Definition of pick-and-pack

merchandise shipment process whereby items are selected (picked) from a warehouse according to what has been ordered by each customer, and then packed for shipment. Pick-and-pack is easy when every customer receives the same items but becomes complex when each customer orders various quantities and types of items from a variety of available merchandise. The different quantities and items require different sizes and types of packaging and increase the possibility of sending too much, too little, or the wrong items. The pick-and-pack process can be greatly simplified by a computer-assisted picking system.