Single Order vs. Batch Picking: What's Right for Your Maker Business?

While most start out just picking and packing whenever things are ready, most soon figure out that there are better and faster ways to get orders out the door. So how do you choose the right order fulfillment method for your maker business?

Efficient order fulfillment can make or break your maker business. Whether you’re stitching up gorgeous leather wallets or whipping up scented candles, how you get your products from your workspace to your customer’s hands is crucial.

To throw a statistic into the mix here to emphasize the point, a study published in the European Journal of Operational Research notes that “order picking has long been identified as the most labour-intensive and costly activity for almost every warehouse; the cost of order picking is estimated to be as much as 55% of the total warehouse operating expense”. This goes for both maker businesses of every size, so it’s very wise to spend some time making sure you have this right.

This guide will help you untangle two popular methods for order picking: single order picking and batch picking. We’ll weigh the pros and cons of each, explore which method best fits your business, and show how tools like Craftybase can make the whole process smoother.

What Is Order Picking, and Why Does It Matter?

First things first: order picking is the process of gathering items from your inventory to complete a customer’s order.

It might sound straightforward, but as your business grows, a manual, unorganized approach can lead to mistakes, slow downs, and frustrated customers. Whether you’re shipping dozens or hundreds of orders each week, how you pick impacts your bottom line.

Single Order Picking

Picking items for one order at a time means completing one customer’s order from start to finish before moving on to the next. This method is often referred to as discrete order picking and is commonly used in smaller operations or in environments where orders are straightforward and don’t involve a large number of items. It ensures that each order is handled individually, minimizing the chance of errors or confusion.

While picking one order at a time can work well in some scenarios, it’s not always the most efficient method, especially in high-volume fulfillment centers. This approach can lead to a significant amount of travel time for pickers, as they must walk through storage areas or warehouses to retrieve items for a single order before returning to pack and ship them. Over time, the repeated trips can take a toll on productivity and slow down the overall order fulfillment process.

Pros:

• Simplicity: Perfect for smaller enterprises or beginners, as it’s easy to implement.
• Lower Error Rates: With fewer moving parts, mistakes are less likely.
• Customer Focused: Each order is started and finished without interruption.

Cons:

• Time-Consuming for High Volume: If you suddenly land hundreds of orders, single order picking becomes overwhelming.
• Labor Intensive: You’ll need more help during busy seasons, driving up your staffing costs.

Batch Picking

Picking items for multiple orders simultaneously by grouping similar items. By grouping similar items from multiple orders, batch picking streamlines the process, cutting down on unnecessary movement and increasing efficiency. While batch picking is not always the right fit for every situation, it’s worth considering for operations looking to balance speed and accuracy in handling larger volumes of orders.

Pros:

• Efficiency: It reduces time spent traveling around your workspace, as you pick multiple items at once.
• Best for High Volume: Handles larger order volumes without bottlenecking.

Cons:

• Higher Sorting Effort: Orders must be separated and sorted after picking.
• Potential for Errors: If not managed carefully, similar items can get mixed up.

How to Choose the Right Pick and Pack Method for Your Business

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Your decision depends on factors like your order volume, the variety of products you offer, and even how your workspace is laid out.

Consider These Factors:

1. Order Volume: Are you shipping a handful of orders a day, or dozens?
2. Product Complexity: Do you sell a mix of customizable, one-of-a-kind products or standardized items?
3. Workspace Layout: Is your inventory easy to access and organized?

Here are a few scenarios to help you decide:

• Single Order Picking Works Well If:

You’re just starting out, orders are modest, and accuracy is your top priority.

• Batch Picking Is Ideal If:

You have a streamlined product line and receive multiple orders for similar items every day.

Need to switch things up as your business grows? Transitioning from single order picking to batch picking is completely doable once your order volumes hit a point where efficiency beats simplicity.

Why Pick Lists and Packing Slips Are a Game-Changer

Regardless of your chosen picking method, pick lists and packing slips are essential tools. They aren’t just there to “look professional” but actually help your brain avoid small yet costly human errors.

Pick Lists

A pick list is a checklist of all the items needed to fulfill one or more orders. It’s organized by location, category, or other logical groupings to make the picking process faster and more efficient. Instead of wasting time wandering through your inventory storage, a pick list ensures you can quickly locate and gather the required items. This is especially useful for businesses managing large inventories or fulfilling multiple orders at once, as it minimizes errors and saves valuable time.

Pick List Example: Luna Glow

When an order is received, the team at Luna Glow, a small handmade candle business uses a pick list to efficiently gather items from their inventory. For instance, if a customer orders three lavender soy candles, two vanilla bean wax melts, and one eucalyptus-scented reed diffuser, the pick list will outline each item, the quantities needed, and their storage locations in the workshop.

The team then follows the pick list to ensure all the correct products are selected and packed. This practice not only saves time but also minimizes errors. By having a structured process, Luna Glow ensures their customers receive the right products in perfect condition.

Pick Lists:

• Helps you pick the right products every time, cutting down on mistakes.
• Saves you time with a clear and easy guide for grabbing items.
• Speeds up packing and shipping so orders go out faster.
• Keeps customers happy with accurate and complete orders.
• Makes your business look professional and dependable.
• Makes inventory tracking a breeze by keeping a clear record of what’s used.

Packing Slips

A packing slip is a detailed document that lists all the items included in a specific order being shipped to the customer. Its main purpose is to confirm that the correct items have been packed and to provide transparency to the recipient. Customers can use the packing slip to verify that they’ve received everything they ordered. For businesses, it’s an essential tool to reduce mistakes and ensure a smooth shipping process, contributing to a better overall customer experience.

Packing Slip Example: Artisan Pantry Co. When preparing orders for their popular gift boxes, Artisan Pantry Co., a family-run business specializing in handcrafted gourmet treats, rely on a detailed packing list to maintain accuracy. For instance, an order for a “Sweet & Salty Deluxe Box” might include artisanal chocolates, caramel-coated popcorn, and a jar of sea salt caramel. The packing list specifies the exact quantities and weights for each product along with their storage aisle numbers. By following this method, the team ensures that every box meets their high standards. This system not only streamlines their process but also delights customers who receive perfectly curated and complete orders every time.

Packing slips offer several benefits:

• They reduce order errors by serving as a checklist to prevent mistakes or missing items.
• Clear product details help pack items faster, speeding up the packing process.
• Accurate orders lead to happier customers and fewer complaints.
• Packing slips assist with inventory management by tracking quantities and simplifying restocking.
• They make returns or exchanges easier by providing clear references.
• Packing slips improve communication, keeping teams and recipients aligned.

Tip: With tools like Craftybase, you can generate both pick lists and packing slips automatically, ensuring everything is error-free.

Leveraging Craftybase for Efficient Fulfillment

Speaking of tools, Craftybase is here to make life easier. It’s more than just an inventory software package for makers; it’s like having a business-savvy assistant dedicated to streamlining your inventory and order fulfillment processes.

How Craftybase Helps:

• Supports Single and Batch Picking: Whether you’re just starting with single order picking or ready to scale with batch picking, Craftybase adapts to your needs.
• Auto-Generate Lists: Create pick lists and packing slips in seconds, cutting down manual paperwork.
• Real-Time Inventory Tracking: Always know what you have in stock, so you never double-sell or under-prepare.
• Optimize for Growth: Use Craftybase reports to track efficiency and pinpoint areas for improvement in your operations.
• Get Started Today: Take control of your inventory and streamline your fulfillment process with Craftybase. Sign up for a free trial now

What’s Next? Scaling Your Fulfillment Process Past The Basics

Once you have implemented a picking method that seems to be working for your production flow, this isn’t unfortunately the end of the story. Order fulfillment that worked last year might not cut it as you scale so it’s best to keep assessing the situation and tweaking where needed.

But how do you know when it’s time to reassess your picking and packing flows?

1. Your Orders Have Increased: Hitting consistent double-digit daily orders? Batch processing could save time.
2. Mistakes Are Piling Up: Forgetting items or mislabeling packages while sticking to single order picking?
3. Customer Complaints Are Growing: Speed up fulfillment to meet faster shipping expectations.

Advanced Batch Pick Methods

Cluster Picking: This method lets workers pick multiple orders at the same time. Instead of grabbing items for one order and heading back to the packing station, workers collect items for several orders in one trip, using carts or totes to keep things organized. It’s a huge time-saver, especially for e-commerce operations with lots of smaller orders. By grouping orders that are located near each other, businesses can cut down on travel time and save on labor.

Pick Routing: Pick routing is all about planning smarter paths through the warehouse to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth. With advanced warehouse management systems (WMS), businesses can create the most efficient routes based on item locations, order priority, and even real-time inventory updates. This not only speeds things up but also reduces worker fatigue and boosts overall productivity—perfect for warehouses with tons of stock or large layouts.

Wave Picking: Wave picking organizes order fulfillment into distinct “waves” based on specific criteria like shipping schedules, order types, or delivery zones. Workers complete all picks within a single wave before moving on to the next. This method ensures smooth coordination between picking and other warehouse operations, such as packing and shipping, contributing to a more streamlined workflow.

Zone Picking: Also known as “pick and pass,” zone picking involves dividing the warehouse into designated zones, with each worker responsible for picking items from their assigned area. If an order requires items from multiple zones, the order progresses through the zones in sequence. This method improves efficiency by allowing workers to focus on a smaller, familiar area, reducing unnecessary movement and potential errors.

Trying out these methods can be a great way to streamline how you manage your workspace. Whether it’s organizing your materials by zones or testing other simple techniques, you’ll learn what works best for your unique process. Every maker’s setup is different, so tweaking these ideas to fit your workflow can help you save time, stay organized, and boost productivity.

Wrapping It All Up

Choosing the right order fulfillment process is more than just a day-to-day workflow decision; it’s about how you scale, grow, and delight your customers.

Take a good look at your current processes to determine whether single order picking or batch picking works best for you. Still unsure? Tools like Craftybase not only help streamline workflows but also provide actionable insights to keep you competitive.

Your next step: Why not give Craftybase’s free trial a go? Explore how features like batch picking support and real-time inventory tracking can revolutionize your fulfillment process.