Primary advantages include lower operating costs versus coastal hubs, proximity to Northeast regional markets, and access to multimodal transport (road, rail, airport). Expect specialized cold-chain options, scalable storage for seasonal inventory, and easier labor sourcing for fulfillment operations. Evaluate SLA metrics, tech integrations (WMS/APIs), and carrier partnerships when selecting a provider.

Review the 3PL's carrier network, express and regional last-mile partners, and scheduled rail/air departures. Ask for zone-based transit time maps, historical on-time metrics, and sample routing for your SKU flows. Consider warehousing proximity to major express hubs and intermodal terminals to minimize handoffs and transit variability.

Compare fixed costs (rack/space, minimums), variable handling fees (receiving, putaway, picking), storage rate tiers (ambient vs cold-chain), and outbound carrier allowances. Include inventory carrying, packaging, returns processing, and integration/setup fees. Request modeling for typical order profiles to calculate true per-order cost.

Require a modern WMS with API-based integrations for order, inventory, and shipping. Look for real-time inventory visibility, EDI or API order routing, barcode/scan workflows, and reporting/dashboards. For omnichannel, confirm support for split shipments, returns routing, and batch/slotting tools to maintain SLA adherence as volumes grow.