Transport links materially affect transit times and shipping costs. A 3PL with direct connections to major motorways, rail terminals and airport freight services reduces lead times to northern UK, Midlands and Scottish markets. Carrier hubs in the region improve parcel cutoffs and last‑mile rates; confirm carrier contracts, daily linehaul schedules and dock capacity during peak periods.

Expect a mix of storage (per pallet or per sqft), inbound handling, pick & pack fees (per pick or per order), outbound parcel pass‑throughs, kitting/setup charges and peak surcharges. Minimum throughput, billing cadence, slotting optimization fees and integration/setup costs also impact total landed fulfillment cost. Negotiate visibility on true per‑order cost components.

Assess reverse logistics workflows, returns processing SLAs, availability of local sortation and same‑day pick/pack cutoffs, and proximity to urban last‑mile density. Check WMS workflows for returns disposition, SLA reporting, and carrier drop‑off windows. Confirm peak capacity planning, buffer inventory locations and real‑time order routing rules for channel prioritization.

Require a modern WMS with API or EDI connectivity, inventory visibility and reconciliation, multi‑carrier shipping integration, carrier rate shopping, and exception management. Look for support for ASNs, batch processing, reporting dashboards and automation integration points (sortation, conveyors) to reduce handling time and scale with demand.