How Does Amazon Utilise Their Pick By Light Warehouse Solution?

A recent study by Mintel found that 90% of UK shoppers use Amazon. Although the retail giant started life selling books it has expanded to become the first point of call for consumers buying everything, from kitchenware to clothes. Given the size and complexity of its operations, the necessity of efficient and organised warehouse solutions is something that the team at Amazon understands only too well. With thousands of picks to complete each hour there is simply no time for inaccuracy or mistakes. Solutions like Pick By Light have become increasingly essential to the modern warehouse, enabling retailers to improve the speed and accuracy of operations.

How does Pick By Light work?

The simplicity of the Pick By Light system is what makes it so effective. It’s ideal for any situation where speed is important and where productivity can be improved by pickers being more accurate. Pick By Light is set up so that there are lights above the containers that will be picked from. It works like this:

• The picker scans a barcode that will contain information about the customer order. This could be on a bag or picking container.
• The picker will be directed to the right location by a light that comes on above the correct bin. The light will also show the quantity of items that are required from that bin.
• Once the items have been collected from the right place the picker presses the light above the bin to indicate to the system that the pick has been done.
• If the system does not illuminate any other containers to pick from, the picker knows that the order is complete.

Why is Pick by Light so popular?

Businesses like Amazon need to be able to ensure that picking processes are as efficient as possible – and that orders are correct. There are a number of benefits to Pick By Light that make this system so popular including:

• There is no language barrier. Alternatives, such as voice-guided systems, are effective until a different language is required for workers. Pick By Light is a universally understood way to indicate what to pick, and how many items are necessary. So, there are no restrictions on the diversity of warehouse staff for those businesses using this technology.
• Pick By Light is incredibly efficient. That’s especially so when compared to manual paper based systems. With Pick By Light, each operator should be able to complete around 450 picks per hour – around 10 times the number workers using manual systems can achieve.
• Integration is straightforward. Any warehouse can be adapted to introduce Pick By Light technology and this is easy to integrate with existing warehouse management systems.

Where speed – and accuracy – of pick are important to a warehouse, solutions like Pick By Light have become a key foundation for operations. The advantages that exist in terms of efficiency and productivity have made Pick By Light an obvious choice for any business looking to streamline processes and improve customer service.