{"id":9251,"date":"2026-01-07T11:02:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T19:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freightera.com\/blog\/?p=9251"},"modified":"2026-01-07T11:02:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T19:02:08","slug":"blind-shipping-what-is-it-why-many-carriers-avoid-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freightera.com\/blog\/blind-shipping-what-is-it-why-many-carriers-avoid-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Blind Shipping: What Is It & Why Many Carriers Avoid It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blind shipping<\/b> might sound like a secretive freight tactic \u2013 and in some ways it is. It\u2019s a practice where one or more parties in a shipment are kept deliberately \u201cin the dark\u201d about who the other parties are. In this article, we explain what blind shipping is, why companies use it, and (most importantly) <\/span>why carriers often avoid it<\/b> or handle it only with special conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is Blind Shipping?<\/b><\/h2>\n

In simple terms, <\/span>a <\/b>blind shipment<\/b><\/a> is a freight shipment where the identity and address of the shipper or the consignee (or both) are hidden from the other party<\/b>. This information is intentionally omitted from the shipping documents (specifically from the <\/span>Bill of Lading<\/b>, or <\/span>BOL<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

In a typical blind shipping scenario, a third party (such as Freightera) coordinates the shipment so that the end customer doesn\u2019t see the original supplier\u2019s details. Sometimes the roles are even double-blind \u2013 meaning neither the shipper nor the receiver knows who the other is. In a <\/span>double-blind shipment<\/b>, both parties’ information is concealed, often with a third party being the only one who knows the identities of both the shipper and consignee.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why would anyone ship freight \u201cblind\u201d?<\/b> The main reason is to protect business relationships and prevent <\/span>disintermediation<\/b> (or cutting out the middleman).<\/span><\/p>\n

Imagine you order a product from an online store, and when it arrives, the return address or packing slip shows it was shipped from a manufacturer you\u2019ve never heard of \u2013 not from the retailer you bought it from. As a customer, you now have the supplier\u2019s info and could potentially buy from them directly next time, likely at a lower price. Great for you, but bad for the retailer, who just lost future business.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, executing a blind shipment isn\u2019t as simple as removing a name from a label. It requires careful coordination and extra paperwork to ensure that the shipment still moves correctly <\/span>without tipping off either party<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Blind Shipping Works<\/b><\/h3>\n

To pull off a blind shipment, carriers and logistics providers use <\/span>multiple Bills of Lading<\/b> and strict handling procedures. Typically, <\/span>two or three BOLs<\/b> might be needed for one shipment:<\/span><\/p>\n