Prioritize proven carrier networks (air, road, seasonal sealift), inventory staging, cold-chain and hazardous-materials handling, scalable labor models, WMS/EDI integration, and customs/brokering experience. These capabilities reduce dwell time and manage seasonal capacity constraints.

Transit times and costs vary by season: air freight is fastest but expensive, sealift provides bulk movement during summer windows, and ice/winter roads can enable access to some communities. Effective 3PLs use forward staging and consolidation to smooth costs and mitigate lead-time spikes.

Look for warehouses with temperature-controlled storage, cross-dock capacity, real-time WMS with carrier connectivity, kitting and returns processing, and strong SLAs for order accuracy and cutoffs. These systems support rapid fulfillment and lower returns handling costs.

Ask about carrier contracts and lead times, local last-mile partners, seasonal capacity plans, contingency protocols for weather disruptions, insurance and liability terms, and performance KPIs (OTD, accuracy, dwell time). Request examples of handling peak-season surges and emergency resupply to remote sites.