Prioritize highway and intermodal access, dock-door and cross-dock capacity, racking and climate-control options, WMS integration and API connectivity, reliable local labor availability, and carrier relationships for last-mile delivery. Align these with SLA requirements for lead time, handling, and seasonal throughput.

Compare line-item costs: storage (per pallet or cubic), inbound handling, pick-and-pack tiers, packaging, returns processing, and monthly minimums, plus carrier rates and fuel surcharges. Run scenario-based activity models (average order, peak week, return rate) to surface true per-order and per-SKU economics.

Yes—when the 3PL offers scalable capacity, segmented slotting, dedicated bulk handling lanes, robust WMS, multi-carrier integrations, and established returns processing. Confirm demonstrated throughput for peak seasons and references for mixed-channel operations to ensure service consistency.

Enforce KPIs such as order accuracy, on-time ship rate, inventory accuracy, dock-to-stock time, pick productivity, and average fulfillment lead time. Include SLA penalties or credits, chargeback rules, audit rights, cadence for operational reporting, and data access for your ERP/WMS integration.