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Kitting and Assembly

Kitting and Assembly of eCommerce Products

Kitting and assembly is just one piece of an eCommerce fulfilment strategy which, when done correctly, can save you time and money, and get orders shipped to customers quicker.

e-PickPack can pre-kit items together to be used as part of a broader individual SKU for future fulfilment and we have put together this guide to help you understand the kitting and assembly process.

What is kitting and assembly?

Kitting and assembly is a fulfilment service offered by most third-party logistics (3PL) providers that involves packaging items that arrive as separate pieces into a single grouping in advance of it being ordered by customers.

The need for kitting and assembly services may come from the way a product was manufactured or shipped, or an upcoming promotion that requires an offering to be packaged a certain way in bulk.

Kitting

Kitting is the assembly of separate pieces into a single offering and is most often pre-built in batches. The point of creating kits is to have a ready-to-ship set in place for when a customer places an order, expediting the retail fulfilment process.

Unlike a regular order, where you can’t predict exactly what a customer will order before they complete a purchase, kitting is used when a certain combination is known ahead of time.

It’s important to note that it doesn’t always make sense to kit items. Consulting with a 3PL provider will help you understand if kitting and assembly services make sense for your business and whether what you have in mind will fit with their process. You may find that your manufacturer can perform kitting in a more cost-effective manner than a 3PL provider.

Assembly

Assembly is the actual process of arranging the individual items that make up a kit. Once assembled, the kit is ready to be shipped, so there is less work once the order is placed. Kitting and assembly services are done at stations where fulfilment staff complete the process in bulk to increase efficiencies and streamline the process.

Then, newly created kits are put in their storage spot. Common items used for kitting include product samples, subscriptions boxes, promotional literature, and other groupings of product to create a cohesive unit or set.

How does the kitting and assembly process work?

The kitting and assembly process is an inventory-related task that takes place in a warehouse or fulfilment centre, though some brands have their manufacturer or supplier pre-kit items, which can save time and money.

To submit a kitting request through, just send an email to your e-PickPack account manager with a detailed process on video or in an image and text.

 

Kitting and assembly services

Kitting is intended to fulfill a business’ unique needs regarding how items are shipped to customers. When orders require fulfilment centre associates to specifically arrange the items in a certain sequence, the order would need to go through the kitting process.

Examples include:

  • Multiple component pieces are supplied separately at inventory arrival and need to be assembled or put together.
  • The inventory needs to be prepared in a particular way for customers.

What is the difference between kitting and bundling?

Kitting is done when orders require fulfilment centre associates to arrange items in a specific order (e.g., multiple component pieces that are separate at inventory arrival and need to be assembled or put together).

A bundle contains several different items (i.e., not one item with multiple pieces) that are being shipped together. A bundle has no special assembly or preparation needed to ship the order. Creating a bundle will group multiple items under one main SKU. A bundle SKU is not a real product on its own but rather a ‘container’ that includes at least two or more items.

e-PickPack goes beyond kitting and assembly

e-PickPack’s fulfilment services, technology, and geographic footprint across the UK help eCommerce brands meet customer expectations, stay ahead of the competition, and have a best-in-class fulfilment operation without needing to build or buy the infrastructure themselves.

While e-PickPack offers a variety of kitting services across their fulfilment network for brands that outsource fulfilment, there’s a lot more than basic fulfilment services.

e-PickPack’s kitting and assembly services 

Kitting and assembly with e-PickPack is aimed at accommodating your business’ unique needs regarding how items are being shipped to your customers. Common examples include:

  • Multiple component pieces arrive separately at e-PickPack and need to be assembled or put together.
  • You would like us to prepare the inventory in a particular way for your customers.
  • You would like us to break down inventory from a case into single units (or vice versa).

e-PickPack works with each customer to ensure their items are assembled exactly as they request before orders are shipped to customers. This aims to reduce shipping costs and prepare orders in a more scalable way. e-PickPack’s software also makes it easy to bundle products, request kitting, and manage SKUs.

For more information on how we can provide a kitting and assembly solution for the fulfillment of your eCommerce sales, contact us today on 01296 601 570 or fill in the form on our contact page.