From 12 hours to 45 minutes: fixing a webshop logistics workflow

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In fast-growing e-commerce operations, logistics issues rarely explode overnight.
They accumulate silently.

Orders are shipped. Customers receive packages. Yet, behind the scenes, preparation time stretches, pressure increases, and operational reliability erodes—until what should take minutes consumes entire working days.

This was the situation faced by a fashion marketplace operator whose average order preparation time had expanded to 12 hours.

About the Client

The company managed a steady and growing order volume across multiple brands and suppliers. While commercial performance was strong, fulfillment operations were increasingly strained.

The Problem: When Growth Exposes Structural Weakness

Operationally, nothing was “broken” in the obvious sense. Orders were processed, staff was experienced, and systems were in place.

Yet fulfillment felt constantly behind.

Preparation queues grew unpredictably. Picking and packing were repeatedly interrupted. Priorities shifted throughout the day, creating a sense of continuous urgency without clear progress.

Most critically, errors began to surface more frequently: wrong items, missed checks, and rework, adding further friction to an already overloaded process.

At first glance, the issue appeared to be one of capacity.
In reality, it was a flow problem.

People were not slow. They were forced to work inside a fragmented, interruption-driven workflow that amplified inefficiency with every additional order.

The Solution: Rebuilding Flow, Not Adding Speed

Rather than introducing new tools or increasing headcount, the intervention focused on structural clarity and flow restoration.

1. Clarifying the Order Lifecycle

The first step was defining a precise order lifecycle. Clear criteria were established for when an order:

• becomes ready for preparation,

• enters picking,

• moves to packing,

• and is officially ready for shipment.

This eliminated premature work starts and removed ambiguity around order status. Preparation began only when conditions were actually met.

2. Replacing Reactive Handling with Batching and Sequencing

Previously, orders were handled as they arrived, creating constant context switching.

The workflow was redesigned around batch processing, enabling focused picking sessions, reduced movement across the warehouse, and smoother packing sequences. Work shifted from reactive to intentional.

3. Separating Preparation from Interruptions

One of the biggest sources of inefficiency was constant interruption. The same people responsible for preparation were also handling customer questions, inventory checks, and urgent exceptions.

The redesigned workflow introduced protected preparation windows. Interruptions were routed separately and managed explicitly, restoring continuity and concentration during fulfillment activities.

4. Aligning Physical Layout and Tools with the Process

Once the process was clear, the physical environment was adjusted accordingly. Storage layout followed picking sequences, preparation stations were simplified, and tools were adapted to support the workflow, not dictate it.

No major systems were replaced. Alignment, not technology, delivered the gain.

The Result: Measurable Impact, Sustainable Operations

The operational impact was immediate and substantial.

Throughput increased while predictability returned to daily operations. Importantly, these results were achieved without additional staff, without longer working hours, and without major technology investments.

The Hidden Gain: Reliability and Calm

Beyond raw efficiency, the most valuable outcome was operational stability.

Shipping cut-off times became reliable. Customer communication improved. Stress levels dropped significantly. Logistics stopped behaving like a daily emergency and became a controlled, repeatable system.

Management attention shifted away from firefighting and back to strategic decision-making.

Why This Worked - and Why It’s Common

This case illustrates a widespread pattern in growing e-commerce businesses. Volume increases, but workflows remain unchanged. Preparation time expands quietly until it becomes visible only through pain.

The instinctive response is often to add people or tools.
In most cases, the real leverage lies elsewhere.

When work is clearly sequenced, protected from constant interruption, and aligned with its physical environment, time collapses naturally.

The solution is rarely speed.
It is structure.