Prioritize inventory accuracy, integration with your eCommerce platform and OMS, transparent SLA commitments, returns processing, and demonstrated experience handling your order-profile. Also review receiving capacity, peak season surge plans, and KPIs for pick accuracy and on-time shipments to validate performance.

Assess proximity to major highways and feeder routes, typical transit times to your primary customers, density of regional carrier networks, and the potential for zone-skipping to reduce parcel spend. Factor in cross-dock options and multi-site strategies to improve coverage and resiliency.

Common elements include per-pallet or per-sqft storage, pick-and-pack fees by-piece or by-batch, receiving charges, and value-added service rates. Negotiate minimums, volume tiers, seasonal flex, and transparent passthroughs for fuel and accessorials to align incentives and lower unit costs.

Require evidence of insurance, site access controls, CCTV, and physical segregation for sensitive SKUs. Validate audit trails, EDI/API visibility, SLA-based reporting, routine operational audits, and scalable labor or automation options to handle volume increases without service disruption.