Pick and Pack
The warehouse process of selecting ordered items and packaging them for shipment.
1 min readLast updated Apr 2026
Quick Reference
CategoryFulfillment & Operations
Related Terms1
The warehouse process of selecting ordered items and packaging them for shipment.
Why It Matters
Pick and pack efficiency directly impacts fulfillment cost and speed. Inefficient picking means higher labor costs; poor packing means damaged products and higher shipping costs (oversized boxes). Optimizing this process is essential as order volume scales.
Practical Example
Scenario
A supplements brand optimizes their pick and pack process as order volume grows.
Calculation
Before: 45 orders/hour, $0.85/order pick-pack cost. After reorganization (bestsellers nearest packing station, batch picking): 68 orders/hour, $0.56/orderResult
51% productivity improvement reduces fulfillment labor cost by $14,500/month at 50,000 monthly orders.
Pro Tips
- 1Organize inventory by velocity—bestsellers closest to packing stations
- 2Use batch picking for common items across multiple orders
- 3Standardize packing materials and processes for consistency
- 4Track pick-pack time and accuracy as key operational metrics
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Random inventory placement requiring excessive walking
Using one box size for everything (increases dimensional weight costs)
Not tracking error rates—shipping wrong items is expensive