‘E-com businesses are not operated from corporate offices but from warehouses logistics.’ This is an inevitable fact since in the end, it’s the physical product that has to be delivered to the consumer.
So if a warehouse is essentially one of the most crucial components of an e-commerce business, it should be ideally designed to streamline the logistics. Thus enhancing the consumer experience.
With the ever-growing e-commerce market, the latest challenges companies face are a high volume of orders(especially during sale/holiday season), fast shipping and prompt returns.
As a general rule of thumb, there are three important factors to be considered when designing the layout of a warehouse:
- Flow
- Accessibility
- Space
While there are other units involved such as the equipment and personnel. We’ll stick mostly to the design of a warehouse in this article.
Avoid permanent structures in between
This directly concerns the third principle of warehouse storage design: ‘space’. Make sure that your warehouse is a long and large plain space with absolutely no permanent constructions in between. Just like a football field with a roof on top.
This ensures that you have the optimal levels of customizability for your space and you can remove or add any temporary structures in between depending upon the season, product types and other imminent factors.
Move higher and invest in the latest equipment
Try to build your warehouse by utilizing vertical space, since it provides you with more storage area for your goods while organizing them in proper sections/departments. Make sure to keep proper space between different sections so people and equipment can move easily in between.
Another important thing is to invest in the latest warehouse supporting equipment – both hardware and software. Like state-of-the-art HVAC(heating, ventilation, and cooling) systems, power-efficient machines and lights, docking/undocking equipment and latest or customized management software.
Select proper shelving and storage solutions
Online stores selling everything from groceries to machinery these days. So it is important to chalk out the type of racks and Warehouse storage solutions you’ll need for your inventory. Some products may be very fragile, while some may need specific storage conditions.
Furthermore, invest in a proper labeling and organization structure or scheme for proper management of the warehouse. Schedule regular maintenance sessions to make sure everything is in-line.
Train your workforce
While this does not concern directly with the warehouse design. Your workforce is the energy that drives the functions of the warehouse. No matter how deeply you embed AI and automation in your warehouse, you’ll still need people to operate.
The best part of successful warehousing operation is to train your employees properly about the work procedure. Make sure they are qualified to handle normal and abnormal situations. Conduct regular training and review sessions for staying updated with the latest trends and technology. Also, involve them and ask for feedback on improving any existing procedures.
Operating a warehouse in today’s competitive e-commerce market requires precision and speed. Conclusively, you need to organize the space, maintain proper flow, invest in the latest technology and train your workforce to smoothly operate logistics.
Aaj Enterprises
