(A) Meaning : A warehouse can be defined as, “an establishment for the storage or accumulation of goods.” The term ‘warehousing’ is generally used to denote storage of goods and consists of all those activities which are connected with the storage and preservation of goods in a godown or warehouse. One of the group activity or functions is to hold the goods in stock from the time of production till the time of consumption is called storage of goods. When storage of goods is required to be arranged on a large scale in a specified manner, it is called ‘warehousing’.
(B) Functions :
The functions of warehouses are explained as follows :
unction of Warehouses
1. Storage
2. Price Stabilisation
3. Risk-Bearing
4. Financing
5. Grading and Packing
6. Transportation
7. Time and Place Utility
8. Processing
1. Storage : Storage of goods is the basic function of warehousing. Warehouses provide space for storage of goods in large quantity and in good condition. The commodities which are not required immediately are stored in the warehouses. Stored goods are supplied as and when they are required by the customers.
2. Price stabilisation : Warehousing facilitates price stabilisation by maintaining proper balance between demand for and supply of commodities. It is achieved by creation of time utility by warehousing. Usually, large stock of goods is kept in the warehouse. Wherever, there is shortage of goods in the market, goods are released from the warehouse which increases supply and facilitates price stabilisation. Thus, it helps to avoid any rise in prices.
3. Risk-bearing : While the goods are stored in the warehouse, the warehouse-keeper takes reasonable care to protect the goods from risks of loss or damage due to heat, cold, moisture, dryness, insects, fire and thefts. This is because he has to return the goods in the same condition. For any loss or damage of goods during storage, warehouse-keeper will be held liable to the owner of the goods. Thus, the risk is transferred from the owner to the warehouse-keeper.
4. Financing : On the basis of goods stored in the warehouse, loans can be raised from the financial institutions or warehouse-keeper. The goods act as a security for financial institution. This loan can be used to meet other operations of business by the owners of goods.
5. Grading and Packing : Warehousing provides enough space for undertaking various marketing functions like grading, processing and packing of goods. Goods can be packed in suitable sizes as per the instructions of the owner. Thus, services of warehousing are very useful to manufacturers, wholesalers and the importers of goods.
6. Transportation : Some warehouses also provide transport facility to the traders who store large quantity of goods in the warehouse. It brings the goods from the places of production and also sends them to the places of delivery on behalf of depositors.
7. Time and Place Utility: Warehousing creates time utility by storing goods and releasing the same at the time when they are demanded. It also creates place utility by transporting goods at the far away places, where they are required.
8. Processing : For certain commodities processing is necessary to make them consumable or useable. This is because those commodities cannot be consumed in the form they are produced in the nature, e.g. paddy, raw fruits, etc. The activities such as polishing the paddy, ripening the fruits, etc. are undertaken by the warehouses on behalf of the owners.
