Evaluate road connectivity to major hubs, racking density and clear height, available dock positions and cross-dock capability, temperature-controlled capacity for perishables, and the provider’s TMS/WMS integrations. Also review SLA reporting, inbound cutoffs for same- or next-day fulfillment, and their experience handling both parcel and palletized LTL shipments.

Local warehousing reduces long-haul repositioning and lowers last-mile kilometers. Savings come from lower real estate and labor rates, reduced detention and drayage, and shorter transit corridors to northern consumers. When combined with optimized carrier selection and inventory placement, this cuts transit times and inventory carrying costs.

Require on-time dispatch and delivery performance, inventory accuracy, order lead time, and shrink/returns handling KPIs. Insist on WMS with API or EDI connectivity, real-time inventory visibility, and carrier-agnostic shipment orchestration to maintain omnichannel fulfillment transparency and rapid exception handling.

Prioritize facilities offering ambient and refrigerated storage, flexible racking and bulk storage for seasonal surges, dedicated packing and kitting areas, and quality control processes for inbound produce. Access to light assembly, labeling, and reliable reverse-logistics processes will support omnichannel returns and market responsiveness.