Prioritize measurable KPIs: order accuracy, on-time fulfillment, inventory accuracy, cycle time, cost-per-order, and peak throughput. Also verify WMS/API integration, SLA penalties, continuous improvement processes, and references showing performance during seasonal peaks.

Look for dock door density, high-bay racking, temperature zones, sufficient sortation and parcel staging areas, and proximity to highways and intermodal terminals. Confirm coverage from national parcel carriers plus reliable regional LTL and last-mile partners.

Transit-time reductions lower parcel zone costs and can enable next‑day or two‑day promises, but require trade-offs in inventory placement and distribution center density. Use intermodal and zone-skipping to reduce per-unit shipping cost while monitoring transit reliability for key lanes.

Negotiate clear SLAs, chargeback thresholds, volume tiers, minimum terms, transparency on accessorials, inventory ownership and reconciliation rights, audit access, and defined peak staffing plans. Consider short trial periods with scalable capacity clauses.

Request operational run-books, peak staffing plans, temp labor relationships, documented surge performance metrics, and a WMS capacity map. Ask for scenario-based testing results (e.g., 2x SKU volume) and references from clients who experienced recent peak events.