If you’re running a warehouse — even a small one — your pickers are probably spending more than half their shift just walking. Not picking. Not packing. Walking.
Industry estimates suggest 50% or more of a picker’s time goes to travel between locations. That’s expensive cardio on your payroll.
The good news: artificial intelligence (AI) can cut that walking time significantly, and you don’t need a fleet of robots to do it.
The Three Places AI Actually Helps in Your Warehouse
**1. Smarter pick paths.** Instead of your team zigzagging across the floor, AI calculates the shortest route to grab everything for an order (or a batch of orders). Collaborative robots from companies like Locus Robotics guide pickers through optimized routes — Locus claims 2-3x productivity gains, though that’s a vendor claim, so take it accordingly. The directional impact is real: less walking means more picking.
The catch? Locus and similar robotics companies primarily serve mid-to-large warehouses with custom pricing. For smaller operations, **ShipHero** offers AI-optimized pick-path routing within its warehouse management system (WMS). Their pricing varies by configuration and has changed over time, so check their current pricing page directly before budgeting — it’s likely a significant monthly investment, not a casual add-on.
**2. Smarter product placement.** AI analyzes your order history to figure out which products sell fastest and which items get ordered together. Then it tells you where to physically put things — fast movers near packing stations, frequently co-purchased items next to each other.
Tools like **SKUvault** (acquired by Linnworks, which has since gone through its own ownership changes — verify the current product status before purchasing) and **Fulfilio** (formerly Logiwa) offer inventory optimization and slotting-related features. If you’re doing 200+ orders per day with 500+ SKUs, rearranging your shelves based on AI analysis of actual purchase patterns can reduce average pick time — no robots required.
A caveat worth mentioning: most published case studies on slotting optimization come from enterprise-scale distribution centers. The principle is sound for smaller operations, but expect more modest gains than the 20-30% improvements vendors like to advertise.
**3. Smarter packing.** If your team grabs “whatever box fits,” you’re almost certainly overpaying on shipping. Dimensional (DIM) weight charges punish oversized boxes, and AI can recommend the right box for each order based on item dimensions and order composition.
**Paccurate** is purpose-built for this — it’s a cartonization tool that integrates with your existing systems and recommends optimal box sizes. Paccurate markets meaningful reductions in parcel shipping spend for its customers, though specific savings will depend on your current packing practices and shipping volume. Check their site for current case studies with published numbers.
**ShipStation**, which many small businesses already use for shipping label generation and carrier rate comparison, has introduced some automation features. However, ShipStation’s pricing was overhauled in 2024 and moved to usage-based tiers, so the old price points you might see quoted online are likely outdated — check their current pricing page directly. Also worth noting: ShipStation’s core strength is shipping optimization, not dedicated cartonization. If box-size recommendation is your main need, a purpose-built tool like Paccurate is a better fit.
For businesses shipping 50+ packages a day, those DIM weight savings add up fast.
What This Costs
Here’s the honest breakdown:
– **ShipStation** (shipping automation): Usage-based pricing — verify current tiers on their site
– **ShipHero** (pick-path optimization + WMS): Pricing varies by configuration — expect a meaningful monthly cost, check their site for current numbers
– **Paccurate** (cartonization): Check their site for current pricing
– **Robotics solutions** (Locus, Zebra/Fetch Robotics, Geek+): Enterprise pricing, custom quotes — likely not cost-effective for smaller operations, though the exact threshold varies significantly depending on your order volume, labor costs, and warehouse layout
Most small warehouse operations should start with slotting optimization (which costs nothing but time) and packing recommendations (which can pay for themselves in shipping savings within the first month).
The Honest Takeaway
Start with the free move: look at your top 20 fastest-selling