Prioritize carrier access (highway and rail links), proximity to manufacturing and retail catchment, available service mix (cold chain, cross-dock, kitting), SLA performance (pick accuracy, order cycle time), and tech (WMS/API). Also review labor availability, peak-season capacity, and cost-to-serve by SKU to align pricing with SKU velocity and margin targets.

A Zhoukou location reduces inland transit times to Central China and offers flexible carrier choices through regional LTL/FTL and rail feeders. Expect improved last-mile performance to nearby provinces, efficient consolidation for longer hauls, and reduced overall transit variability when paired with optimized carrier contracts and multimodal routing strategies.

Analyze storage (per pallet/cubic), handling (pick/pack, putaway), inbound/outbound accessorials, minimum monthly charges, labor and overtime rules, slotting and replenishment fees, WMS/API charges, shrink and returns handling, and seasonal rate adjustments. Model cost-to-serve per SKU to reveal true profitability under proposed commercial terms.

Expect API or EDI integrations with ERP and marketplaces, real-time inventory and shipment feeds, standard barcode scanning and lot/expiry control, configurable SLA and KPI dashboards, and support for EDI/CSV order flows. Confirm uptime SLAs, data security practices, and change management for peak events and promo spikes.