Method and system for processing the local return of remotely purchased products
First Claim
1. A method for processing local return of products purchased from one or more of a plurality of remote retailers, the method comprising:
- in response to a consumer'"'"'s decision to return a product and at a time after the initial purchase of the product from one of a plurality of remote retailers, gathering transaction information regarding a remotely purchased product in a transaction database, the transaction information gathered from a consumer using an Internet web site and a client system at a location remote from any return center;
storing a set of predetermined product return guidelines in a centralized return guideline database, the set of predetermined product return guidelines stored in the centralized return guideline database prior to the receipt of the transaction information gathered from the consumer and comprising;
return information associated with the remotely purchased product and an identified remote retailer; and
product disposition rules identifying a predetermined, retailer-selected method of disposal for the remotely purchased product;
determining eligibility of the product for return based on the set of predetermined product return guidelines;
collecting the product, if eligible for return, at a centralized location; and
disposing of the collected product based on the set of predetermined product return guidelines.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and system for local return of a remotely purchased product. A guidelines-based validation and disposition decision process allows for a collection and disposition decision regarding a remotely purchased product to be made prior to returning the product to a remote retailer via an expensive shipping and handling process. By providing a dispersed method of disposition for returned product through online auction web sites, the returned product may be disposed of for consumers/partners one item at a time and the optimal financial return on the returned products may be captured.
92 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for processing local return of products purchased from one or more of a plurality of remote retailers, the method comprising:
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in response to a consumer'"'"'s decision to return a product and at a time after the initial purchase of the product from one of a plurality of remote retailers, gathering transaction information regarding a remotely purchased product in a transaction database, the transaction information gathered from a consumer using an Internet web site and a client system at a location remote from any return center; storing a set of predetermined product return guidelines in a centralized return guideline database, the set of predetermined product return guidelines stored in the centralized return guideline database prior to the receipt of the transaction information gathered from the consumer and comprising; return information associated with the remotely purchased product and an identified remote retailer; and product disposition rules identifying a predetermined, retailer-selected method of disposal for the remotely purchased product; determining eligibility of the product for return based on the set of predetermined product return guidelines; collecting the product, if eligible for return, at a centralized location; and disposing of the collected product based on the set of predetermined product return guidelines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for processing local return of a remotely purchased product by a consumer using a catalog, a world wide computer communications network or other technique for directly selling to the consumer, the method comprising:
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in response to a consumer'"'"'s decision to return a product and at a time after the initial purchase of the product from one of a plurality of remote retailers, gathering information concerning the remotely purchased product in a transaction database, the information gathered from the consumer using an Internet web site and a client system at a location remote from any return center; maintaining at least one set of predetermined product return guidelines in a centralized return guideline database, the at least one set of predetermined product return guidelines stored in the centralized return guideline database prior to the gathering of information from the consumer and comprising; return information associated with the remotely purchased product and an identified remote retailer; and product disposition rules identifying a predetermined, retailer-selected method of disposal for the remotely purchased product; determining eligibility of the product for return based on the set of predetermined product return guidelines; collecting the product if determined eligible for return; determining a preferred method for disposal of a collected product based on the product disposition rules; and disposing of the collected product according to the preferred method for disposal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for enabling local return of remotely purchased products comprising:
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providing customer access to predetermined product return guidelines in a return guidelines database, for a plurality of remote retailers, the predetermined product return guidelines comprising; return information associated with a remotely purchased product and an identified remote retailer; and product disposition rules identifying a predetermined, retailer-selected method of disposal for the remotely purchased product; in response to a consumer'"'"'s decision to return a product and at a time after the initial purchase of the product from one of the plurality of remote retailers, gathering information regarding a transaction for the remotely purchased product in a transaction database, the information gathered from a consumer using an Internet web site and a client system at a location remote from any return center; determining eligibility for returning the product based on the predetermined product return guidelines; collecting products eligible for return at a local return collection site; and disposing of collected product returns based on the predetermined product return guidelines. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A system for processing local return of products purchased from one or more of a plurality of remote retailers, the system comprising:
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a client system at a location remote from any return center; at least one centralized database for storing a set of predetermined product return guidelines comprising; return information associated with a remotely purchased product and a remote retailer; and product disposition rules identifying a predetermined, retailer-selected method of disposal for the remotely purchased product; and a server system coupled to the client system and the at least one centralized database, the server system operable to; in response to a consumer'"'"'s decision to return a product and at a time after the initial purchase of the product from the remote retailer, gather transaction information from a consumer using an Internet web site and the client system at the location remote from any return center; determine eligibility of the product for return based on the set of predetermined product return guidelines; and identify a pre-determined retailer-selected method of disposal for the remotely purchased product based on the set of predetermined product return guidelines and in response to receiving the transaction information from the consumer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification