Prioritize road-accessibility and carrier schedules, experience with Malawi/Mozambique customs, bonded storage options, transparent tariff and billing practices, and technology for WMS and shipment visibility. Evaluate scalability for seasonal peaks and the provider’s SLA for order accuracy and on-time dispatch.

Transit times are generally shorter for direct overland movements into neighboring Malawi and northern Mozambique compared with routing via Lusaka. Freight costs benefit from reduced inland mileage and fewer transshipments, but vary by carrier, lane density, and whether consolidation at Chipata is used to optimize container utilization.

Verify pick-and-pack accuracy, inventory slotting and SKU density limits, returns processing and reverse logistics workflows, integration APIs for order management, and physical security and pest control standards. Confirm performance KPIs, inventory reporting cadence, and lead times for scaling capacity.

Providers should demonstrate customs brokerage experience, correct tariff classification, export/import paperwork handling, familiarity with regional trade agreements, and capacity to manage bonded or transit declarations. Clear procedures for pre-shipment inspections and carrier handoffs reduce border dwell time.

Ask for a transparent cost model including warehousing per-pallet or per-cubic-meter rates, handling fees, pick-and-pack charges, cross-docking, local haulage, and average days inventory held. Compare these to inland transport savings, reduced demurrage risks, and service-level impacts on customer delivery promises.