Blind shipping is when a shipper ships a product directly from supplier to customer, while hiding the identity of the supplier from the customer.
Double-blind shipping is when the supplier also does not know the identity of the customer– that is, they do not know who they are shipping to.
Why use blind or double-blind shipping?
Let’s say you sell customized notebooks and your supplier is in China. If your packaging contains the supplier’s information, your customer may try to place their next order directly from the supplier, circumventing you. Blind shipping means you avoid this– and keep your customers.
What if you also don’t want your supplier to reach out directly to your customers and offer them the goods you sell at better prices? That’s when double-blind shipping could be a great option for you.
How does blind shipping work?
To arrange a blind or double-blind shipment, a shipper coordinates with their freight forwarder to remove the original Bill of Lading after the shipment clears customs. That means the supplier’s information does not appear in the delivery.
In a double-blind shipment, the freight forwarder also needs to also provide an incorrect final address to the supplier. Only the freight forwarder (and the shipper) know where the shipment originates, and where it ends up.
Blind Shipping vs. Drop Shipping
Drop shipping is a shipping method used by shippers who do not store their own inventory. They ship directly from the supplier to the customer.
Blind shipping is a type of drop shipping– where not only is the shipment sent directly to the customer, but that customer does not know the identity of the supplier.