The eCommerce market is established and continuing to grow quickly, so it’s important that your business adapts to make the best of it. There are plenty of measures you can take to align your business warehouse to the eCommerce boom and benefit from it.

Planning and organisation is essential when it comes to planning a seamless eCommerce warehouse layout and at Advanced Handling & Storage we have the experience and knowledge to help you get up and running.

What to consider when planning

In order to set up your warehouse layout, planning is essential. Running an eCommerce business has its demands but having carefully planned workflows, high quality equipment and orderly processes will make a huge difference to your operations.

To get planning, we recommend listing the most critical elements of your warehouse operations. This should include how much stock you have and how much you plan to sell as well as how frequently and what kind of equipment and space is required to do so.

Once the basics are covered, you should think more granularly about the products you are selling. Some stock will be date sensitive, high value or seasonal. Defining the differences will help you ensure you have the most efficient equipment and processes for the job. 

How to choose the right warehouse storage system 

Following the planning and organisational processes, it’s time to determine what type of storage system you require for your warehouse. We have a huge range of storage options available for a variety of goods and sizes, so you can tailor equipment to your specific needs.

If you are required to store smaller items, take a look at our choices of long-span shelving. We also offer mesh products to protect items that may be high value or hazardous. 

Alternatively, if your inventory is pallet-heavy then wide aisles with forklifts and adjustable pallet racking is probably the best option. Afterwards you can decide whether you choose to have drive-in racking or other types of storage racking. 

Should your pick be manual, then consider very-narrow aisle racking to save space and optimise storage for more products.

Traffic flows and pick paths

As well as the type of pallet racking you are considering, there are other important factors to think about. For example, manual picking is a more comfortable operation for warehouse operatives because traffic flow is easier and crossing paths can be avoided.

Products are also less likely to be knocked off shelves, dropped or damaged if the pick route is as efficient as possible. 

Safety is also an extremely important factor that needs consideration. Your warehouse shouldn’t present itself as a fire or general safety risk to anyone. Ensure you have thought about signage, one way systems and arrows to navigate your team clearly.

Health and safety in the warehouse

Health and safety should be at the forefront of your planning. By law,  for the security of your employees, fire exit and escape routes should all be planned and no equipment should be blocking or hindering these safety routes.

Lighting is another important safety factor to consider that may seem less obvious but it is essential that your pick paths and warehouse storage facilities are well lit. Areas that are well lit help prevent falls, spillages and damage. 

Contact us on 0800 345 7088 to discuss your storage needs, or email sales@advanced handling.co.uk. 

With us, support continues after the sale, and we strive to form strong customer relationships, providing you with dedicated advisors you can contact for any advice.