Focus on transit proximity to your primary customer markets, carrier access and consolidation options, inbound/outbound throughput rates, storage density, cold chain capability (if needed), WMS integrations, SLA reporting, and availability of value‑added services. Request KPIs, site audits, and reference clients to validate operational performance before shortlisting.

Longer transit times increase inventory days and expedite costs; limited carrier density raises per‑parcel rates. Inland hubs can reduce landed costs through consolidation and lower facility rents, but you should model final mile times, carrier frequency, and multimodal options to confirm SLA compliance and total landed shipping expense.

Confirm WMS/WCS compatibility (APIs, EDI), supported marketplaces and ERPs, real‑time inventory visibility, standardized reporting cadence, access to raw operational data, SLA dashboards, system uptime guarantees, and support for testing/sandbox environments to validate integrations before go‑live.

Build a cost‑to‑serve model that includes inbound receiving, storage (per pallet/cubic meter), pick & pack by SKU profile, packing materials, outbound freight, returns handling, and monthly fixed fees. Run scenarios for seasonal peaks, SKU turnover, and SLA penalties to compare total landed costs and identify tradeoffs between price and service levels.