Planning a warehouse: a checklist for small online shops

When a small online shop grows, renting more space is not always the first step. Start by tracing an order from goods receipt to dispatch.

1. Record order volumes and space needs

For a typical week, count parcels and returns and note which items are usually ordered together. Track peak days separately. Measure your largest items and packages before choosing shelves or packing tables.

2. Divide the workflow into five zones

Mark goods receipt, storage, picking, packing and dispatch handover on a floor plan. Set aside a place for returns awaiting inspection. Keep routes clear and check the workplace safety and fire requirements that apply to your site.

3. Design the packing station around common orders

Keep your most-used boxes, fillers and labels within reach. Decide where goods are checked and weighed, where finished parcels go, and where to hold orders that need investigation.

4. Identify storage locations and inventory movements

Give each storage location a unique identifier. Record when stock is added or removed and who checks discrepancies. When several people manage stock, compare your needs with what a warehouse management system (WMS) can do.

5. Test the workflow with typical orders

Walk through a single-item order, a multi-item order and a return. Record time spent searching, missing materials and unclear handovers. Start with the problems that recur across orders.

Warehouse setup and planning with TK Fusion · Discuss fulfilment and dispatch