Prioritize WMS functionality and integration (APIs/EDI), measurable SLAs (OTIF, pick accuracy), dock capacity and yard management, bonded/customs services, carrier connectivity, minimums and scalability. Verify onboarding timelines, reporting cadence and contingency plans for peak season volume.

Bratislava often yields lower facility and labor costs than adjacent metropolitan hubs while maintaining competitive transit times across Central Europe. Trade-offs include evaluating last-mile carrier density, potential lane-specific rates, and how warehouse location within the region affects pickup/delivery windows and consolidation opportunities.

Confirm real-time WMS connectivity, multi-carrier parcel integrations, rate-shopping capability, returns management portal, barcode and label compliance, and dashboards for inventory and SLA reporting. Also validate EDI/API support for order flow, ASN and invoicing to minimize manual reconciliation.

Negotiate clear volume tiers, base rates and variable pricing, defined SLAs (OTIF, lead times, accuracy), chargeable events, minimum notice for seasonality, audit and exit rights, and cargo liability limits with appropriate insurance. Include dispute resolution, performance reviews and SLA credits tied to measurable metrics.