Blind Shipment

What is a Blind Shipment?

A blind shipment is when the consignee involved in a shipment is unaware of who the shipper is.

This type of shipment is requested by distributors who want their goods shipped directly to the retailer to avoid going through additional distribution channels. This helps conceal if a product was shipped from a third-party vendor.

The third party vendor's information is removed from the shipping label and replaced with the seller's information. Therefore, the customer is "blind" to who fulfilled the order.

There are also cases of a double blind shipment, in which the shipper is unaware of where a shipment will be delivered to and the consignee is unaware of where the shipment is coming from.

When do you use a blind shipment?

Distributors and drop shippers use blind shipments to keep supplier details private from the end customer. Tell your forwarder or carrier up front, because the shipping documents must still identify the correct shipper while the label and packing slip show only the seller's information. Ask how your carrier handles the paperwork so customs documents stay accurate.

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