Prioritize throughput and reliability: evaluate WMS functionality, order accuracy rates, dock doors and cross-dock capacity, pick/pack cycle times, and scalability of labor. Also review integration APIs, inventory visibility, and SLA penalties to align costs with service expectations.

Carrier density and multimodal options directly reduce transit time and cost: access to major highways, nearby rail terminals and regional less-than-truckload (LTL) pools enables zone-skipping, lower last-mile spend, and more predictable lead times for both B2B and omnichannel orders.

Key KPIs and contractual clauses include:

• On-time shipment and order accuracy targets
• Inventory accuracy and cycle-count frequency
• Throughput and capacity ramp-rate guarantees
• Transparent fee schedules for exceptions and value-added services

Use multiple sites when customer density, last-mile cost, or transit-time objectives justify the added complexity. Allocate inventory based on demand forecasting, lead-time variability, SKU velocity, and safety stock needs—prioritizing proximity to high-demand zones and balancing holding costs with service level targets.