Pick and Pack South Africa — Accurate, Fast, and Done Properly
Pick and pack sounds simple. It’s not. One wrong SKU costs you three times what you spent picking it. JLog picks against a checked manifest, packs to your spec, and despatches the same day. Picking errors fixed at our cost. Despatch before 3pm. Your customers get their orders fast and perfect.
What Pick and Pack Actually Means
Pick and pack is the core of e-commerce fulfilment. It’s also where most online retailers bleed margin through errors and slow despatch.
Here’s what the process is: You send stock to a warehouse. Every day, orders come in from your store. Someone finds those items (the pick), puts them in a box with your packing spec (the pack), and hands them to a courier (the despatch). Orders picked and packed that day go out on the same evening despatch.
Simple in theory. Broken in practice when you’re doing it yourself: stock sits in the wrong place, picking is inconsistent, quality checks miss errors, customers wait days, returns pile up, margins disappear.
JLog fixes this with barcode scanning, verification, and trained staff. Every SKU is in a known location. Every pick is scanned. Every pack is checked before it leaves. Returns cost 3x your margin. We make sure they don’t happen.
JLog’s Pick-and-Pack Process (8 Steps)
Stock Received & Booked In
You send stock to Woodstock. We unload and count every pallet/box.
Barcode Scanning to WMS
Each SKU is assigned a barcode and location in the warehouse. The system knows exactly where every item is.
Order Received from Platform
Order data syncs to the WMS from Shopify, WooCommerce, or CSV. Real-time or batch, your choice.
Pick List Generated
The WMS generates a prioritised pick list. Items are grouped by location for efficient picking.
Item Picked from Location
Staff pick the item, scan the barcode, and verify it matches the order. No guessing.
Packed to Your Spec
Item is packed into your box with your tissue, inserts, and branded materials. Ready to ship.
Despatch Label Printed
Carrier label is auto-printed. Box is weighed, measured, and verified. No surprises at the courier.
Handed to Carrier — Tracking Fired
Box is scanned out of the warehouse. Tracking is sent to your customer automatically within hours.
Packing Options to Match Your Brand
JLog’s pick-and-pack service adapts to your brand and product. Choose the packing style that fits your business.
Picking Accuracy Above 99.5%
Orders picked correctly on first go. Barcode scanning + manual verification at pack = errors caught before despatch.
Why Accuracy Matters
One wrong item picked costs you three times the original pick-and-pack fee:
- Pick-and-pack cost: R15
- Return shipping cost: R45
- Replacement despatch: R15
- Total cost of one error: R75 (vs. R15 if picked right)
JLog’s error correction process: Every error is logged immediately. We cover the cost of correction—reshipping the correct item, handling the return, restocking. Our 99.5% rate keeps your margins intact.
What Drives Pick-and-Pack Costs
JLog pricing is transparent. Here’s what factors into your quote:
| Cost Driver | Range / Notes |
|---|---|
| Pick Fee | R15 per order (first item) + R5 per additional item |
| Packing Materials | At cost (kraft paper, boxes, tissue). Markup optional. |
| Branded Inserts / Tissue | Custom branding: R1–R3 per unit once setup is done |
| Despatch Label | Included. Carrier cost is charged separately. |
| Returns Processing | R30 per return + courier + 10% (scan, check, restock) |
| Storage (if applicable) | R250 per unit/month, dropping automatically to R200 at volume (no renegotiation). |
In-House Pick-and-Pack vs. JLog
Consider the full cost of picking and packing yourself:
| Aspect | In-House | JLog |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Costs | On request | Included in per-order fee |
| Space Rent | On request | Included |
| Racking / Shelving | On request | Included |
| WMS Software | On request | Included |
| Packaging Materials | On request | On request |
| Pick Accuracy | 95–98% (manual picking is prone to error) | >99.5% (barcode scanning) |
| Despatch Speed | Next-day or slower (time limited) | Same-day before 3pm (11am cut-off) |
| Peak Scaling | Hire temporary staff (costly, inconsistent) | Handled automatically |
| Returns Processing | Time-consuming, no system | Structured, tracked |
| Flexibility | Limited by staff availability | Scale up or down monthly |
Bottom line: For orders above 100/month, outsourcing to JLog is cheaper and faster than doing it yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
+
Pick and pack costs are based on order complexity and volume. Typical pricing is R15 per order (first item) + R5 per extra for the picking service, plus material costs (boxes, tissue, inserts). Branded packing carries a one-time setup fee, then per-order rate. Most retailers find JLog pick-and-pack cost 5–12% of order value depending on product type and volume. Contact us for a personalised quote.
+
Absolutely. JLog can pack using your branded boxes, inserts, tissue, branded labels, and custom insert cards. We charge a one-time setup fee, then process each order at an agreed per-unit rate. Your branding, our picking accuracy. Many luxury and premium brands use custom branded packing with JLog.
+
Orders placed before 11:00 AM are picked, packed, and handed to the carrier by 3:00 PM the same business day. Tracking information is sent to your customer the same day (evening) or first thing the next morning, depending on carrier cut-off times. Orders placed after 11:00 AM are queued for next-day processing.
+
JLog fixes any picking error at our own cost. Accuracy is maintained through barcode scanning at pick, manual verification at pack, and a quality check before despatch. Every order is verified to ensure the right items are in the right box before it leaves the warehouse. Errors are logged, corrected immediately, and the cost is covered by JLog.
+
Yes. Our white-glove packing service includes tissue, ribbon, branded or custom insert cards, and gift messaging. Perfect for luxury items, gifts, high-end cosmetics, and premium e-commerce. This option costs more than standard packing but creates a premium unboxing experience that justifies higher prices and increases repeat orders. Pricing varies by insert complexity.
+
Every picking error is logged immediately in the JLog system. JLog covers the full cost of correction—this includes reshipping the correct item to your customer and arranging the return of the incorrect item. We don’t pass error costs to you. Our barcode scanning and quality checks keep error rates below 1%, which is significantly better than manual in-house picking (typically 5–10% error rate).
Ready for Accurate, Fast Pick-and-Pack?
JLog picks right, packs fast, despatches same-day. Your margins stay intact. Let’s ship better.
E-Commerce & Fulfilment Enquiries
ecom@jlog.co.za