REDUCING INTERNAL THEFT AT A POINT OF SALE

• US 20070278298A1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Muhammad Safder Ali
• Original Assignee: Muhammad Safder Ali
• Inventors: Ali, Muhammad Safder
• Granted Patent: US 7,984,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/206 comprising security or operator identification provisions, e.g. password entry
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/145 PLU-management
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00

Abstract

A method, procedure and operational function of the business for inhibiting internal theft of items without inventory identifiers are provided. In one aspect, the method comprises receiving an item for sale at a POS terminal, wherein the item is missing an inventory identifier. After the item is received, a determination is made as to whether a description of the item is stored in an inventory system. If the item is not stored in the inventory system, the sale of the item is inhibited. Thereafter, the entry of identifying information in the POS terminal is requested such that the identifying information identifies the item such that the description of the item can be stored in the inventory system.

Claims

1. A method for inhibiting internal theft of items without inventory identifiers, the method comprising:

receiving an item for sale at a POS terminal, wherein the item is missing an inventory identifier;

determining whether a description of the item is stored in an inventory system;

inhibiting the sale of the item in response to determining that the description of the item is not stored in the inventory system; and

requesting the entry of identifying information into the POS terminal, the identifying information configured to identify the item such that the description of the item can be stored in the inventory system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting the entry of identifying information in the POS terminal further comprises requiring entry of the indentifying information in the POS terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising allowing the sale to proceed in response to the entry of the identifying information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting the entry of identifying information in the POS terminal further comprises obtaining a scanned image of the merchandise.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting the entry of identifying information in the POS terminal further comprises requesting a description of the item.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying items within the inventory system in response to the entry of the identifying information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying items within the inventory system further comprises providing a barcode to identify the item in response to the entry of the identifying information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the inventory identifier is a barcode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the inventory identifier is a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein inhibiting the sale of the item further comprises providing a notification that the description of the item is not stored in the inventory system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein inhibiting the sale of the item further comprises initiating the step to permit the entry of identifying information in the POS terminal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the description of the item is stored further comprises comparing a scanned image of the item to images stored in the inventory system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the description of the item is stored further comprises comparing a description of the item to the descriptions of items stored in the inventory system.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising forbidding the sale of merchandise through any assigned key in the POS Terminal, wherein the assigned key enables sales without providing the identifying information.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising forbidding the sale of merchandise by an employee without providing the identifying information.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein requiring the entry of identifying information in the POS terminal further comprises providing a touch screen for the entry of the identifying information.