Prioritize connectivity to major highways and rail, warehouse layout and racking systems, staffing and labor reliability, inventory accuracy rates, and the 3PL’s WMS and carrier integrations. Evaluate sample KPIs like order-to-shipment lead time, on-time-in-full (OTIF), and pick accuracy to compare providers.

Closer access to major carriers and ports reduces drayage, consolidates LTL/FCL routing options, and shortens transit windows. That lowers landed cost by reducing freight spend and inventory days; also enables more predictable lead times for cross-border or import-heavy assortments.

Look for multi-temperature storage, fast-pick zones, batch and wave picking capability, reverse logistics processing, integrated parcel rating and manifesting, and robust API connectivity to marketplaces and OMS for real-time inventory synchronization.

Compare total cost using cost-to-serve models: per-SKU storage per month, per-line pick/pack fees, inbound receiving and putaway charges, kitting and returns handling, and expected outbound freight spend based on your parcel profile and lane mix. Factor seasonality and minimums into scenario modeling.