Shipto

Shipto, often written as “ship‑to” or “ship to,” refers to the destination address where goods, merchandise, or documents are delivered in a commercial transaction. The term is commonly used in supply‑chain management, e‑commerce platforms, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to differentiate the receiving location from other addresses such as the billing address, the ship‑from (origin) location, or the vendor’s address.

In business processes, a shipto record typically includes the recipient’s name, street address, city, state or province, postal code, and country, as well as optional details like contact phone number, delivery instructions, and preferred carrier. Organizations may store multiple shipto entries for a single customer, allowing flexible routing to warehouses, retail outlets, or end‑user sites. Accurate shipto data is critical for logistics planning, freight cost calculation, customs documentation, and ensuring on‑time delivery.

Electronic data interchange (EDI) standards, such as ANSI X12 and EDIFACT, incorporate shipto elements in transaction sets (e.g., 850 Purchase Order, 856 Advanced Ship Notice). In online checkout flows, users frequently confirm or edit shipto information, and many platforms provide address‑validation services to reduce errors.

The concept of shipto is distinct from “bill‑to,” which designates the entity responsible for payment, and from “sold‑to,” the party placing the order. Proper management of shipto data supports efficient fulfillment, inventory allocation, and customer satisfaction across domestic and international trade.