Blind Shipment

What is Blind Shipping?

Blind Shipping is a unique logistics arrangement that aims to hide information about the source or destination of goods in order to protect trade secrets in the supply chain. In this model, the identity of the sender or receiver remains anonymous to the other party. In some cases, both parties are unaware of each other’s information (i.e., double-blind Shipping). This shipping method protects the commercial interests of intermediaries by modifying the bill of lading (BOL) and Shipping label to ensure that the customer or supplier does not have direct access to the other party’s contact information.

How Blind Shipping works

1. Bill of lading management

• Single-blind shipping: Only the information of one of the shippers or consignees is hidden. For example, the supplier information is replaced with the name of the distributor so that the customer mistakenly believes that the goods come directly from the distributor.
• Double-blind shipping: Both the shipper and consignee information are hidden. The freight forwarder acts as an intermediary to ensure that neither party can obtain detailed information about the other.

2. Information replacement process

• The supplier replaces the information on the bill of lading with that of the distributor before shipping.
• The freight forwarder coordinates the shipment and ensures that the modified bill of lading is used for delivery.

3. Carrier role

• The carrier transports according to the modified bill of lading while retaining the complete original information for internal use.
• Some carriers require additional documentation or notification to ensure the legitimacy of the blind shipping process.

The main application scenarios of blind shipping

1. Protect supply chain confidentiality

Prevent customers from bypassing intermediaries and contacting suppliers directly so as to avoid profit loss.

Prevent competitors from obtaining supplier information and maintain competitive advantages in the market.

2. Maintain brand integrity

Retailers display products as private labels through blind shipping to enhance customer trust.

Suitable for shipping gifts or promotional items, hiding the source to highlight the brand image.

3. Simplify logistics processes

Directly ship from the supplier to the customer, reduce intermediate links, and lower logistics costs.

Suitable for direct sales models, no inventory management required, and improved operational efficiency.

Related FAQs

How does double-blind shipping protect commercial interests?

Double-blind shipping ensures that neither the supplier nor the customer has access to the other’s information, preventing direct transactions.

Does blind shipping affect delivery times?

Usually not, but it is essential to ensure that the bill of lading modification and coordination processes are completed efficiently.

Is blind shipping suitable for all types of goods?

It is suitable for most goods, but it is essential to pay attention to the shipping restrictions for unique goods (such as dangerous goods).

How can information security be ensured in blind shipping?

By working with a trusted freight forwarder and signing a confidentiality agreement to protect business information.

Is blind shipping legal?

It is entirely legal, but you need to ensure that the shipping documents comply with the regulations of customs and carriers.