Prioritize throughput (orders/hour), dock door count and configuration, racking and cubic utilization, WMS integration and API maturity, SLA on order accuracy and lead time, and value‑add capabilities such as kitting, returns handling, and temperature control. Also evaluate carrier connectivity and sample cost-to-serve for your SKU profile.

Carrier density in Alta reduces fuel and linehaul charges and shortens transit zones. Frequent parcel and LTL pickups enable tighter cutoff times and regional next-day coverage. Negotiate pickup schedules, zone discounts, and dimensional pricing; model cost-to-serve for high‑velocity SKUs to quantify savings.

Negotiate transparent pricing for storage tiers, throughput, pallet handling, inbound receiving, and returns. Include volume tiers with rollback protection, minimum service levels, performance SLAs with penalties, and clear IT integration requirements. Consider mixed-mode (shared + dedicated) agreements to manage peak season scalability.

Use a demand‑weighted node analysis to place inventory close to high-density customer clusters while leveraging a regional hub for slower-moving SKUs. Combine a primary cross-dock or flow-through site for fast movers with micro-fulfillment nodes for same-day delivery; model landed cost and days-on-hand to identify the cost/time trade-off.