We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Parallel picking: The route to faster e-commerce throughput?
Perspective

Parallel picking: The route to faster e-commerce throughput?

November 19, 2013
James A. Cooke
No Comments

As more companies wrestle with the demands being placed upon their businesses by e-commerce, especially the move toward providing same-day fulfillment and delivery to consumers, they will have to find ways to improve throughput in their distribution centers (DCs). That will likely require significant changes in their warehouse and distribution operations. One of those changes might be switching from the traditional serial order picking method to parallel picking.

In serial picking, a picker selects all items for a particular order, crossing multiple zones in the warehouse to gather all of the items required to complete the order.

But in a parallel picking operation an order picker retrieves only a particular type of product in one area of the warehouse or DC for a number of orders. Say an online order calls for a sweater and a pair of jeans. One picker would get the sweater and another the jeans. The selected products would then be consolidated to fill the order.

Although the parallel approach involves more product touches, it actually speeds up the order selection process, according to Fortna consultant Helgi Thor Leja. When one of his company's clients adopted this approach, order cycle time dropped from four hours to less than 30 minutes. "By changing this process and flow, associate morale went up (for the client,)" Leja said during a recent webcast presentation hosted by our sister publication, DC Velocity. "Productivity is close to 80 percent or better, accuracy is up, customer satisfaction is up, and now our client is able to have later cut-off times" for online orders.

Faster order selection will become essential for companies that get involved in same-day fulfillment. The adoption of parallel picking just might be the edge that distribution centers will need to meet the e-commerce challenge.

To hear what Leja had to say about the impact of same-day fulfillment and delivery on distribution operations, listen to the free webcast "Same-Day Fulfillment: It's a Balancing Act".

  • Related Articles

    Use the downturn to prepare for the upturn

    Power to the (supply chain) people

    On the road to a smaller carbon footprint

James A. Cooke is a supply chain software analyst. He was previously the editor of CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly and a staff writer for DC Velocity.

Recent Articles by James A. Cooke

Getting smart about using software intelligence

The payback challenge

A farewell, with thanks

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • Survey: most Americans unaware that truckers face shortage of parking spaces

  • Postal Service plans to seize items mailed with fake stamps

  • Best practices in logistics sustainability

  • Supply chain executives not yet seeing expected results from technology investments

  • Inflation drops again as interest rate hikes hit home, NRF says

Featured Video

20221107korber large vs

Enhancing Customer Experience with Your Supply Chain Strategy

Viewer Contributed
With the rise of e-commerce, many businesses have had to transform their warehouses to handle online orders in addition to regularly scheduled inventory shipments. This means warehouses need more information than ever before to ensure they can meet customers' needs. As a result, companies need to select warehouse...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Guide to Pallet Rack Safety

  • 3PLs: Complete Orders Faster with Flexible Automation

  • A shipper's guide to navigating post-pandemic holiday freight

  • THE NEW WAY TO WAREHOUSE: 4 Innovations in Automation & Robotics to Boost Warehouse Productivity

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing