Legal Definitions - shipping order

A shipping order is a formal document containing detailed instructions from the party sending goods (known as the shipper) to the company responsible for transporting them (the carrier). It outlines how specific items should be handled, packaged, routed, and delivered from their origin to their final destination. Essentially, it's the shipper's official request and guide for the transportation service.

• Example 1: Manufacturing Company Delivering Products

  A large appliance manufacturer in Ohio needs to send a truckload of refrigerators to a retail distribution center in Texas. The manufacturer completes a shipping order, detailing the exact number of refrigerators, their total weight and dimensions, the specific pick-up and delivery addresses, the desired delivery date, and any special handling instructions, such as "this side up" or "do not stack." This document is then provided to the trucking company hired for the transport.

  This illustrates a shipping order as the manufacturer (shipper) providing comprehensive instructions to the trucking company (carrier) for the proper transport and disposition of the refrigerators (goods).

• Example 2: International Wine Importer

  An American wine importer purchases several pallets of fine wine from a vineyard in France. To arrange the shipment, the importer prepares a shipping order for an international freight forwarding company. This order specifies the type and quantity of wine, the required temperature-controlled shipping conditions, the customs documentation needed, the port of entry in the U.S., and the final warehouse delivery address. It also includes the declared value for insurance purposes.

  Here, the wine importer acts as the shipper, using the shipping order to convey critical details and special requirements to the freight forwarder (carrier) for the complex international transport of the wine (goods).

• Example 3: Online Retailer Fulfilling Customer Orders

  An online bookstore receives numerous orders for various books to be shipped to customers across the country. For each order, the bookstore generates an electronic shipping order that includes the customer's shipping address, the specific books being sent, the chosen shipping speed (e.g., "standard ground" or "express"), and any delivery preferences (e.g., "leave at front door"). This digital information is then transmitted to a parcel carrier like UPS or FedEx.

  In this scenario, the online bookstore (shipper) uses the shipping order to provide all necessary instructions to the parcel carrier to ensure the correct and timely delivery of the books (goods) to individual customers.