Prioritize proximity to demand centers and arterial roads, warehouse footprint and racking type, labor availability and productivity metrics, equipment and cold-chain capabilities, WMS/TMS interoperability, SLA definitions (picks, accuracy, lead times), and transparent carrier-neutral billing to measure total cost-to-serve.

Key cost drivers include lease and land costs, labor rates and shift flexibility, handling and storage density (pallet vs. bin), cross-dock frequency, and transport lane distances. These affect parcel zone distribution and carrier selection; optimizing node placement often reduces parcel zone creep and dimensional-weight charges.

Require a modern WMS with API or EDI connectivity, shipment manifesting and TMS linkage, real-time inventory visibility, returns management, exception reporting, and access to dashboards and standardized KPI reports. Insist on audit-ready billing and clear charge-back mechanisms to avoid hidden fees.

Expect a staged timeline: 2–4 weeks for operational assessment and contracting, 3–8 weeks for systems integration and testing, 2–4 weeks for pilot and process tuning, and go-live thereafter. Total onboarding commonly ranges 8–16 weeks depending on integration complexity, SKU count, and specialized handling needs.