Systems and methods for using a web portal to integrate into a carrier return system
First Claim
1. A method of interfacing between a first and a second computer system to process a request by a customer to return a good purchased from a merchant, said method comprising the steps of:
- establishing an interface system that is capable of communicating with said first and second computer systems;
receiving at said interface system a customer return request from said first computer system;
applying one or more business rules to said customer return request to determine whether said request is authorized;
assembling a return service request based at least in part on said customer return request;
transmitting said return service request to said second computer system;
receiving at said interface system an image of a shipping label from said second computer system in response to said customer return request; and
providing said shipping label image to said first computer system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to an interface for a return system that allows one or more merchants to funnel their returns processing to a central returns processing system. A merchant may apply its own, possibly unique set of business rules to a customer return request before linking to the interface or, alternatively, the interface may be programmed to apply the respective business rules of the various merchants. In a preferred embodiment, the returns interface maintains the look and feel for each of the various merchant so that the integration between the merchant system and central returns system is transparent to customers.
101 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of interfacing between a first and a second computer system to process a request by a customer to return a good purchased from a merchant, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing an interface system that is capable of communicating with said first and second computer systems;
receiving at said interface system a customer return request from said first computer system;
applying one or more business rules to said customer return request to determine whether said request is authorized;
assembling a return service request based at least in part on said customer return request;
transmitting said return service request to said second computer system;
receiving at said interface system an image of a shipping label from said second computer system in response to said customer return request; and
providing said shipping label image to said first computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of interfacing between a first and a second computer system to process a request by a customer to return a good purchased from a merchant, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing an interface system that is capable of communicating with said first and second computer systems;
receiving at said interface system, returns data relating to a customer return transaction;
assembling a return service request based at least in part on said returns data;
transmitting said return service request to said second computer;
receiving at said interface system, an image of a shipping label from said second computer system in response to said return service request; and
providing electronically said shipping label image to said first computer - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of interfacing between a plurality of merchant computer system and at least one carrier computer system to process customer requests to return goods purchased from one of said plurality of merchants, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing an interface system that is capable of communicating with said plurality of merchant computer systems and said at least one carrier computer systems;
receiving, at said interface system, a customer return request sent by one of said plurality of merchant computer systems;
said customer return request including a merchant identifier;
querying a merchant database with at least said merchant identifier to obtain one or more business rules associated with said customer return request;
applying said one or more business rules to said customer return request to determine whether to process said request and to associate a return destination address with said customer return request;
assembling a return service request based at least in part on said customer return request;
transmitting said return service request to said at least one carrier computer system;
receiving, at said interface system, an image of a shipping label from said at least one carrier computer system; and
providing said shipping label image to said one of said plurality of merchant computer systems that sent said customer return request.
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20. A computer system for interfacing between a merchant computer system and a carrier computer system to process customer requests to return goods purchased from said merchant, said computer system comprising:
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a database for storing information related to the purchase of said goods by said customers from said merchant; and
a processor capable of communicating with said database, said processor configured for;
establishing an interface system capable of facilitating communication with said merchant and said carrier computer systems via a computer network;
receiving at said interface system a customer return request from said merchant computer system;
querying said database to obtain one or more returns rules associated with said customer return request;
applying said one or more returns rules to said customer return request to determine whether said request is authorized;
assembling a return service request based at least in part on said customer return request;
transmitting said return service request to said carrier computer system;
receiving at said interface system an image of a shipping label from said carrier computer system in response to said return service request; and
providing said shipping label image to said merchant computer system. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A computer system for interfacing between a plurality of merchant computer systems and at least one carrier computer system to process customer requests to return goods purchased from one of said plurality of merchants, said computer system comprising:
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a database for storing information related to the purchase of said goods by said customers from said merchants; and
a processor capable of communicating with said database, said processor configured for;
establishing an interface system capable of facilitating communication with said plurality of merchant computer systems and said at least one carrier computer system via a computer network;
receiving, at said interface system, a customer return request sent by one of said plurality of merchant computer systems, said customer return request including a merchant identifier;
querying said database with at least said merchant identifier to obtain one or more returns rules associated with said customer return request;
applying said one or more returns rules to said customer return request to determine whether to process said request and to associate a return destination address with said customer return request;
assembling a return service request based at least in part on said customer return request;
transmitting said return service request to said at least one carrier computer system;
receiving, at said interface system, an image of a shipping label from said at least one carrier computer system; and
providing said shipping label image to said one of said plurality of merchant computer systems that sent said customer return request.
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Specification