Evaluate WMS compatibility and API/EDI integrations, pick-and-pack throughput, order and inventory accuracy, dock availability and peak labor capacity. Model pricing: storage, handling, receiving and minimums, plus inbound cut-off times. Always calculate total landed cost—including local transport, cross-dock fees and duties—to compare true cost-to-serve across providers.

Transit leverages sea-to-rail and road corridors; short-haul truck transit to nearby capitals is often within a day, while rail routes provide competitive transit to Central Europe. Carrier choice varies by lane—major liner services, regional feeders and domestic road carriers are available. Assess service frequency, transshipment points and lane variability when modeling lead times.

Confirm certified cold-chain capacity and active temperature monitoring, bonded storage options, returns processing SLAs and reverse logistics workflows. Verify kitting and multi-SKU picking rates, peak scalability, same-day cut-offs and support for marketplace or OMS integrations required for omnichannel order routing.

Bonded warehouses and free zones can defer duties and simplify re-export, improving cash flow and reducing landed cost. Validate the 3PL’s customs brokerage experience, average clearance times, and documentation accuracy; these factors materially affect lead times, inventory velocity and compliance risk for import/export flows.

Request on-time shipment to carrier, order and inventory accuracy, average pick-to-ship and dock-to-ship times, SLA breach history and chargeback rates. Also evaluate capacity growth plans, real-time dashboard access, incident response SLAs and cadence of performance reviews to ensure transparency and scalability.