Prioritize carrier connectivity (air and sealift), proven handling in cold and constrained environments, IT visibility (WMS/EDI), SLA metrics, customs and compliance experience, and contingency plans for seasonal disruptions. Assess unit economics for consolidation, storage, and expedited shipments to determine true cost‑to‑serve.

Use demand forecasting and inventory prepositioning to reduce emergency airfreight; consolidate inbound shipments and schedule around sealift windows; negotiate bundled services (storage, pick‑pack, consolidation); and require transparent reporting of landed cost and SLA penalties to align incentives.

Require secure storage with temperature control where needed, flexible cross‑dock and staging areas, scalable pick‑and‑pack operations, returns processing, robust WMS with real‑time inventory, and integrations with regional carriers and marketplace platforms to maintain service consistency across channels.

Seasonality necessitates higher safety stock and staging ahead of sealift windows, use of southern hub consolidation to optimize loads, and contingency airfreight plans. Warehouse placement should favor nodes with reliable carrier access and rapid transshipment capability to minimize lead‑time variability.