On-Demand Warehousing Platforms: Evolution and Trend Analysis of an Industrial Sharing Economy Model

Background: The on-demand warehousing (ODW) model is emerging as a platform-enabled logistics solution based on resource sharing for businesses needing storage space. It is based on a business-to-business marketplace where companies can provide (or request) storage services with an elevated level of flexibility. The literature focusing on this topic is still scarce, and while the potential advantages of such a model seem quite clear, challenges and criticalities need to be further explored. Methods: Starting from a state-of-the-art analysis of ODW, a two-step methodology was adopted: first, a SWOT analysis was conducted to help summarize the challenges related to this emerging model. Then, an exploratory analysis of multiple case studies was employed to provide a first discussion on the advantages and criticalities of this model, highlighting its latest evolution. Results: The ODW model is still evolving, as several former pure ODW platforms have been changing their business model to become on-demand 4PLs (defined as “mixed ODW-4PLs”), adapting their core activities to manage the criticalities of on-demand services. Conclusions: This study represents the first attempt to investigate benefits and criticalities of ODW models, outlining the latest trend of ODW and identifying two distinct types of ODW model currently present on the market.