Prioritize proximity to key customer clusters and major transport arteries, facility class and dock capacity, carrier and intermodal access, and workforce availability. Consider integration capabilities (WMS/APIs), peak-season scalability, and value-added services like kitting and returns handling for omnichannel fulfillment.

• Location & transit time
• Tech & integrations
• Labor & cost profile

Carrier density and intermodal links directly lower transit times and freight costs by enabling optimized routing, consolidated LTL, and rail or air legs where appropriate. Strong connectivity in Mapai improves service windows and supports flexible carrier mixes for peak redistribution and cross-border lanes.

Require high dock counts, clear heights for racking, bulk and ambient storage segregation, automation-readiness (conveyor, sortation) and resilient utility/connectivity. Also validate SLAs for receiving, putaway, picking accuracy, and returns processing to ensure consistent performance.

Key trade-offs include lower rent versus higher labor costs, basic storage versus managed inventory/value-added services, and fixed contract minimums versus flexible month-to-month space. Evaluate total landed cost impacts — picking labor, packaging, inbound handling, and outbound carrier rates — not just square-foot pricing.