Prioritize facility location relative to major highways and rail yards, proven throughput for your SKU profile, WMS integration and real‑time inventory visibility, clear SLA and penalty clauses, and documented security and compliance practices. Request performance reports and client references to validate operational consistency.

Focus on multimodal connectivity (rail and road), frequency of LTL and FTL services, proximity to cross‑dock and consolidation hubs, last‑mile partner coverage for urban endpoints, and typical carrier transit times. These elements drive inland transport cost, reliability and inventory days‑on‑hand.

Require accurate pick‑pack operations, returns processing, kitting/assembly, multi‑temperature storage if needed, cross‑dock and expedited handling options, and API/WMS connectivity for real‑time order and inventory data. Ensure SLAs for order accuracy and cut‑off times align with customer expectations.

Ask for a full cost breakdown including storage tiers, receiving and handling fees, pick/pack and packing materials, accessorials (demurrage, detention, manual handling), seasonal surcharges and billing cadence. Run scenario cost models for peak volumes and returns to capture variable costs and compare TCO across providers.