In many webshops, logistics issues don’t show up immediately.

Orders go out. Customers receive packages.
But behind the scenes, preparation time quietly expands, until what should take minutes starts taking hours.

This was exactly the situation in a growing webshop where average package preparation time had reached 12 hours.

The situation: long preparation times, growing frustration

The webshop handled a steady flow of orders, but fulfillment felt increasingly heavy.

Symptoms included:

  • orders waiting long periods before preparation,

  • frequent interruptions during picking and packing,

  • unclear priorities,

  • and a general sense that logistics was “always behind.”

Despite effort and experience, throughput kept degrading.

The real issue wasn’t speed - it was workflow design

At first glance, the problem looked like a staffing or capacity issue.

A closer look revealed something else:

  • orders entered the system without clear sequencing,

  • preparation steps were loosely defined,

  • responsibilities overlapped,

  • and work was constantly interrupted by new requests.

People weren’t slow.
They were working in a fragmented flow.

Step one: clarifying the order lifecycle

The first intervention was to define a clear order lifecycle:

  • when an order is considered “ready” for preparation,

  • when it enters the picking phase,

  • when it moves to packing,

  • and when it is ready for shipment.

This eliminated ambiguity and stopped work from starting prematurely.

Step two: batching and sequencing work

Instead of handling orders one by one as they arrived, work was reorganized into batches.

This allowed:

  • focused picking,

  • reduced movement,

  • fewer context switches,

  • and smoother packing.

Batching alone significantly reduced wasted time.

Step three: separating preparation from interruptions

Previously, the same people who prepared packages were constantly interrupted by:

  • customer questions,

  • inventory checks,

  • and last-minute changes.

The workflow was redesigned so that:

  • preparation happened in protected time windows,

  • interruptions were handled separately,

  • and exceptions were managed explicitly.

This restored flow.

Step four: aligning layout and tools with the process

Once the workflow was clear:

  • storage layout was adjusted to match picking sequences,

  • preparation stations were simplified,

  • and tools supported the flow instead of dictating it.

No major systems were replaced: alignment was the key.

The result: preparation time reduced to 45 minutes

After these changes:

  • average package preparation time dropped from 12 hours to approximately 45 minutes,

  • throughput increased,

  • and daily operations became predictable.

Importantly, this was achieved:

  • without adding staff,

  • without extending working hours,

  • and without major technology investments.

The hidden benefit: reliability and calm

Beyond speed, reliability improved:

  • shipping cut-off times were respected,

  • customer communication became more accurate,

  • and stress levels decreased significantly.

Logistics stopped being a daily emergency.

Why this approach worked

The key was restoring flow.

When work is:

  • clearly sequenced,

  • protected from constant interruption,

  • and aligned with physical layout,

time collapses naturally.

A common pattern in ecommerce operations

This situation is extremely common in growing webshops:

  • volume increases,

  • workflows don’t adapt,

  • and preparation time expands silently.

The solution is rarely more people or faster tools.

It’s better structure.