How Are Warehouses Adapting for E-Commerce Distribution?

In today’s world, e-commerce is constantly evolving and growing as the primary retail channel. In fact, in-depth research reveals that the total US eCommerce sales in 2020 reached $750.4 billion. It shows a 31.7% percent increase from the previous year.

As e-commerce expands, so does the logistic ecosystem. At the same time, the rapidly decreasing demand for big-box retail spaces results in the increasing demand for warehouses. E-commerce giants like Amazon and its incredible two days delivery have completely transformed customer expectations.

Present-day, customers expect to receive their orders within a day of placing the order. As a result of changing customer demands, smaller online businesses are trying to figure out ways to compete with leading companies like Amazon, Walmart, etc.

For this reason, you need to understand your business’s warehouse spacing needs. Keeping in mind the changing consumer behavior, e-commerce distribution centers seek newer, more innovative ways of operating traditional warehouses. Let’s discuss this in-depth:

Building Size

Consumers’ desire to receive their items within 24 hours has increased the need for a bigger building than the average warehouse.

Regional facilities tend to be vast, whereas facilities located in urban centers are usually comparatively smaller.

Ceiling Height

State-of-the-art facilities are not only increasing the size of a warehouse, but they are also pushing ceilings heights.

Higher ceilings allow mezzanine decks to expand the spatial design of the warehouse.

Loading Dock

Nowadays, warehouses are struggling to adapt to a rapidly escalating volume of delivers, especially at a less-than-truckload level.

As a result, the warehouse loading dock space is increasing alongside the number of loading docks.

Occupancy Load

Bigger distribution centers can easily house hundreds and thousands of workers. These extensive facilities are transforming to provide various traditional office amenities at a large scale. It includes enhancing climate-control systems, kitchen areas, restroom facilities, and employee lounge spaces.

Parking Lot

With the increase in vehicles required and more employees shipping out items across the nation, parking lots play a critical role in the overall warehouse operation. Large trucks need adequate space to turn around and access loading docks.

These huge trucks may also require a parking lot to stay parked for longer durations when unloading items. Thus, newer buildings should come with parking lots with adequate space to park trucks in.

Security

With more employees coming in and leaving the facilities, businesses also need to consider location security. Some of the security products an e-commerce distribution facility boasts include:

  • Secure and robust fencing around the parking lot
  • Gated entrance
  • Keypad access doors
  • 24/7 surveillance cameras

To Sum it Up

Due to advancing technology and changing consumer behavior, more and more people are turning to online shopping. As a result, e-commerce distribution facilities are becoming more complex.

Thus, warehouses have to learn to adapt to a constantly transforming e-commerce environment effectively.