Pick and Pack

Pick and pack is the core fulfillment process in an e-commerce or distribution warehouse: selecting (picking) ordered items from their storage locations and packaging (packing) them into appropriate shipping containers. While simple in concept, pick and pack is the most labor-intensive operation in most fulfillment centers — typically representing 55–65% of total warehouse labor cost — and the primary target for efficiency improvement and automation investment.

The Pick Step

Picking begins when a warehouse management system (WMS) or order management system (OMS) receives an order and generates pick instructions. The picker — whether a human or a robot — navigates to each storage location and retrieves the specified items.

Pick methods vary by operation scale:

Discrete (single-order) picking: One picker completes one entire order before starting the next. Simple to manage, easy to track errors to individual orders, but inefficient at high volumes due to excessive travel time.

Batch picking: A picker collects items for multiple orders simultaneously, then sorts at a packing station. Reduces travel time 50–200%; requires downstream sorting but is the standard at high-volume e-commerce operations.

Zone picking: The warehouse is divided into zones; each picker only picks their zone. Orders accumulate as they move from zone to zone (pick-and-pass). Efficient for large operations with many SKUs spread across a large footprint.

Wave picking: Orders are released in groups (waves) timed to match downstream capacity — shipping lanes, truck departure times, or labor availability.

Goods-to-person (GTP): Robotic systems (Autostore, Kiva/Amazon Robotics) bring storage pods or totes to stationary pick stations, eliminating travel time entirely. Achieves 2–3× the picks-per-hour of traditional walking-picking.

The Pack Step

After items are picked, they move to a packing station where:

1. Verification: Items are scanned to confirm they match the order (catch-weight, barcode, or vision-based verification)
2. Carton selection: The packing station operator (or automated system) selects the appropriate box size — minimizing DIM weight while protecting the product
3. Void fill: Appropriate cushioning material is added (paper, air pillows, foam) to prevent movement in transit
4. Inserts: Packing slips, return labels, promotional inserts, or personalized notes are added
5. Seal and label: The carton is sealed and a shipping label is applied

Packing Station Ergonomics and Technology

Modern pack stations are engineered for throughput. A well-designed station achieves 120–180 orders per hour per operator. Technologies that accelerate packing:

• Scan-based verification: Reduces pack error rate to below 0.1%
• Right-size cartonization software: Calculates optimal box size for each order, reducing material cost and DIM weight charges by 10–20%
• Automated void fill dispensers: Fill-on-demand air cushion machines produce protective packaging at the rate the packer needs it
• Weight-check scales: Final weight verification catches missing items before the package is sealed

Amazon's fulfillment centers combine robotic picking (Kiva robots delivering pods) with high-throughput pack stations, achieving fulfillment rates of 300–400 orders per station per shift.