System and methods for automating product returns

• US 8,001,046 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Afterbot Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Afterbot Incorporated
• Inventors: Schultz, Roger Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Havan, Thu Thao
• Application Number:
  US12/686,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20100121771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/40
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0457 the tickets being sent electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• 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 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

In connection with a sales transaction, product information is directly collected from the product provided with a label or tag that can be electronically scanned by, for example, optical scanning technology or radio-frequency scanning technology. The product information is electronically provided to the buyer in the form of an electronic receipt.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating a return of a product purchased by a buyer from a seller, comprising:

a. a database for storing a plurality of sales transactions between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers, wherein a selected sales transaction of the plurality of sales transactions is associated with the product, a selected buyer of the plurality of buyers and a selected seller of the plurality of sellers;

b. a processor for;

i. receiving from a device operated by the selected buyer a signal indicating that the selected buyer wishes to return the product purchased in the selected sales transaction to the selected seller;

ii. identifying in the database the selected seller associated with the product and the selected sales transaction;

iii. generating a label associated with the product, the selected sales transaction and the selected seller, the label including information necessary for a shipper to route a package containing the product back to the selected seller;

iv. transmitting the label to the device operated by the selected buyer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected buyer prints the label for affixing to the package.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the return label includes a return authorization number.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected seller is a retailer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected buyer is a consumer.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a printer for printing the label.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the printer is associated with the device operated by the selected buyer.

8. A method for facilitating a return of a product purchased by a buyer from a seller, comprising the steps of:

a. storing a plurality of sales transactions between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers in a database, wherein a selected sales transaction of the plurality of sales transactions is associated with the product, a selected buyer of the plurality of buyers and a selected seller of the plurality of sellers;

b. receiving from a device operated by the selected buyer a signal indicating that the selected buyer wishes to return the product purchased in the selected sales transaction to the selected seller;

c. identifying in the database the selected seller associated with the product and the selected sales transaction;

d. generating a label associated with the product, the selected sales transaction and the selected seller, the label including information necessary for a shipper to route a package containing the product back to the selected seller;

e. transmitting the label to the device operated by the selected buyer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected buyer prints the label for affixing to the package.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the return label includes a return authorization number.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected seller is a retailer.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected buyer is a consumer.

13. A computer program product having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for facilitating a return of a product purchased by a buyer from a seller, the method comprising the steps of:

a. storing a plurality of sales transactions between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers in a database, wherein a selected sales transaction of the plurality of sales transactions is associated with the product, a selected buyer of the plurality of buyers and a selected seller of the plurality of sellers;

b. receiving from a device operated by the selected buyer a signal indicating that the selected buyer wishes to return the product purchased in the selected sales transaction to the selected seller;

c. identifying in the database the selected seller associated with the product and the selected sales transaction;

d. generating a label associated with the product, the selected sales transaction and the selected seller, the label including information necessary for a shipper to route a package containing the product back to the selected seller;

e. transmitting the label to the device operated by the selected buyer.