Prioritize proximity to major roads and ports, dock and yard capacity for container handling, and ceiling height/racking for SKU density. Evaluate 3PLs for real-time WMS integration, cross-dock ability, reverse logistics handling, and carrier connectivity to ensure consistent SLAs across retail, eCommerce, and B2B channels.

Land and labor rates in Fermo are typically lower than northern hubs, reducing fixed storage and handling costs. However, consider longer national transit legs or less frequent trunking. Run a cost-to-serve model including inbound dray, trunking frequency, and parcel surcharges to quantify total landed distribution costs.

Require KPIs for order accuracy, pick-to-ship time, on-time shipping, returns processing lead-time, and inventory reconciliation cadence. Include SLA clauses for seasonal scalability, floor/temporary labor, and contingency plans for carrier disruptions to maintain customer experience during peaks.

Seek WMS with API-enabled order and inventory sync, parcel and carrier rate-shopping, real-time inventory visibility, and support for EDI or modern webhooks. Also verify reporting, exception workflows, and the 3PL’s ability to implement custom rules for channel-specific packing and routing.

Confirm the 3PL’s relationships with freight forwarders, container terminals, and customs brokers; examine export documentation workflows, bonded storage options, and frequency of sailings or feeder services. Assess the 3PL’s ability to consolidate shipments and provide reliable ETAs to reduce dwell and demurrage risk.