What does slotting do to impact throughput?

• A. Slotting reallocates locations on a fixed annual schedule, regardless of demand.
• B. Slotting assigns items to locations based on demand and velocity to reduce travel and improve picking speed.
• C. Slotting eliminates the need for trained staff in picking.
• D. Slotting only affects packaging and labeling, not picking.

Answer: (B)

Slotting aims to place items where they are most frequently picked, based on demand and velocity, so the picker travels less and can complete picks faster. In practice, high-demand, fast-moving SKUs are put in easy-to-reach locations near packing or main aisles, while slower movers go farther away. This reduces travel distance and time per pick, and can also group items with similar handling needs to streamline the workflow. Because demand patterns change over time, slotting is often updated to reflect current velocity, seasonal shifts, and new SKUs, keeping throughput high.

This approach is different from sticking to a fixed annual schedule, which wouldn’t respond to changing demand; it also isn’t about eliminating trained staff or focusing only on packaging and labeling. Slotting directly targets the efficiency of picking and item retrieval to boost throughput.