Prioritize on‑time shipment percentage, pick‑and‑pack accuracy, dock door capacity per peak hour, average order cycle time, SKU throughput by bin type, and WMS/TMS integration latency. Also evaluate carrier lane coverage and average transit days to your top customer ZIPs.

Carrier density and regional zone boundaries determine parcel pricing and LTL/FTL routing. Proximity to major highways and intermodal yards in Marathon reduces drayage and gateway time, improving transit reliability and lowering per‑shipment transportation cost for both parcel and palletized flows.

Compare warehouse rent, slotting and racking fees, labor (per pick/hour), pick & pack charges, inbound receiving costs, inventory storage tiers, outbound carrier access fees, value‑added services, billing cadence, and any minimum monthly throughput or SKU charges.

Typical timelines range from 6–12 weeks for standard eCommerce setups with API WMS integration, inventory transfers, and test orders. Complex B2B EDI, custom labeling, or temperature‑controlled flows can extend onboarding to 12–18 weeks. Plan parallel testing windows and buffer inventory for launch.

Assess returns processing SLA, inspection and disposition workflows, integration with order management for resale or restock, capacity for batch QC, and the 3PL’s ability to route items to repair, refurbishment, liquidation, or disposal with clear cost and timing metrics.