Kitting
Kitting is assembling several individual SKUs into one new sellable unit before an order arrives, so the kit is picked as a single item instead of its parts being picked one at a time. A gift set, a subscription box, a starter bundle or a retail display pack are kits. It is the opposite of pick and pack, which builds each order from loose units after the order arrives.
Why it matters
A kit picked as one unit costs one pick fee; the same items picked separately cost a first pick plus an additional unit pick per item. Kitting also fixes the packaging: the kit is built to a spec once, so every order ships the same way. The trade is inventory flexibility, because units locked into kits cannot be sold loose without breaking the kit back down.
When to use it
Kit ahead of demand when the same combination ships often enough that the pick savings and the consistent packaging outweigh the locked inventory: bundles, seasonal sets, subscription boxes, retailer display packs. Build at pick time when combinations vary order to order.
How Warp thinks about it
At Warp, bundles, inserts and kit builds are part of the packing spec agreed at intake, and whether a kit is built ahead of demand or assembled at pick time is decided from your order history on the strategy call. Kits ship from the four Warp fulfillment centers the same way single units do: same day within 30 miles of each center, parcel on FedEx, UPS or USPS, or on Warp box trucks when the kit is big and bulky.
Kitting versus pick and pack
Kitting happens before the order: parts become one SKU with its own barcode and its own storage location. Pick and pack happens after the order: loose units are collected and packed. Most brands do both, kitting the combinations that repeat and pick and packing the rest. On a fee schedule, kitting is usually a per kit assembly fee, and the finished kit then costs one pick per order.
Frequently asked questions about kitting
What is kitting?
Kitting is assembling several individual SKUs into one new sellable unit before an order arrives, so the kit is picked as a single item instead of its parts being picked one at a time. A gift set, a subscription box, a starter bundle or a retail display pack are kits. It is the opposite of pick and pack, which builds each order from loose units after the order arrives.
Why does kitting matter in freight?
A kit picked as one unit costs one pick fee; the same items picked separately cost a first pick plus an additional unit pick per item. Kitting also fixes the packaging: the kit is built to a spec once, so every order ships the same way. The trade is inventory flexibility, because units locked into kits cannot be sold loose without breaking the kit back down.
When should you use kitting?
Kit ahead of demand when the same combination ships often enough that the pick savings and the consistent packaging outweigh the locked inventory: bundles, seasonal sets, subscription boxes, retailer display packs. Build at pick time when combinations vary order to order.
How does Warp handle kitting?
At Warp, bundles, inserts and kit builds are part of the packing spec agreed at intake, and whether a kit is built ahead of demand or assembled at pick time is decided from your order history on the strategy call. Kits ship from the four Warp fulfillment centers the same way single units do: same day within 30 miles of each center, parcel on FedEx, UPS or USPS, or on Warp box trucks when the kit is big and bulky.
What is kitting in fulfillment?
Assembling several SKUs into one new sellable unit before an order arrives, so the kit is stored and picked as a single item. A gift set, a subscription box or a retailer display pack are kits. It is priced as an assembly fee per kit, and the finished kit then costs one pick per order instead of one pick per component.
When does kitting cost less than pick and pack?
When the same combination ships often enough that one pick per order beats a first pick plus an additional unit pick for every component, and when the consistent packaging of a pre built kit matters. When combinations change order to order, building at pick time is cheaper because no inventory is locked into kits that might not sell.