Evaluate WMS capabilities and integrations, racking and throughput capacity, temperature control if needed, cross-dock capabilities, carrier feed/APIs for parcel and LTL, labor skill and availability, and real-time KPI reporting for OTIF, order accuracy, and inventory visibility.

Model landed cost by combining regional freight rates (parcel/LTL/TL), average transit times to key ZIP codes, inventory carrying costs, and expected order fill rates. Include accessorials, fuel surcharges, and potential time-in-transit penalties to compare true landed cost and service trade-offs.

Require clear SLAs for OTIF, order accuracy, inventory accuracy, dock-to-stock timing, and chargeback provisions. Specify billing transparency, minimum notice for seasonal labor ramp, scalability terms for peak volume, and integration/testing timelines for WMS and carrier connectivity.