Evaluate facility climate control, altitude‑adapted handling procedures, local carrier contracts, contingency plans for seasonal road closures, and proximity to airport/transport hubs. Confirm SLA metrics for order cutoffs, lead times, and emergency replenishment to match eCommerce or B2B cadence.

Seasonal road windows and weather variability increase the need for buffer inventory and can raise inbound transport costs. Many operators adopt forward stocking, inventory smoothing, and use air‑freight contingency to maintain SLA; pricing should reflect these operational tradeoffs.

Require pick‑and‑pack accuracy, configurable kitting, returns processing, batch traceability, and integration with your order management system. Also confirm capability for fragile, temperature‑sensitive, or regulated goods and proven last‑mile partners for remote delivery.

Prioritize 3PLs with established contracts across air and road carriers, consolidated shipping options to reduce per‑unit costs, real‑time tracking, and demonstrated contingency routing. Ask for carrier performance data and examples of managing peak seasonal demand.