Prioritize distribution footprint relative to your customer base, carrier connectivity and common lane coverage, dock and staging capacity, return-processing capabilities, and WMS/TMS integration. Also validate SLAs for order accuracy, on-time shipment, and cut-off times that align with your delivery promises.

Lower industrial rents and competitive local labor rates reduce fixed cost components, but factor in seasonal labor variability and overtime. Model labor hours per pick, pallet storage density, equipment needs, and automation investments to compare true cost-to-serve across SKUs and channels.

Require API or EDI-based integration with your order management and marketplaces, real-time inventory visibility, and reporting on KPIs such as order accuracy, OTIF, cycle-count variance, average dwell time, and pick/pack productivity. Confirm escalation paths and data access rights.

Bel Ombre provides proximate port access and coastal shipping options that reduce inland transit and drayage, plus highway links to regional distribution hubs. Evaluate feeder services, LTL consolidation schedules, parcel pickup frequencies, and local forwarding partners for export documentation and customs clearance.