Assess proximity to major motorways for regional transit, access to cross-border lanes into Austria, Hungary and Croatia, and connections to Port of Koper and nearby airports. Also consider last-mile carrier density, local drayage options and typical transit times to your main customer clusters.

Match warehouse tier and slotting strategy to SKU velocity, confirm pick-and-pack throughput, returns handling and kitting capabilities, and require WMS/APIs for marketplace integrations. Scalable space and flexible labor arrangements reduce risk during peak seasons.

Compare monthly storage per pallet or per cubic meter, inbound and outbound handling rates, pick-and-pack fees, cross-dock or transload charges, billing cadence and any minimums. Include transport lanes to key destinations to calculate true cost-to-serve.

Confirm customs brokerage capabilities, EU VAT handling, export documentation, product classification expertise and experience with local inspection regimes. Ensure the 3PL has procedures for bonded storage or customs transit where required.

Require real-time inventory visibility, confirmed SLA metrics for order accuracy, on-time shipping, picking productivity and return processing times. Ensure API or EDI connectivity to your OMS/ERP and regular reporting cadence for continuous improvement.