Evaluate WMS functionality and API/EDI integrations, inbound receiving throughput, pick-and-pack accuracy, slotting and racking flexibility, SLA performance (OTD, accuracy), returns processing, scale-up capacity for seasonality, and onboarding timelines for inventory migration and systems integration.

Local 3PLs in Scottsbluff can reduce regional last-mile miles and LTL costs to nearby states, improving delivery windows. However, national lanes to/from coasts may be longer; evaluate lane-level cost models, parcel zone impacts, and frequency of long-haul consolidation to determine net savings for your SKU mix.

Require climate-controlled storage with monitoring, segregated racked space, dock-level loading, HACCP/food-safety or pharma-relevant standards where applicable, temperature-mapped receiving, and documented chain-of-custody procedures to support cold-chain integrity and B2B trust requirements.

Request order fill rate, on-time shipment percentage, inventory accuracy, dock-to-invoice cycle time, average receiving days, return processing time, claims frequency, SLA credits, system uptime, and references for similar volume profiles to ensure apples-to-apples evaluation.