Prioritize racked storage capacity, cold‑chain certification and temperature‑monitoring, cross‑dock throughput, carrier EDI/API integration, and measured SLA metrics (order cycle time, picking accuracy, OTIF). Also verify peak‑season scalability and value‑added services like kitting and reverse logistics to match your fulfillment profile.

Multimodal access (road, air via El Tepual, and nearby maritime terminals) allows flexibility in carrier routing—shorter trucking lanes to regional retailers, air for time‑sensitive SKUs, and sea for containerized exports. Choose 3PLs with established carrier SLAs and booking relationships to minimize handoffs and variability in transit times.

Model fixed costs (rack/footprint, security, utilities), variable handling (picks, packs, inbound receiving), storage tiers (ambient vs refrigerated), transport accessorials, and chargeback mechanisms for returns. Include seasonality, minimums, and any investments required for integrations or expanded capacity.

Conduct site visits to verify infrastructure and workflows, audit technology stack and integration capability, request SLA and KPI reporting samples, validate cold‑chain controls and insurance, and check references for similar SKUs and peak‑season performance to reduce onboarding risk.