10 Key Points to follow for optimal layout for a dark store?

What is the Optimal Layout for a Dark Store?

Creating the optimal layout for a dark store is critical for improving operational efficiency and speeding up order fulfilment. A well-designed dark store layout reduces walking time, increases picking speed, and minimises product handling errors.

Here are 10 key points to ensure your dark store layout is optimised:

1. Start Close, End Close

An efficient dark store layout should follow a U-shaped or circular route, starting and ending near the same point. This design minimises unnecessary walking and ensures a smooth flow from picking to packing. By placing the packing or dispatch area near the start and end of the pick path, workers can seamlessly move between tasks, reducing time spent backtracking.

2. Use Dense Pick Faces for Slow-Moving Products

As you move further from the starting point, the pick faces—the areas where products are picked from—should become denser. Near the start or end of the picking route, position your fast-moving, high-selling products. As you move deeper into the store, slower-moving items with smaller volumes should be placed. This allows staff to pass hundreds of slower-moving products quickly, without frequent stops, maximising efficiency.

3. Place High-Selling, High-Volume Items Near the Start and End

High-volume, best-selling items should be positioned at the beginning or end of the picking route. This ensures these products are easily accessible and picked quickly, avoiding bottlenecks at the beginning of the pick path. These products often make up a significant portion of orders, so easy access is crucial for speeding up fulfilment.

4. Handle Volatile and Fragile Items First

When picking an order, volatile and fragile items—such as products in glass or delicate packaging—should be picked first. This ensures that these fragile items are safely placed in the basket or container before any bulkier, less fragile items are added. By handling fragile items early, the risk of damage during the picking process is significantly reduced.

5. Touch Each Item Only Once

To maintain efficiency, it’s important to handle each product only once. Rearranging or repacking products increases the risk of damage and slows down the process. Once a product is picked, it should be placed securely in the pick bin or box and remain untouched until it reaches the packing or shipping stage.

6. Designate a Consolidation Area

At the end of the picking process, it’s essential to have a designated consolidation area. This area is used to temporarily store part-picked or incomplete orders. A well-organised consolidation area allows workers to quickly move onto the next pick without confusion, knowing that orders can be finalised later. This also helps manage orders that require additional items from other zones, like chilled or frozen areas.

7. Separate Chilled and Frozen Zones for Last-Pick

For items that require refrigeration or freezing, such as perishable groceries, these should be picked last to maintain their temperature. By placing these zones near the end of the picking route, the integrity of chilled and frozen items is preserved, reducing the time spent out of the cold environment and ensuring compliance with health and safety standards.

8. Control Access to High-Value and Age-Restricted Items

Products that are high in value or require age verification—such as alcohol, tobacco, or high-end electronics—should be stored in a secure area. These items may require additional picking protocols, such as authorisation checks, before they can be added to an order. Ensuring they are securely picked and processed helps prevent errors, theft, and compliance issues.

9. Design Wide Aisles for Easy Movement

A well-laid-out dark store should include wide aisles to accommodate smooth movement, especially when handling multiple orders or bulky items. Wide aisles help avoid bottlenecks during peak picking times and allow workers to easily manoeuvre carts or pick bins, especially when managing multi-order picking. Ensuring enough space between pick faces enhances overall workflow.

10. Group Similar Products Together

Grouping similar products together based on categories, size, or frequency of orders can greatly improve picking speed. For instance, items that are frequently ordered together or products of similar size should be placed near each other. This reduces the time spent moving between different areas of the store, allowing workers to complete picks faster and more efficiently.

Final Thoughts

An optimal dark store layout is essential for maximising efficiency and ensuring smooth operations. By designing your space to reduce walking times, positioning high-volume products in accessible locations, and placing fragile items at the beginning of the picking process, you can significantly enhance the speed and accuracy of order fulfilment.

This is where Dark Store Systems software excels. Built with advanced AI and cutting-edge technology, it streamlines every aspect of warehouse management. The system integrates seamlessly with multiple platforms, providing real-time analytics, optimising stock replenishment, and offering features like barcode scanning and facial biometric authentication.

These tools ensure products are picked and processed correctly the first time, reducing handling errors and improving overall efficiency.

Additionally, Dark Store Systems allow for dynamic zone management, meaning chilled or frozen products can be picked last, while high-value or controlled items are secured during the picking process. The consolidation area helps store incomplete orders in an organised manner, preventing delays and confusion, and allowing staff to move on to the next task efficiently.

By using software designed specifically for dark store environments, like Dark Store Systems, businesses can ensure every step of the fulfilment process is optimised for speed, accuracy, and security, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and operational performance.

10 ways to get optimal layout in a dark store