Products are moving across the world faster than ever. Behind the scenes, warehouses are doing the heavy lifting—storing goods and making sure the right items are delivered to the right customers, on time.
While automation and technology get a lot of the spotlight, there’s one decision that quietly determines a big part of your warehouse success: how you pick orders.
The two most common approaches are batch picking and zone picking. This article breaks down how they work, the pros and cons of each, and what to consider when deciding which one’s right for your operation.
Why This Matters
Order picking—getting products off the shelves and into orders—is the most labor-intensive and costly part of warehouse operations. It can account for up to 50% of your total warehouse operating costs.
Picking the right strategy helps you:
- Boost throughput
- Cut labor and equipment costs
- Reduce order delays
- Improve accuracy
The Two Big Picking Strategies
Most modern warehouses choose between batch picking and zone picking for medium to high order volumes. Here’s a quick overview:
Batch Picking
- One picker collects items for multiple orders in one trip.
- Can either sort while picking or sort after picking.
- Pros: High pick efficiency (especially if no sorting is done during the trip).
- Cons: Longer walking routes, potential picker congestion (“blocking”), may require a sorting system.
Zone Picking
- Each picker is assigned to a specific “zone” or area.
- Orders are picked one zone at a time (sequential), or all zones at once (simultaneous).
- Pros: Shorter routes, less congestion, efficient with tech.
- Cons: Can lead to unbalanced workloads across zones, may need a sorting system.
The “Batch vs. Zone” Problem
Batch picking tends to be simpler to manage and easier to balance across workers. It’s especially flexible for varying order sizes.
However, because pickers move through the entire warehouse, it increases walking time and the chances of pickers blocking each other. That slows things down.
Zone picking allows pickers to work in smaller areas, which speeds up picking and reduces walking. It also avoids the problem of picker congestion. But there's a catch: some zones may be busier than others, depending on how items are stored or ordered.
That leads to workload imbalance—some pickers are slammed, others are idle. If orders don’t get finished in time, overtime costs go up. Simultaneous zone picking also requires a sorting system, which can be expensive to set up and maintain.
Fixing Long Pick Walk Times
A significant advancement in order picking comes from the use of smart algorithms that improve the efficiency of the process.
These algorithms use sequencing and order grouping techniques to optimize the way orders are organized and how pickers travel through the warehouse. By reducing walking distances by up to 50%, these systems can double pick rates—without the need for robotics. The technology works by sitting next to supporting systems (WMS, OMS, ERP systems) optimizing travel paths in real-time, achieving performance levels similar to robotic systems but at a much lower cost, requiring to capital expenditure.
4 Things You Must Consider
- Pick Speed – Faster isn’t always better if people are running into each other. How fast can your team pick with each method?
- Blocking – Too many pickers in the same space kills productivity. Will pickers get in each other’s way?
- Workload Imbalance – Uneven workloads = late orders or expensive overtime. Can you evenly spread the work?
- Sorting System – You buying one or not? It’s a big cost. Do you need one? Can you afford it?
Each factor affects not just productivity but also cost.
Comparison: Batch vs. Zone
- For low order volumes, batch picking—specifically sort-while-pick—is more cost-effective. There’s no need for a sorter, and it’s easier to manage workloads across pickers.
- For medium volumes, it’s a toss-up. The better option depends on your warehouse layout, item distribution, and staffing. Either strategy can work well.
- For high volumes, zone picking (especially simultaneous zone picking) becomes more efficient. Even with the added cost of a sorter, the system needs fewer pickers and moves faster.
It’s worth noting that as order size increases or items become more unevenly distributed across the warehouse, workload imbalance becomes a bigger issue—especially for zone systems. This can lead to delays and extra labor costs.
Practical Takeaways
- Don’t choose based on intuition. Use data and modeling to pick the most cost-effective strategy.
- Zone picking works well when order volume is high and tech can assist (like pick-to-light and automated sorters).
- Batch picking is more flexible for smaller operations or when sorting systems aren’t an option.
- Workload balance is a bigger issue in zone systems. Pay attention to how your items are distributed across zones.
- Consider how many waves (order batches per day) you’ll run. Fewer waves = larger sorter needs.
Final Thoughts
Logistic providers are under pressure to do more with less. Picking strategy may seem like a technical choice, but it has real business consequences. Whether you’re rethinking your layout, investing in new tech, or just trying to grow smarter, the batch vs. zone decision is an important call you’ll make.
If you're serious about improving efficiency and controlling costs, don’t pick blindly. Visualize and analyze warehouse operations, and simulate different warehouse scenarios. See what works and what does not. Compare. Test your assumptions, and make a decision backed by real insight.