Prioritize proximity to ports and highways, dock and yard capacity, labor availability and shift flexibility, WMS/Warehouse integrations (API/EDI), SLA guarantees for cut-off and delivery, and the provider’s experience with your product mix and returns flows.

Carrier density and intermodal ramps in the region reduce deadhead and enable competitive routing. Shorter dray times from port and access to multiple carriers improve tender acceptance, reduce spot exposure, and compress door-to-door lead times, lowering overall freight spend.

Require focused capabilities: quick pick-and-pack throughput, high order accuracy, returns handling, kitting/assembly, batch and lot tracking, temperature control where needed, and direct integrations with your OMS and storefronts to automate order flow.

Standard KPIs include: order cycle time, on-time fulfillment rate, order accuracy (units per order error), inventory accuracy, dock-to-stock time, cost per order, and chargeback frequency. Combine reporting cadence with root-cause analysis for continuous improvement.