Prioritize capacity for your SKU mix, dock and staging counts, and peak throughput. Equally important: WMS compatibility, inventory accuracy guarantees, labor flexibility for seasonality, and carrier connectivity for your primary lanes. Ask for measured KPIs and sample cost-to-serve calculations.

Transit times determine available delivery promise windows and influence fulfillment node placement. Warehouses with multiple carrier contracts and regional hubs enable optimized parcel routing, fewer handoffs, and faster delivery. Factor in last-mile partners, zonal rates, and cut-off times when modeling service levels.

Expect a mix of fixed and variable fees: storage by pallet or cubic feet, pick/pack per line or per order, inbound receiving, outbound freight handling, and value-add operations (kitting, returns). Include billing cadence, minimums, temporary labor surcharges, and inventory holding policies in TCO comparisons.

Critical capabilities include real-time inventory visibility via API, EDI or API order flows, ASN and tracking updates, and standardized KPI reporting. Ensure the 3PL supports your ERP/WMS integrations, provides automated exception workflows, and offers role-based portals for order and inventory analytics.