Prioritize transit-time impact to target markets, availability of bonded or customs-broker services, warehouse layout for high-throughput pick‑pack, SLA guarantees for order cutoffs, and TMS/WMS integration to support real-time inventory and omnichannel order routing.

Closer proximity reduces inland drayage and lead times, enabling lower landed costs and faster replenishment. It also improves access to international ocean and air freight schedules, which is critical for split-sourcing, expedited orders, and reducing buffer stock requirements.

Look for flexible square footage and racking options, seasonal labor pools or managed labor services, clear throughput-based billing, contingency SLAs for volume spikes, and transparent inbound/outbound handling rates to avoid surprise costs during peaks.

Evaluate WMS functionality for batch picking, lot and serial tracking, and returns processing; check API or EDI readiness for your storefronts and carriers; request uptime and data‑exchange SLAs; and confirm reporting granularity for cost-to-serve and inventory velocity analysis.