Prioritize location relative to major highways and customer clusters, available storage types (bulk, racked, temperature-controlled), workforce availability and labor flexibility, technology integration (WMS/EDI/API), and carrier connectivity. Also verify SLA structures for order cutoffs, lead times, and contingency plans for peak seasons.

Compare unit costs (receiving, storage per pallet/SKU, pick/pack), minimums, value-added service fees, billing cadence, and accessorial charges. Evaluate how volume discounts scale, any guaranteed throughput windows, invoicing transparency, and clauses for volume variability and seasonality to avoid unexpected cost spikes.

Confirm racking and floor capacity, headroom, dock configuration, power redundancy, fire suppression, CCTV and access controls, insurance limits, pest control, and any required certifications. For cross-border or bonded operations validate customs facilitation capabilities and compliance with local regulatory requirements.

Track OTIF (on-time in-full), order accuracy, inventory accuracy, lead-time (order-to-ship), dock-to-stock cycle time, return processing time, and chargeback rates. Require regular dashboards and monthly business reviews with root-cause analysis and continuous improvement plans tied to contractual KPIs.