Prioritize dock door count and staging capacity, racking density, pick/pack throughput, on-time shipment rate, and order accuracy. Also require WMS/API access, SLA definitions for lead time and damage rates, and demonstrated labor scaling for peak seasons to align service with SKU velocity.

Closer proximity reduces drayage, lowers LTL/FTL mileage charges, and shortens transit windows—improving on-time delivery and lowering landed cost. Also reduces carbon footprint and enables same-day or next-day lanes for nearby urban centers.

Negotiate clear SLAs for order accuracy, on-time fulfillment, and claims resolution; define variable labor and storage pricing, minimums, and peak-season labor clauses; include termination rights, audit access, and change-order pricing to limit cost exposure.

Require a modern WMS with real-time inventory APIs, EDI/FTP or REST integrations for order flows, and reporting on picks per hour, inventory turns, and chargeback events. Dashboards and automated alerts for stockouts and inbound receipts are critical for replenishment and channel allocation.