Five Common Warehouse Storage Problems And How to Solve Them
APRIL 27, 2018 BY
The Forrester Data forecast for online retail 2017 to 2022 estimates that eCommerce is expected to account for 17 percent of retail sales by 2022. In 2017, eCommerce accounted for 10 percent of retail sales, and if this were to double, eCommerce companies would create a demand for about 600 million square feet of warehouse space.
Not every warehouse will be ready to take on that increase in inventory. Let’s take a look at warehouse woes that could be impacting your business right now, and how you can solve them.
1. Disorganized space. Warehouse storage space can get disorganized. As a result, pickers have a hard time finding items for shipment and valuable storage space for new inventory gets wasted. Disorganized spaces also force forklift operators to waste a lot of time trying to find available space to put new inventory.
Solution: Layouts go a long way to keeping your storage system organized. Identifying the most efficient locations for inventory and assigning sections ahead of time saves space and hassle for your employees.
2. Inaccurate inventory logs. Without proper inventory logs and checks, you may not have a full account of your inventory. This can lead to ordering too much or too little stock. You may end up with a large stockpile of outdated merchandise or be unaware of how low your inventory is running.
Solution: Perform proper inventory logs with automated systems that offer you real-time information about stock levels.
3. Warehouse location. As eCommerce businesses expand, it can be difficult to find suitable warehouse locations in new areas. If there are no suitable options close by, the costs associated with moving your goods will increase. Average shipment times will increase, and your customers have to wait longer for orders.
Solution: Instead of a warehouse, consider portable storage. Portable storage units are mobile, additional storage options ideal for locations where there aren’t any warehouse space readily available. Set them up by your current or at a more efficient shipping location.
4. Underutilization of vertical space. Overstocked shelves are a common sight in many warehouses. Instead of using vertical space for storage, many warehouses stack items on the floor. This makes locating and accessing inventory becomes difficult, and valuable vertical space gets wasted ’storing air’.
Solution: Custom shelving helps maximize vertical storage space. Industrial storage shelving is a great option. Boltless shelving, steel shelving, gravity carton flow shelving, and mezzanine shelving are additional options to consider.
5. Seasonal storage challenges. Fluctuations in demand are unavoidable. Peak times and low seasons both bring their share of challenges. During peak seasons, warehouses handle large volumes of inventory, causing severe space crunches.
Solution: Rearranging the layout of the warehouse to ensure that high-demand products are easily accessible is one way to solve the problem. Another cost-effective option is to add temporary warehouse space with shipping containers.
Shipping containers are a great way to solve seasonal warehouse space problems since they are similar to portable warehouses with options to add storage systems inside like shelves and racks. Highly durable, they are water resistant and built to survive harsh weather conditions. Shipping containers also come with high-security options, so your inventory is always safe.
Mobile Modular Portable Storage provides shipping containers to hundreds of businesses for their storage needs. Our customers get the best guidance from our team, and since we have our own fleet of trucks and trailers, we can send your container(s) without delays.
We also offer our customers the best value for their money. Renting any one of our containers during peak seasons is a smart way to create additional warehouse space without investing long term. In fact, we can provide even more savings with our rental on a 30-day cycle, instead of the usual 28-day cycle. Two extra days of savings just like that!
Your temporary warehouse space is just a click away! Request a quote today.