Prioritize dock capacity, peak throughput, slotting efficiency, and labor plans for seasonal peaks. Also assess carrier pickup schedules, TMS/WMS integration, SLA adherence, returns processing capabilities, and proximity to major highways and customer clusters. Review demo KPIs such as order cycle time and dwell time.

Carrier density and established freight lanes reduce deadhead and transit time, lowering freight spend and enabling shorter delivery windows. Evaluate the number of daily carrier pickups, LTL and parcel hub proximity, and negotiated zone-skipping options to model true cost-to-serve and lead-time improvements.

Look for WMS with API-based connectivity, real-time inventory visibility, EDI or API order exchange, barcode scanning, and configurable reporting. Ensure the 3PL can provide accurate cycle-counting, inventory reconciliation, and dashboards for order fill rate, OTIF and exception handling to support scaling.

Negotiate clear rate cards for storage, handling, and value-add services; volume tiers and minimums; labor surge pricing; SLA penalties for chargebacks; inventory ownership clauses; and termination notice. Include periodic rate review triggers and defined onboarding milestones to align expectations.