Prioritize carrier access (parcel/LTL/TL), warehouse location relative to your customer base, inbound/outbound dock capacity, WMS integration and EDI support, value‑added service capabilities (kitting, returns), and transparent billing models. Evaluate real-world throughput samples and SLA performance for peak seasons.

Costs often balance lower industrial rent versus slightly higher last‑mile delivery spend depending on customer density. Labor pools here typically include experienced warehouse staff for picking, packing, and returns; consider labor productivity metrics, local wage trends, and seasonality when modeling total landed fulfillment cost.

Key features include multi-bay docks for mixed inbound flows, mezzanine or flexible racking for SKU density, robust WMS with order streaming for split-shipments, on-site returns processing, and integrated carrier manifesting to reduce handling time and speed ship windows.

Focus on proximity to interstates and distribution hubs to minimize line-haul costs, availability of LTL consolidation services to lower per-unit rates, access to TL capacity for palletized freight, and efficient drayage options for any nearby marine or air gateways to support import replenishment.