Evaluate throughput (lines per hour), inventory accuracy, order cycle time, labor productivity, and peak capacity. Review WMS integration, historical seasonal performance, headcount flexibility, and contingency plans for labor or equipment constraints to confirm the provider can scale with demand.

Prioritize proximity to major highways and intermodal terminals, available cross-dock bays, dock-level racking, and bonded or temperature-controlled zones. Confirm carrier tenders accepted, parcel zone optimization, and negotiated regional LTL contracts to lower freight spend.

eCommerce often incurs higher pick-and-pack and packaging costs per order; B2B favors pallet storage and liftgate or less-than-truckload charges. Budget for storage by pallet or cubic foot, pick fees, dimensional-weight billing, inbound receiving, and accessorials like returns handling or special labeling.

Require inventory accuracy SLAs, on-time shipment percentages, and order lead-time guarantees. Verify real-time WMS/API or EDI integration, daily inventory snapshots, shipment exception reporting, and customizable dashboards for KPIs to maintain control across channels.