Slotting
Slotting is the practice of deciding where each SKU is stored in the warehouse based on sales velocity, size, and which items sell together.
Why it matters for ecommerce brands
Slotting decides how far pickers walk, so it is one of the cheapest ways to raise picks per hour without new equipment. Fast movers belong close to packing and at waist height, items often bought together belong near each other, and slow movers can go high or far. For example, if 20 SKUs make up half of a warehouse's picks, moving them to the front aisles can remove a large share of daily walking. Re-slot before peak and after big changes in sales mix.
Common questions
- How often should a warehouse re-slot inventory?
- Many warehouses review slotting seasonally or whenever sales velocity shifts, such as before peak season or after launches. Fast movers should stay close to packing areas.
- What data do you need to slot a warehouse?
- Picks per SKU over a recent period, item dimensions and weights, and which SKUs are often ordered together. A WMS or slotting tool can rank SKUs and suggest locations from that data.
- What is the difference between slotting and putaway?
- Slotting decides where each SKU should live. Putaway is the task of moving received stock into those locations.
Cite this entry
"Slotting." Fulfillment Lexicon, last reviewed October 16, 2026. https://fulfillment.wiki/glossary/slotting/