The Pick, Pack & Kitting Process Explained

If you work in retail marketing, brand activation, or store design, you have almost certainly heard the phrase "pick, pack, and kit." You may have included it as a line item in a project budget. But unless you have spent time inside a warehouse watching the process in action, you may not fully appreciate what it involves — or why getting it wrong can derail an entire rollout.

This guide explains the pick, pack, and kitting process as it applies to retail implementation: what each stage involves, why accuracy matters so much, and what to look for when choosing a kitting partner.

What Do Pick, Pack, and Kitting Actually Mean?

In the context of retail implementation, these three terms describe a single workflow: the process of assembling all the components needed for a store installation into a complete, ready-to-deploy kit.

• Pick refers to selecting individual components from warehouse storage locations according to a pick list or bill of materials. This might include display units, graphic panels, fixings, cables, instruction sheets, and tools.
• Pack refers to assembling those picked components into a single package or container, protected for transit, labelled with the destination store details, and ready for dispatch.
• Kitting is the overarching term for the entire process of creating a complete store kit — a self-contained package that an installer can take to a store and use to complete an installation without needing anything else.

The distinction between pick/pack and kitting matters. Standard pick and pack — the kind used in e-commerce fulfilment — typically involves selecting a single product and packaging it for delivery to a customer. Retail kitting is fundamentally different. A single kit might contain 30 different components from 5 different suppliers, assembled into a specific configuration for a specific store, with store-specific variations in content.

"A kitting operation is not a fulfilment centre. It is a precision assembly line where every kit must be perfect, because a single missing component can waste an entire installation visit."

The Kitting Process: Step by Step

A well-run kitting operation follows a structured process from the moment components arrive at the warehouse to the point at which completed kits are dispatched to stores. Here is how it works.

Step 1: Goods-In and Quality Inspection

Components arrive at the warehouse from manufacturers, printers, and suppliers. Before anything is put into storage, every delivery must be checked against the purchase order and inspected for quality. This means verifying quantities, checking for transit damage, confirming print colours match the approved artwork, ensuring structural components are dimensionally accurate, and rejecting anything that does not meet specification.

This stage is critical. A defective component that passes through goods-in unchecked will be picked, packed into a kit, dispatched to a store, and only discovered when an installer opens the box on-site. At that point, the cost of the defect has multiplied tenfold: the wasted installation visit, the replacement component, the additional dispatch, and the return visit.

Step 2: Storage and Inventory Management

Inspected components are assigned storage locations within the warehouse and logged into the Warehouse Management System (WMS). Good storage practice means organising components by project, by pick sequence, and by frequency of use — placing high-volume items in accessible locations to minimise pick times.

Inventory accuracy is paramount. The WMS must reflect exactly what is in stock, where it is located, and in what quantity. Discrepancies between the system and the physical stock lead to pick errors, delays, and shortages that only surface when it is too late to resolve them without impacting the rollout schedule.

Step 3: Pick List Generation

When kitting begins, the WMS generates pick lists based on the bill of materials for each store. For a standard rollout where every store receives the same kit, this is straightforward. For complex rollouts with store-specific variations — different display sizes, different graphic sets, different product mixes — the pick list for each store may be unique.

This is where the difference between retail kitting and standard fulfilment becomes most apparent. A fulfilment centre might process thousands of orders per day, each containing one or two items. A retail kitting operation might process 50 kits per day, each containing 25 to 40 unique components. The complexity per kit is orders of magnitude higher.

Step 4: Picking

Warehouse operatives follow the pick list, moving through the storage locations and selecting the specified components. In a modern kitting operation, every pick is verified by barcode scanning — the operative scans the storage location, then scans the item, and the WMS confirms the pick is correct. This scan-and-confirm process reduces pick errors to near zero.

Without barcode verification, pick accuracy depends entirely on the operative reading the pick list correctly, finding the right location, and selecting the right item. In a warehouse with hundreds of similar-looking components — different sizes of the same bracket, different versions of the same graphic panel — manual picking is error-prone, particularly at volume and under time pressure.

Step 5: Assembly and Packing

Once all components have been picked, the kit is assembled. This may involve sub-assembly — pre-building certain elements to reduce on-site installation time — as well as packing components in a logical sequence so that the installer can unpack and build in order, without searching through the kit for the next item.

Packing must also protect components during transit. POS displays frequently include fragile elements: printed graphics that can scratch, acrylic panels that can crack, and structural components that can warp under pressure. The packing method must account for the transit conditions the kit will experience, including multiple handling points, potential stacking, and varying temperature conditions in transit vehicles.

• Protective wrapping for graphic panels and printed elements to prevent surface damage.
• Corner protectors and edge guards for structural components vulnerable to impact.
• Void fill to prevent movement within the outer packaging during transit.
• Clear labelling with "this way up" indicators, "fragile" warnings, and handling instructions where appropriate.

Step 6: Kit Verification

Before a kit is sealed, it should undergo a final verification check. This is the last opportunity to catch errors before the kit leaves the warehouse. Verification methods include:

• Barcode scan verification — Scanning every item in the completed kit against the bill of materials to confirm 100% accuracy.
• Weight check — Comparing the packed kit weight against the expected weight. A kit that is significantly lighter or heavier than expected likely has missing or incorrect components.
• Visual inspection — A final check by a quality controller who reviews the kit contents against a photographic reference showing what a correct kit should contain.

Step 7: Labelling and Dispatch

Verified kits are labelled with the destination store details — store name, address, store number, delivery contact, and any special delivery instructions. Kits are then staged for dispatch in the sequence required by the delivery schedule, ensuring they are loaded onto transport vehicles in the correct order for the planned route.

For time-critical rollouts, dispatch sequencing is crucial. Kits must arrive at stores in advance of the scheduled installation date, within the store's delivery window, and in a condition that allows the installer to begin work immediately. Late deliveries, incorrect routing, or damaged-in-transit kits all result in wasted installation visits.

Store-Specific Kits vs. Standard Kits

One of the most important decisions in any kitting project is whether to produce standard kits — identical kits for every store — or store-specific kits tailored to individual locations.

Standard Kits

Standard kits are simpler and faster to produce. Every kit contains the same components in the same quantities. They work well for simple rollouts where every store receives the same display in the same configuration. The risk is that some stores may receive components they do not need, or may not receive components specific to their format or layout.

Store-Specific Kits

Store-specific kits are tailored to individual locations based on store surveys, format data, or retailer-provided specifications. A high-street store might receive a compact version of the display, while a superstore receives the full-size version. A store with plasterboard walls receives different fixings from a store with brick walls. The content of each kit is determined by the specific requirements of the destination store.

Store-specific kitting is more complex, more time-consuming, and more expensive. But for rollouts involving multiple store formats, variable site conditions, or displays with configurable elements, it is the only approach that delivers consistent results on-site. The additional cost at the kitting stage is more than offset by the reduction in failed installations, return visits, and wasted materials.

"The best kit is the one the installer opens and finds everything they need, in the right order, for that specific store. Nothing missing, nothing surplus, no surprises."

Common Problems in Kitting Operations

Even well-managed kitting operations encounter problems. Recognising the most common issues helps you mitigate them before they impact your rollout.

• Supplier delays — Components arriving late from manufacturers, compressing the kitting window and forcing rushed assembly. Build buffer time into the schedule and maintain regular communication with suppliers about delivery dates.
• Specification changes — Design amendments arriving after kitting has begun, requiring kits to be opened, modified, and reverified. Lock specifications before kitting starts and manage any changes through a formal change control process.
• Inventory discrepancies — The WMS showing stock that does not physically exist, or physical stock that is not in the system. Regular stock counts and disciplined goods-in processes prevent this.
• Damage in storage — Components damaged by poor storage conditions, incorrect stacking, or environmental factors (moisture, temperature). Proper warehousing practices — racking, climate control, and handling procedures — protect component quality.
• Labelling errors — The right kit sent to the wrong store, or the wrong delivery address applied. Automated labelling from the WMS, cross-referenced with the dispatch schedule, eliminates manual labelling errors.

What to Look for in a Kitting Partner

Choosing the right kitting partner can determine the success or failure of your retail rollout. Here are the capabilities that matter most:

• Purpose-built facilities — A clean, organised warehouse with sufficient space for receiving, storage, kitting, and dispatch staging. Cramped or disorganised facilities lead to errors and damage.
• WMS and barcode scanning — Technology-enabled picking and verification that ensures kit accuracy. Ask to see the system in action, and ask for their pick accuracy rate.
• Quality inspection at goods-in — A formal inspection process that catches defective components before they enter the kitting workflow.
• Experience with complex kits — A partner who understands multi-component, store-specific kitting — not just simple single-item fulfilment. Ask for examples of the most complex kits they have managed.
• Integrated logistics — The ability to manage transport and delivery as part of the kitting service, ensuring kits arrive at the right store at the right time. A partner who handles both kitting and distribution eliminates handoff risks between separate providers.
• Flexibility and scalability — The capacity to handle variable volumes, tight timelines, and last-minute changes without compromising quality. Ask how they handle peak periods and rush orders.
• Transparent reporting — Real-time visibility of kitting progress, dispatch status, and delivery confirmation. You should never have to chase your kitting partner for an update.

Why Accuracy Matters More Than Speed

In any kitting operation, there is a tension between speed and accuracy. Clients want kits produced quickly to meet tight rollout schedules. Warehouse teams are under pressure to process high volumes. But speed without accuracy is counterproductive.

A kit that is assembled quickly but contains the wrong components is worse than useless — it consumes the same transport cost, the same installer time, and the same store access slot as a correct kit, but delivers nothing. The installer arrives, opens the kit, discovers the error, and leaves. The entire investment in that store visit is wasted.

The most efficient kitting operations are not necessarily the fastest. They are the most accurate. They build quality into every stage of the process, from goods-in inspection to final kit verification, so that the kits leaving the warehouse can be trusted absolutely. That trust is what allows the installation programme to run smoothly, on schedule, and within budget.

"Speed gets kits out of the warehouse. Accuracy gets displays into stores. Only one of those outcomes matters to your brand."

Pick, pack, and kitting may not be the most glamorous part of a retail campaign. It does not feature in creative presentations or brand strategy documents. But it is the bridge between what was designed and what the shopper actually sees. Get it right, and your campaign reaches every store exactly as intended. Get it wrong, and no amount of creative brilliance can compensate for a kit that arrives incomplete, damaged, or at the wrong location.

The process is unglamorous. The impact is enormous.