Prioritize metrics that affect total delivered cost and service: transit time to priority markets, carrier density, facility configuration (ambient/cold/cross‑dock), WMS and API maturity, SLA performance history, and scalable labour availability. Also factor in real estate costs and access to ports or rail nodes.

Proximity to major roads, interchanges and nearby ports reduces line‑haul and last‑mile miles, lowering fuel and labour costs and enabling tighter delivery windows. Multimodal options permit consolidation and routing flexibility, which reduces peak‑season pressure and overall transit variability.

Look for WMS with real‑time inventory, API or EDI connectivity for order flows, carrier management and rate shopping, returns processing, and reporting dashboards. Integration maturity reduces manual touchpoints, improves inventory accuracy, and speeds time‑to‑market for promotions and new SKUs.

Negotiate clear SLAs for receiving, pick/pack, and dispatch; volume‑tiered pricing and minimums; liability and insurance terms; seasonal capacity guarantees; and termination or exit plans for inventory transfer. Include KPIs and remedies for repeated SLA breaches to maintain operational resilience.