Focus on multimodal access (road + rail), SLA performance for pick-and-pack, IT/API integration for inventory and order sync, capacity for seasonal peaks, and available value-added services like kitting, returns handling and temperature control to match your SKU profile.

Occupancy and labor costs are generally lower than capital cities, reducing storage and handling rates. Negotiate tiered volumetric pricing, minimums tied to seasonal forecasts, shared labor pools for peaks, combined inbound receiving windows, and bundled IT/transport packages to lower total landed cost.

Expect direct motorway routes to Austria and Hungary, regional rail interchanges, and short hauls to Maribor for airfreight consolidation. Top 3PLs offer integrated carrier networks with daily outbound lanes, pallet forwarding, and regional LTL consolidation to optimize transit times and costs.

Include pick accuracy, on-time dispatch, order cycle time, inventory accuracy, damage rates and return-processing SLAs. Add penalties or credits tied to SLA breaches, audit rights, data access provisions (real-time inventory feeds), and capacity commitments for seasonal scaling.