ARC Advisory Group (Logistics Viewpoints) is researching the current status and likely future development of today’s distribution centers. Rapid growth in e-commerce, and the resulting demands placed on fulfillment networks, continue to stimulate widespread changes in distribution center configurations, fulfillment processes, and technology investments. Prior ARC research indicates that these changes are more widespread, and occurring more rapidly, than fulfillment executives previously anticipated.

This survey of retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and logistics service providers (3PLs) will capture the profile of today’s fulfillment environment and obtain insights into the changing demands placed on fulfillment operations, the pain points and priorities of practitioners, and how they are responding by adjusting processes, investing in technology, and reconfiguring warehouse operations.

This research is a sequel to research ARC conducted with DC Velocity in 2016. Data from the prior survey will be used as an additional frame of reference for the trajectory of change. In addition to learning about "what" is being done, this year's survey seeks to learn more about the "why" behind actions. This is the purpose of open-ended questions in the survey. Your valuable feedback is appreciated.

This questionnaire contains the following sections:
- Warehouse Operational Profile
- Market Pressures & Priorities
- Warehouse Order Fulfillment Profile
      - Orders and Picking
      - Waves and Put-Walls
      - Waveless Fulfillment
- Warehouse Technology

As a sign of our appreciation for your effort, we will provide qualified respondents with a summary of our research findings.

Privacy: Your privacy is assured, and your identification will not be released to others. Only anonymous and aggregate information will be reported. We ask for identifying information only to determine qualified and legitimate responses.

Note: the terms “warehouse” and “distribution center” are used interchangeably throughout this questionnaire.

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