Prioritize location relative to I‑5 and port access, documented carrier integrations (parcel/LTL/intermodal), modern WMS and EDI/API connectivity, dock and yard capacity, reverse-logistics capabilities, and flexible labor models to support seasonality and peak volumes.

Rent and some labor costs in Olympia are generally lower than in central Seattle/Tacoma markets, which can lower fixed overhead. Evaluate total landed cost including last‑mile carrier fees and transit miles; savings on real estate can be offset by carrier rate zones or additional mileage if final-mile density is low.

Expect same-day local deliveries, 1–2 day ground transit across much of western Washington/Oregon, 2–4 day West Coast transit, and 3–5+ days to central/northeast U.S. Major parcel carriers, regional LTL providers, and intermodal services operate in the area; cross-border shipments to Canada rely on established I‑5 and port routes with standard customs processing.

Onboarding usually follows: contract and SLA negotiation, systems integration and testing (1–3 weeks), inbound appointment scheduling and initial inventory intake (1–2 weeks), slotting and process validation, then test order cycles and ramp to steady state. Full transition typically completes in 4–8 weeks depending on complexity.