Assess road connectivity to major highways and border gates, proximity to feeder ports, availability of bonded warehouse and customs facilitation, carrier density for LTL/FTL and parcel networks, cold‑chain capability if needed, and on‑site loading docks and yard capacity. Verify seasonal road reliability and alternative routing options for continuity.

Lower land and wage levels typically reduce storage and handling costs versus coastal megacities, lowering fixed per‑order overhead. Factor in transport miles to main customer markets, potential seasonal access impacts, and any regional public incentives or tax credits. Model landed cost per order including inbound, outbound, and cross‑border duties to compare sites.

Negotiate SLAs for order lead time, on‑time outbound departures, customs clearance timelines, inventory accuracy, and returns handling. Confirm capacity for pick‑and‑pack scaling, temperature control if required, outbound carrier cutoffs, EDI/WMS integration, and clear performance remedies for missed SLAs.

Request historical KPIs: OTIF, order cycle time, inventory accuracy, dock‑to‑stock time, SKU velocity reporting, and capacity ramp profiles. Audit systems and integrations (WMS/TMS/APIs), run a pilot volume, validate freight lane performance to customer zones, and check contingency plans for seasonal disruptions to confirm scalability.