Hardly any other day puts logistics teams to the test like Black Friday. In 2024, around 5.9 € billion in sales were generated in Germany alone. While customers break records, logistics teams work behind the scenes to handle rising order volumes, surging return rates and growing expectations for same-day or next-day delivery. For them, peak season is not a single day it is often several weeks of intense workload that push processes to their limits.
Why Manual Processes Fail During Peak Periods
Manual and semi-automated processes often work reliably during predictable periods. But as soon as order volumes increase three to fivefold at short notice, for example during seasonal peaks, campaigns or in e-commerce, traditional processes quickly reach their limits.
Typical weaknesses of manual processes:
- High staffing requirements: Manual processes require large teams – but qualified employees are rarely available at short notice, especially during peak periods.
- Increased error rate: Under time pressure, mistakes, incorrect pickings and recording errors increase significantly because processes are not secured by a system.
- Long and inefficient travel times: Traditional warehouse layouts cannot be scaled flexibly, which means that employees have to cover long distances and throughput times increase.
- Lack of transparency: Without digital support or real-time data, inventory discrepancies, bottlenecks and process disruptions often go undetected – with immediate effects on delivery capability and service levels.
Intelligent automation and material flow solutions, scalable shuttle and RBG systems, efficient goods-to-person workstations and data-driven control technologies make processes independent of staff availability or peak loads.
Smart Warehouses as the Answer to Sudden Volume Spikes
Modern warehouse logistics must not only react, it must also act proactively. Smart warehouse solutions intelligently connect transport, sorting and picking processes. This creates a system that recognises load distributions and automatically makes optimal use of capacities.
The focus is on:
- High-density storage in limited space: Maximum use of space through shuttle systems or compact RBG solutions.
- Error-free order picking: Intelligent, guided and automated picking processes.
- Efficient returns handling and restocking: Structured, automated return to the goods cycle.
Such solutions make it possible to absorb even extreme peaks, as are common in e-commerce and retail, without creating additional sources of error. GEBHARDT develops solutions that make precisely this flexibility, automation and process intelligence available to companies.
High-Density Storage in Limited Space
To make optimum use of storage capacity in confined spaces, GEBHARDT offers high-performance shuttle systems and compact storage and retrieval machines that have been specially developed for maximum space utilisation. GEBHARDT StoreBiter® shuttle systems enable high-density storage of containers, cartons and trays through multiple-depth storage and flexible, modularly scalable structures. For pallet applications, systems such as the GEBHARDT Omnipallet® significantly expand storage capacity by reducing aisles and enabling multiple-depth storage. In addition, the compact GEBHARDT storage and retrieval machines offer an energy-efficient and space-saving solution for single or multiple-depth pallet storage. The reduction of travel distances, the intelligent use of hall height and the combination of high storage density and fast access speeds result in a warehouse layout that enables maximum capacity and high process stability even in limited space.
Error-Free Order Picking: The Zero-Error Approach for Logistics, Fulfilment and E-Commerce
In modern logistics processes, especially in sectors such as fulfilment, e-commerce, retail and spare parts logistics, errors in order picking have serious consequences. Every incorrectly picked, missing or duplicate item leads to increased process costs, delays and, in the worst case, an escalating return rate. A consistent zero-error approach is therefore a key success factor for stable and scalable logistics processes.
A zero-error approach is based on three pillars:
- Guided processes
Digital guidance and picking systems (e.g. pick-by-light, pick-by-voice or system-guided GTP processes) ensure that employees know exactly where to pick which items.
- Error prevention through technology
Automated inspection stations, sensors in the material flow and software-supported plausibility checks within the GEBHARDT StoreWare warehouse management and material flow software ensure that items, quantities and orders are correct at all times.
- Real-time feedback
Modern systems monitor the picking process live. Deviations are immediately detected and corrected before an error spreads throughout the entire material flow.
Efficient Returns Handling
Especially after peak events such as Black Friday or Christmas, return rates in many industries rise to as much as 60%. Without structured processes, this quickly leads to delays, overload and reduced product availability. GEBHARDT addresses this challenge with a comprehensive concept: from quality control of incoming returns to sorting, labelling and processing, all the way to restocking or returning items to suppliers the system is designed to reintegrate returned goods into the supply chain as quickly as possible. Returns handling primarily involves ergonomic workstations, modular conveyor technology and flexible solutions for item removal, inspection and restocking. This includes optimised processes for manual or semi-automated returns processing, efficient material flows and the integration of automated storage systems to ensure that inspected items are made available again without delay.
Smart Logistics as the Foundation for Long-Term Success
The challenges of peak season clearly demonstrate that traditional, manual logistics processes have reached their limits. Companies aiming for long-term efficiency, scalability and error-free operations need solutions that balance peak loads intelligently, reduce reliance on staff and provide real-time transparency.
This is where GEBHARDT’s smart warehouse and automation solutions come into play. They combine powerful technology, data-driven control and flexible scalability to make fulfilment processes reliable and future-proof.
Companies looking to transform their logistics should evaluate where automation and smart systems can deliver immediate improvements—and how modular expansion can be implemented step by step.