Shipping Terms 101

When shipping packages and products for the first time, the terminology used by the shipping companies is sometimes confusing. Some terms are acronyms that you might not recognize, while others are industry specific terms that you may have never encountered.

For a quick introduction to shipping industry jargon, check out some of the most common terms and what they mean below.

Bill of Lading (BOL) – Created when an item is ready to ship, this document serves as a contract between the shipping company and the shipper.

Consignor – This is the party who ship the package.

Consignee – This is the party who receives the package.

Courier – This is the person responsible for making the delivery. It is common to see bike messengers in cities offering courier messenger service as they can easily maneuver through traffic.

Logistics – The resource allocation of getting a package from the shipper to the receiver.

POD – This is a proof of delivery, which is a document that is available when a package is delivered. It tells you the delivery time and date as well as and who signed for it.

Same Day – This expedited package delivery type sees packages shipped and delivered in the same business day.