If you think warehouse automation is expensive, complicated, and just not for you… you’re seriously mistaken!

And don’t be scared by the word “automation”! I used to associate it with things like robots, conveyor belts, automated welding, factory floors — and, of course, massive budgets and miles of complex processes.

If that’s what comes to your mind too — just throw that image away. It’s nothing like that!

• How you can automate your warehouse for a price comparable to your pocket expenses.
• What exactly we mean by “automation” in this context.
• And in general, we’ll break down what turns out to be a really simple and practical topic.

The main thing is — just get started.

And here we go! :)

Let’s Break It Down:

• Why do you need this?
• What will it take to get started?
• And what kind of costs should you expect?

Why automate your warehouse?

It doesn’t matter whether you have a 1,000-square-meter warehouse or a small 20-square-meter room — implementing a WMS (Warehouse Management System) can completely transform how you work:

1. Simplicity and accuracy of all operations
   Receiving goods, placing them on shelves, picking for orders, packing, shipping — everything becomes transparent, manageable, and most importantly, no longer depends on that one “golden employee” who knows where everything is.
   Now even a new hire can easily navigate and get things done without turning the warehouse into chaos.
   
   I’ve seen it many times: the whole warehouse grinds to a halt the moment the “one who knows everything” goes to lunch or — heaven forbid — takes a vacation. That’s a risk. That’s a loss.
   WMS removes the human factor from critical points.
2. Inventory control
   The second crucial benefit is knowing what you have in stock — and where exactly it is.
   No more Excel sheets, notebooks, or yelling “Where’s that box?!”
   The system shows you real-time inventory — for every item, in every location. You’ll always know what you have, where it is, and how much is left.
3. Fewer mistakes
   Automation helps eliminate the most common warehouse errors: wrong items picked, stock mismatches, mixed-up orders, forgotten packages.
   Everything becomes predictable and controlled.
4. Speed
   Time is money.
   An automated warehouse runs faster.
   An order gets processed in 3 minutes instead of 30.
   Customers are happy. Employees aren’t burning out.
   Everything runs like clockwork.

What do you need to start with WMS?

So, now you understand why warehouse automation is worth it.

Let’s talk about what exactly you need to start automating a small warehouse.

Good news — the list is pretty short.

You don’t need to buy expensive equipment or hire a team of IT specialists — it’s much simpler than that:

1. Basic Equipment
   
   

   To launch a basic WMS system, you’ll need:

   • A regular computer or laptop.
     This is all you need to access your WMS — most systems run right in your browser.
   • Smartphones and affordable barcode scanner (or handheld terminal).
     Even an ordinary smartphone will do just fine when you’re starting out.
   • A barcode scanner.
     This is really the only thing you’ll definitely need to purchase — because barcodes are the foundation of warehouse automation!
2. A WMS System
   
   WMS (Warehouse Management System) is the software that powers it all — the system where you manage every warehouse process from receiving goods to shipping them out.
   
   

And that’s basically it!

At the end of the day, all you might need to buy is one (or maybe a couple) of low-cost devices. We’ll provide the WMS software for free — and voilà! You’ve got a warehouse that works on a whole new level.