Prioritize WMS integration and API/EDI connectivity, inventory accuracy guarantees, scalable picking and packing capacity, cross-dock and consolidation services, returns and reverse-logistics handling, and transparent SLA reporting. These capabilities directly impact lead times, cost per order, and customer experience.

Proximity to national highways and rail spurs reduces line-haul time and fuel costs; sites near regional interchanges offer faster access to carriers and better density for LTL consolidation. Choose locations that minimize deadhead miles to your major demand centers to lower transit times and per-shipment cost.

Key KPIs include order cycle time, OTIF (on-time-in-full), inventory accuracy, pick-and-pack productivity (lines or units per hour), dock-to-stock time, return processing time, and chargeback frequency. Monitor these alongside cost-per-order and storage utilization.

Look for reinforced floors, high-bay racking, sufficient dock doors, staged cross-dock areas, temperature-controlled zones if required, and a WMS with EDI/API for shipment automation. Robust reporting, SLA dashboards, and scalable labor are essential for B2B cadence.

Strategies include consolidating SKUs to reduce footprint, improving slotting to raise picking productivity, negotiating volume and long-term rate tiers, using multi-client storage to share fixed costs, and aligning replenishment cadence to reduce safety stock and storage days.