Key criteria include transit time to major customer markets, proximity to carriers and intermodal terminals, dock and cross-dock capacity, labor availability and cost, WMS/TMS integration, SLA guarantees, scalability for peak seasons, and transparent pricing for storage, pick/pack, and accessorials.

Closer carrier terminals and intermodal links reduce miles, consolidate loads, and enable multiple routing options—improving transit times and negotiating leverage on rates. They also support consistent delivery windows and quicker recovery during disruptions, lowering expedited and buffer inventory costs.

Prioritize Class A racking, sufficient dock doors, scalable labor models, automation-ready layouts, robust WMS with API connectivity, reverse-logistics workflows, and capacity flexibility for temporary storage or pop-up volumes to maintain SLA adherence during peaks.

Request example invoices, run sample pick/pack cost calculations, obtain detailed accessorial and chargeback schedules, validate inventory holding formulas, include scenario pricing for volume swings, and build KPI-based SLA clauses with audit rights to detect discrepancies.