In a typical dropshipping business, the manufacturer ships the customer’s order. Since packages sometimes include an invoice, clients may see sensitive information.

If you’re a reseller and a customer orders light bulbs from you, your supplier ships the order. It includes the original invoice and supplier’s name. The invoice is for less than the consumer paid. Your customer may prefer to order from your provider directly next time, bypassing you.

So how do you address this issue? Blind shipment, a dropshipping best practice, protects the identity of your supplier. Continue reading to discover more about blind shipping.

What Is Blind Shipment

Blind shipment is a sort of dropshipping where orders are sent straight from the manufacturer to the client while concealing the name and identity of your supplier. The client will believe it originated from you because of this.

There is no branding or labeling that indicates who your source is, similar to white label services. The shipment must be paid for in advance, and the request to ship blind must be made before shipping. The bill of lading (BOL) is then transported to its final destination without the shipper’s (your supplier’s) name and contact information on it.

Purpose of Blind Shipment in Retail

The purpose of blind shipment in retail.

By keeping your supplier’s identity a secret, blind shipping is a popular supply chain management approach that safeguards your company (and possible profits or recurring revenue). This helps you retain your job as the middleman rather than losing clients to your supplier, encouraging your consumers to place orders from you again rather than directly from the source. Blind shipping decreases the possibility that your business’s suppliers may become known to rivals.

Advantages of Blind Shipping

There are various advantages to blind shipping when dropshipping orders that can safeguard your company and lower the danger of problems with the retail supply chain.

1. Securing the supply chain

Blind shipping lowers the chance that customers will buy directly from the supplier and enables retailers to maintain a consistent supply chain. In this method, you continue to act as a middleman, protecting your company from losing clients. Note: Dropshipping might result in a lack of control over product quality and shipping delays. Blind shipping can assist safeguard your supply chain.

2. Preserve your competitive edge

Your suppliers’ information is protected from competitors by blind shipping. If you have a good working connection with your supplier and they provide you with the greatest items and/or a fantastic pricing, your rivals may learn about this and consider partnering with your supplier to provide clients with the same high-quality products at a price they can afford.

3. Continue to take a passive attitude

Dropshipping blind offers a hands-off method for managing and safeguarding your online store. Your supplier handles shipping orders for you while remaining anonymous, saving you the hassle of having to keep and maintain inventory yourself. Although this is a cost-effective logistics strategy, a lot of e-commerce companies opt to store goods with a third-party logistics (3PL) partner for increased control, faster transit times, and fewer hassles.

What is the process for blind shipping for e-commerce orders?

When delivering goods from the manufacturer to the customer directly through an online store, blind shipping is employed. The steps involved in blind shipping are as follows:

1. The supplier substitutes your company’s name for theirs on the BOL.

2. The BOL is delivered to the recipient without disclosing the supplier details.

3. The carrier is then issued the BOL, which is subsequently dispatched straight to your consumer.

Does blind shipping fit your needs?

Only if you were dropshipping orders as an online retailer would you think about blind shipment. Despite the fact that some ecommerce companies are successful with dropshipping, it’s crucial to remember that this is a very different logistics model than using a 3PL. In contrast to dropshipping, outsourcing fulfillment to a 3PL can help you improve supply chain optimization, regain control, and improve customer service.

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