Picking Orders

[MrsJ]

Does anyone know how the order picking and packing works at QVC? I'm assuming the orders come through to a central printer and the staff take them from there. But do they just take one or do they take a handful? Or does someone take them off the printer and make sure they're done in order of receipt as far as possible.

I remember them showing how it works a few years ago but can't remember. And it's one of those things that I've started wondering about this last few days.

Can anyone help?

Lucie

 

[SUPERCOOLWILLOW]

i dont know but i got a feeling its not a first come first serve thing

 

[BurlyBeaR]

it cant be manual, not with the number of orders theyre dealing with - can you imagine how many people that would need?

i imagine its pretty much completely computerised and automated - all the boxes will be pre-packed in the warehouse in their designated area and then picked up by a robotic "picker" and shoved on a belt to be labelled. All completley "zero-touch" with a certain percentage manually checked to ensure its all working properley.

This would explain why everything is despatched separately even if ordered at the same time.

 

[MrsJ]

Very true Burly, hadnt thought of that.

Thanks
Lucie

 

[piper4]

A couple of years ago I bought a tsv just a few minutes after the launch paid by card about the middle of the next day it sold out. I waited for it to arrive and when it didn't I phoned CS thinking it had gone astray in the post only to be told I was on a waitlist as it sold out, I explained it was in stock when I ordered they had no idea why I hadn't been allocated one. I was so anoyed I cancelled it and got a good deal locally.

 

[Jantaculum]

I have this theory (and no facts to back it up!) that TSVs are dispatched as a priority, ordinary items are dispatched in chronological order, and Last Clicks things are eventually sent out by Fred the tea boy on a job creation scheme who does the occasional bit of work in between smoking breaks.

And I'll continue to believe my theory unless anyone can prove otherwise!

 

[Calvin]

I have this theory (and no facts to back it up!) that TSVs are dispatched as a priority, ordinary items are dispatched in chronological order, and Last Clicks things are eventually sent out by Fred the tea boy on a job creation scheme who does the occasional bit of work in between smoking breaks.

And I'll continue to believe my theory unless anyone can prove otherwise!

Good theory Jantac. It stands up to scrutiny.

 

[iclaudipuss]

I think you're onto something there, Jantaculum.

 

[sheepdog]

You would think it's all robotised and automatic but in all probability, that's too expensive than hiring temps to pick the orders. Since I've worked in a warehouse, this is what used to happen:

a) order placed electronically
b) order managed: dates and payment types
c) on clearance of payment or date met, order is released
d) warehouse associates released orders with stock
e) order is printed out to warehouse
f) warehouse operative grabs a sheet containing an order and wanders around the warehouse looking for the location of item on sheet
g) item is picked and taken to dispatch where it is boxed
h) order is then sorted out by area for posting and shipped.

What happens in reality is that at stage f, operatives pick a sheet that won't take long and put the top sheet at the bottom. Another operative comes along and repeats until he finds an easy one. Operative then wanders around the warehouse pretending to look busy, easily done as he is carrying a piece of paper and a bar code scanner. Operative can't find item on sheet so randomly finds any product and takes it to dispatch where it is boxed and shipped. End of day comes and un-picked sheets are put as a priority to the next shift where operator comes along.......

That's excluding the incoming stock controller putting the right item in its right location and the computer system actually doing the allocation correctly.

If you think I'm joking, I'm not. I used to catch loads of "errors" like that in some cases costing tens of thousands of pounds and some happy/unhappy customers!

 

[BurlyBeaR]

What happens in reality is that at stage f, operatives pick a sheet that won't take long and put the top sheet at the bottom. Another operative comes along and repeats until he finds an easy one.

hmmm the classic "cherry picking" scenario.... exactly the reason why QVC will not rely on humans to deal, apart from the fact that humans are damned expensive!

 

[sublime]

I'd go along with that, sheepie, except that you missed out this bit:

i] Order for TSV placed by Sublime at 00.00.30 hours. Order immediately received electronically at warehouse.
j] Order sheet placed under 32,000,000 others as TSV very popular and Will Not Last The Day In Fact Do Not Wait Until The Morning Repeat As Cannot Guarantee It Will Still Be There.
k] Everyone else's order fulfilled.
l] Member of staff locates Sublime's order. Leaves for other staff member to pick up three weeks later when returned from holiday.
m] Sublime's TSV order substituted for elderly karaoke CD 'Singalonga 70s Hits Played On Pan Pipes' last demonstrated by Paul Lavers circa 1997.
n] Item placed in humungous box with enough polystyrene beads to guarantee impressive explosion across carpet when opened.
o] Boxed item kicked round warehouse as staff enjoy impromptu game of football. [Fork lift drivers win, 5-0.]
p] Boxed item placed on conveyor belt for dispatch.
q] Boxed item falls off.
r] Member of staff picks up boxed item, shakes it, and nods in grim satisfaction as sound of rattling bits echoes round warehouse.
s] Posting delayed as other staff member on holiday.
t] ITEM DISPATCHED!!!
u] Time passes, leaves fall off trees and regrow, pages of calendar fall to floor, etc.
v] Item returned to warehouse - driver has never heard of Wales. Thinks may be near Poland.
w] Sublime placed on waitlist.
y] Sublime whinges like crazy on ST.com.

z] Exaggerate, me? Never!

 

[Tina R]

I'd go along with that, sheepie, except that you missed out this bit:

o] Boxed item kicked round warehouse as staff enjoy impromptu game of football. [Fork lift drivers win, 5-0.]

You made me cry with laughter! And you have obviously worked with fork-lift truck drivers before!

My husband was given a project years ago on 'logistics'. That's the gobblegook term for storage. He toured the QVC warehouse and even now, when we drive past, he murmurs in an admiring voice 'they use high racks' :8:

 

[sublime]

You made me cry with laughter! And you have obviously worked with fork-lift truck drivers before!

My husband was given a project years ago on 'logistics'. That's the gobblegook term for storage. He toured the QVC warehouse and even now, when we drive past, he murmurs in an admiring voice 'they use high racks' :8:

Thank you Tina! Glad I made you laugh. :1:

What on earth are high racks? [Please don't tell me they're racks that are ... er ... high.]



S xxx

 

[Rudolf]

Sublime,

Very funny and also accurate - I would add -

item delivered by dleivery agent. Snuffles not in so rubbish removed from dustbin and item placed in. Card popped through letter box. No date, time or contact details on card. Along comes Burglar Bill, nicks parcel, home comes Snuffles to start enormous row with QVC.

Such is the circle of life as applied to TV shopping...

 

[I Love Chocolate]

The ending goes for me ...

Delivery man/postman brings parcel on Saturday when OH is home, despite me having had a week off work and was in most of the time.

Hubbie rolls eyes (for the umpteenth time).

 

[MrsJ]

For me the delivery goes something like:

Parcel arrives at couriers house. Courier thinks, "hmmm, she's bound to get another parcel this week, I wont bother taking this yet" Repeat several times over course of week.

Meanwhile I have complained to QVC that it's been 3 weeks since my orders were dispatched so where the heck are they???? QVC sends out claim forms for 10 parcels. I fill them in and send them back.

About an hour after returning from the PO the courier finally bothers coming round with them all.

 

[Tina R]

Thank you Tina! Glad I made you laugh. :1:

What on earth are high racks? [Please don't tell me they're racks that are ... er ... high.]



S xxx

I haven't been able to bring myself to ask him about the high racks. He might tell me, and I think your assumption is right. He's an engineer, so I'd get far more detail from him than was either necessary or useful. If I'm feel brave at the weekend after a few glasses of happy water I might run it by him (and run out of the room if necessary ...)

I still have bad memories of a dinner that started in the reception area of the hotel with him and his colleagues discussing absolute zero temperature :27: FFS ...

 

[sublime]

Oh, do please ask, Tina! My breath is bated ... :1:

[Waves hello to snuffles, chocolate and Mrs J]

S xx

 

[iclaudipuss]

Many a true word spoken in jest...Thanks for the laughs - you have cheered me up no end.

 

[Miriam]

I haven't been able to bring myself to ask him about the high racks. He might tell me, and I think your assumption is right. He's an engineer, so I'd get far more detail from him than was either necessary or useful. If I'm feel brave at the weekend after a few glasses of happy water I might run it by him (and run out of the room if necessary ...)

I still have bad memories of a dinner that started in the reception area of the hotel with him and his colleagues discussing absolute zero temperature :27: FFS ...

Are you married to my dad? He was an engineer too. It must be a trait.
I once told him I was going to a party. He asked me where it was. I told him and was then treated to a half hour lecture on the birth of television as apparently John Logie Baird used to live in that particular street.
Bless!