I was always curious to get a glimpse of the action behind the scenes. How do millions of orders get picked, sorted and packed? How do Amazon deliveries get fulfilled? As a brand new Amazonian, I had so many questions about Amazon's operations.
Hi, I’m Ankit. I’m a content creator and ex-journalist. In June, I joined Amazon as the Executive Editor for APAC for AboutAmazon.in.
Come along as my camera and I show you the journey of an order that gets placed by you, and fulfilled by Amazon from BLR8, one of our largest fulfillment centres in the country.
Primed for success
I’m greeted by Dhanush, the training lead for all associates, and he gets me to do my safety briefing before entering the centre. Here’s what I saw.
Where safety is paramount
As I step into the cavernous expanse of the Amazon FC, I'm struck by the enormity of the facility. It is massive!
But wait, let’s zoom out! What’s a fulfillment centre?
Fulfillment centres are integral to the Amazon shopping experience. These are large warehouses where associates receive, store, pick, pack and ship customer orders.
As soon as I enter the FC (fulfillment centre), I see the Amcare first-aid facility and LED screens with Heat Index readings. Safety of employees and associates is of utmost importance at FCs and throughout my tour, I am educated on the multiple initiatives in place to keep the safety, comfort and well-being of our associates front and centre throughout all operations.
Thoughtful ergonomic innovations like the anti-fatigue mats for comfort and convenience of the associates on the floor make a big difference when handling customer orders. I also noticed the adequate and frequently placed water stations and ORS sachets for associates to make sure they’re well hydrated.
Some fun facts about Amazon’s fulfillment centres that blew me away!
- Amazon India has Fulfillment Centres across 15 states
- 43 Mn cubic ft of storage space for seller inventory
- Over 1.2 million sellers in the country
- Sortation Centres across 19 states
Where customer orders, speed and precision meet
As Prime Day kicks off, our fulfillment centres across the country transform into a hive of activity, bustling with excitement. Millions of products, from electronics and clothing, to household items, are flying off our shelves.
What makes Prime Day truly exciting for customers is the promise of same-day or next-day delivery for Prime members.
The journey of an Amazon order
My journey begins at the receiving dock. Trucks arrive regularly, carrying boxes of every shape and size. It's here that items first enter our world. BLR8 has 16 inbound dock doors in the building, equipped with adjustable ramps depending on the height of the incoming vehicle. Sellers bring in products in large trucks, vans, cars and even autos and we support all of them. Before unloading begins, a safety check of all vehicles is carried out.
Safety is paramount and everyone working in the dock door is mandated to wear gloves and high visibility vests. I watch as workers swiftly unpack, scan, and log each item into our inventory system.
Next, I follow the newly received items to the Receive station and Decant where our associates sort out all the packages and products. Items are scanned for any additional pre-storage steps depending on their category. For example, shampoo bottles or liquid items go through a separate preparatory exercise. All these steps are to ensure that the seller’s products are stored safely and a six-sided check is performed on items.
From here, it is on to the Cubiscan station. Technology enables us to ensure faster fulfillment and delivery and the Cubiscan machine can measure the volume and dimensions of objects. Depending on the status of the products at the time of receiving, they are sorted and assembled in red (damaged goods that do not go into inventory), yellow (ready to be stored) or green (size to be measure by the Cubiscan machine) totes, ready for storage.
Where orders come to life
As I am led deeper into the facility, I reach the heart of the operation: the picking process. This is where customer orders come to life.
I observe pickers, guided by their handheld devices, navigating through the shelves with their keen eyes scanning shelves for the exact items required to fulfill each order. In preparation for Prime Day, their excitement is palpable.
The picked items converge at the packing stations where suitable packaging material is used, items are carefully placed inside, and protective materials added. I'm amazed by the technology that guides associates to find the perfect packaging for each order.
Sustainability at the heart of Amazon’s operations
Our packaging material in India, including corrugated boxes and paper cushions, is recyclable and made of 100% recycled content. We have also introduced 100% plastic-free and biodegradable paper tape for sealing and securing customer shipments.
What’s even more impressive is that there are a number of deaf-mute associates, in Orange t-shirts that are at work, masterfully packaging your order, ready to be shipped.
The final frontier
Before I know it, I'm at the outbound area, the final frontier before orders head out to the next stop in the journey of our packages. Conveyor belts crisscross overhead, carrying packages to their designated zones. Associates and machines apply shipping labels with lightning speed, and soon the packages are loaded onto waiting trucks.
Throughout my tour, I can't help but notice the omnipresent quality control checks. Even amid the Prime Day rush, random packages are pulled out for inspection, ensuring that the right items are in the right boxes, heading to the right destination.
As I exit the facility, I'm left in awe of the scale and complexity of the operation, especially during this peak period.
Behind Amazon’s delivery choreography
What seems like a simple click of a button on a website, sets in motion this intricate dance of people, technology, and products. While my visit to the fulfillment centre ended here, the packages that are shipped out of BLR8 have an entire journey ahead.
Utilising various modes of transport such as rail, air, surface, and water, the packages make their way across India to their intended destinations.
Did you know?
Amazon India has a strong partnership with the Indian Railways to leverage freight corridors to improve its delivery capabilities. In 2023, Amazon launched its air cargo services. The air cargo network acts as the connective tissue between the upstream volume packaged at our fulfillment centres and the downstream delivery network. Now, the company’s focus is on increasing cargo movement through river systems, a more sustainable and economical transport option. By doing so, Amazon India has become the country's first e-commerce company to explore inland water transport.
What a day! I have renewed respect for the incredible hard work and enthusiasm of the associates, last mile delivery agents and all the Amazonians in the entire fulfillment ecosystem that ensures millions of Amazon India customers get their hands on products of their choice.
