# Order picking

*Last updated: 2026-06-22*

> A fulfilment centre operative receives a customer order – two boxes of 50 units, three rolls of film, one specialty pack – and heads into the racks.

A fulfilment centre operative receives a customer order – two boxes of 50 units, three rolls of film, one specialty pack – and heads into the racks. That process is order picking: the targeted retrieval of individual items from stock and their assembly into a shipment-ready consignment. Picking sits at the boundary between warehousing and outbound logistics and typically accounts for the largest share of labour cost in a distribution centre. Errors – wrong quantity, mixed-up SKU – translate directly into returns and complaints, which is why many operations rely on barcode scanners, pick-by-light, or pick-by-voice systems to maintain accuracy. Unlike putaway, order picking is demand-driven rather than stock-driven.

**Source:** [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kommissionieren](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kommissionieren)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | Order picking |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 109 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-22 |
| Source | https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kommissionieren |

---

*Logistics Glossary — Freight Academy: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/order-picking-2](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/order-picking-2)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/glossary/en/order-picking-2](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/glossary/en/order-picking-2)*

*JSON summary: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/glossary/order-picking-2/llm-summary?lang=en](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/glossary/order-picking-2/llm-summary?lang=en)*