Prioritize connectivity to major ports and feeder services, berth and dock capacity, bonded/freight-forwarding capabilities, scalability of warehouse operations, and integration with your WMS/TMS. Also evaluate average throughput for peak seasons and proven carrier partnerships to control transit variability and cost-to-serve.

Request a cost model that includes inbound handling, customs/bonded fees, storage by pallet and cubic foot, pick-and-pack rates by SKU velocity, returns handling, and outbound carrier pass-throughs. Compare scenario-based quotes for peak and off-peak volumes and include inventory-carrying cost assumptions to get apples-to-apples comparisons.

Require real-time WMS APIs, EDI/SFTP or RESTful order flows, and visibility into inventory and shipments. Track KPIs such as order accuracy, on-time shipping, dock-to-door transit, inventory days on hand, and return-to-shelf time. Confirm SLA penalties and escalation paths in the contract.

Prioritize sites with multimodal links (port, road, and where available shortsea/air), proximity to main consumer corridors to minimize last-mile zones, and the ability to create cross-dock or micro-fulfillment nodes. Designing inventory splits by velocity will reduce transit times and lower expedited shipping costs.

Assess disaster recovery and contingency plans, dual-sourcing options within the region, insurance and liability terms, workforce contingency procedures, and the 3PL’s historical performance during disruptions. Request references and uptime metrics for critical systems to validate continuity claims.