Prioritize paved highway access, secure loading yards, and documented carrier partnerships that enable predictable transit times. Verify local customs handling, last-mile network reach into urban centers, and the 3PL’s ability to route via multiple carriers to mitigate single-carrier risk.

eCommerce often raises pick-and-pack and returns handling costs due to higher SKU velocity and order fragmentation; B2B favors palletized storage and scheduled LTL rates. Compare slotting fees, billing granularity, minimums, and value-added service pricing to model landed cost per order.

Require real-time inventory sync (WMS or API), order cycle-time reporting, fill rate, on-time pick metrics, and exception visibility. Confirm EDI/API connectivity for carriers, OMS integration for order routing, and accessible dashboards for analytics-driven inventory decisions.

Evaluate facility layout for surge capacity, contingency plans for route disruptions, labor availability, insurance and security protocols, and contractual SLAs tied to performance. Review historical capacity scaling, onboarding timelines, and references from similar customers.