Key Takeaways
- Holiday Surge: Amazon’s Garner fulfillment center is boosting its daily package processing from 600,000 to nearly 800,000 to meet holiday demand.
- Five-Step Journey: Every package goes through a detailed five-step process involving both human workers and advanced robotics before it is shipped.
- Local Hub: About 60% of the packages processed at the Garner facility are delivered to homes in Wake County, with most others going to surrounding areas.
- Check Your Label: You can see if your package came from the local center by looking for the code “RDU1” on the shipping label.
Amazon’s Garner Center Ramps Up for the Holidays
Amazon is officially in peak holiday mode, and its Garner fulfillment center is at the heart of the seasonal rush. The facility is significantly increasing its daily operations, scaling up from its usual 600,000 packages to nearly 800,000 per day. This surge means the center will process over 26 million packages between now and Christmas to ensure gifts arrive on time.
An inside look at the massive operation reveals a highly coordinated five-step journey that takes an item from a seller’s shipment to your front door.
The Journey of a Package
The life of an Amazon order begins long before you click “buy.” Here’s a step-by-step look at how products are processed for delivery.
1. Arrival at the Inbound Dock
The process starts when trucks carrying products from sellers and manufacturers arrive at the inbound dock. Here, items are unloaded and prepared to enter the fulfillment center’s vast inventory system.
2. Inspection and Stowing
Once inside, employees like Pam Stewart inspect each item for quality before scanning it into the system. This step ensures the product is ready for purchase. “It warms my heart knowing we are going to get the gifts out to kids in a timely fashion and making parents happy as well,” Stewart said. After inspection, items are stowed away, officially becoming available on Amazon’s website.
3. The Robotic Pick
When a customer places an order, the system springs into action. A robot is dispatched to retrieve the correct item from the storage shelves and transport it to the packing department.
4. Packing and Labeling
In the packing department, employees quickly pack the item into the right-sized box. From there, the package moves to the S.L.A.M. line—which stands for Scan, Label, Apply, and Manifest. Here, each package receives its unique shipping label and is prepared for its final departure.
A Hyper-Local Operation
The Garner facility plays a crucial role in serving the local community. Approximately 60% of the packages processed at this location are delivered to customers in Wake County. The remainder primarily serves the surrounding counties, making it a key hub for the region.
If you’re curious about your package’s origin, simply check the shipping label. The code “RDU1” indicates it was processed right here at the Garner fulfillment center. The facility is not just a hub for packages but also a significant driver for local commerce, with independent sellers in North Carolina averaging $200,000 in sales annually.
Image Referance: https://www.wral.com/consumer/5onyourside/tour-amazon-garner-holiday-packages-nov-2025/