Computer-implemented registration for providing inventory fulfillment services to merchants

• US 20070192215A1
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pereira, Mark, Taylor, Thomas, Sandbulte, Joshua, Ballenger, David, Temer, Richard
• Application Number:
  US11/351,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20070192215A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Methods and systems for offering inventory fulfillment services to merchants. According to one embodiment, a system may include a memory configured to store instructions and one or more processors coupled to the memory. The instructions may be executable by at least one of the processors to implement an inventory management system that may be configured to implement a registration interface; receive, from a merchant via the registration interface, a request to receive inventory fulfillment services from a fulfillment services provider for an inventory item; determine whether the request is valid; and in response to determining that the request is valid, provide to the merchant via the registration interface information for conveying units of the inventory item to the fulfillment services provider.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to said memory, wherein said instructions are executable by at least one of said one or more processors to implement an inventory management system, wherein said inventory management system is configured to;

implement a registration interface;

receive, from a merchant via said registration interface, a request to receive inventory fulfillment services from a fulfillment services provider for an inventory item;

determine whether said request is valid; and

in response to determining that said request is valid, provide to said merchant via said registration interface information for conveying units of said inventory item to said fulfillment services provider.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said merchant is one of a plurality of merchants from which said fulfillment services provider receives requests to receive inventory fulfillment services for respective inventory items offered in commerce by said plurality of merchants, and wherein said inventory management system is further configured to:

receive one or more orders placed by a customer for two or more of said inventory items respectively offered by two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants;

in response to receiving said one or more orders, instruct that said two or more inventory items be shipped to said customer in one or more shipments, wherein at least one of said one or more shipments comprises inventory items offered by said two or more different merchants, and wherein each of said two or more different merchants is a merchant of record for its respective offered inventory item.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said inventory management system is further configured to:

receive an order placed by a customer for one or more units of said inventory item offered in commerce by said merchant;

determine whether said order is eligible for a promotional opportunity; and

if said order is eligible, instruct that said one or more units be shipped to said customer under terms of said promotional opportunity.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein to determine whether said order is eligible for said promotional opportunity, said inventory management system is further configured to determine whether a total price of said order exceeds a threshold value.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein said promotional opportunity comprises a reduced-cost shipping opportunity.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein to determine whether said request is valid, said inventory management system is further configured to determine whether said merchant is eligible to receive inventory fulfillment services.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein to determine whether said request is valid, said inventory management system is further configured to determine whether said inventory item is eligible to receive inventory fulfillment services.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein to provide to said merchant via said registration interface information for conveying units of said inventory item, said inventory management system is further configured to convey to said merchant via said registration interface a document including identifying data suitable for identifying said units of said inventory item to said fulfillment services provider.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein said document is formatted to enable said merchant to generate one or more labels suitable for applying to said of said inventory item, wherein said one or more labels are indicative of at least some of said identifying data.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein to provide to said merchant via said registration interface information for conveying units of said inventory item, said inventory management system is further configured to convey to said merchant via said registration interface a document including shipping data suitable for identifying one or more packages including said units of said inventory item for shipment to said fulfillment services provider.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said document is formatted to enable said merchant to generate one or more labels suitable for applying to said one or more packages including said units of said inventory item, wherein said one or more labels are indicative of at least some of said shipping data.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said inventory management system is further configured to determine that said units of said inventory item have been received by said fulfillment services provider.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said inventory management system is further configured to:

in response to receiving said request, determine whether said merchant is registered to receive inventory fulfillment services;

in response to determining that said merchant is not registered, request registration data from said merchant and attempt to validate at least some of said registration data.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein to receive said request via said registration interface, said inventory management system is further configured to receive said request via one or more web pages presented to said merchant by said registration interface.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein to receive said request via said registration interface, said inventory management system is further configured to receive said request via a web services interface presented to said merchant by said registration interface.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an order placed by a customer for one or more units of said inventory item offered in commerce by said merchant;

determining whether said order is eligible for a promotional opportunity; and

if said order is eligible, instructing that said one or more units be shipped to said customer under terms of said promotional opportunity.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein determining whether said order is eligible for said promotional opportunity further comprises determining whether a total price of said order exceeds a threshold value.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said promotional opportunity comprises a reduced-cost shipping opportunity.

16. A method, comprising:

a fulfillment services provider receiving, from a merchant, a request to receive inventory fulfillment services from said fulfillment services provider for an inventory item, wherein said request is received via a computer-implemented registration interface;

said fulfillment services provider determining whether said request is valid; and

in response to determining that said request is valid, said fulfillment services provider providing to said merchant via said registration interface information for conveying units of said inventory item to said fulfillment services provider.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said merchant is one of a plurality of merchants from which said fulfillment services provider receives requests to receive inventory fulfillment services for respective inventory items offered in commerce by said plurality of merchants, and where the method further comprises:

said fulfillment services provider receiving one or more orders placed by a customer for two or more of said inventory items respectively offered by two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants;

in response to receiving said one or more orders, said fulfillment services provider shipping said two or more inventory items to said customer in one or more shipments, wherein at least one of said one or more shipments comprises inventory items offered by said two or more different merchants, and wherein each of said two or more different merchants is a merchant of record for its respective offered inventory item.

21. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said fulfillment services provider determining whether said request is valid comprises said fulfillment services provider determining whether said merchant is eligible to receive inventory fulfillment services.

22. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said fulfillment services provider determining whether said request is valid comprises said fulfillment services provider determining whether said inventory item is eligible to receive inventory fulfillment services.

23. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said fulfillment services provider providing to said merchant via said registration interface information for conveying units of said inventory item comprises said fulfillment services provider conveying to said merchant via said registration interface a document including identifying data suitable for identifying said units of said inventory item to said fulfillment services provider.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein said document is formatted to enable said merchant to generate one or more labels suitable for applying to said units of said inventory item, wherein said one or more labels are indicative of at least some of said identifying data.

25. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said fulfillment services provider providing to said merchant via said registration interface information for conveying units of said inventory item comprises said fulfillment services provider conveying to said merchant via said registration interface a document including shipping data suitable for identifying one or more packages including said units of said inventory item for shipment to said fulfillment services provider.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein said document is formatted to enable said merchant to generate one or more labels suitable for applying to said one or more packages including said units of said inventory item, wherein said one or more labels are indicative of at least some of said shipping data.

27. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising said fulfillment services provider receiving and storing said units of said inventory item.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein said fulfillment services provider receiving said units of said given item comprises said fulfillment services provider receiving at least some of said units of said given item from a party other than said merchant on behalf of said merchant.

29. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

in response to receiving said request, said fulfillment services provider determining whether said merchant is registered to receive inventory fulfillment services;

in response to determining that said merchant is not registered, said fulfillment services provider requesting registration data from said merchant and attempting to validate at least some of said registration data.

30. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said fulfillment services provider receiving said request via said computer-implemented registration interface comprises said fulfillment services provider receiving said request via one or more web pages presented to said merchant by said registration interface.

31. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said fulfillment services provider receiving said request via said computer-implemented registration interface comprises said fulfillment services provider receiving said request via a web services interface presented to said merchant by said registration interface.

32. A computer-accessible medium comprising instructions, wherein the instructions are executable to:

receive, from a merchant, a request to receive inventory fulfillment services from a fulfillment services provider for an inventory item, wherein said request is received via a computer-implemented registration interface;

determine whether said request is valid; and

in response to determining that said request is valid, provide to said merchant via said registration interface information for conveying units of said inventory item to said fulfillment services provider.

33. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein said merchant is one of a plurality of merchants from which said fulfillment services provider receives requests to receive inventory fulfillment services for respective inventory items offered in commerce by said plurality of merchants, and where the instructions are further executable to:

receive one or more orders placed by a customer for two or more of said inventory items respectively offered by two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants;

in response to receiving said one or more orders, instruct that said two or more inventory items be shipped to said customer in one or more shipments, wherein at least one of said one or more shipments comprises inventory items offered by said two or more different merchants, and wherein each of said two or more different merchants is a merchant of record for its respective offered inventory item.

34. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein said instructions are further executable to:

receive an order placed by a customer for one or more units of said inventory item offered in commerce by said merchant;

determine whether said order is eligible for a promotional opportunity; and

if said order is eligible, instruct that said one or more units be shipped to said customer under terms of said promotional opportunity.

35. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 34, wherein to determine whether said order is eligible for said promotional opportunity, said inventory management system is further configured to determine whether a total price of said order exceeds a threshold value.

36. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 34, wherein said promotional opportunity comprises a reduced-cost shipping opportunity.

37. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein to determine whether said request is valid, said instructions are further executable to determine whether said merchant is eligible to receive inventory fulfillment services.

38. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein to determine whether said request is valid, said instructions are further executable to determine whether said inventory item is eligible to receive inventory fulfillment services.

39. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein to provide to said merchant via said registration interface information for conveying units of said inventory item, said instructions are further executable to convey to said merchant via said registration interface a document including identifying data suitable for identifying said units of said inventory item to said fulfillment services provider.

40. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 39, wherein said document is formatted to enable said merchant to generate one or more labels suitable for applying to said units of said inventory item, wherein said one or more labels are indicative of at least some of said identifying data.

41. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein to provide to said merchant via said registration interface information for conveying units of said inventory item, said instructions are further executable to convey to said merchant via said registration interface a document including shipping data suitable for identifying one or more packages including said units of said inventory item for shipment to said fulfillment services provider.

42. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein said document is formatted to enable said merchant to generate one or more labels suitable for applying to said one or more packages including said units of said inventory item, wherein said one or more labels are indicative of at least some of said shipping data.

43. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 42, wherein the instructions are further executable to determine that said units of said inventory item have been received by said fulfillment services provider, and to responsively instruct that said units of said inventory item be stored.

44. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

in response to receiving said request, determine whether said merchant is registered to receive inventory fulfillment services;

in response to determining that said merchant is not registered, request registration data from said merchant and attempt to validate at least some of said registration data.

45. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein to receive said request via said computer-implemented registration interface, said instructions are further executable to receive said request via one or more web pages presented to said merchant by said registration interface.

46. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein to receive said request via said computer-implemented registration interface, said instructions are further executable to receive said request via a web services interface presented to said merchant by said registration interface.

47. A system, comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to said memory;

wherein said instructions are executable by at least one of said one or more processors to implement an inventory management system;

wherein said inventory management system is configured to;

receive, from a plurality of merchants, requests to receive inventory fulfillment services from a fulfillment services provider for inventory items, wherein a given one of said requests from a given one of said plurality of merchants is received via a registration interface that does not require human intervention, and wherein said inventory items are offered in commerce by said plurality of merchants;

receive one or more orders placed by a customer for two or more of said inventory items respectively offered by two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants;

in response to receiving said one or more orders, instruct that said two or more inventory items be shipped to said customer in one or more shipments, wherein at least one of said one or more shipments comprises inventory items offered by said two or more different merchants, and wherein each of said two or more different merchants is a merchant of record for its respective offered inventory item.

48. The system as recited in claim 47, wherein said inventory management system is further configured to instruct that a packing slip be provided to said customer, wherein said packing slip is formatted to indicate each of said two or more different merchants as said merchant of record for its respective offered inventory item.

49. The system as recited in claim 47, wherein said inventory management system is further configured to receive said given request via one or more web pages presented to said given merchant by said registration interface.

50. The system as recited in claim 47, wherein said inventory management system is further configured to receive said given request via a web services interface presented to said given merchant by said registration interface.

51. The system as recited in claim 47, wherein said instructions are further executable to present to said customer an electronic commerce marketplace through which said two or more of said inventory items are respectively offered by said two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants.

52. The system as recited in claim 51, wherein said electronic commerce marketplace comprises one or more web pages.

53. The system as recited in claim 51, wherein said electronic commerce marketplace comprises a web services interface.

54. The system as recited in claim 47, wherein said two or more of said inventory items are offered in commerce through electronic commerce channels respectively associated with said two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants.

55. The system as recited in claim 54, wherein at least one of said electronic commerce channels comprises one or more web pages.

56. The system as recited in claim 55, wherein at least one of said electronic commerce channels comprises a web services interface.

57. The system as recited in claim 47, wherein said customer corresponds to a plurality of individuals, each of which consents to having its orders shipped to a common destination.

58. A method, comprising:

a fulfillment services provider receiving, from a plurality of merchants, requests to receive inventory fulfillment services from said fulfillment services provider for inventory items, wherein a given one of said requests from a given one of said plurality of merchants is received via a registration interface that does not require human intervention, and wherein said inventory items are offered in commerce by said plurality of merchants;

said fulfillment services provider receiving one or more orders placed by a customer for two or more of said inventory items respectively offered by two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants;

in response to receiving said one or more orders, said fulfillment services provider shipping said two or more inventory items to said customer in one or more shipments, wherein at least one of said one or more shipments comprises inventory items offered by said two or more different merchants, and wherein each of said two or more different merchants is a merchant of record for its respective offered inventory item.

59. The method as recited in claim 58, further comprising said fulfillment services provider providing to said customer a packing slip formatted to indicate each of said two or more different merchants as said merchant of record for its respective offered inventory item.

60. The method as recited in claim 58, further comprising said fulfillment services provider receiving said given request via one or more web pages presented to said given merchant by said registration interface.

61. The method as recited in claim 58, further comprising said fulfillment services provider receiving said given request via a web services interface presented to said given merchant by said registration interface.

62. The method as recited in claim 58, further comprising said fulfillment services provider presenting to said customer an electronic commerce marketplace through which said two or more of said inventory items are respectively offered by said two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants.

63. The method as recited in claim 62, wherein said electronic commerce marketplace comprises one or more web pages.

64. The method as recited in claim 62, wherein said electronic commerce marketplace comprises a web services interface.

65. The method as recited in claim 58, wherein said two or more of said inventory items are offered in commerce through electronic commerce channels respectively associated with said two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants.

66. The method as recited in claim 65, wherein at least one of said electronic commerce channels comprises one or more web pages.

67. The method as recited in claim 65, wherein at least one of said electronic commerce channels comprises a web services interface.

68. The method as recited in claim 58, wherein said customer corresponds to a plurality of individuals, each of which consents to having its orders shipped to a common destination.

74. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 60, wherein said electronic commerce marketplace comprises one or more web pages.

75. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 60, wherein said electronic commerce marketplace comprises a web services interface.

69. A computer-accessible medium comprising instructions, wherein the instructions are executable to:

receive, from a plurality of merchants, requests to receive inventory fulfillment services from said fulfillment services provider for inventory items, wherein a given one of said requests from a given one of said plurality of merchants is received via a registration interface that does not require human intervention, and wherein said inventory items are offered in commerce by said plurality of merchants;

receive one or more orders placed by a customer for two or more of said inventory items respectively offered by two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants;

in response to receiving said one or more orders, instruct that said two or more inventory items be shipped to said customer in one or more shipments, wherein at least one of said one or more shipments comprises inventory items offered by said two or more different merchants, and wherein each of said two or more different merchants is a merchant of record for its respective offered inventory item.

70. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 69, wherein the instructions are further executable to instruct that a packing slip be provided to said customer, wherein said packing slip is formatted to indicate each of said two or more different merchants as said merchant of record for its respective offered inventory item.

71. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 69, wherein the instructions are further executable to receive said given request via one or more web pages presented to said given merchant by said registration interface.

72. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 69, wherein the instructions are further executable to receive said given request via a web services interface presented to said given merchant by said registration interface.

73. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 69, wherein the instructions are further executable to present to said customer an electronic commerce marketplace through which said two or more of said inventory items are respectively offered by said two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants.

76. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 69, wherein said two or more of said inventory items are offered in commerce through electronic commerce channels respectively associated with said two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants.

77. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 76, wherein at least one of said electronic commerce channels comprises one or more web pages.

78. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 76, wherein at least one of said electronic commerce channels comprises a web services interface.

79. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 69, wherein said customer corresponds to a plurality of individuals, each of which consents to having its orders shipped to a common destination.

80. A fulfillment center, comprising:

an inventory storage facility configured to store inventory items; and

an inventory management system configured to;

receive, from a merchant, a request to receive inventory fulfillment services from a fulfillment services provider for a given one of said inventory items, wherein said request is received via a computer-implemented registration interface;

determine whether said request is valid;

in response to determining that said request is valid, provide to said merchant via said registration interface information for conveying units of said given inventory item to said fulfillment center; and

upon detecting that said units of said inventory item have been received at said fulfillment center, instruct that said units of said given inventory item be stored within said inventory storage facility.

81. The fulfillment center as recited in claim 80, wherein said merchant is one of a plurality of merchants from which said inventory management system receives requests to receive inventory fulfillment services for respective inventory items offered in commerce by said plurality of merchants, and wherein the inventory management system is further configured to:

receive one or more orders placed by a customer for two or more of said inventory items respectively offered by two or more different ones of said plurality of merchants;

in response to receiving said one or more orders, instruct that said two or more inventory items be shipped to said customer in one or more shipments, wherein at least one of said one or more shipments comprises inventory items offered by said two or more different merchants, and wherein each of said two or more different merchants is a merchant of record for its respective offered inventory item.

82. A system, comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to said memory, wherein said instructions are executable by at least one of said one or more processors to implement a fulfillment services management interface, wherein said fulfillment services management interface is configured to;

receive a status request corresponding to an inventory item from a merchant, wherein said merchant has registered said inventory item, via a computer-implemented registration interface, to receive inventory fulfillment services from a fulfillment services provider; and

in response to receiving said status request, provide to said merchant an indication of inventory status corresponding to said inventory item.

83. The system as recited in claim 82, wherein to provide said indication of inventory status, said fulfillment services management interface is further configured to indicate to said merchant, for one or more of the following inventory states, a respective quantity of units of said inventory item corresponding to said one or more inventory states:

in transit from said merchant to said fulfillment services provider, in storage at said fulfillment services provider, in transit from said fulfillment services provider to customers.

84. The system as recited in claim 82, wherein said fulfillment services management interface is further configured to:

receive a request to modify inventory status of said inventory item from said merchant; and

in response to receiving said request to modify, instruct that one or more actions be taken to correspondingly modify inventory status of said inventory item.

85. The system as recited in claim 84, wherein said request to modify inventory status specifies to return a given quantity of said inventory item to said merchant, and wherein to instruct that said one or more actions be taken, said fulfillment services management interface is further configured to instruct that said given quantity of said inventory item be withdrawn from said fulfillment services provider and returned to said merchant.

86. The system as recited in claim 82, wherein said fulfillment services management interface is further configured to present to said merchant a customer service inquiry corresponding to said inventory item.

87. A method, comprising:

receiving a status request corresponding to an inventory item from a merchant, wherein said merchant has registered said inventory item, via a computer-implemented registration interface, to receive inventory fulfillment services from a fulfillment services provider; and

in response to receiving said status request, providing to said merchant an indication of inventory status corresponding to said inventory item.

88. The method as recited in claim 87, wherein providing said indication of inventory status further comprises indicating to said merchant, for one or more of the following inventory states, a respective quantity of units of said inventory item corresponding to said one or more inventory states:

in transit from said merchant to said fulfillment services provider, in storage at said fulfillment services provider, in transit from said fulfillment services provider to customers.

89. The method as recited in claim 87, further comprising:

receiving a request to modify inventory status of said inventory item from said merchant; and

in response to receiving said request to modify, instructing that one or more actions be taken to correspondingly modify inventory status of said inventory item.

90. The method as recited in claim 89, wherein said request to modify inventory status specifies to return a given quantity of said inventory item to said merchant, and instructing that said one or more actions be taken comprises instructing that said given quantity of said inventory item be withdrawn from said fulfillment services provider and returned to said merchant.

91. The method as recited in claim 87, further comprising presenting to said merchant a customer service inquiry corresponding to said inventory item.