Sent incorrectly or incompletely? Here’s how to prevent picking errors in your packages
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
A customer calling because something is missing costs you more than the margin on the order. Here's how to build a control point into your packing process that eliminates picking errors without taking extra time.
The message usually arrives a day or three after shipping: "I ordered two sets, but there was only one in the box." You're no longer sure. You packed sixty packages that afternoon, all roughly the same, and you have no evidence of what was in box number 41. So, you send the second set, pay shipping costs again, and a nagging feeling remains: was it right or not?
A picking error is not expensive because the item is expensive. It's expensive because you ship twice, have customer contact twice, and run the risk of sending something that was already sent. The good news: most picking errors occur at three identifiable moments, and you can seal all three with things you probably already have on your packing table.
Where things go wrong: three moments
If you observe your packing station for a while, you'll see that errors almost always fall into the same categories.
Swapping at the shelf. Two variants that look alike are next to each other. Color, size, or content differs, but the packaging does not.
Quantities. The order says 2x, but you pick one because your mind is already on the next package.
Forgotten addition. The loose accessory, the free extra, or the second item from another corner of your inventory is left behind.
All three have the same cause: there's no moment between "picking" and "taping shut" where you take one last look. You're going to create that moment.
Ensure swapping is no longer possible
Preventing errors is cheaper than detecting them. Start with your inventory. You don't want variants that look alike to be next to each other, and you want to be able to read them without turning the box over.
Two simple rules also help immensely. Never place variants of the same product next to each other, but above each other or in separate bins. And place the bestseller item in the most easily accessible spot, not where there coincidentally was space.
One control moment that works
Most webshops "check" by looking at the box again. That doesn't work, because you see what you expect to see. What does work is an action that forces you to count.
Place all items next to the box, not in it.
Read the packing slip aloud or point line by line, and tap each item as you place it in the box.
Only when the last line has been checked off, do you grab the tape.
Sounds excessive, but it costs about eight seconds per package. For a hundred packages, that's fifteen minutes. One re-sent order can quickly cost you more.
Weighing as a safety net
If you work with many identical orders, weight is an inexpensive second check. Note once what a complete package weighs, and then weigh randomly. If it deviates by more than a few grams, something is wrong. For small items, a Mini Precision Scale Pocket Size from € 12.00 is sufficient; for heavier packages, you can simply use a kitchen scale.
Sealing: proof that the package was closed
In a discussion about a missing item, the ultimate question is: was the package opened in transit? You can do something about that before things go wrong.
Tape the seam of your box with one continuous strip of tape and place a security seal over it. Security Seal Stickers VOID - 60 pieces cost from € 9.95; if someone removes such a seal, the text remains visible on the cardboard. You don't have to stick them on every package: they are very useful for orders above a certain amount, or for shipments to addresses where something went wrong before.
Some of the "something was missing" reports are not picking errors but packaging errors: a small item that gets stuck under the void fill and disappears with the cardboard into the paper bin. Two things help.
Second, pack small loose parts separately so they remain visible. A Metallic Bubble Envelope 22x17 cm from € 0.90 in the box stands out and doesn't disappear between the filling. If you use loose foil, keep it limited: a roll of Bubble Wrap 500 mm x 500 m from € 12.95 will last a long time if you only wrap it around fragile parts and don't use it as bottom filling.
And if things still go wrong
In your customer contact, assume you will solve it, not that you need to be right. As a seller, you are responsible for delivery until the product is with your customer; the ACM explains on acm.nl what exactly is expected of you regarding delivery. If you are unsure about your specific situation, check there or ask for advice.
What you can do is keep better records. Note the order number, item, and date for each report. If you see after two months that three out of five reports are about the same product, that's not a coincidence but a swappable variant or a poorly accessible shelf position. You solve that at the shelf, not in your inbox.
Checklist for next to your packing table
Moment
What you do
With what
Inventory
Label variants and store separately
Pricing gun and price stickers
Picking
Place items next to the box
Clear workspace
Control
Check off packing slip line by line
Packing slip or order email
Sampling
Compare weight with reference
Scale
Closing
Tape and seal seam
Tape, dispenser, VOID seals
Start small: just the step "items next to the box" already eliminates a large part of the quantity errors. You build the rest as you notice where the bottlenecks are in your shop.
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