Ever tried picking an order only to find the product isn’t where it should be? It happens even in the best-run warehouses. Products get misplaced, damaged, or end up in the wrong spot. The result? A disappointed customer who was promised an item was in stock. Frustrating, right?

That's why we're excited to introduce Stock counting. It's more than just a bookkeeping tool - regular stock counts help you catch errors before they become a problem.

How it works

Stock can be counted using our Picqer App or via the browser. The only requirement is that your stock is location-based.

Starting a count is simple: scan a location and count everything you see there – even products that shouldn’t be there. You can either scan products or enter quantities manually. Once you’re done, you’ll instantly see if the numbers match up. After confirming any discrepancies, stock levels are automatically corrected, ensuring you can always meet your promises.

Repeat these steps for other locations. When you’re done counting, complete the stock count. Corrections can be exported for processing in your bookkeeping.

To-dos

If you need to count lots of locations, you can add them as to-dos – perfect for counting entire zones or aisles. This ensures nothing gets missed. To-dos are also handy when you can’t scan locations directly.

For added accuracy, you can run a correction round after your initial count, focusing only on locations where errors were found during the last stock count.

Want to learn more about Stock counting? You can read all about it in our help center.

Meet our new colleagues Job and Sander! They would like to introduce themselves:

Job van Stiphout

Hi, I'm Job, and I’ve been working at Picqer since October. Together with the product team, I work every day to make our software even better. My focus is mainly on the more visible aspects of our software, ensuring it is smooth to use while also being built on a solid technical foundation.

I live in Gouda, but I’d love to move to the more forested area of Veluwe. If I’m not careful, I could end up programming all weekend long, but I also enjoy spending time in nature, listening to music, and doing DIY projects.

What excites me about working at Picqer is that through automation, I can make other people's work easier and more enjoyable. I also greatly value the freedom and autonomy that Picqer offers to do my work in a way and from a place that suits me. I enjoy finding the simplest solution to complex problems, which is also part of Picqer’s DNA. This is how I contribute to making the best warehouse software for your online store!

Sander van Heijnsbergen

Hi! My name is Sander, and I’ve been working in Picqer’s support team since October. I live in Eindhoven with my wife, dog, and cat. I often go for walks in the woods or work on home improvement projects, but I also enjoy spending weekends socializing. I like going out for dinner, having a beer, or playing board games with friends.

I have been working in various customer-facing roles for a while now. In 2012, my wife and I started a concept store. We began small in the Urban Shopper in Strijp-S in Eindhoven, and after a year, we opened a store in the center of Den Bosch. It was a very enjoyable yet busy time, during which I learned a lot about all aspects of retail. The customer interaction was especially energizing! I then continued in e-commerce with Mijnwebwinkel, where I held various customer-focused roles and also shaped the Customer Success function.

I find that both in my work and personal life, I gain a lot of energy from interacting with people. I enjoy offering a helping hand or brainstorming to achieve goals or help someone overcome obstacles. At the same time, I also learn from the people I interact with, a win-win situation!

The positive work atmosphere, customer-oriented mindset, and core values at Picqer align perfectly with me. This is why I chose to work at Picqer. I’m happy to contribute to helping our customers successfully implement the software within this wonderful company.

The final stretch of 2024 has begun. A busy period full of logistical challenges. During these moments, it's even more important that you can rely on Picqer. As every year, we have activated additional servers and optimized several components. We are carefully monitoring performance to ensure Picqer stays fast and reliable.

In the past weeks, we have improved several other things to help you as best as possible during peak season.

Keep your delivery promise with the Warehouse Dashboard

Your delivery promise is everything. That's why it's important to always know how things are going. Are we going to meet the deadline? How productive are we? Is anything left behind? To answer those questions, we introduced the Warehouse Dashboard. This allows you to see how things stand at a glance and maintain control, even during busy periods.

Automatic re-importing of orders

Sometimes, an order cannot be imported into Picqer. For example, when a product code is missing. We now automatically attempt to re-import these orders as soon as we detect changes to the order in the webshop. This reduces hassle and ensures orders don’t remain unprocessed unnecessarily.

Automatic re-importing is enabled for orders from Shopify, Bol, WooCommerce, Magento 2, and soon Lightspeed. It can take up to 15 minutes for an order to be re-imported after being modified in the webshop. When an order fails to import the first time, you will still receive a message in Picqer.

New carriers via MyParcel

It's now possible to ship via DPD, DHL Parcel and UPS through the MyParcel integration. Shipments are supported within the Netherlands and abroad. For Magento 2 orders, pickup locations for all carriers are also imported through the MyParcel integration, including DPD and DHL.

Other improvements

• New: For WooCommerce orders, Innosend pickup points are now supported.
• New: Through the picklist API, it’s now possible to adjust the pick location of a product.
• Fixed: We now attempt to import all variations of a product from WooCommerce, even if the parent product has no product code.
• Fixed: Selecting a batch preset now correctly applies the preset locations.
• Fixed: Within the new Receipts method, you can again see who completed the receipt.
• Fixed: In the mobile app, you can enlarge product images by clicking on them.
• Fixed: Picklists paused by a rule are no longer automatically printed when this setting is used.

Finally

While your warehouse is running at full speed, we’re working on a new way of stock counting. Perfect to get started with once the rush is over. Stay tuned!

Connect Sendcloud Shipping Intelligence to Picqer to optimize your delivery experience. With order data from Picqer, you can track shipments and carrier performance in real time.

You can establish the connection via Sendcloud. Please contact your Sendcloud representative for assistance.

About Sendcloud Shipping Intelligence

Shipping Intelligence (formerly known as Tracey) is a standalone module from Sendcloud. The module can also be used if you don't use Sendcloud shipping labels.

By integrating Shipping Intelligence with Picqer, shipment data such as order details and Track & Trace information are automatically exchanged. Using this data, Shipping Intelligence provides a real-time overview of all your outgoing shipments. At a glance, you can see the status of each shipment, including any issues like delays, damages, or address errors.

Additionally, you can integrate Shipping Intelligence with your customer service platform, such as Trengo, Freshdesk, or Zendesk. This allows you to automatically create support tickets for shipment-related issues. Your customer service team can then immediately (and possibly automatically) inform the customer about their shipment status.

Furthermore, the data is used to provide insights into carrier performance, making it easier to compare different carriers.

Benefits of Sendcloud Shipping Intelligence

• Work smarter and more efficiently with your customer service, reducing time spent on "Where is my order?" inquiries by 20%.
• Reduce the number of incoming questions about shipment status by 30% to 50% through proactive communication.
• Easily select the right carrier(s) and strengthen your negotiating position with various reports on the delivery performance of both your own and other carriers.

Integrating Sendcloud Shipping Intelligence with Picqer

First, generate an API Key in your Picqer account. Share this Key, along with your Picqer account URL, with your Sendcloud contact person. Your account will be set up for you, and together you will configure the carriers and settings so you can get started quickly!

Shipping Intelligence supports over 60 carriers across Europe and worldwide. If your carrier is missing, let your Sendcloud contact person know.

The final stretch of 2024 has begun—a festive but also hectic period. This season often brings added logistics challenges and stress, which is the last thing you need right now.

Our wish for you is to keep full control of your warehouse—even during peak season. That’s why we’ve put together tips below to help you prepare your warehouse, so you can enjoy this time, too!

Prepare Your Warehouse for Peak Season

✓ Clear Instructions

Let your team know in advance what you expect from them and any extra things to keep an eye on. Are there (temporary) changes in the warehouse? Are packages being gift-wrapped? What’s the protocol if something goes wrong? Write down the instructions, discuss them together, and post them in the warehouse for everyone to refer back to.

✓ Assigning Roles

Set up a clear task division: who does what, and who can you turn to for help? The clearer and more specific each task is, the more independently people can work—especially those helping temporarily. Share the task breakdown with everyone, so the team knows they can rely on each other.

✓ Training Extra Help

Are marketing colleagues, family members, or friends coming to help? Explain how the warehouse operates beforehand and hang up a map in a central spot. It’s also helpful to mark locations clearly, like with A4 sheets, so they can quickly find their way around.

Will they be using Picqer? It’s a good idea to start with a test order, so they can jump in confidently. Don’t forget to share login details or set up accounts for these people in advance.

✓ Packing Station Check

Check each packing station. Is all hardware working properly? Are the tools in place? Do any devices need charging? Are label printer rolls stocked? Do you have enough paper and ink? Is there ample packing material, and can it be easily refilled? If needed, set up additional temporary packing stations to ensure everyone has enough workspace.

✓ Order Inventory on Time

Expect longer delivery times from suppliers than usual. Make sure to have enough stock on hand, including packaging materials.

✓ Sync Inventory in Picqer

During peak times, you’ll likely see more orders than usual. This makes it extra important to keep stock levels synced between your online store and Picqer. If you anticipate a rush, like with a flash sale, check here how to set up Picqer. Need assistance? Contact us anytime.

✓ Backup Shipping Provider

Shipping carriers are also extremely busy this time of year. Arrange a backup provider so you can ship with multiple carriers. Be mindful of any special shipping rates as well.

✓ Best Sellers Near Packing Stations

Reduce walking time for pickers by placing best sellers and discounted items near the packing stations. Don’t forget to update their locations in Picqer if you relocate them.

✓ Work Ahead

Prepare as many tasks as you can in advance, such as folding boxes or writing cards. If you expect high volume for a specific product, pre-pack a stock of that item in shipping boxes, so later, you just need to apply shipping labels. Tip: Bulk processing a singles batch in Picqer.

✓ Ensure Ample Walking Space

With more people in the warehouse than usual, keep pathways clear and ensure enough room for everyone to move around without getting in each other’s way.

✓ Spread Out Promotions

When you spread out promotions over several days, orders come in more gradually, allowing you to process them with ease and improving the chance of on-time delivery.

✓ Temporarily Adjust Customer Promises

If you can’t meet promises on your webshop, like “Order today, delivered tomorrow,” consider adjusting them temporarily or communicating this to customers. It helps avoid disappointments.

✓ Set Priorities

Some tasks can wait, like processing a return or an incoming order. Tackle these in bulk a few days later.

✓ “What if?” Scenarios

Prepare solutions for potential problems. What if the internet goes down? We have a 4G mobile router. What if the printer fails? The backup printer is here. What if a carrier has a delay? We can switch to another carrier. What if…? Solved!

✓ Keep the Warehouse Tidy

To work efficiently throughout the day, it’s essential to keep the warehouse clean and organized, including packing stations so that packages leave in good condition. Place waste bins and keep all cleaning supplies in one spot.

✓ Make It Fun Together!

A positive atmosphere during a busy season makes a big difference. Communicate well with each other, treat the team to a snack during lunch, play some music, and enjoy working together!

What Are Busy Days?

Below is a list of the 10 busiest days in Picqer from last year (2023) to give you an idea for the coming season.

1. Black Friday 11-24-2023
2. Cyber Monday 11-27-2023
3. Sunday after Black Friday 11-26-2023
4. Week before Christmas 12-18-2023
5. Week before Black Friday 11-20-2023
6. Day before Black Friday 11-23-2023
7. Two weeks before Christmas 12-11-2023
8. Saturday after Black Friday 11-25-2023
9. Week before Christmas 12-19-2023
10. Week before Black Friday 11-22-2023

You Can Count on Us!

Besides these tips, you can rely on us during the busy season:

• Before Black Friday, we double-check for any performance issues in Picqer.
• We don’t make major changes in Picqer that require adjustment.
• On busy days, we closely monitor our servers.
• Our Support Team is ready via email, for urgent matters, or visit our Help Center.