As businesses strive to achieve the ‘perfect order’, we will explore in this blog the common pain points with which most are still struggling to find solutions to:

• Ability to scale packing operations with peaks: eCommerce can generate massive seasonal peaks with events such as Black Friday, where sales volumes easily double or triple from normal levels. Packing operations have always been the real time-thief in warehouses, with many still implementing manual processes. If warehouses are to keep up with demand they must look at the scalability of their operations.
• Quality assurance: Incorrect orders are a significant source of frustration for customers, be it items missing from their order / wrong items being delivered. While this generates additional returns costs to ecommerce retailers, the additional hassle for their end customers, could make them less forgiving when they next come to make a purchase. Getting it right, first time is critical.
• Guidance for warehouse operators: Training timelines involved in bringing new warehouse operatives up to speed can prove challenging. Automation solutions are key here; the ability to guide the warehouse operators step by step, taking redundant decision-making processes away will streamline operations and help increase throughput.
• Choosing the right size packaging: Depending on the product you are shipping and how big it is should determine decisions around the right size of box to use. Retailers should always look to minimise void fills as this will avoid excessive carrier volume charges and create a better lasting impression with the customer.
• Value added services – Items that are costly, fragile or dangerous often invite additional packaging needs. Retailers should be exploring software solutions, which guide the operators on the specific product needs, to help generate a consistent consumer experience.
• Packaging materials – though there is an increased drift towards usage of environmentally friendly packaging such as paper-based materials, managing the increased cost in terms of both Capex (cost of machines) and OPEX (materials) is a challenge for retailers. The cost can easily be 3 – 4 times higher than that of plastic alternatives and the throughput rates are often lower than on conventional machines. However, retailers must weigh up whether the environmental benefits, alongside their customer expectations provide a greater business case for making the switch.