Key takeaways
- Order picking efficiency is a customer experience issue. Faster, more accurate picks reduce late shipments, returns, and support tickets, which protects repeat purchase rates.
- Small process changes stack up fast. Clear workflows, consistent standards, and a few targeted checkpoints typically unlock meaningful gains without a full warehouse overhaul.
- Efficiency is a scalability lever. What works at 100 orders a day often breaks at 1,000, so building repeatable routines now prevents chaos during growth and peak season.
- Measure, learn, adjust. A simple rhythm of tracking performance, spotting friction points, and coaching teams makes improvements stick over time.
Customer expectations for quick delivery mean that for any ecommerce business, order picking efficiency is critical to maintaining smooth operations and meeting these expectations. Inefficient picking processes lead to costly errors, slow fulfillment times, and customer dissatisfaction. However, businesses can significantly improve accuracy and speed by leveraging the right technology.
Table of contents
Common issues and how to resolve them
High error rates: stock
Using manual workflows – like picking by eye and using a paper picklist, or printing shipping labels first then matching products to them by hand – leads to incorrect shipments, costly returns, and frustrated customers. This usually happens due to human error, and even with the best team in the world, it is almost impossible to avoid when using manual systems – this can be through the repetitive nature of the work, minimal differences between the appearance of products or unfamiliarity with the stock itself.
Solutions:
- Implement barcode scanning, RFID technology, or automated picking systems to remove paper-based manual processes from the warehouse ensuring a high level of accuracy.
- Introduce double-check procedures for high-value or frequently mistaken items to minimize errors.
- Use a Warehouse Management System (WMS) or ERP-integrated real-time inventory tracking solution to maintain accurate stock levels and avoid picking delays through cycle -counts, rolling stock takes and spot checks during daily operations.
Time-consuming picking processes
Lack of structure and logical layout leads to unnecessary movement, longer picking times, and reduced productivity. If pickers spend too much time traveling between storage areas, overall order fulfillment slows down, which could cause shipping delays and/or drive up labor costs.
Manual warehouses miss out on the efficiency of automation. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach—using a fashion-focused solution in a furniture warehouse may be less effective than your original manual method.
Solutions:
- Optimize picking routes to minimize travel time (a WMS can be used to do this for you).
- Analyze order patterns and implement batch, wave, or zone picking based on order volume and warehouse layout for maximum order picking efficiency.
- Reduce congestion by improving aisle spacing and workstation placement – place high-demand items near packing stations and optimize storage slotting based on picking frequency.
- Upgrade to digital picking lists, voice-picking systems, or pick-to-light technology to reduce human errors and speed up order fulfillment.
Reliance on ‘tribal knowledge’
As a business grows, more staff will be needed in the warehouse. Problems can occur when your processes are very manual and require tribal knowledge, for example, if your team knows where everything is stored from memory, new people coming in will struggle to pick things up quickly and this will reduce the productivity of the whole team. Relying on experienced staff can create a huge bottleneck and increases the risk associated with your operation.
In addition to this, a lack of standardized training leads to inconsistencies in picking speed and accuracy, increasing the likelihood of costly mistakes. Coupled with weak verification processes that allow errors to slip through, you can expect to see an increase in labor to correct these mistakes in the form of returns and replacement orders.
Solutions:
- Standardize best practices, document processes, and leverage a WMS to provide clear, automated picking instructions for every employee.
- Implement structured training programs covering best practices, technology use, and quality control measures. Provide refresher sessions to maintain high performance.
- Introduce automated quality checks such as barcode verification before packing. Encourage accountability with performance tracking and feedback loops
10 tips to improve order picking efficiency
1. Standardize your pick methods by order type
Not every order should be picked the same way. Use single-order picking for low volume or high-touch orders, then introduce batch, wave, or zone picking for repeatable SKUs and higher daily throughput. The right method reduces travel time and keeps pickers focused.
2. Slot inventory based on demand, not convenience
Re-slot fast movers closer to packing stations and place commonly bundled items near each other. Even small slotting changes can reduce walking and decision-making. Review this monthly or after big assortment changes, not once a year.
3. Use barcode scanning for every pick and every exception
Scanning should not be optional or ‘only for new hires.’ A scan at pick and a scan at pack removes the guesswork that leads to mis-ships, especially when items look similar or have close SKU variants.
4. Create clear pick paths and keep them consistent
If pickers can predict the route, they move faster and make fewer mistakes. A warehouse management system can optimize routes automatically, but even without one, consistent location naming, aisle direction rules, and pick sequencing will improve speed.
5. Reduce touches with smart replenishment
Stockouts at the pick face are silent efficiency killers. Set simple min/max rules for top SKUs so replenishment happens before pickers hit empty bins. Your goal is fewer ‘go find it’ moments during active picking.
6. Separate fast-lane orders from complex orders
Create a dedicated flow for simple, high-volume orders (single-line, small items, repeat SKUs). Keep complex orders (multi-line, fragile, oversized, special handling) in a separate queue so they do not slow the entire operation.
7. Add light-weight quality checks where errors happen most
If certain items drive the most returns, add a second verification step only for those products. This could be a scan-based confirmation, a photo check, or a quick supervisor audit. Targeted QA prevents the ‘check everything’ slowdown.
8. Design workstations to support speed, not just storage
Picking efficiency is not only about aisles. Make sure carts, totes, label printers, scanners, and packaging supplies are placed where the work happens. When pickers have to hunt for tools, you lose time on every order.
9. Track a few simple metrics and coach to them.
Start with pick rate, pick accuracy, and travel time (or steps per order if you can estimate it). Use the data to identify where the process is breaking, then coach with specific feedback. People improve faster when expectations are clear and fair.
If you’re also trying to help individual pickers move faster without cutting corners, check out our guide on how to be a faster warehouse picker.
10. Use guided workflows to reduce training time and tribal knowledge
If your best picker is also your ‘system,’ you have a scaling problem. Guided picking instructions, standardized processes, and structured onboarding help new hires become productive faster, without creating bottlenecks around a few experienced team members.
Final thoughts
Optimizing order picking efficiency isn’t just about speed, it’s about accuracy, cost reduction, and scalability. By leveraging a WMS to provide automation, optimized layouts, and structured training, warehouses can significantly improve fulfillment times and customer satisfaction.
Looking to streamline your warehouse operations? Now’s the time to implement these proven solutions and take your order picking to the next level! Book a demo with Descartes Peoplevox today to discover how our WMS solution can boost your order picking efficiency.
Order picking efficiency FAQs
How do I know if my warehouse is ready to scale for peak season?
Look for early warning signs like rising overtime, growing backlog at cut-off times, more customer “where is my order” contacts, and inconsistent daily throughput. If those show up before peak hits, you will likely need temporary labor planning, tighter cut-off policies, and a clear escalation plan for exceptions and backorders.
What is the best way to handle 'problem orders' without slowing everything down?
Create a separate exception flow with clear rules for what counts as a problem order (address issues, payment holds, stock uncertainty, special packaging, customizations). Route those orders to a dedicated queue or small team so your main flow stays clean and predictable.
How can we reduce pick delays caused by product and data issues?
Most delays come from unclear SKU naming, inconsistent units of measure, missing attributes (size, color, pack quantity), or mislabeled variants in the item master. Tighten product data governance, standardize naming conventions, and run regular audits so the warehouse is not forced to ‘interpret’ what an item should be.
How do I justify picking efficiency improvements to leadership?
Build a simple business case tied to outcomes leadership cares about: cost per order, labor hours, return rates, customer satisfaction, and capacity to ship more orders without adding headcount. Use a baseline from a normal week, then model what a modest improvement (even 5 to 10%) does to costs and throughput across a quarter.
