Prioritize dock capacity and layout, cold‑chain availability if needed, inventory management system compatibility (WMS/API), SLA guarantees for picking and shipping, and documented carrier integrations. Also assess yard management, security, and contingency plans for seasonal volume surges.

Rent and labor rates drive baseline storage and handling costs; evaluate activity-based pricing (picking, packing, returns) and minimum billing. Lower labor rates can reduce unit handling costs, but factor in productivity, training, and overtime exposure during peaks to avoid service degradation.

Assess proximity to primary highways and cross-border checkpoints, frequency of scheduled carrier departures, and the 3PL's relationships with regional freight forwarders. Customs clearance timelines, permits, and seasonal road conditions materially influence ETA consistency.

Insist on SLA-backed metrics such as order accuracy %, on-time dispatch %, inventory accuracy %, average pick-and-pack lead time, and damage rates. Require transparent reporting cadence, root-cause analysis for exceptions, and agreed remedial actions for SLA breaches.