Pick-to-cart is a warehouse picking method where workers use carts or trolleys to collect multiple items from various locations in a warehouse.
The cart serves as a mobile storage unit, allowing workers to pick items for several orders in one trip, instead of walking back and forth to a centralized location.
This method helps improve the speed and efficiency of order fulfillment, especially in busy warehouses with high-volume picking needs.
Pick-to-Cart Process Explained
Pick-to-cart helps streamline order-picking efficiency by reducing the time and effort required to gather items and prepare them for shipment. Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Order Generation
A customer order is generated, either manually or through an automated system, listing the items needed for fulfillment.
Step 2: Picking Strategy
Warehouse staff use handheld devices or pick-to-light systems to identify which items need to be picked and the optimal route or location for each item.
Step 3: Picking Items
Workers move through the warehouse, picking the necessary items from shelves or bins. Instead of placing items in individual containers, they place them directly into a cart designated for that specific order.
Step 4: Cart Monitoring
As items are added to the cart, the system may update the inventory and provide real-time tracking, ensuring accuracy and preventing stockouts.
Step 5: Transporting to Packing
Once all the items for an order are collected, the cart is transported to the packing area where the order is packed and prepared for shipment.
Step 6: Shipping
The packed order is then moved to the shipping or dispatch area for final processing and delivery.
When Is Pick-to-Cart Ideal?
Pick-to-Cart is ideal in specific situations where the benefits of efficiency and accuracy outweigh the need for more complex systems.
Here are the scenarios where Pick-to-Cart works best:
- High-Volume Orders
- Small to Medium-Sized Orders
- Fast-Paced Environments
- Minimizing Walk Time
- Limited Warehouse Space
- High Picking Accuracy Requirements
- Multi-Order Fulfillment
Pick-to-Cart is ideal when the goal is to improve picking speed, reduce labor costs, and enhance accuracy, particularly in operations with smaller, high-volume orders.
Boosting Efficiency with Pick-to-Cart
Pick-to-cart is a highly effective picking method that improves warehouse efficiency, reduces errors, and helps meet high-volume order demands.
By minimizing walking time and optimizing workflow, it allows warehouses to handle more orders with greater accuracy and speed.
For warehouses looking to enhance order fulfillment and improve overall productivity, implementing the pick-to-cart system is a smart and effective solution.
