/Insights — D2C & Marketplace · October 3, 2026
Unit picking is a different business from pallet picking
Brands that move into direct-to-consumer often assume their existing warehouse can absorb it. It usually cannot, because unit picking has a completely different cost structure.
A pallet operation optimises for weight and volume. A unit operation optimises for touches per order and packing accuracy — different layout, different staffing, different packaging stock.
Run them as two operations sharing one stock pool, or accept that one of the two will be run badly.