Evaluate port and rail proximity, highway and interstate access, on-site cross-dock and TL/LTL capabilities, and parcel carrier pickup density. Also confirm WMS/EDI or API integrations with major carriers and your OMS to streamline rate shopping and tracking.

Compare total landed cost per SKU including inbound handling, pick-and-pack, storage, returns processing, and outbound parcel or LTL rates. Include value-added service pricing and service-level SLAs for cutoffs, accuracy, and chargebacks to align costs with required customer experience.

Prioritize dock-level scheduling, pallet consolidation, multi-drop routing, ASN/EDI compliance, and the provider's experience with freight audit and consolidation. Consider equipment availability for heavy loads and software that supports order batching and invoice reconciliation.

Request live demos of the WMS and reporting dashboards, sample API/EDI documentation, and references showing inventory accuracy and reporting cadence. Consider short pilot programs or phased onboarding to test cycle counts, returns flows, and real-time reporting.

Assess transit-time improvements versus incremental rent and labor costs, distribution center proximity to major consumer markets, regional carrier lane density, and potential incentives. Model multi-node inventory allocation to quantify service-level gains against increased carrying costs.