Prioritize proximity to major corridors and ports, facility layout (racking, cross-dock bays), scalable labor availability, security and insurance, tech stack compatibility (WMS, APIs), SLA history (order accuracy, OTIF), and local customs support. These factors determine cost-to-serve and speed for both domestic and regional shipments.

Dabou often delivers lower land rent and labor costs, shifting spend toward transportation and consolidation. Expect charges for storage density, pick/pack by tier, inbound receiving, value-added services (kitting, labeling), and fuel/route surcharges. Minimums and monthly handling commitments may also influence per-unit pricing.

Set clear KPIs: order accuracy (>99%), on-time fulfillment (OTIF), inventory accuracy, pick-to-ship lead times (same-day or next-day for local lanes), returns processing SLA, and exception response windows. Define reporting cadence and penalties or credits for missed SLAs to align incentives.

Confirm road connectivity to Abidjan port and ICDs, availability of coastal feeder services, regional LTL and parcel carriers coverage, freight forwarding and customs brokerage partnerships, and real-time tracking integrations. Also validate contingency routing and warehousing capacity for seasonal demand spikes.