Evaluate road quality to main highways, distance to customs checkpoints and border crossings, access to consolidation terminals, availability of local carrier partners for last-mile, and seasonal reliability of routes. Also confirm facility loading dock capacity and proximity to suppliers and primary customer clusters to model true transit times.

Land lease and labor rates in Preah Vihear are typically lower than coastal and Phnom Penh markets, reducing per-pallet storage and handling costs. Trade-offs include longer ocean/port transit or inland haulage if import-dependent, so include landed-cost modeling and transit-time impact when comparing total cost to serve.

Require proven WMS with API integrations, reliable pick-and-pack and kitting, returns and reverse-logistics handling, configurable SLAs for order accuracy and lead time, and scalable labor plans for peak seasons. Verify inventory visibility, cycle-counting accuracy, and reporting cadence aligned to retailer KPIs.

Bonded storage can defer duties and improve cash flow; customs expertise reduces clearance delays and compliance risk. Cross-border consolidation reduces LTL rates and handling events, lowering per-unit landed cost. Model fees, dwell time, and any broker charges to quantify net benefits.

Negotiate inventory accuracy, OTIF, order cycle time, receiving and putaway SLAs, chargeback rules, transparent per-pallet and per-order pricing, minimums, and formal price-review clauses. Include ramp-up provisions, capacity guarantees for peak periods, and penalties or remedies for repeated SLA breaches.