Systems and methods for returning one or more items via an attended delivery/pickup location

• US 10,002,341 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schenken, Christopher, Lievens, Daniel, Pirenne, Luc, Dethier, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US14/935,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20160098680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 701533
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08345 Pricing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/407 Cancellation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward

Abstract

A computer system for defining attributes associated with attended delivery/pickup locations is described. In various embodiments, the system is configured to enable an authorized user (e.g., a manager of an attended delivery/pickup location) to define certain attributes of a particular attended delivery/pickup location. In some embodiments, the system is configured to verify that the particular user is authorized to define the one or more attributes associated with the particular attended delivery/pickup location (e.g., by checking a list of one or more authorized users). Once the one or more attributes are defined, in one or more embodiments, the system is configured to accept or reject parcel delivery requests based at least in part on the attributes. In further embodiments, the system is configured to facilitate a return of a particular item to a retailer via the attended delivery/pickup location.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of facilitating a return of an item purchased from a retailer via an attended delivery/pickup location, the method comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor, one or more item return criteria from a particular retailer;

storing, by at least one processor in memory, the one or more item return criteria;

receiving, by at least one processor, at the attended delivery/pickup location, a request to return a particular item to the particular retailer via the attended delivery/pickup location, wherein;

the particular item was purchased from the particular retailer; and

the request comprises item information associated with the particular item;

determining, by at least one processor, whether the particular item may be returned via the attended delivery/pickup location to the particular retailer for at least a partial refund, wherein the at least the partial refund is issued by the particular retailer directly to an individual who requested the return of the particular item purchased from the particular retailer, the determining based at least in part on;

the one or more item return criteria comprising a return expiration deadline; and

the item information;

at least partially in response to determining that the particular item may not be returned to the particular retailer;

transmitting, by at least one processor, a notification that the particular item may not be returned for the at least partial refund to a computing device associated with the attended delivery/pickup location, and

causing, by at least one processor, the computing device to display the notification; and

at least partially in response to determining the particular item may be returned to the particular retailer for the at least partial refund, generating a return label comprising an expiration date for placing on a parcel containing the particular item to be returned;

determining whether the return label expiration date has passed;

if it is determined that the return label expiration date has not passed, facilitating a transport of the particular item, by the at least one processor, from the attended delivery/pickup location to a location associated with the particular retailer without charging a facilitation of return shipment fee to the individual,

if it is determined that the return label expiration date has passed, facilitating the transport, by the at least one processor, from the attended delivery/pickup location to a location associated with the particular retailer, and

(1) charging the individual a facilitation of return shipment fee, or

(2) not charging the individual the facilitation of return shipment fee and notifying the particular retailer that the return label expiration date has passed, wherein the particular retailer subsequently determines whether to deduct the facilitation of return shipment fee from any refund issued to the individual.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor, a list of one or more authorized users, wherein;

the one or more authorized users are one or more users that are authorized to define a plurality of attributes associated with the attended delivery/pickup location; and

the one or more authorized users comprise one or more users selected from the group consisting of;

(A) one or more managers of the attended delivery/pickup location;

(B) one or more employees of the attended delivery/pickup location; and

(C) one or more owners of the attended delivery/pickup location;

storing, by at least one processor in memory, the list of one or more authorized users;

receiving, by at least one processor, a request from a particular user to define at least one attribute of the plurality of attributes associated with the attended delivery/pickup location;

determining, by at least one processor, whether the particular user is on the list of one or more authorized users;

at least partially in response to determining that the particular user is on the list of one or more authorized users, enabling, by at least one processor, the particular user to define the at least one attribute associated with the attended delivery/pickup location; and

storing, by at least one processor, the defined at least one attribute in memory.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a brand of product that the attended delivery/pickup location will accept.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor a delivery request to facilitate delivery of at least one parcel to the attended delivery/pickup location, the delivery request comprising at least one characteristic associated with delivery of the at least one parcel;

determining, by at least one processor, whether the attended delivery/pickup location will receive the at least one parcel based at least in part on;

the at least one attribute associated with the attended delivery/pickup location; and

the at least one characteristic associated with the delivery of the at least one parcel; and

at least partially in response to determining that the attended delivery/pickup location will receive the at least one parcel, facilitating delivery of the at least one parcel to the attended delivery/pickup location.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the item information comprises receiving a scan of a machine-readable indicium associated with the particular item at the attended delivery/pickup location.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein

the return expiration deadline comprises an expiration date that is a date the particular retailer will no longer accept the return of the particular item.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the particular item comprises one or more parts;

the method further comprises generating, by at least one processor, a checklist comprising one or more questions designed to indicate that the particular item contains each of the one or more parts;

the method further comprises determining, by at least one processor, whether the particular item contains each of the one or more parts; and

determining whether the particular item may be returned via the attended delivery/pickup location to the particular retailer for at least a partial refund is further based at least in part on determining whether the particular item contains each of the one or more parts.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that when executed, cause at least one processor to execute steps comprising:

receiving one or more item return criteria from a particular retailer;

storing, in memory, the one or more item return criteria from the particular retailer;

receiving a parts list for one or more items, the one or more items comprising a particular item;

storing, in memory, the parts list;

receiving, at a client device associated with the attended delivery/pickup location, a request from an item retuning individual to return a particular item to the particular retailer via the attended delivery/pickup location, wherein;

the particular item was purchased from the particular retailer; and

the request comprises item information;

at least partially in response to receiving the request, displaying the parts list for the particular item on the client device associated with the attended delivery/pickup location comprises displaying a questionnaire comprising the parts list;

receiving input from an individual associated with the attended delivery/pickup location concerning whether the particular item includes each part from the parts list for the particular item comprises receiving a completed version of the questionnaire;

determining whether the particular item may be returned to the particular retailer based at least in part on;

i) the one or more item return criteria comprising a deadline for returning the particular item;

ii) the item; and

iii) the input from the individual associated with the attended delivery/pickup location concerning whether the particular item includes each part from the parts list for the particular item; and

at least partially in response to determining that the particular item may not be returned to the particular retailer;

transmitting, by the at least one processor, a notification that the particular item may not be returned to the client device associated with the attended delivery/pickup location; and

causing, by the at least one processor, the client device to display the notification; and

at least partially in response to determining the particular item may be returned to the particular retailer via the attended delivery/pickup location, facilitating a transport of the particular item, by the at least one processor, from the attended delivery/pickup location to a location associated with the particular retailer.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving the request to return the particular item comprises receiving a scan of a machine-readable indicium associated with a sale of the particular item by the particular retailer.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein determining whether the particular item may be returned to the particular retailer based at least in part on the input from the individual associated with the attended delivery/pickup location concerning whether the particular item includes each part from the parts list for the particular item comprises determining whether the particular item includes each part from the parts list based at least in part on the completed version of the questionnaire.