Warehousing consists in accommodating certain quantities of finished products or goods in a specially-designed building. The warehousing  period can extend for as long as necessary. It may be short or long depending on the product, type of good or raw material in question.

A similar term is that of storage, which is done by the store. The shorter the storage time, the more profitable the stock is. This is quite simply because products do not become obsolete, there is less loss and theft, storage space rental expenses are lower, and storage surface usage fees are diminished. Hence the desire to store products over short periods only, on a just-in-time basis prior to shelving.

The constraints in place for storage and warehousing are therefore different. These differences include the premises, logistical management, handling, follow-up and equipment used.