Prioritize proximity to highways and border crossings, bonded capacity for customs-efficient flows, available racked and ambient storage, WMS/API compatibility for inventory visibility, SLA performance for pick/pack/ship, labor skill levels, and value‑added services such as kitting, labeling, and returns handling.

Closer proximity reduces transit hours and fuel spend, increases available carrier options (regional trucking and intermodal), and lowers dwell at customs when bonded services exist — all of which can materially reduce landed cost and improve delivery predictability.

Negotiate clear SLA metrics (on-time delivery, pick accuracy, inventory accuracy), volume-based rate tiers, liability and insurance, real-time inventory visibility via WMS/API, defined chargeback procedures, seasonality adjustments, and onboarding and exit terms to limit operational risk.

Run a short-term pilot with a subset of SKUs to validate picking accuracy, lead times, and systems integration; set pilot KPIs and reporting cadence; test returns processing and reconciliation; review billing and true landed cost after the pilot before scaling or signing long-term contracts.