Order and payment visibility process

• US 7,444,298 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen; Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US10/229,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20030158791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,254 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/1, 705/500
• US Class Current: 705/26.81
• 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 method for product order entry, product order visibility and product order processing in a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, via a seller communications device having communications network access, a product order from a buyer communications device;

submitting, via said seller communications device having communications network access, said product order to an order entry and visibility system, wherein the submitting includes selecting one or more suppliers from a plurality of suppliers to fulfill said product order;

communicating, via said order entry and visibility system, said product order to a supplier communications device;

receiving, via said supplier communications device having communications network access, said product order from said order entry and visibility system;

fulfilling at least a portion of said product order;

providing product order fulfillment information to said order entry and visibility system;

shipping said at least a portion of said product order;

tracking a shipping status of said at least a portion of said product order via said order entry and visibility system;

in response to said shipping status indicating that said at least a portion of said product order has been delivered, generating an invoice via said order entry and visibility system;

providing said buyer with an opportunity to dispute said invoice; and

resolving disputes related to said invoice via said order entry and visibility system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating product order status information, via said order entry and visibility system, to an entity that submitted said product order.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating said shipping status, via said order entry and visibility system, to an entity that submitted said product order.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein submitting includes manually selecting one or more suppliers from a plurality of suppliers to fulfill said product order.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing said invoice to an entity that submitted said product order.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising triggering an electronic request for payment upon approval of said invoice.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said electronic request for payment is generated via said order entry and visibility system.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said electronic request for payment is in the form of an automated clearing house request to a bank associated with an entity that submitted said product order.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting, via said order entry and visibility system, a purchase order acknowledgment from said supplier.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating said purchase order acknowledgment via said order entry and visibility system.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing said purchase order acknowledgment to an entity that submitted said product order.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving from said entity a change to said product order in response to said purchase order acknowledgment.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising notifying said supplier of said change to said product order.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating shipping labels for said at least a portion of said product order via said order entry and visibility system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking said shipping status includes tracking at least one of delivery confirmation and signature scans.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of invoicing said buyer via said order entry and visibility system in response to said shipping status indicating that said at least a portion of said product order has been delivered includes the step of submitting invoice information for said product order to an electronic invoice presentment system.