Method for returning and reselling merchandise

• US 20040088225A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Foth, Thomas J., McNab, Cornelius S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,299,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A method is provided for secondary resale of returned merchandise wherein the returned merchandise is preferably indirectly shipped from an original consumer to a secondary consumer after the returned merchandise is rerouted to a secondary consumer via a shipping carrier. An original consumer, upon instructions from a returns facilitator, first ships the merchandise to be returned to a first address, afterwhich the returns facilitator finds a secondary buyer and causes the merchandise to be returned to be rerouted by a shipping carrier so as to be delivered to the secondary consumer.

Claims

1. A method for secondary resale of merchandise comprising the steps of:

providing a first consumer having merchandise to be returned;

communicating information from said first consumer to a returns facilitator indicating data relevant to said merchandise to be returned;

communicating information from said returns facilitator to said first consumer indicating a predetermined first shipping address;

offering for sale said returned merchandise to potential secondary buyers by said returns facilitator based at least in part on said data relevant to said merchandise to be returned;

shipping said returned merchandise by said first consumer to said first shipping address via a shipping carrier;

communicating information from said returns facilitator to said shipping carrier indicating a second address associated with said secondary buyer in the event said secondary buyer is found by said returns facilitator for said merchandise to be returned; and

shipping said returned merchandise to said second address by said shipping carrier in the event said second address is provided to said shipping carrier while said returned merchandise is in possession of said shipping carrier.

2. A method for secondary resale of merchandise as recited in claim 1 further including the step of:

purchasing by said secondary buyer of said merchandise to be returned, wherein the secondary buyer provides the returns facilitator with at least a said second address.

3. A method for secondary resale of merchandise as recited in claim 2 wherein the purchasing step includes the step of the secondary buyer purchasing said merchandise to be returned from the group consisting of:

internet, telephony and mail.

4. A method for secondary resale of merchandise as recited in claim 1 further including the steps of:

creating a list of desired items by a said secondary buyer;

providing said list of desired items to said returns facilitator prior to said returns facilitator receiving said data relevant to said merchandise to be returned; and

comparing said list of desired items with said merchandise to be returned to determine if a match exists between said list of desired items and said merchandise to be returned.

5. A method for secondary resale of merchandise as recited in claim 1 wherein the communicating information from said first consumer to a returns facilitator step includes the step of communicating from the group consisting of:

mail, internet and telephony.

6. A method for reselling merchandise as recited in claim 1 wherein the offering for sale step includes the step of using the internet for offering for sale said merchandise to be returned.

7. A method for reselling merchandise as recited in claim 1 wherein the offering for sale step includes the step of communicating from the group consisting of:

internet, mail and telephony.

8. A method for reselling merchandise as recited in claim 1 wherein said first address is an address associated with said returns facilitator or said original vendor.

9. A method for reselling merchandise as recited in claim 1 wherein the offering for sale step includes finding said secondary buyer for said merchandise to be returned while said merchandise to be returned is in possession of said shipping carrier while being shipped to said first address.

10. A method for secondary resale of merchandise comprising the steps of:

providing a first consumer having merchandise to be returned;

communicating information from said first consumer to a returns facilitator indicating data relevant to said merchandise to be returned;

communicating information from said returns facilitator to said first consumer indicating a predetermined first shipping address;

offering for sale said returned merchandise to a secondary buyer by said returns facilitator based at least in part on said data relevant to said merchandise to be returned;

purchasing said merchandise to be returned by a said secondary buyer, wherein the secondary buyer provides the returns facilitator with at least a second shipping address.

shipping said merchandise to be returned by said first consumer to said first shipping address via a shipping carrier;

communicating information from said returns facilitator to said shipping carrier indicating a second address associated with said secondary buyer;

changing the shipping address of said merchandise to be returned from said first address to said second address while said merchandise to be returned is in possession of said shipping carrier.

11. A method for secondary resale of merchandise as recited in claim 10 wherein the purchasing step includes the step of the secondary buyer purchasing said merchandise to be returned from the group consisting of:

internet, telephony and mail.

12. A method for secondary resale of merchandise as recited in claim 10 further including the steps of:

creating a list of desired items by a said secondary buyer;

providing said list of desired items to said returns facilitator; and

comparing said list of desired items with said merchandise to be returned to determine if a match exits between said list of desired items and said merchandise to be returned.

13. A method for secondary resale of merchandise as recited in claim 10 wherein the communicating information from said first consumer to a returns facilitator step includes the step of communicating from the group consisting of:

mail, internet and telephony.

14. A method for reselling merchandise as recited in claim 10 wherein the offering for sale step includes the step of using the internet for offering for sale said merchandise to be returned.

15. A method for reselling merchandise as recited in claim 10 wherein the offering for sale step includes the step of communicating from the group consisting of:

internet, mail and telephony.

16. A method for reselling merchandise as recited in claim 10 wherein said first address is an address associated with said returns facilitator or original vendor.

17. A method for reselling merchandise as recited in claim 10 wherein the offering for sale step includes finding said secondary buyer for said merchandise to be returned while said merchandise to be returned is in possession of said shipping carrier while being shipped to said first address.