A method used to handle piece goods being moved one after another in at least one row, in which method - immediately consecutive piece goods in a row without spaces are transported as closed formation, and - at least one transported piece good (2, 2*) is seized in a clamping and/or force-locking and/or form-locking manner from the closed formation, is spatially separated from the closed formation, and is brought into a specified relative target position and/or target alignment in relation to subsequent piece goods, - wherein at least one transported piece good (2, 2*) is seized in a clamping and/or force-locking and/or form-locking manner repeatedly a number of times in temporal succession from the closed formation, is spatially separated from the closed formation, and is brought into a particular, specified relative target position and/or target alignment in relation to subsequent piece goods, with the result that at least one group for a palletizable layer or partial layer is formed from a plurality of piece goods (2, 2*); - wherein a first number of at least one piece good (2, 2*) is seized in at least one first method step from the closed formation, is spatially separated, and is brought into a first target position and/or target arrangement in relation to subsequent piece goods (2, 2') of the closed formation; characterised in that: - a second number of at least one piece good (2, 2*) is seized in at least one second method step from the closed formation, is spatially separated, and is brought into a second target position and/or target arrangement; - wherein the first number of at least one piece good (2, 2*) is unequal to the second number of at least one piece good (2, 2*). - immediately consecutive piece goods in a row without spaces are transported as closed formation, and - at least one transported piece good (2, 2*) is seized in a clamping and/or force-locking and/or form-locking manner from the closed formation, is spatially separated from the closed formation, and is brought into a specified relative target position and/or target alignment in relation to subsequent piece goods, - wherein at least one transported piece good (2, 2*) is seized in a clamping and/or force-locking and/or form-locking manner repeatedly a number of times in temporal succession from the closed formation, is spatially separated from the closed formation, and is brought into a particular, specified relative target position and/or target alignment in relation to subsequent piece goods, with the result that at least one group for a palletizable layer or partial layer is formed from a plurality of piece goods (2, 2*); - wherein a first number of at least one piece good (2, 2*) is seized in at least one first method step from the closed formation, is spatially separated, and is brought into a first target position and/or target arrangement in relation to subsequent piece goods (2, 2') of the closed formation; - a second number of at least one piece good (2, 2*) is seized in at least one second method step from the closed formation, is spatially separated, and is brought into a second target position and/or target arrangement; - wherein the first number of at least one piece good (2, 2*) is unequal to the second number of at least one piece good (2, 2*).