Prioritize location relative to demand zones, multimodal carrier access, WMS/API integration for real-time inventory, SLA and OTIF performance, scalability of labor and storage, and value-added services (kitting, labeling, returns). Evaluate onboarding timeline and reporting cadence to ensure visibility for omnichannel commitments.

Direct carrier lanes and multimodal links reduce handoffs, consolidation expense, and transit variability, lowering landed cost and improving delivery predictability. A warehouse with strong carrier partnerships enables better routing, consolidated LTL/FCL moves, and competitive express options that shorten lead times.

Focus on OTIF, order cycle time, inventory accuracy, cost per order, returns rate, and chargeback frequency. Also require automated reporting and API access for daily inventory and order-level status to enable continuous optimization and timely exception management.

Negotiate tiered pricing, seasonal capacity guarantees, flexible minimums, clear SLA penalties, and defined onboarding/exit terms. Include labor surge clauses, slotting change provisions, and transparent billing for storage, handling, and value-added services to align costs with demand swings.