Case Study: Zappos.com achieves faster shipping and doubled fulfillment capacity with Honeywell Intelligrated automated order fulfillment system

Intelligrated “Wows” Zappos with New Automated Order Fulfillment Center

Zappos, the online shoe and apparel retailer built around a “wow” customer experience, faced rapid growth that overwhelmed its largely manual fulfillment operation. To keep promises like free overnight shipping, live inventory and fast holiday delivery, the company needed a scalable, high‑speed order fulfillment solution that could dramatically cut cycle times and handle much higher volumes.

Working with Arup and Intelligrated, Zappos built a 416,000 sq ft automated fulfillment center in Shepherdsville, KY featuring high‑speed sliding‑shoe sorters, motor‑driven roller conveyors, static racking, an on‑site photo lab and integrated warehouse control software. A customized conveyor redesign cut travel time from ~35 minutes to 5 minutes, driving average cycle times down to about 2.25 hours with the capability to process orders in under an hour. The system more than doubled shipping capacity (peaking at 42,000 units/day), reduced labor and distribution costs, and enabled reliable next‑day delivery and real‑time inventory updates.

Zappos.com

Craig Adkins

Vice President