A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods.

A warehouse can be defined functionally as a

building in which bulk produce or goods (wares) are stored for commercial purposes. Warehousing can
be defined as assumption of responsibility for the storage of goods. By storing the goods throughout
the year and releasing them as and when they are needed, warehousing creates time utility.

Functions of Warehousing:

1) Storage

2) Price Stabilisation

3) Risk Bearing

4) Financing.

Types of Warehouses:

Private Warehouse-owned and operated by channel suppliers and resellers, and used in their

own distribution activity.

Public Warehouse- The public warehouse is essentially space that can be leased to solve short-

term distribution needs.

Automated Warehouse-The level of automation ranges from a small conveyor belt transporting

products in a small area all the way up to a fully automated facility where only a few people are

needed to handle storage activity for thousands of pounds/kilograms of product.

Climate controlled Warehouse- including those that need special handling, such as freezers for

storing frozen products, humidity-controlled environments for delicate products, including produce

or flowers, and dirt-free facilities for handling highly sensitive computer products.

Distribution Centre- These warehouses serve as points in the distribution system at which

products are received from many suppliers and quickly shipped out to many customers.