Case Study
Improving productivity and efficiency of online order fulfillment.
Customer profile
Total Wine & More (Total Wine) is the largest independent beverage retailer, based in Maryland, with over 200 stores across 27 states in the United States.
The challenge
In 2019, Total Wine began a strategic focus on growing their online business. 2020 ushered in a sudden shift in consumer demand for ecommerce fulfillment generating significant growth in order volume and order size.
They place a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction and knew they needed to quickly change how they filled online orders to continue delivering exceptional service to their customers. Total Wine knew they needed an ergonomic solution to help improve their Team Members’ picking efficiencies. An important aspect of the newly designed picking cart was to not interfere with the in-store shopping experience, and the ability to navigate the narrow store aisles and displays.
The Solution
Cannon Equipment began by ensuring they had a clear and comprehensive understanding of the situation. They interviewed Team Members involved in the fulfillment process and completed quantitative analyses to ensure the solution would drive meaningful gains.
The result was a custom picking cart that exceeded Total Wine’s initial goals. The solution featured three shelves that were optimized for multi-order picking and improved cart storage capacity by over 30%.
The innovative design also retained a small footprint no larger than a traditional shopping cart. When not in use the cart will nest to minimize storage space.
Cannon Equipment also paid close attention to the user experience to ensure Team Member safety was paramount. From selecting casters that are friendly in a wide variety of weather conditions, to ergonomically position pinch points the cart was designed with safety in mind.
The new picking cart also features an open design allowing Team Members to easily pick and place items from all sides.
Accommodations for hand-held scanners, mobile printers, debris collection and packaging materials also help improve efficiencies and productivity.
