A sorting device (101..105), comprising - a first intermediate buffer with a plurality of first intermediate storage stations (20101..20118), arranged one behind another in a first line and movable along the said first line, and - at least one second intermediate buffer (202..215) with a plurality of second intermediate storage stations (20201..21518), arranged one behind another in a second line (302..315) and movable along the said second line (302..315), and - a storage device (41; 43) with at least one transfer station (51; 53), and - a retrieval device (42; 43) with at least one transfer station (52; 53), wherein the at least one transfer station (51..53) of the storage device (41; 43) and retrieval device (42; 43) in each case can be traversed along a third line, running transverse to the first line and the second line (302..315), such that the transfer station (51..53) can be positioned opposite a first intermediate storage station (20101..20118), or a second intermediate storage station (20201..21518), wherein the first line and the second line (302..315) are located in planes one above another that are parallel to one another, and the third line is located in a third plane that stands normal to the first/second planes, and - a controller, which is equipped for the purpose of moving the second intermediate storage stations (20201..21518) along the second line (302..315), while a first conveyed object is changed over between a first intermediate storage station (20101..20118) and the transfer station (51..53) positioned opposite the latter, and/or the transfer station (51..53) is moved to a second intermediate storage station (20201..21518), wherein the storage device (41; 43) is arranged on a first side of the first/second lines (301..315) and the retrieval device (42; 43) is arranged on a second side of the first/second lines (301..315), characterised in that, the storage device (41; 43 and the retrieval device (42; 43) are positioned opposite one another, and the transfer stations (51..53) can be positioned opposite the same intermediate storage station (20101..20118, 20201..21518), in order to execute a storage procedure into the intermediate buffer (201..215) and a retrieval procedure from the intermediate buffer (201..215) simultaneously, or at least essentially simultaneously. - a first intermediate buffer with a plurality of first intermediate storage stations (20101..20118), arranged one behind another in a first line and movable along the said first line, and - at least one second intermediate buffer (202..215) with a plurality of second intermediate storage stations (20201..21518), arranged one behind another in a second line (302..315) and movable along the said second line (302..315), and - a storage device (41; 43) with at least one transfer station (51; 53), and - a retrieval device (42; 43) with at least one transfer station (52; 53), wherein the at least one transfer station (51..53) of the storage device (41; 43) and retrieval device (42; 43) in each case can be traversed along a third line, running transverse to the first line and the second line (302..315), such that the transfer station (51..53) can be positioned opposite a first intermediate storage station (20101..20118), or a second intermediate storage station (20201..21518), wherein the first line and the second line (302..315) are located in planes one above another that are parallel to one another, and the third line is located in a third plane that stands normal to the first/second planes, and - a controller, which is equipped for the purpose of moving the second intermediate storage stations (20201..21518) along the second line (302..315), while a first conveyed object is changed over between a first intermediate storage station (20101..20118) and the transfer station (51..53) positioned opposite the latter, and/or the transfer station (51..53) is moved to a second intermediate storage station (20201..21518),