How to Optimize Your Warehouse Shipping Operations

Eighty-three percent of respondents use a warehouse management system, according to Statista. This statistic highlights the importance of implementing a world-class warehouse shipping procedure.

For instance, automated warehouse software, a suitable shipping courier, and warehouse management software are some steps you can take to get one step closer to your goal. We’ll cover everything you need to know about creating an optimized warehouse shipping procedure so that you can save time and improve efficiency for your business.

What Are Warehouse Shipping Procedures?

Warehouse shipping operations refer to the processes involved in transporting items from a warehouse to their final destination. Your warehouse shipping procedure falls into small parcel shipping or freight shipping.

Generally, you’re warehouse shipping procedure involves steps such as the following:

• Order receiving
• Order processing
• Order fulfillment
• Order shipping

We’ll give a more detailed overview of shipping operations so that you can understand the entire process of shipping and order fulfillment for your business.

A Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Warehouse Shipping Procedures

You’ll need to understand the step-by-step process of warehouse shipping to create an optimal shipping process for your customers (without human error).

Shipping warehouse operations go beyond just placing an order and arriving at a customer’s doorstep. This fact alone is why it’s vital to understand picking, packing, and shipping orders for your business.

1. Order receiving

This warehouse shipping process involves orders being received in a warehouse. More specifically, this step consists in accepting and virtually logging orders so that they can move on to the next stage.

In the order receiving stage, this step also involves ensuring enough product in stock so the order can move on to the next step. Merchants can improve efficiency by using inventory management software (IMS) to save time and improve the accuracy of order receiving.

2. Order processing

Following order receiving, you can move on to the order processing step. This specific step involves verifying the customer’s information, such as their address, to ensure the accuracy of the order.

Utilizing an automated order processing system can help improve the efficiency of your shipping operations. This type of shipping software allows merchants to verify order information and data to process orders quickly.

3. Order fulfillment

Following the order receiving and processing steps, the order fulfillment step is next. Order fulfillment deals with warehouse employees picking and packing orders for shipping.

A warehouse employee uses a pick list of items for a specific order in this step. This slip contains information about the order, the quantity, and where to find the item in the warehouse. After the warehouse employee “picks” the item, they “pack” the item in the “packing” area so that the order can be shipped.

4. Order shipping

This step is the final stage of your warehouse shipping procedures. The order shipping process involves sending and shipping out customer orders to their final destination.

In this stage, shipping labels are also generated and placed on a shipment box before it’s sent out. Then, your chosen shipping courier will pick up your orders and transport them to their recipient. Merchants also receive tracking information as soon as it’s in transit.

Related post: How to Avoid 6 Common Shipping Mistakes

4 Tips to Optimize Your Shipping Operations

Your warehouse shipping operations play a vital role in the success of your eCommerce business. We’ll guide you through some essential tips to help you improve efficiency and reduce human error so that you can breeze through shipping operations with ease.

Use automated warehouse software

According to inbound logistics, sixty-three percent of operating budgets are made up of labor costs. Automated order processing systems drastically improve your warehouse shipping procedures by automating data collection and inventory, eliminating inventory misplacement, shipping issues, or loss.

Plus, automated warehouse software reduces labor costs and other operational expenses. So, to keep up with the competition, consider using automated warehouse software for your business.

Utilize the right courier or shipping platform

Choosing a suitable shipping courier for your business can make or break your business. Thirty-three percent of consumers have high expectations for fast shipping, which means you want to choose a courier that meets your customers' needs. However, retail shipping rates can quickly add up and often be costly for your business.

Instead, using a shipping platform that offers high-volume discounts can help you cut costs for your business while providing ample benefits and shipping tools. For example, Easyship offers up to 89% off discounted shipping rates on 250+ couriers. Plus, you'll gain access to shipping tools like our shipping rates calculator, duties and taxes, calculator, and many more tools designed to ace your shipping operations.

Establish a proper warehouse management system

A proper warehouse management system (WMS) improves efficiency and visibility for your warehouse shipping procedures. A WHS helps your shipping process by enhancing your warehouse productivity with features such as automatic updates and barcode scanning. This way, you can reduce human error by maintaining accurate picking, packing, and shipping processes.

Strategically place your inventory

Most likely, your customers are located worldwide, which means you’ll need to place your inventory strategically. For this reason, you’ll want to send orders from multiple warehouse locations instead of a single location to improve efficiency.

The closer you are to your customers, the cheaper your shipping costs and faster delivery lead times. Easyship offers a global fulfillment network of warehouse partners on four continents so you can reach your customers all over the world. Plus, with discounted shipping rates up to 89% off, you can focus on scaling your business globally.

How Easyship Helps with Warehouse Shipping

At this point, you should know everything about how to improve efficiency for your eCommerce business and shipping operations. Establishing an optimal warehouse managing system reduces human effort and saves on automated shipping processes for warehouse operations and all steps of the shipping process.

For instance, utilizing a shipping platform can help you cut back on shipping costs to focus on other areas of your business. Easyship helps users streamline their shipping processes with automated shipping tools for your warehouse shipping procedures. With Easyship, you gain instant access to tools such as the following:

• Easyship Shipping Rates Calculator: Access high-volume discounts from major couriers. Plus, get instant access to delivery lead times from premium shipping couriers
• Global Fulfillment: Easyship has warehouse partners on four continents so that you can reach your customers all across the world. Plus, Easyship helps scale up fulfillment capabilities without increasing overhead costs
• Duties & Tax Visibility: Easyship works out all duties and taxes for your international shipments so you can handle your international orders with ease. Calculate your duties for overseas shipments here

Picking, packing, and shipping doesn’t have to be a time-consuming task for your eCommerce business. As long as merchants establish an efficient warehouse shipping procedure, you’re one step closer to eCommerce success.

Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account and get instant access to our global fulfillment network and warehouse management system tools and benefits

Warehouse Shipping FAQ

What is the meaning of shipping operation?

Shipping warehouse operations go beyond just placing an order and arriving at a customer’s doorstep. For instance, order receiving, processing, fulfillment, and shipping are all part of warehouse shipping.

What is a shipping operations manager?

A shipping operations manager helps manage picking, packing, and shipping procedures.

How can you optimize your warehouse shipping operations?

Using automated shipping software, creating an optimized warehouse system, and choosing the correct courier are some of the necessary steps to optimize your warehouse shipping operations.

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