Cluster Picking

Cluster picking cuts walking time for small, multi-order DTC workloads while avoiding the sort step of classic batch picking. It works best with a cart and a scanner that shows which tote gets each item.

Picking trips = orders to pick ÷ totes on the cart, rounded up

A cart with 8 totes lets a picker fill 8 orders in one trip instead of 8 separate trips.

What is the difference between cluster picking and batch picking?

Both pick several orders in one trip. In cluster picking items go straight into each order's own tote, while in classic batch picking items for all orders are picked together and sorted afterward.

• Batch PickingA picking method where one picker collects items for several orders in a single trip, then items are sorted into individual orders.
• Discrete PickingA picking method where one picker picks one order completely, from start to finish, before starting the next order; also called single-order picking.
• Pick ListA list, printed or shown on a scanner, telling a picker which items, quantities, and storage locations to collect for one or more orders, usually sorted in walking order.
• RF ScannerA handheld or wearable barcode scanner with a wireless connection to the warehouse system, used to confirm receiving, putaway, picks, and counts in real time; also called an RF gun.