosts warehouse efficiency by automating key processes like inventory tracking, order picking, and shipping. By streamlining these workflows, it reduces manual labor, minimizing errors and delays.
The system’s real-time data updates allow staff to make quick, informed decisions, improving overall productivity. Customizable features enable businesses to adapt ShipHero to their specific operational needs, further enhancing efficiency. With ShipHero, warehouses can achieve faster turnaround times, reduced costs, and improved accuracy.
Review a warehouse daily checklist, weekly, or monthly to maintain accuracy and relevance. Frequent reviews help align the checklist with workflow changes, new safety protocols, or operational updates.
Yes, you can customize a warehouse daily checklist template. Most templates are designed to be modified based on team size, warehouse layout, and operational goals. Customization improves relevance and usability across different warehouse environments.
Yes, basic instruction and simple training on how to use the checklist ensure employees understand how to follow the checklist, report issues, and meet safety or performance standards. Training improves consistency and accountability across shifts.
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