The Meaning of Picking and Packing

Picking and packing are two fundamental tasks in the world of e-commerce, which is why it's vitally important to have the right team in place to carry them out correctly, so that products reach our customers with the highest guarantees.

What do picking and packing mean?

Picking is the order preparation process and is based on four basic pillars: preparation, the route, extraction and checking the conditioning. Orders are selected and collected from the different storage points and organized before being packaged and shipped to the end customer.

Packing, for its part, is that same process of packaging, boxing and wrapping the product. Orders are methodically prepared and packaged before their final shipment to the recipient.

How to tell them apart?

The main difference is the order in which they're carried out — throughout the whole process, picking is always done first.

Picking requires prior planning and involves movement around the warehouse, which packing doesn't need.

Picking doesn't need additional materials such as packaging or wrapping, unlike packing, which does.

Identification. While in picking the order is generic, in packing, once the product is finished, we can add a barcode identifier and assign the order as a single shipping unit.

Types of picking

Automatic. Carried out solely by machines.

Manual. Carried out entirely by hand.

Mixed. Carried out through a combination of machines and workers.

Examples of picking

Geographic picking stands out as one of the collection tasks carried out in specific geographic areas.

Individual picking is another of the most common options, as it focuses on collecting a single product.

Types of packing

Primary. This is the packaging that has direct contact with the product.

Secondary. This unifies and contains a variety of similar products.

Tertiary. This is prepared for preserving the product and its subsequent shipment to the transport service.

Examples of packing

The use of bubble wrap to protect all types of goods, especially those classified as delicate or fragile.

The use of expanded polystyrene, acting like a mold, adapts specifically to the product and provides special protection.

The box is the material par excellence, since it's the final protective wrapping that virtually all orders have.

How to reduce picking and packing errors

Preparation errors lead to returns and complaints. Some practices that reduce them:

• Check each item with a barcode scanner before packing.
• Place the fastest-moving SKUs close to the preparation area.
• Use clear picking lists, sorted by route to avoid unnecessary travel.
• Run a final check of the order before closing the box.
• Size the box and the filling properly to avoid knocks during transport.

Picking methods by order volume

Besides the types described above, preparation is organised in different ways depending on volume:

• Order picking: one operator prepares a complete order. It is simple and suits low volumes or large orders.
• Batch picking: several orders that share SKUs are grouped, picked together and separated afterwards.
• Zone picking: each operator works in one warehouse zone and the order passes from one zone to the next.
• Wave picking: orders are released in groups according to transport schedules or priorities.

With more than 35 years of experience in the sector, at Disnet Logistics Operator we offer a service tailored and flexible to your needs, taking care of your company's logistics quickly and reliably. If you need a trustworthy logistics operator, we invite you to contact us by phone at 937 25 82 22 or through our website.