Blind Dropshipping: Who Is Blind And How It Works.

17 min read

In the fast-paced world of eCommerce, sellers are constantly seeking ways to streamline their operations and boost profits. One such method that has gained attention is blind dropshipping. This approach promises a new avenue for success in the competitive realm of online selling.

In this article, we will dive into the topic of blind dropshipping. You will learn what it is, how it works, and its potential benefits. So, without further ado, let’s dive!

What Is Blind Dropshipping?

Blind dropshipping is a variant of traditional dropshipping where orders ship directly from the manufacturer or supplier to the customer without revealing the name or identity of the supplier. In blind dropshipping:

1. Supplier Anonymity: The supplier does not include any promotional materials like flyers, QR codes, or stickers, nor do they include invoices with the package. It is to keep the supplier’s identity hidden.
2. Customer Perception: Customers may feel overpaying for products they could buy directly from the supplier at a lower price. So, the goal is to create the perception that your business sells and ships products, not a third-party supplier.
3. Legal Considerations: Some shoppers may doubt the legality of dropshipping. By making the shipment appear as if it came from your store, you can avoid potential issues with such customers.

Blind dropshipping involves listing products on your e-commerce website without indicating that you do not physically stock the items. The products ship directly to the customers, maintaining a seamless customer experience while keeping the supply chain hidden from view.

What Is A Blind Packing List Or ‘BOL’?

A Blind Packing List or BOL (Bill of Lading) is a document used to maintain the anonymity of the supplier.

In traditional dropshipping, a packing list typically includes information about the supplier, such as their name, address, contact details, and the details of the products. However, in blind dropshipping, it’s essential to keep the supplier’s identity hidden.

So, a Blind Packing List is a modified version of the standard packing list or BOL. It omits any information that could reveal the identity of the supplier. Therefore, it will not contain the supplier’s name, address, or other identifiable information. Instead, it focuses solely on the product details, quantities, and shipping information.

By using a Blind Packing List, businesses can maintain the illusion that the products ship directly from their own inventory or dropshipping warehouse. It helps preserve the anonymity of the supplier, which is a key aspect of blind dropshipping.

What Is A Double-Blind Dropship?

A double-blind dropship is a more complex form of blind dropshipping. In it, suppliers also don’t know where the products ship to. 

The main advantage of double-blind dropshipping is that it adds an extra layer of protection for sellers. It can be particularly useful when the seller wants to keep their supplier relationships confidential and maintain full control over the customer experience.

However, implementing double-blind dropshipping can be difficult. It may require additional coordination between the dropshipper, the supplier, and the shipper to ensure smooth order fulfillment while preserving anonymity. Through this coordination, only the seller and shipper know where the products are coming from and going to.

Moreover, it’s worth noting that the double-blind dropship method tends to be costlier due to its complexity. Usually, only the companies making proxy orders use this business model.

How Does Blind Dropshipping Work?

Ideally, the process begins with a dropshipping agreement between you and your supplier. This agreement establishes the terms of blind dropshipping, including the need for supplier anonymity.

When a customer purchases from your store, you send the order details to the supplier. Upon receiving the details, the supplier prepares the products for shipment. They remove any promotional materials, labels, or invoices that might reveal their identity.

Then, the supplier generates a Bill of Lading. In the BOL, the supplier replaces their name and contact information with your company’s name and details. This way, the products appear as they ship from your company, not the supplier.

Once ready, the BOL goes to the consignee. The consignee is typically an intermediary or a logistics company that ensures the smooth transfer of goods. They hand over the BOL to the carrier or shipping company transporting the products. The carrier is unaware of the actual source of the products. To them, it appears as if the shipment is originating from your company.

The carrier ships the products directly to your customer. The customer then receives the package with your branding and company information, making the impression that the products came from your inventory.

As a result, the customer believes they have received their order from your business without any indication that it comes from a third-party supplier. This seamless experience is crucial in maintaining customer trust and satisfaction.

Throughout this process, effective communication and tracking systems are essential in order to ensure that orders proceed accurately and ship on time. As the seller, you are responsible for managing customer inquiries and addressing any issues that may arise during shipping.

Return And Refund Policies With Blind Dropshipping

Handling returns and refunds in blind dropshipping can be a bit tricky because we use our store’s address instead of the supplier’s. It’s crucial to have clear policies in place to address these situations effectively and maintain customer satisfaction.

Here are two possible solutions for handling returns in blind dropshipping:

1. Ask Customers to Ship Returns to Your Address: We instruct customers to send returns to our business address. When you receive the items, assess the problem and make arrangements with your supplier.
2. Provide the Dropshipping Supplier’s Warehouse as the Return Address: Provide your customers with the return address of your dropshipping supplier’s warehouse. This approach maintains the anonymity of the supplier and keeps the customer’s return separate from your business. In this case, customers would ship the returns directly to the supplier’s warehouse. The supplier can then handle the inspection, replacement, or refund process on your behalf.

It’s essential to have a well-written, clear return and refund policy on your website. Outline the steps customers should follow when they wish to return a product. Additionally, good communication with both customers and your supplier is vital for smooth and satisfactory returns.

Advantages & Disadvantages Of Blind Dropshipping

We discussed what blind dropshipping is and how it works, but what perks it brings to the table? Let’s review the key advantages and disadvantages of this approach:

Advantages of Blind Dropshipping:

1. Client Retention: Blind dropshipping helps retain customers. As you maintain control over the customer-supplier relationship, it prevents them from directly contacting your supplier.
2. Protection Against Competitors: It safeguards your business from competitors or clients trying to contact your supplier and negotiate better deals.
3. Profit Margin Concealment: Blind dropshipping allows you to maintain confidentiality regarding your profit margin. Hiding the actual cost of products can be crucial for pricing flexibility and profitability.
4. Brand Consistency: Custom branding and packaging support marketing efforts and enhance client retention. It positions your brand as reliable, potentially attracting more customers and increasing profitability.

Disadvantages of Blind Dropshipping:

1. Complexity and Cost: Blind dropshipping is generally a more complex process, which can result in higher operational costs. Coordinating the logistics of blind dropshipping can be challenging and may lead to increased expenses.
2. Extra Supplier Charges: Some suppliers may impose additional fees for blind dropshipping services. These extra costs can eat into your profit margins or necessitate passing them on to customers, potentially making your products less competitive.
3. Risk of Package Damage: Because you don’t have direct control over packaging, there’s a risk of damage during shipping. It can lead to complicated refund processes, potentially reducing profits and affecting customer satisfaction.
4. Limited Control: Blind dropshipping requires trusting your suppliers to fulfill orders as requested. Lack of direct control can lead to errors, which may result in customers receiving supplier details.

As can be seen, blind dropshipping has its pros and cons. However, we can mitigate most drawbacks with effective management and communication. Therefore, we must set a blind dropshipping arrangement with your supplier.

How To Set A Blind Dropshipping Arrangement With Your Supplier

Blind dropshipping is possible even with suppliers like AliExpress or Banggood. Simply leave a note for the supplier not to include invoices and promotional materials in the shipment. Still, the best way is to arrange a blind dropshipping arrangement.

Establishing a blind dropshipping arrangement is not that difficult. Start by discussing your intention to blind dropship with a supplier. Be explicit in your instructions, specifying your requirements. Ensure they are willing to offer this service.

Work together to create a streamlined order-sharing process that omits supplier information like branding, logos, or invoices from the shipments. Different suppliers may have different methods for this, like using special comments on their sharing platform or providing special codes for orders from you. Some suppliers also support direct communication by call or email, where you specify if an order should be blind.

Then, document the blind dropshipping arrangement for reference, including any procedures or codes provided by your supplier.

Following the agreed-upon order fulfillment process is crucial to maintaining supplier anonymity. Therefore, regularly monitor order fulfillment to ensure it aligns with your requirements. In case issues arise, provide feedback to your supplier.

Why Would a Supplier Agree To Blind Dropshipping?

Considering the complexity, you might wonder why a supplier would agree to blind dropshipping. Actually, blind dropshipping has its benefits for suppliers, too.

By partnering with dropshippers, suppliers can broaden their market presence. They can reach new customers without additional investments. For example, dropshippers handle marketing, promotion, and customer acquisition, saving suppliers both time and money.

Furthermore, suppliers can concentrate on their core activities, such as product sourcing or manufacturing. They don’t have to manage individual customer orders and customer service inquiries. These tasks become the responsibility of dropshippers.

Moreover, collaborating with various sellers allows suppliers to diversify their revenue sources, reducing reliance on a single sales channel or market. Also, suppliers no longer need to deal with an extensive inventory to accommodate fluctuating demand. They produce goods as needed, reducing the risks of overstocking or understocking.

In essence, blind dropshipping partnerships can foster long-term relationships between suppliers and retailers. They offer stability and consistent business opportunities for both parties.

Blind Dropshipping VS Regular Dropshipping

As we mentioned, blind dropshipping is a variation of traditional dropshipping. But what are the actual differences? Let’s see:

• Information Disclosure: In regular dropshipping, you have all supplier and customer information, while blind and double-blind dropshipping conceal this data.
• Marketing Emphasis: Both methods require marketing investment, but blind dropshipping focuses on building a strong brand and fostering customer trust in your store.
• Cost Differences: Blind dropshipping is costlier than regular due to the additional link in the supply chain. With more intermediaries involved, there are increased handling and logistics costs.
• Volume Impact: Shipping a single item through blind dropshipping can be more expensive because each shipment may involve handling a Blind Bill of Lading (BOL), which incurs additional costs.
• Supplier Selection: In regular dropshipping, you can choose suppliers based on product quality, shipping times, pricing, etc. Blind dropshipping may limit your supplier options since not all suppliers may offer blind shipping services.

Each method has advantages and drawbacks, so carefully evaluate which suits you best. While more complex, blind dropshipping can yield better results.

Is Blind Dropshipping Worth it?

Blind dropshipping can be worthwhile, but it comes with complexities compared to traditional dropshipping. However, with the right approach and careful execution, it can be worth the effort.

Blind dropshipping lets you focus on building your brand’s reputation and reliability. Customers associate the product and service with your store, which builds brand loyalty and leads to repeat business.

It also prevents suppliers from directly selling to your customers. This way, your business relies on customers buying from your store rather than the supplier.

However, to make it work effectively, it’s crucial to follow these practices:

1. Clear Communication: Ensure the supplier is willing to provide this service. Maintain healthy relationships with suppliers and clear communication.
2. Define Processes: Create a streamlined order-sharing process that maintains supplier anonymity. Follow this process consistently to prevent misunderstandings.
3. Documentation: Keep records of the arrangement, including procedures or codes provided by your supplier.
4. Customer Communication: Inform customers about delivery times and any unique packaging features due to the absence of invoices or branding.
5. Monitoring: Regularly monitor order fulfillment to ensure it aligns with the blind dropshipping criteria. Provide feedback to the supplier if issues arise.

By adhering to these steps and approaching blind dropshipping with care, it can be a profitable and worthwhile endeavor.

3 Tips To Start A Blind Dropshipping Business

To increase your chances of success when starting blind dropshipping, consider the following tips:

1. Automate Your Business

Automation can boost the dropshipping success rate tremendously. It streamlines dropshipping operations, making it easier to scale and saving you valuable time. In particular, it reduces manual workload, allowing you to focus on strategic tasks like product research and marketing.

For example, here are some of the benefits you get from automation software like AutoDS, the #1 recommended tool:

• Time Savings: By automating manual tasks such as product listing, pricing updates, and order processing, you free up valuable time. Automation allows you to work on the business rather than in the business.
• Efficiency and Accuracy: Automation minimizes the risk of errors. It ensures that inventory levels are accurate, prices are competitive, and order processing is quick and efficient.
• Focus on Strategic Tasks: With automation, you can focus on more important tasks, like product research and sourcing, marketing, and customer service.
• Scalability: As your business expands, managing listings, inventory, and orders becomes increasingly challenging. Automation tools handle these tasks seamlessly. You can add more products and cater to a larger audience without an increase in workload.

Automation simplifies operations, saves time, and improves efficiency and accuracy. In short, it allows you to do what you actually love – selling and growing.

2. Invest Time In Building Your Brand

While blind dropshipping conceals the supplier’s identity, it emphasizes the importance of building your brand. Therefore, invest time and effort in creating a strong and catching brand identity for your store.

Develop a professional, user-friendly website that reflects your brand’s values and showcases your products. Moreover, focus on providing excellent customer service and a seamless shopping experience to build trust and credibility with your customers.

Furthermore, using customized packaging and branding materials is a must in blind dropshipping. You have to make your shipments stand out, even without supplier information. Building a recognizable brand leads to customer loyalty and repeat business.

3. Develop A Good Relationship With Your Suppliers

Although blind dropshipping adds a layer of anonymity, a positive relationship with your suppliers is crucial. Thus, we should maintain clear and open communication with our suppliers from the beginning. Ensure they will provide blind dropshipping services and adhere to your requirements.

Establish a mutual understanding of order processing methods that maintain supplier anonymity. In addition, regularly communicate with your suppliers to address any issues, provide feedback, and coordinate effectively. Good relationships with your suppliers can lead to smoother operations and possibly better terms, such as lower pricing.

We have highlighted the importance of a good relationship with suppliers, but what suppliers are actually good for this type of dropshipping?

5 Best Suppliers For Blind Dropshipping

As we mentioned, starting blind dropshipping is not that difficult, and you can do it even with AliExpress. Still, no matter the case, we always need to contact our supplier and ask for blind dropshipping first and make an arrangement. Period.

Now, let’s review some of the best suppliers for blind dropshipping.

AutoDS

AutoDS is a comprehensive solution that helps you automate your dropshipping business, find winning products, and more. In addition to a wide range of automation features, it offers product sourcing services like:

• The AutoDS Marketplace – effortlessly research, discover, source, and import winning products.
• 25+ Suppliers – The platform supports over 25 reliable suppliers, including the ones on this list.
• Private Suppliers – Access unique, top-quality products with fast shipping.
• AutoDS Warehouse – The warehouse is full of quality, trending products ready to ship.
• Customized Branding – The option to add your brand logo to your packages.

Combine all this with advanced automation like instant product importing, prices & stock monitoring, pricing rules, auto ordering, etc., and you get the top solution for blind dropshipping as a result.

Alibaba

Alibaba is a massive B2B marketplace that connects businesses with suppliers worldwide. It’s a good choice for blind dropshipping because many suppliers there have experience working internationally. They also can provide anonymity when shipping products directly to your customers. You can arrange communication with suppliers on Alibaba to maintain their anonymity, making it a viable option for blind dropshipping.

AliExpress

Part of the Alibaba group, AliExpress is a well-known Chinese platform with a vast product selection. It hosts thousands of sellers with millions of products, making it a popular choice for dropshipping.

It’s a convenient choice for blind dropshipping because it offers competitive pricing and ePacket shipping options, which can result in faster delivery times. While it typically displays supplier information, you can ask AliExpress sellers to maintain supplier anonymity when shipping products.

Banggood

Banggood is another Chinese e-commerce platform known for its diverse product selection. But unlike AliExpress, Banggood is the seller of all the products on its marketplace. On the other hand, its product selection is not as vast.

It can be suitable for blind dropshipping as it has a dropshipping program with custom packaging, which is great for branding. In addition, Banggood has strict quality control, meaning fewer refunds.

CJDropshipping

CJDropshipping is, as the name suggests, a supplier that actually specializes in dropshipping. Oriented toward dropshippers, CJDropshipping is more than a marketplace. In addition to one of the best product selections, it offers additional services like a free personal CJ Agent, order fulfillment, dropshipping lister from its platform, the sourcing request feature, customized photo and video, print-on-demand, and custom packaging. It is one of the best suppliers for blind dropshipping.

Which one to choose? It is up to you. Nevertheless, you can’t go wrong with AutoDS. They support over 25 reliable suppliers, including the ones we mentioned. Moreover, you get additional services and automation features, making running a dropshipping store a breeze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Blind Dropshipping Legal?

Yes. Blind dropshipping is legal if you comply with local and international business regulations. Also, maintain transparency with your customers regarding shipping and product information.

What Is The Main Difference Between Blind Dropshipping And Dropshipping?

The main difference is that in blind dropshipping, we conceal the supplier’s identity. The products ship without any promotional materials or invoices that reveal the supplier’s information.

Does Blind Dropshipping Actually Works?

Yes. Blind dropshipping works well when executed correctly. Maintain clear communication with suppliers, keep supplier anonymity, and provide a seamless customer experience to succeed.

Conclusion

In the dynamic e-commerce landscape, blind dropshipping presents a unique opportunity. Yes, it is more complex than traditional dropshipping. But it can yield significant rewards with the right strategies.

In summary, the success of blind dropshipping hinges on clear communication, good supplier relationships, and exceptional customer service.

To help you on your eCommerce journey, we recommend you check the following articles:

• How To Start Dropshipping With No Money In 7 Easy Steps
• The 16 Best Niches For Dropshipping [In 2023] That Sell Like Crazy
• Branded Dropshipping: How To Leverage Branding And Increase Sales