According to Wikipedia, a distribution center for a set of products is a warehouse or other specialized building, often with refrigeration or air conditioning, which is stocked with products (goods) to be re-distributed to retailers, to wholesalers or directly to consumers. A distribution center is a principal part, the "order processing" element, of the entire "order fulfillment" process. Distribution centers are usually thought of as being "demand driven". A distribution center can also be called a warehouse, a DC, a fulfillment center, a cross-dock facility, a bulk break center, and a package handling center. The name by which the distribution center is known is commonly based on the purpose of the operation. For example a "retail distribution center" normally distributes goods to retail stores, an "order fulfillment center" commonly distributes goods directly to consumers, and a cross-dock facility stores little or no product but distributes goods to other destinations.
 
Learn more about distribution centers at the Warehouse Search website.
 
Distribution Center definition source : Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distribution_center retrieved and modified by the Fashion Newspaper 1/29/10.