Prioritize carrier connectivity (air and sealift schedules), cold chain certifications, staging capacity for seasonal loads, customs and documentation expertise, and transparent cost‑to‑serve metrics. Request KPIs for inventory accuracy, OTIF, and dwell time to align service levels with SKU economics.

Air freight increases per‑unit costs while seasonal sealift offers lower per‑pallet rates but limited windows. Effective 3PLs mitigate cost and lead‑time volatility through consolidation, timed staging, demand smoothing, hubbing to southern ports, and flexible inventory buffers to avoid emergency shipments.

Include SLAs for OTIF, order cycle time, inventory accuracy, claims resolution, and temperature control. Specify infrastructure commitments—cold storage capacity, equipment uptime, seasonal staffing plans—and penalties or remedies for missed seasonal transfer windows to protect service continuity.