You compare the number of compartments, look at the price, choose a supplier, and place the order.
In reality, this approach can create problems later.
A put wall is part of a warehouse workflow. If the workflow is wrong, even a well-built piece of equipment will not perform as expected.
Here are five mistakes worth avoiding.
1. Choosing the Number of Compartments First
This is probably the most common mistake.
A customer says:
“We need 100 compartments.”
But why 100?
The number should come from the operation.
You need to consider daily orders, peak orders, average items per order, sorting cycle time, and how long completed orders remain at the station.
A warehouse processing 1,000 orders per day may need a very different configuration from another warehouse with the same order volume.
The numbers may look similar on paper.
The workflows may be completely different.
2. Forgetting About Product Size
A put wall is not just about orders.
It is also about the products being handled.
A clothing warehouse may deal with folded T-shirts, jackets, shoes, bags, and accessories.
These products have very different volumes.
If the compartments are too small, operators will struggle.
If they are unnecessarily large, valuable floor space is wasted.
The physical dimensions should therefore be based on the actual product mix.
3. Buying Hardware Without Thinking About Software
This is an easy one to overlook.
The wall itself is not the whole system.
If your warehouse already uses a WMS or order management platform, the put wall needs to work with it.
The system may need to know:
Which order is active?
Which product was scanned?
Which compartment is assigned?
How many units are required?
Is the order complete?
What happens after completion?
These questions should be discussed before the equipment is manufactured.
4. Assuming More Automation Is Always Better
A customer may ask for scanners, lights, displays, conveyors, automatic controls, and every possible feature.
Then the quotation becomes much higher than expected.
Before adding technology, ask a simple question:
What problem does this feature solve?
If barcode scanning solves the main problem, perhaps you don’t need a more complicated setup.
If operators are constantly searching for compartments, put-to-light may be worthwhile.
If products are arriving from another conveyor line, conveyor integration may make sense.
Good automation is not about adding technology.
It is about removing unnecessary work.
5. Ignoring the Operator
This mistake is surprisingly expensive.
Warehouse operators use the equipment every day.
If the compartments are awkward to reach, the scanner is poorly positioned, or the working height is uncomfortable, productivity will suffer.
A put wall should be designed around the person using it.
Consider:
Operator height
Reach distance
Product weight
Lighting
Scanner position
Walking distance
Packing station location
A few centimeters in the design can make a difference when an operator repeats the same movement thousands of times.
What Should You Ask a Put Wall Manufacturer?
Before making a purchase, give the supplier enough information to understand the operation.
At minimum, provide:
Daily order volume
Peak order volume
Average items per order
Product dimensions and weight
Number of active orders
Available floor space
Existing WMS or ERP
Required scanning method
A serious put wall sorter manufacturer should be able to use this information to discuss the workflow rather than simply send you a standard price list.
The Cheapest System Is Not Always the Cheapest Project
Equipment price is only one part of the cost.
If the layout creates extra walking, if the software integration is difficult, or if operators need additional manual checks, the initial saving may disappear quickly.
The better question is:
How much will this system cost to operate for the next five years?
That changes the conversation completely.
Think About Tomorrow, Not Just Today
Your warehouse may be processing 500 orders today.
What happens if it reaches 1,500?
Do you need to replace the entire system?
Or can additional sorting positions be added?
Can another scanner be installed?
Can the put wall connect to a conveyor later?
A modular design can make future expansion much easier.
The Best Put Wall Is the One That Fits the Workflow
There is no universal best configuration.
A good put wall sorting system is one designed around the products, orders, people, software, and space of the actual warehouse.
So before comparing suppliers based on price alone, spend some time understanding your own operation.
The right questions at the beginning can save a lot of money at the end.
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