In recent years, the logistics outsourcing market has significantly expanded, driving also the growth of the logistics real estate sector. However, these subjects have been investigated separately, without empirical evidence on the assessment of warehouse features, nor studies matching those with 3PL providers’ needs. This paper aims to fill this gap by providing a deeper understanding of the alignment between the 3PL industry’s needs and the logistics real estate offering. An extensive literature review was used to investigate the characteristics of the logistics real estate industry and define the present and future challenges for the 3PL industry. Afterwards, 3PL warehouse features were analysed through data collected on 75 logistics buildings located in Italy. Results indicate that the logistics real estate seems relatively prepared to support the 3PL industry’s needs. However, such alignment could be further strengthened through investments by the logistics real estate towards environmental sustainability and warehouse automation.

Purpose: An ever-increasing number of companies outsource logistics activities to third-party logistics (3PL) providers to beat the competition. From the buyer's (shippers') perspective, selecting the right 3PL provider is crucial, and from the 3PL provider's perspective, it is imperative to be attractive and to retain clients. To this aim, a potential lever can be physical assets, such as warehouses, which the literature has traditionally neglected. The objective is to benchmark the importance of warehouses for 3PL providers to attract/retain clients and for shippers to select the right 3PL provider.Design/methodology/approach: The authors performed an empirical investigation through interviews on dyads (3PL providers/shippers) and utilized the Best-Worst Method (BWM) to rank the criteria used in the 3PL buying process and allow the warehouse's role to emerge.Findings: Results show that the 3PL buying process consists of four phases and three evaluation steps. The selection criteria are classified into three groups: order qualifiers, order winners and retention factors. The warehouse has different levels of importance throughout the process. It appears that it can indirectly enhance the attractiveness and retention capability of 3PL providers through other selection criteria.Originality/value: By combining the resource-based view and the customer value theory, this research extends the theory on logistics outsourcing by studying the phases of the 3PL buying process and scrutinizing the criteria used in different evaluation steps. The research adds a double perspective of analysis (3PL providers and shippers), which is missing in the literature, and focuses on the importance of warehouses.

The recent trends in logistics outsourcing have led to the need to investigate the 3PL (third-party logistics) industry better. However, the attention has always been focused on operative performance, and the role of the warehouse has been skimmed over. This research aims to define the relationship between warehouse features and the performance indicators of 3PLs, filling the literature gap. This research provides insight into 3PLs’ way of thinking, helping 3PLs identify the right warehouse features to improve their performance and providing guidance for real estate companies in designing warehouses meeting 3PLs’ needs. The analysis uses a case study approach, carried out by interviewing 3PLs that provided data coded according to the dimensions of the Kano model. This methodology was used to generate an in-depth understanding of how 3PLs evaluate the different warehouse features that are able to drive their performance. The “perfect warehouse” is placed in an accessible location; it has loading bays, a standard layout, and a height suitable to optimize the flow of goods, and it utilises the spaces to make the service flexible and responsive. In addition, the warehouse should have internal areas, such as mezzanines, to deliver value-added services.

Purpose: The logistics sector significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, with warehousing activities responsible for 13% of the sector’s emissions. Despite the growing focus on sustainability, limited research explicitly addresses green warehouses and their environmental impact. This study aims to fill this gap by identifying key factors for creating a green warehouse and developing an innovative rating model.Design/methodology/approach: Focusing on the Italian logistics real estate sector, which is experiencing growth in both contract logistics and real estate, this research identifies 22 key sustainability factors. These factors are validated using the Delphi methodology, involving 22 experts selected from real estate agents, property developers, investors, 3PLs and academics. Then, the model was applied to a sample of 35 warehouses, providing an initial sustainability assessment.Findings: The results reveal significant variability in the importance assigned to sustainable practices for warehouses. The study also highlights specific sustainability factors frequently overlooked in the literature, underscoring the limitations of traditional green certifications not specifically tailored to warehousing.Originality/value: This research proposes a novel rating model designed to meet the sustainability needs of warehouses, distinguishing it from existing certifications that lack warehouse-specific criteria. From an academic perspective, it fills gaps in knowledge about the sustainability of logistics real estate, while from a business perspective, it provides a practical tool for logistics managers to assess and prioritise sustainability investments. This focused framework enables warehouse operators to make more informed decisions in line with evolving market demands for sustainable practices.

Purpose: Grocery retailers in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector are reconfiguring their logistics networks to address rising operational complexity and technological disruption. In this context, warehouse automation is moving beyond operational support to play a strategic role, enabling firms to redesign processes and adapt logistics systems to dynamic market and technological conditions. Despite the growing relevance of automation, empirical understanding of how automated technologies are selected, combined, and adapted in grocery DCs remains limited. This study addresses this gap by investigating how grocery retailers implement warehouse automation to transform logistics processes in response to evolving operational complexity and market demands. Design/methodology/approach: A multi-phase qualitative approach was adopted, combining semi-structured interviews with eight automation providers and six grocery retailers, complemented by site visits. Data were analysed through the Gioia method to inductively derive recurring patterns and managerial logics. The emerging framework was then interpreted through the lens of the DCT. Findings: The study identifies six DC processes supported by distinct automation technologies, such as AS/RS systems, miniloads, shuttles, and robotic picking stations, and five strategic decision factors guiding automation decisions: selectivity, accessibility, expandability, scalability and resilience. Interpreted through the lens of dynamic capabilities theory, these dimensions show how the implementation of automation supports firms in sensing operational requirements, seizing technological opportunities and sustaining long-term adaptability and operational continuity. Originality/value: This research bridges the gap between theory and practice in grocery logistics by conceptualising warehouse automation implementation as a dynamic capability. It provides a validated framework for scholars and practitioners, supporting informed, future-oriented automation strategies in retail distribution.