Variable Right Sizing: Next-Level Fulfillment Efficiency
In today’s fast-paced fulfillment environment—whether you’re shipping electronics, industrial components, or consumer goods—teams are juggling rising order volumes and cost pressures with sustainability goals. Variable right sizing (VRS) introduces a smarter way to boost order capacity, trim labor costs, and run fulfillment more sustainably. This innovative strategy can take your packing line from a cost center into a competitive advantage. But how do you know if VRS is the right fit for your business?
What is Variable Right Sizing (VRS)?
At its core, variable right sizing is a strategic packaging approach that ensures each product gets the perfect-sized package. Instead of using fixed-size boxes that often lead to wasted space or excessive packing materials, a VRS solution adjusts the packaging to fit each product as efficiently as possible.
Advanced VRS solutions use automation to create custom-sized packages on demand, streamlining the process. These systems work by using sensors or vision systems to scan the size of the product and package it accordingly—speeding up fulfillment, reducing waste, and making packaging more cost-effective.
Why is VRS Gaining Popularity?
As fulfillment complexity grows, centers need solutions that keep pace with rising order volumes while using fewer resources. VRS delivers on that need by slashing packaging material, optimizing labor and truck-space to cut costs, and minimizing waste for a more sustainable operation.
Customer expectations are evolving as well. Nearly 40 % of buyers now consider a product’s packaging footprint before purchasing, and they’re quick to reject oversized boxes stuffed with air–driving brands to eliminate unnecessary packaging and right size every shipment. Variable Right Sizing answers that need by tailoring each package—whether for a stapler, a book, or a pill bottle—so operations sustain high throughput, lower costs, and robust sustainability performance across a diverse SKU mix.
How Do VRS Solutions Improve Efficiency?
VRS isn’t just about saving space on a warehouse shelf or on the back of a package truck—it’s about improving the entire fulfillment process. Traditional packaging requires manual decisions about box sizes and materials, often slowing down the operation. Automated packaging systems using VRS have shown to increase throughput by up to 400% compared to manual packing (Packaging Digest). This efficiency is key, especially for businesses with a wide SKU range.
Here’s what businesses can expect to achieve with VRS:
- Labor Optimization: Automating packaging decisions empowers your existing team to handle more orders—reducing labor costs and driving greater operational efficiency.
- Cost Savings: By right sizing every shipment, businesses avoid overpacking, cut DIM fees, and eliminate the need to stock dozens of carton SKUs.
- Warehouse Efficiency: VRS eliminates the need to stock numerous fixed-size packaging SKUs to fit every product, freeing valuable warehouse space.
- Minimizes Waste: VRS minimizes material use, reduces waste, and optimizes truckload capacity, allowing for up to 30% more products per truckload (EPA Freight Optimization Report), minimizing overall transportation emissions and cost.
Key Considerations When Choosing a VRS Solution
Before jumping into automated variable right sizing, it’s important to assess whether your business is ready. Here are a few questions to help you decide which VRS solution is right for you:
- Do you ship thousands of packages each day?
- Is your operation set up to handle high volumes and automation?
- Do you sell a variety of products that need different packaging sizes?
If you’re not ready to jump straight into full VRS automation, a great place to start is with automated bagging. These systems typically pay for themselves in 9–12 months and deliver throughput gains on par with full VRS—so you can boost speed and accuracy right away. From there, you’ll have a solid foundation to expand into broader right-sizing solutions. Choosing the right partner to assess your needs, craft a tailored strategy, and support you every step of the way is what ensures lasting success.
If not, then perhaps your business isn’t quite ready for full automation. But don’t worry, there are scalable solutions, like semi-automated systems or pre-sized mailers, that can effectively support your VRS strategy. This decision-making process can be complex, which is why finding the right partner for assessment, strategy, and long-term success is key.
Choosing the Right Partner for Success
Variable right sizing is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Choosing the right partner to assess your needs, design a customized approach, and guide you through the implementation process is crucial. At Pregis, we specialize in providing tailored solutions that include everything from initial assessments and ROI analysis to installation and ongoing support. Our goal is to help businesses scale efficiently while maintaining packaging integrity and enhancing customer satisfaction. Many installations fail due to insufficient planning and analysis, but Pregis Integration Services sets itself apart by offering comprehensive, end-to-end support. As your trusted partner, we ensure every step aligns with your specific business needs.
Ready to scale your fulfillment operations with variable right sizing? Consult with a Pregis packaging expert today to find out if this solution is right for you.
