Pick and Pack Assembly: The Step That Determines Speed and Accuracy

When order volume exposes the cracks in your system

Pick and pack assembly sounds simple when you are shipping a few dozen orders. But once demand grows, the work becomes a race where accuracy and speed matter equally. Every order becomes a test of your systems, your layout, and your ability to assemble products correctly the first time.

Many brands come to advanced pick and pack processes after a disappointing 3PL experience. As Maureen Milligan explains, "Most of the customers who come to us from another 3PL, their challenges have always been access to their data, order accuracy and efficiency, and basically just meeting the committed requirements." She adds, "Even when they were getting their new inventory delivered to the warehouses, they weren't getting received and on the shelves in a timely fashion to satisfy customer orders."

Why pick and pack becomes a growth lever

Pick and pack is not just a warehouse activity. It is the foundation of your ability to fill orders quickly. The moment your SKU catalog grows or your channels expand, pick and pack accuracy becomes the difference between happy customers and costly returns.

Retailers raise the complexity. Joel Malmquist notes, "Walmart's pretty intense with their labeling rules. Dick's Sporting Goods is the same; if you don't do it right, you get those massive chargeback." When orders include channel specific requirements, pick and pack assembly becomes far more than grabbing items off shelves.

Then there is the volatility of modern commerce. Holly Woods captures it perfectly: "Sometimes these smaller customers come and work with G10, and um they might be shipping you know 100, 200 orders a day. Then something goes viral on social media, and all of a sudden the doors are being blown off on orders." That shift turns slow processes into operational crises.

Why many 3PLs fail at advanced pick and pack

Traditional 3PL models assume that orders are simple. Many systems cannot support multi item kits, channel specific labeling, or dynamic routing. When pick and pack includes assembly steps, those rigid systems show their limits.

Bryan Wright explains the root problem: "A bad WMS system will not track inventory 100%, as it should." Missing or inaccurate tracking destroys pick and pack efficiency. But strong systems tell a different story. As Bryan notes, "A good WMS tracks inventory through the warehouse at every point that you touch it."

Adaptability matters too. Bryan highlights why: "With G10 we can make that change extremely quickly because we have our own development staff." Pick and pack requirements shift constantly as brands expand into new products and channels. Software must shift with them.

The founder's fear: losing control of the details

Pick and pack errors feel personal because they directly affect the customer experience. A missing item or a mislabeled box can destroy trust. That is why founders hesitate before outsourcing this part of their business.

Joel shares how customers frame their concern: "Say Target drops 10 POs and gives us 48 hours to turn it around? Is G10 the right partner for us to navigate through that and execute at a high level?" They are not simply asking about speed. They are asking whether the pick and pack process can absorb pressure without breaking.

The answer depends on structure. As Joel says, "We are able to help them get through that big surge and develop and grow their business as it comes in." Scalable pick and pack assembly demands flexible labor, smart routing, and system driven accuracy.

Holly describes what execution looks like under deadline: "Our supervisor, warehouse manager, and several employees worked that entire day into the night, came back in in the morning at 5 a.m. to make sure that we had the routing completed for that pickup for Target."

Visibility is what makes pick and pack reliable

Pick and pack is unforgiving. One wrong scan or incorrect component creates downstream chaos. That is why transparency matters so much.

Bryan explains: "We have portals that show you the data. We have history that shows you all of that tracking. It shows the product landed on the dock at 8 o'clock." Real time visibility removes guesswork and prevents errors before they happen.

Maureen emphasizes how customers use this clarity: "They can actually watch those progressions going on." Seeing the work unfold gives growing brands the confidence to scale.

Pick and pack as the bridge to retail expansion

As brands expand into new channels, pick and pack assembly becomes more complex. Different retailers require different packaging, inserts, and labeling. A strong pick and pack provider turns these variations into predictable workflows instead of emergencies.

Jon Pistone gives an example of how operational speed can unlock growth: "We were able to turn that into a 15, 20 million dollar business in a year because we were able to compress the time of launch."

Culture is the silent force behind good pick and pack

Pick and pack work requires precision and pride. Technology provides structure, but people ensure correctness.

Mark Becker describes the mindset: "Yeah, I live in the grind every day." That attitude becomes the backbone of reliable pick and pack work.

Bryan explains the standard of excellence: "You go 110% and make sure that when they're done, this project is something they're going to remember." And when mistakes occur, Maureen notes, "We say, We made a mistake, this is what happened, this is how we're correcting it, and this is how we're going to make it right by you."

Why strong pick and pack assembly accelerates growth

Pick and pack is the final touchpoint before customers or retailers receive your product. When it works well, orders arrive accurately and on time. When it struggles, your brand reputation takes the hit.

Connor Perkins summarizes the math behind it: "To be successful and grow rapidly you have to sell a lot of your products. That boils down to having a good product, but also having a good supply chain."

If your team is spending more time fixing errors than shipping orders, upgrading your pick and pack assembly may be the most important operational shift you make this year.