Prioritize metrics that reflect cost, speed, and reliability: order cycle time, on-time shipment rate, picks per hour, inventory accuracy, cost per order, and carrier transit windows. Also evaluate SLA penalties, system uptime for WMS/API integrations, and transactional visibility for omnichannel order routing.

Model landed cost per SKU using zones and actual carrier rates, then compare against single-site warehouse rental and labor savings. Factor in delivery windows, returns velocity, and safety stock needs. Use zone-skipping and distributed inventory scenarios to quantify trade-offs between faster delivery and higher fixed costs.

Require a modern WMS with API-first integrations, real-time inventory visibility, OMS connectivity for order routing, EDI/portal options, and reporting dashboards. Ask about carrier integration for rate shopping, label generation, and automated exception handling to maintain SLAs across channels.

Inspect yard and dock design, clear height, racking density, segregation for returns, cold chain capacity if needed, labor availability, safety and security systems, and onsite equipment. Verify redundancy for power and connectivity, cross-dock capability, and proximity to carriers or intermodal nodes.