Prioritize multimodal carrier reliability (sea and air), cold-chain capacity, WMS and EDI integration, contingency plans for weather-driven disruptions, local labor availability, and scalable storage options to match seasonal demand and SKU complexity.

Transit times to final island destinations are usually shorter from a local 3PL but inbound replenishment costs can be higher due to limited sailings and air freight premiums. Evaluate total landed cost, inventory carry tradeoffs, and frequency of shipments to balance speed versus transportation spend.

Look for temperature-controlled storage, robust pick-and-pack and kitting operations, cross-docking, secure receiving and consolidation services, real-time WMS visibility, and clear SLAs for order accuracy and on-time dispatch to support diverse channel needs.

Require explicit SLAs for on-time-in-full (OTIF), order accuracy, claims and liability limits, fuel and seasonality surcharge clauses, minimum notice windows for capacity changes, and clearly defined force majeure and emergency response procedures.