Evaluate proximity to the Szczecin–Świnoujście port, rail terminals and A6/E28 road corridors; intermodal transshipment capacity; dedicated parcel and pallet carrier hubs; transit-time performance to target markets; and the 3PL’s carrier SLAs and multi-carrier integration for peak seasons.

Lease rates and land costs are generally lower than western Germany and some central Polish hubs, with available modern parks around Szczecin and Stargard. Lower occupancy costs can improve unit economics, but evaluate handling automation, utility costs and labor availability when comparing total operating expense.

Prioritize multi-carrier parcel connectivity, real-time WMS/OMS integration, returns management, zone and temperature-controlled storage if needed, scalable pick & pack throughput, value-added services (kitting/labeling), and transparent inventory reporting to support SKU velocity and service-level commitments.

Segment inventory by demand and transit-time targets; place cross-dock or hub facilities near the port for inbound consolidation; position distribution nodes on the A6 corridor for fast road access to Germany; integrate TMS/WMS for carrier selection and dynamic routing; and define KPIs for lead time, fill rate and cost per order to validate network choices.