Modern businesses have several shipping and fulfillment options that they can depend on for their freight shipping strategy. Understanding the different nuances of each and when to use them is crucial to achieving a satisfactory customer experience. Blind shipping is the most common practice and option for shipping that businesses should understand and incorporate into their shipping repertoire, as it boosts their bottom line.
You are jeopardizing your business if you don’t understand the ins and outs of every strategy that you have. Without the correct information, businesses have the risk of using a dispatching technique that leads to unnecessary delivery delays and other obstructions in the dispatching process. This guide below highlights some essential things to know about blind shipping and when it comes in handy for your shipping operations.
Blind Shipping: Introducing The Concept
Most well-established carrier business owners have numerous shipping and fulfillment options available to them. Shippers can formulate their dispatching strategies using one or more of these options to meet shipping demands. Blind shipping is a popular strategy many truck businesses integrate into their system to fulfill their freight dispatching operations. If used strategically, it can help enhance their bottom lines, too.
Here is how blind shipping works and why it is essential for your freight business:
What Is Blind Shipping?
Blind shipping is a practice where the identity of the supplier is kept anonymous when shipping orders. Customers receive products as if shipped directly from the seller, enhancing brand loyalty and preserving supplier relationships. This method allows businesses to streamline operations, offer a more comprehensive product range, and maintain confidentiality.
Just like with white-label services, no labeling or branding reveals your supplier’s information. To run a blind shipment, the shipment is paid for in full, and the request to ship blind is made before shipping. Then, the shipper’s (your supplier’s) name and contact details are removed from the bill of lading (BOL) before it reaches its destination.
Why Do Shippers Do Blind Shipping?
Distributors who want their suppliers to drop-ship straight to customers ask for blind shipments. In these circumstances, customers who order with the distributor believe that the goods are delivered from the distributor rather than from a different manufacturer or carrier. The Bill of Lading may have blanks for the distributor’s information.
Under other circumstances, the distributor’s name will appear as the shipper on the Bill of Lading. By doing this, instead of the distributor and from having direct access to the source, the buyer is prevented from purchasing directly from the supplier.
What Is the Difference Between Blind Shipping and Drop Shipping?
Blind and drop shipping are similar in that both involve shipping products directly to the customer without the seller needing to handle inventory. However, there is a crucial difference between the two:
- Blind Shipping: In blind shipping, the identity of the supplier or manufacturer is kept anonymous. The seller acts as a middleman, and the customer assumes the product is coming directly from the seller without any indication of the supplier’s involvement.
- Drop Shipping: Drop shipping is a business model where the seller doesn’t maintain inventory. Instead, when a customer places an order, the seller purchases the product from a supplier or manufacturer, who then ships it directly to the customer. As packaging and shipping documents may include information about the supplier, the supplier’s identity is typically known to the customer.
In summary, the main difference between blind shipping and dropshipping is the anonymity of the supplier. In blind shipping, the supplier’s identity is hidden, while in dropshipping, the supplier’s information is often known to the customer.
What Is the Blind Shipping Process?
If you want to blind ship goods, your first step should be partnering with a reliable freight forwarder logistics company in the US. Doing this will significantly enhance your delivery speed and quality. Since a blind shipment aims to hide personal information from the shipper, these types of shipments often require separate billing bills from Landing (BOL), including:
BOL is used by the shipper when the freight is picked up
BOL is given to the person receiving it, at the time of delivery
This is a valid BOL that contains all shipping and delivery details and will be given to the carrier once the shipment is scheduled.
It is important to note that different carriers have different ways to handle blind shipments, so it is best to check with your logistics company in US before your freight starts moving. Certain carriers have their own requirements, such as making sure every BOL lists the correct city and ZIP code or requiring extra documentation to validate the blind shipment. Managing BOLs can be very confusing, so to help you manage your blind shipments, you can rely on our third-party logistics services.
Is Blind Shipping Illegal?
Blind shipping is not illegal as it is a commonly used practice in the logistics and freight dispatching industry. It allows sellers to maintain anonymity and establish themselves as the direct source of the products being shipped to customers.
This practice is prevalent in drop shipping, where the supplier’s information is kept confidential to enhance brand loyalty and preserve supplier relationships. However, it is essential to note that blind shipping should be conducted as per the applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdictions involved to ensure compliance.
Final Thoughts
Blind shipping is a legal way to keep your company safe, which also prevents buyers from going straight to suppliers instead of sellers and vice versa. Blind shipping is helpful when a business is unique and can provide goods or services that are otherwise hard to come by.
US Ravens is a third-party logistics company in US that provides full-service and affordable freight forwarding solutions. We create efficient end-to-end supply chain solutions for our clients, from primary international manufacturing firms to e-commerce and retail establishments. To find out more about us, visit our website now!!!