Prioritize facility layout (dock doors, staging, cross-dock zones), storage type (racked, bulk, cold chain), automation level, WMS and carrier integrations, SLA and KPIs, returns processing, and capacity scalability. Verify carrier lanes and lead times to key customer markets and demand seasonality to align network design with service expectations.

Port access at Samsun shortens sea legs within the Black Sea basin, while highway and rail links reduce inland transit times to central Anatolia. This multimodal mix improves schedule flexibility for imports and enables efficient cross-border distribution to the Caucasus and neighboring regions when combined with local carrier partnerships.

Expect lower land and labor costs that improve warehousing unit economics, but evaluate domestic transit time increases to western metropolitan customers. Balance reduced operating costs against potential carrier rate differentials and add transit zones or inventory decentralization to maintain service levels.

Require a modern WMS with API/EDI integrations for order flow, real-time inventory visibility, shipment tracking, and configurable alerts. Request KPI dashboards for order accuracy, on-time shipments, dwell time, and claims metrics, plus routine audit and reconciliation processes to validate SLA compliance.