TRACKING CHAIN-OF-COMMERCE DATA THROUGH POINT-OF-SALE TRANSACTIONS

• US 20120054049A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Epost Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Epost Systems LLC
• Inventors: Hayes, Percy Randall
• Application Number:
  US12/868,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054049A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/014 Providing recall services for goods or products

Abstract

Some embodiments include a method for processing information about products in a stream of commerce. The method can include recording unique identifiers in association with products; receiving, from a manufacturer of the products over a communications network, manufacturing information about the products; storing, in an electronic database, the manufacturing information in association with the unique identifiers; receiving, from entities in the stream of commerce over the communications network, additional information about the products; storing, in the electronic database, the additional information associated with the unique identifiers; receiving, over the communications network from retailers selling the products, consumer information identifying consumers of the products; and storing, in the electronic database, the consumer information in association with the unique identifiers.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for processing information about products in a stream of commerce, the computer-implemented method comprising:

recording unique identifiers in association with products;

receiving, from a manufacturer of the products over a communications network, manufacturing information about the products;

storing, in an electronic database, the manufacturing information in association with the unique identifiers;

receiving, from entities in the stream of commerce over the communications network, additional information about the products;

storing, in the electronic database, the additional information associated with the unique identifiers;

receiving, over the communications network from retailers selling the products, consumer information identifying consumers of the products; and

storing, in the electronic database, the consumer information in association with the unique identifiers.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, over the communications network from the manufacturer of the product, information indicating that products have been recalled;

identifying, using the unique identifiers and the consumer information, the consumers of the products; and

notifying, over the communications network, the consumers that the products have been recalled.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the consumer information includes copies of transaction receipts generated in connection with sales of the products, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from one of the consumers, a request for electronic copy of one of the transaction receipts; and

transmitting, to the one of the consumers over the communications network, the electronic copy of the one of the transaction receipts.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving warranty information describing a manufacturer'"'"'s warranty for the products;

storing, in the electronic database, the warranty information in association with the unique identifiers; and

registering, using the unique identifiers and consumer information, the consumers for the manufacturer'"'"'s warranty, wherein the registering occurs automatically after receipt of some of the consumer information.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving regulatory notifications associated with the products;

storing the regulatory notifications in the electronic database in association with the unique identifiers; and

notifying, using the unique identifiers and consumer information, the consumers about the regulatory notifications.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving offer information about one or more of discounts, rebates, retail offers, and return and exchange policies pertaining to the products;

notifying, using the unique identifiers and consumer information, the consumers about the offer information.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a notification about a potential purchase of one of the products, wherein the notification identifies a potential consumer;

determining, based on the notification, financial spending limits associated with the potential consumer, wherein the financial spending limits are set by the potential consumer and not creditors;

determining that the potential purchase will exceed the financial spending limits if the potential purchase is completed;

presenting a notification indicating that the financial spending limits will be exceeded if the potential purchase is completed.

8. One or more machine readable storage media including instructions which, when executed on one or more processors, cause the one or more processor to execute operations comprising:

recording a product identifier that uniquely identifies a non-durable product;

receiving information about the non-durable product, wherein the information includes information about a manufacturer of the non-durable product, information about supply chain entities involved in transactions for the product, and contact information for a consumer that acquired the product;

receiving a recall notice associated with the product identifier, wherein the recall notice indicates that the non-durable product has been recalled by the manufacturer;

notifying, based on the contact information and the recall notice, the consumer that the non-durable product has been recalled by the manufacturer.

9. The one or more machine readable media of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving the product identifier from the manufacturer of the non-durable product.

10. The one or more machine readable media of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

generating the product identifier; and

transmitting the product identifier to the manufacturer.

11. The one or more machine readable media of claim 8, wherein the non-durable product is not categorized as a durable product in the development of United States Gross Domestic Product statistics or as set forth by reporting entities.

12. The one or more machine readable media of claim 8, wherein the information about the non-durable product is received from systems under control of the supply chain entities.

13. The one or more machine readable media of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving, from the consumer, a request for a report including the information about the non-durable product; and

transmitting the report.

14. The one or more machine readable media of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

recording, in association with the unique identifier, warranty information for the non-durable product.

notifying, using the contact information, the consumer about the warranty information.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further comprising:

notifying, using the contact information, the consumer about the warranty information.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the warranty information describes a warranty associated with the durable product, and wherein the method further comprises:

registering the consumer for the warranty.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving a recall notification associated with the unique identifier; and

using the contact information to notify the consumer about the recall notification.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the information from the entities in the chain-of-commerce includes information about a retail sale of the durable product to the consumer, and wherein the method further includes:

receiving, from the consumer over the one or more networks, a request for the information about the retail sale;

providing, over the one or more networks, the information about the retail sale.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the providing includes transmitting, over the one or more networks, a copy of a transaction receipt from the retail sale.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, from a manufacturer one or more networks, a unique identifier that identifies a durable product;

recording, in a database, the unique identifier that identifies the durable product;

receiving, over the one or more networks, information from entities in a chain of commerce involving the durable product, wherein the information includes contact information for the entities and a consumer who acquired the durable product;

receiving, over the one or more networks, warranty information about the durable product, wherein the warranty information is associated with the unique identifier;

recording, in the database in association with the unique identifier, the warranty information and the information from the entities in the chain-of-commerce.