Batch Picking Automation: Our Top 5 Best Systems

01. Batch Picking as a Driver of Logistics Efficiency

With an average online order of 3.89 items (source: Dynamic Yield), warehouse operators walk miles to locate and collect scattered SKUs. This daily marathon affects productivity, service quality, and delivery times.

To maximize order fulfillment efficiency, companies aim to eliminate unnecessary tasks and movements. Batch picking provides a concrete solution: it streamlines flows through automation and traceability tools.

We invite you to explore this strategy that is redefining warehouse organization and share our top 5 best solutions to automate it.

02. Batch Picking Methods Tailored to Each Activity

In intralogistics, batch picking (also called “picking by batches”) involves grouping the preparation of multiple orders or SKUs instead of handling them individually.

In practice, the operator completes a single run to collect all SKUs for several orders. After collection, items are sorted and assigned to their final destinations.

There are several batch picking methods, adaptable depending on warehouse conditions and the specific needs of each business:

• Manual batching: The operator collects items from multiple orders in a single run manually, then sorts and assigns them to each final order.
• Wave batching: Picking is organized in time-based waves. Orders are grouped according to time or logistics criteria (truck departure time, client type, geographic zone, etc.).
• Zone batching: Orders are grouped when they involve picks in the same warehouse zones, optimizing the work of operators assigned to those areas.
• Pick-and-Pass: This strategy combines batch and zone picking: each operator works in a specific warehouse zone and passes partially completed batches to the next zone.

Batch picking is now the standard in modern warehouses, especially in high-volume sectors like e-commerce, fashion, and retail. Ideal for small to medium-sized similar products, it is less suitable for bulky items or those requiring special handling.

03. Measurable Benefits for Increased Productivity

Without a strategy to consolidate orders, warehouses face performance bottlenecks. Operators’ back-and-forth trips can account for up to 60% of picking time (source: Logistics Bureau). Combined with repetitive handling and human errors, the entire supply chain can be affected.

Batch picking addresses most of these issues:

• Time optimization: It consolidates picks from multiple orders into a single run, reducing operator travel by 40% (source: Zebra).
• Productivity gains: It increases order throughput by up to 50% with the same workforce (source: Reflex Logistics).
• Peak activity management: It helps teams handle volume surges better by optimizing routes and processes.
• Fewer errors, more traceability: Through WMS/WCS, it ensures accurate traceability, adjusts stock in real time, and reduces picking errors by threefold.

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