Short-Haul Freight Is Growing. But It’s Just One Way to Move Smarter.
Warehouses can sometimes feel like a gigantic maze and treasure hunt all rolled into one. As workers dart back and forth picking orders, trying to locate those items can be one of the most stressful parts of the task. The constant back and forth all across the warehouse is simply inefficient and if not done quickly can drastically decrease overall picking and delivery speeds.
So how do you reduce this inefficiency and speed up your fulfillment process? This is where "wave picking" comes in really useful.
Wave picking is an order fulfillment method that is designed to facilitate easier, more efficient and faster order picking. Essentially, it is a variation of zone or batch picking, which permits fulfillment staff to collect multiple orders all in specific inventory zones. Wave picking follows this same base concept with one minor difference; it is completed only during specific times throughout the day.
While wave picking is a great method for filling gaps of downtime, it can also be used as an effective strategy for improving the daily efficiency of warehouse operations and staying ahead of potentially busy periods.
In this blog post, we'll explore what exactly wave picking is and how you can get started with it.
What is Wave Picking?
The basic premise behind wave picking is to optimize the process of picking orders that are scheduled for fulfillment. It involves allocating a specific inventory or storage zone, and an employee to pick items from those sections. This is done during specific times throughout the day. With a wave picking process, orders are organized, grouped, and picked in a batch – usually ranging from 3 to 12 orders for each 'wave'.
The process itself is relatively simple...
A worker will receive an organized picking list of orders that need to be picked and sent over to packing. Instead of walking back and forth for each individual item, the goods are grouped together by specific criteria. This criterion might include:
- The zone where items are located
- The shipping priority
- The carrier that will transport the goods
Then, the picker uses a cart or tote to go collect the group of goods in one single trip. Once done, they simply send each group off to be packaged and shipped. This keeps the orders organized and processed much faster than treating them as "one-offs".
Not to mention, it greatly improves employee productivity by reducing the stress of running all across the warehouse all day long.
Waving picking can be used in both high and low volume operations.
Specifically, for low volume centers, wave picking is great for reducing trips back and forth for each employee. With larger fulfillment centers, it helps to offset downtime, by reducing the number of people needed to work during slower periods. However, there are some instances where wave picking is not recommended, specifically when a fulfillment center picks, packs, and ships as soon as orders are received.
How to Optimize a Wave Picking Strategy
If you're thinking about creating a wave picking strategy, there are a few best practices that successful managers use.
The first thing you'll need is a robust and efficient warehouse management system or WMS software platform. The WMS can help evaluate the different variables that impact the wave, including:
- The number of orders
- Labor schedules of pickers
- Delivery times
- Pick-up schedules of carriers
- The location of each product
The Delivery Commitment
One of the first items that impacts wave picking is the delivery commitment purchased by the customer.
If there are groups of orders being sent via the same delivery service (such as next day air, or ground service) the WMS will organize those picking orders into waves so they can all be fulfilled at similar times, and meet pick-up requirements.
Delivery Zone
If customers from geographic areas near one another and are ordering similar products, a wave can be set up based on geolocation. This likewise helps to optimize order fulfillment, shipping, and pick-up by the carrier.
Determine What Picking Method is Best
There are multiple picking strategies that a fulfillment center can embrace.
However, wave picking is not one size fits all. It might be best to consider batch picking, instead. The wave process is best utilized by those with shipping flexibility or fulfillment centers that operate during longer business hours.
Final Thoughts
Want to know how to get started with implementing wave picking in your warehouse? Redwood's Modern 4PL approach can help you optimize your fulfillment operations.
Our team of experts can help optimize your picking, packaging and shipping operations to reduce expenses and improve operational efficiency. See how we've helped other businesses in our case studies. Likewise, we can help you pick the best Warehouse Management Systems for your volume, product line, and customer base.
FAQs
What is wave picking in a warehouse?
Wave picking is a warehouse order fulfillment method that groups multiple orders into a batch and picks them during specific times of day. Workers collect items by zone, shipping priority, or carrier in one organized trip instead of making repeated passes across the warehouse. The process is usually used to improve picking speed, reduce walking, and keep orders moving efficiently to packing and shipping.
How does wave picking work?
Wave picking works by assigning a picker an organized list of orders to be completed in a scheduled wave. The picker collects grouped items from specific inventory zones with a cart or tote, then sends those orders to packing. Orders are commonly grouped by zone, shipping priority, or carrier so the warehouse can process them more efficiently than handling each order one at a time.
What are the main benefits of wave picking?
The main benefits of wave picking are faster order fulfillment, reduced back-and-forth travel, and better employee productivity. It helps organize work into manageable batches, which can lower stress for warehouse staff and improve efficiency. In larger operations, it can also help reduce idle time by aligning picking with delivery and carrier schedules.
When is wave picking a good fit for a warehouse?
Wave picking is a good fit for warehouses that need more efficient batching and have some flexibility in when orders are picked, packed, and shipped. It works well in both low- and high-volume operations, especially when longer business hours allow teams to schedule work in waves. It is less useful for facilities that must ship immediately as orders arrive.
When should a warehouse avoid wave picking?
A warehouse should avoid wave picking when its fulfillment model requires orders to be picked, packed, and shipped immediately after they are received. In that environment, waiting for scheduled waves can slow down service rather than improve it. Wave picking is better suited to operations that can plan work around shipping windows and labor schedules.
What do you need to optimize a wave picking strategy?
A robust warehouse management system, or WMS, is essential for optimizing wave picking. The WMS helps evaluate order volume, labor schedules, delivery times, carrier pickup windows, and product locations so waves can be planned effectively. Without that system-level coordination, it is much harder to group orders in a way that supports speed and reliability.
What factors should a WMS use to build wave picking groups?
A WMS should use several factors to build wave picking groups, including the number of orders, picker labor schedules, delivery times, carrier pickup schedules, and the location of each product. It may also group orders by delivery commitment, such as next-day air or ground service, or by delivery zone when customers and products are geographically aligned.
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