Eaches Picking Order Fulfillment
Picking individual items into a shipping container is defined as eaches picking. It is most common in direct-to-consumer (DTC) applications, but occasionally with business-to-business (B2B) as well. It’s known by several different names, such as Picking-by-SKU, Discrete Picking, and pick-to-order. It entails one picker picking items to complete one order at a time.
Picking eaches often requires accurate cubing in order to select the proper shipping containers effectively. Eaches picking also often allows for other picking methods such as batch picking and cluster picking based upon the order profile.
MMCI Order Fulfillment has implemented DTC fulfillment for 35 years and understands the many different nuances of mixing picking methods, picking technologies, and software integration together to create functional and effective order fulfillment solutions.
Advantages of Piece Picking are that it’s equipment costs are low, and the main cost of the method is the cost of labor. Therefore, it can be quickly implemented at any stage of a DC’s operation. Further, because equipment needs are simple, there is little to no maintenance cost, and pickers can be quickly trained or replaced if needed.
Due to the manual nature of this method, it’s scalability is not as adaptable as other methods. Accurate picking relies on the accuracy of the pick list, and the accuracy/attentiveness of the picker. Further, as a DC’s operation increases in scale, simply adding workers to increase the productivity of picking doesn’t effectively translate into an increase in order fulfillment or accuracy.
• Is this method right for your DC?
Piece Picking is the original method of picking products. It’s implemented widely across all warehouse automation and distribution operations, as in typically the basic form of picking. You most likely currently implement this process.
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