System and method for a virtual inventory program for wireless sales and services

• US 8,024,230 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Simplexity LLC d/b/a Wirefly (Simplexity)
• Inventors: Weisbrod, Tim, Yoder, Grant, ZEINFELD, ANDY
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel, Vanel
• Application Number:
  US12/394,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20100042510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

An embodiment of a method, system, and apparatus for providing a virtual inventory program for wireless sales and services includes receiving an indication of a selected wireless device, and receiving an indication of a selected wireless rate plan associated with the selected wireless device. The method further includes storing a customer order including the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan, and sending the customer order to a wireless service provider associated with at least one of the selected wireless devices and the selected wireless rate plan. The wireless service provider activates the selected wireless device for use with one or more wireless networks provided by the wireless service provider in response to receiving the customer order. The activated selected wireless device is then shipped to a shipping address.

Claims

1. A method for providing a virtual inventory program for wireless sales and service comprising:

updating a database of available wireless devices and available wireless rate plans from a plurality of wireless service providers for communication to a customer;

receiving a first indication of a selected wireless device;

receiving a second indication of a selected wireless rate plan associated with the selected wireless device, the first indication and the second indication being enabled to be received from a sales associate and the customer at a retail location;

storing a customer order including the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan; and

sending the customer order to a wireless service provider associated with at least one of the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan, the wireless service provider activating the selected wireless device for use with one or more wireless networks provided by the wireless service provider in response to receiving the customer order, wherein the activated selected wireless device is shipped to a shipping address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping address is a customer shipping address, wherein the database is communicated to the customer through a display, and wherein the updating is performed at least daily.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping address is associated with a retail store location, and wherein the database is communicated to the customer by the sales associate.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, by an in-store terminal, an indication of at least one wireless device available for purchase by the customer; and

receiving a selection of the selected wireless device from the at least one wireless devices through the in-store terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

sending the indication of the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan from the in-store terminal.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, by an in-store terminal, an indication of at least one wireless rate plan associated with the selected wireless device available for purchase by the customer;

receiving a selection of the selected wireless rate plan from the at least one wireless rate plan through the in-store terminal.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first indication and the second indication are sent to a device associated with the customer.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting payment from the customer for purchase of the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan from an in-store terminal.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending customer payment information to a financial institution for authorizing the payment from the customer; and

settling the customer payment with the financial institution in response to performing a risk assessment and determining the customer order is valid.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the risk assessment includes at least a fraud risk score for each order processed based on a number of factors, including at least matches to a negative file, previously fraudulent orders velocity filters, order cost, identity verification data, and credit card authorization data.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless service provider performs a risk assessment on the customer order to determine whether a particular customer will be granted authorization to purchase at least one of the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan prior to activation of the selected wireless device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing an upgrade eligibility check on the customer order.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a number port eligibility check on the customer order.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a fraud check on the customer order prior to shipping the selected wireless device.

15. An apparatus for providing a virtual inventory program for wireless sales and service comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to retrieve computer readable instructions from the memory and execute the computer readable instruction so as to;

update a database of available wireless devices and available wireless rate plans from a plurality of wireless service providers for communication to a customer;

receive a first indication of a selected wireless device;

receive a second indication of a selected wireless rate plan associated with the selected wireless device, the first indication and the second indication being enabled to be received from a sales associate and a customer at a retail location; and

store a customer order including the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan;

send the customer order to a wireless service provider associated with at least one of the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan, the wireless service provider activating the selected wireless device for use with one or more wireless networks provided by the wireless service provider in response to receiving the customer order, wherein the activated selected wireless device is shipped to a shipping address.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive the indication of the selected wireless device from an in-store terminal.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the in-store terminal is configured to display an indication of the available wireless devices for purchase by a customer, receive a selection of the selected wireless device from the available wireless devices, and send the indication of the selected wireless device to the apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive the indication of the selected wireless rate plan from an in-store terminal.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the in-store terminal is configured to display an indication of at least one wireless rate plan associated with the selected wireless device available for purchase by the customer, receive a selection of the selected wireless rate plan from the at least one wireless rate plan, and send the indication of the selected wireless device to the apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to accept payment from the customer for purchase of the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to send customer payment information to a financial institution for authorizing the payment from the customer.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to settle the customer payment with the financial institution.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the wireless service provider performs a risk assessment on the customer order to determine whether a particular customer will be granted authorization to purchase at least one of the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least processor is further configured to calculate a fraud risk score as part of the risk assessment, and to perform an additional validation in response to the fraud risk score being above a threshold.