Order and Payment Visibility Process

• US 20090030811A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• 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: Gittings, Dave, Gilberto, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,937,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

The present invention discloses systems and methods for facilitating order entry, fulfillment, shipment and payment in a networked environment. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention describes a system for communicating order entries from a seller to a supplier, while providing order status information to the buyer. Also, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a system and method for electronic invoice presentment, dispute resolution and payment in a networked environment is described.

Claims

1. A system for product order entry, product order visibility, and product order processing in a communications network, the system comprising:

a seller communications device configured to;

receive a product order from a buyer communications device; and

submit the product order via an electronic interface, wherein the submitting includes selecting one or more suppliers from a plurality of suppliers to fulfill the product order; and

a supplier communications device configured to;

receive the product order transmitted from an order entry and visibility system;

receive order fulfillment information for the product order, indicating that at least a portion of the product order has been fulfilled;

provide the order fulfillment information for the product order to the order entry and visibility system; and

wherein the order entry and visibility system is configured to;

receive the order fulfillment information for the product order from the supplier communications device;

generate an invoice for the product order in response to receiving the order fulfillment information;

provide the buyer with an opportunity to dispute the invoice for the product order;

resolve disputes related to the invoice and the product order; and

provide shipping status information for the product order.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the order entry and visibility system is further configured to communicate product order status information to an entity that submitted the product order.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the order entry and visibility system is further configured to communicate the shipping status information to an entity that submitted the product order.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the order entry and visibility system is further configured to provide the invoice to an entity that submitted the product order.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the order entry and visibility system is further configured to request payment for the product order upon approval of the invoice.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the request for payment is in the form of an automated clearing house request to a bank computing device associated with an entity that submitted the product order.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the order entry and visibility system is further configured to request a purchase order acknowledgment from the supplier.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the order entry and visibility system is further configured to generate the purchase order acknowledgment to an entity that submitted the product order.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the order entry and visibility system is further configured to change the product order in response to the purchase order acknowledgment.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the order entry and visibility system is further configured to communicate the change of the product order to the supplier communications device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the order entry and visibility system is further configured to generate one or more shipping labels for the product order.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein tracking the shipping status includes tracking at least one of delivery confirmation and signature scans.