Prioritize SLA adherence, slotting flexibility, and outbound consolidation capabilities. Evaluate pick-and-pack productivity, peak-season staffing plans, and equipment for your SKU mix. Confirm carrier network reach and average transit times to your top customer ZIPs to ensure alignment with delivery promises.

Check dock capacity, fork-lift and pallet-racking systems, and staging yard size. Validate freight handling procedures for palletized and loose goods, cross-dock throughput rates, and scheduled dock windows for LTL and full-truckload carriers to minimize demurrage and dwell time.

Include storage per pallet or cubic pricing, handling charges by pick tier, inbound receiving and audit fees, kitting/assembly costs, returns processing, and last-mile carrier surcharges. Factor in minimum monthly volume charges and peak-season rate adjustments to model total cost-to-serve.

Changzhi's inland location reduces inland transit time to northern and central provinces and can lower road congestion delays versus major coastal ports. This improves predictability for regional last-mile deliveries and often shortens multi-stop truck routes for B2B lanes.

Real-time inventory and order APIs are essential. Require WMS/OMS integration, EDI or modern API endpoints for order flow, configurable reporting, and exception alerts. Confirm SLA for data latency, onboarding timelines, and support for barcode/RFID scanning to maintain inventory accuracy.