The consulting firm International Analysts predicts the e-commerce boom will continue to change the complexion of warehousing. They report that 11% of worldwide warehouses are devoted to e-commerce, and they project this to grow to 25% by 2027. 

They also report that the push toward automation continues to grow in countries with the highest labor costs. Skilled labor shortages are also a contributing factor. 

There are many considerations in e-commerce fulfillment. Final mile constraints, direct from manufacturer, rising costs, and shrinking fulfillment lead times are all factors that should be considered in your supply chain planning. 

Interesting Fact. International Analysts keeps a database of worldwide warehouses over 50,000 square feet.

Worldwide there are 169,000 facilities in the database, with the majority found in the United States and China. They project this to grow to 214,000 facilities by 2027.