An apparatus for forming piece goods batches, comprising a first transport device which transports the piece goods along a predefined transport path at a first transport speed, a second transport device which transports the piece goods along the predefined transport path at a second transport speed and which is arranged downstream of the first transport device along the transport path, and an assembling device which is arranged downstream of the second transport device along the transport path and forms batches from a plurality of piece goods. The apparatus may further comprise a buffer device which transports the piece goods along a variable buffer section and which is arranged between the first transport device and the second transport device, wherein the first transport speed and the second transport speed differ at least at times and the buffer device at least at times receives the piece goods streams brought about as a result of different speeds.