Focus on carrier connectivity (regional highways and feeder ports), WMS/API capabilities for real-time inventory, dock and throughput capacity for peak volumes, labor skill and shift flexibility, and contractual SLAs for pick accuracy and lead times. Confirm value‑add services (kitting, returns) and transparent costing for storage, handling, and transport.

Pricing normally includes storage (per pallet or cubic meter), picking and packing (per order or per line), inbound receiving and putaway, outbound handling and consolidation, and transportation or fuel surcharges. Also budget for onboarding, WMS integration fees, and seasonal labor surcharges when projecting landed costs.

Request historical KPIs: pick accuracy, orders per hour, dock-to-stock time, average lead time, on-time shipment percentage, and returns processing time. Include sample SLA penalties, exception handling procedures, and real-time reporting cadence to ensure performance transparency.

Advantages include lower real estate and labor costs, proximity to regional markets that reduces transit distances, and flexible warehouse scaling. Limits may include fewer direct carrier lanes, longer national transits for some destinations, and potentially less dense labor markets—mitigate with carrier mix planning and clear SLA commitments.