An order picking method where the warehouse is divided into designated zones, with pickers assigned to work exclusively within their specific areas. Each picker retrieves items only from their assigned zone and passes orders to the next zone as needed, creating a relay-style picking process.
This strategy significantly reduces picker travel time and increases operational efficiency by eliminating crossover between zones. Pickers become highly familiar with their designated areas, improving accuracy and speed while reducing training requirements for new staff. Zone picking is particularly effective in large warehouses with high order volumes and diverse product types.
For example, in an e-commerce fulfillment center, Zone A might contain electronics, Zone B handles clothing, and Zone C manages household items. A multi-item order would flow sequentially through relevant zones, with each picker adding their zone’s items before passing the order forward. This method optimizes workflow while maintaining picking accuracy and reducing labor costs.
