Method and apparatus for registration of fulfillment services

• US 8,407,110 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Joseph, B. Anthony, Plaster, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayat, Bradley B
• Application Number:
  US11/958,852
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/26.63, 705/26.8, 705/26.81, 705/27.1, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

Various embodiments of a method and apparatus whereby a single action may control fulfillment services are described. Various embodiments may include an inventory management system associated with a fulfillment services provider. The inventory management system may be configured to implement a fulfillment services management interface configured to generate a user interface providing an indication of item(s) listed for sale by a merchant. In various embodiments, order fulfillment services for such items may not be provided by a fulfillment services provider. Additionally, the user interface may provide a single action user interface element for the merchant to register the one or more items for fulfillment by a fulfillment services provider. The inventory management system may, in response to receiving an indication of activation of the single action user interface element, register the item(s) for fulfillment by the fulfillment services provider.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory storing program instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to said memory, wherein said program instructions are executable by at least one of said one or more processors to implement an inventory management system for a fulfillment services provider, wherein said inventory management system is configured to;

determine identification information for a merchant;

based on the identification information for the merchant, access, from an e-commerce provider of an e-commerce channel listing one or more items for sale for the merchant, listing information for the one or more listed items that are already listed for sale by the merchant with the e-commerce provider through the e-commerce channel;

generate, based on the stored listing information, a user interface providing an indication of the one or more listed items that are already listed for sale by the merchant with the e-commerce provider through the e-commerce channel,

wherein order fulfillment services for the one or more listed items are not currently provided by said fulfillment services provider and are instead provided by the merchant,

wherein the user interface provides a single action user interface element for the merchant to register the one or more listed items for order fulfillment services provided by said fulfillment services provider instead of the order fulfillment services provided by the merchant, and

wherein the single action user interface element corresponds to the one or more listed items accessed based on the identification information for the merchant; and

in response to receiving an indication of activation of the single action user interface element, register the one or more listed items for order fulfillment services provided by said fulfillment services provider to transition order fulfillment responsibility for the one or more listed items from the merchant to said fulfillment services provider, wherein registering the one or more listed items for order fulfillment services provided by said fulfillment services provider includes one or more of;

providing to said merchant information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items to said fulfillment services provider, modifying one or more sales listings for the one or more listed items to indicate that orders for the one or more listed items are fulfilled by said fulfillment services provider, or including the one or more listed items as available for one or more promotional or special handling services offered for other items for which orders are fulfilled by said fulfillment services provider.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said registering includes said providing to said merchant the information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items to said fulfillment services provider, wherein providing information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items comprises providing shipping information comprising one or more of:

a shipping list, a packing slip, and a shipping label for said one or more listed items.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said registering includes said providing to said merchant the information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items to said fulfillment services provider, wherein providing information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items comprises providing to said merchant a packaging kit comprising shipping containers and instructions for packing particular ones of said one or more listed items within particular ones of said shipping containers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said registering includes said modifying the one or more sales listings for the one or more listed items, wherein said modifying further comprises modifying said one or more sales listings such that the one or more sales listing indicate that one or more of said promotional or special handling services are available for said one or more listed items.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said registering comprises including the one or more listed items as available for said one or more promotional or special handling services, wherein said including comprises including the one or more listed items as available for a discounted shipping rates program for shipping one or more of said one or more listed items to a purchasing customer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said registering comprises including the one or more listed items as available for said one or more promotional or special handling services, wherein said including comprises including the one or more listed items as available for expedited order processing.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said registering further comprising providing one or more pricing suggestions for each of said one or more listed items, wherein said one or more pricing suggestions are based on historical pricing information for said one or more listed items from said fulfillment services provider.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said single action user interface element is a web-based element, wherein receiving the indication of activation of the single action user interface element comprises receiving said indication via a web-based interface.

9. A computer-implemented method for registering items with a fulfillment services provider, the method comprising:

performing by one or more computers;

determining identification information for a merchant;

based on the identification information for the merchant, accessing, from an e-commerce provider of an e-commerce channel listing one or more items for sale for the merchant, stored listing information for one or more listed items that are already listed for sale by the merchant with the e-commerce provider through the e-commerce channel;

generating, based on the stored listing information, a user interface providing an indication of the one or more listed items that are already listed for sale by the merchant with the e-commerce provider through the e-commerce channel, wherein order fulfillment services for the one or more listed items are not currently provided by said fulfillment services provider and are instead provided by the merchant, wherein the user interface provides a single action user interface element for the merchant to register the one or more listed items for order fulfillment service provide by said fulfillment services provider instead of the order fulfillment service provide by the merchant, and wherein the single action user interface element corresponds to the one or more listed items accessed based on the identification information for the merchant; and

in response to receiving an indication of activation of the single action user interface element, registering the one or more listed items for order fulfillment services provided by said fulfillment services provider to transition order fulfillment responsibility for the one or more listed items from the merchant to said fulfillment services provider, wherein registering the one or more listed items for order fulfillment services provided by said fulfillment services provider includes one or more of;

providing to said merchant information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items to said fulfillment services provider, modifying one or more sales listings for the one or more listed items to indicate that orders for the one or more listed items are fulfilled by said fulfillment services provider, or including the one or more listed items as available for one or more promotional or special handling services offered for other items for which orders are fulfilled by said fulfillment services provider.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said registering includes said providing to said merchant the information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items to said fulfillment services provider, wherein providing information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items comprises providing shipping information comprising one or more of:

a shipping list, a packing slip, and a shipping label for said one or more listed items.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said registering includes said providing to said merchant the information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items to said fulfillment services provider, wherein providing information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items comprises providing to said merchant a packaging kit comprising shipping containers and instructions for packing particular ones of said one or more listed items within particular ones of said shipping containers.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said registering includes said modifying the one or more sales listings for the one or more listed items, wherein said modifying further comprises modifying said one or more sales listings such that the one or more sales listing indicate that one or more of said promotional or special handling services are available for said one or more listed items.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said registering comprises including the one or more listed items as available for said one or more promotional or special handling services, wherein said including comprises including the one or more listed items as available for a discounted shipping rates program for shipping one or more of said one or more listed items to a purchasing customer.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said registering comprises including the one or more listed items as available for said one or more promotional or special handling services, wherein said including comprises including the one or more listed items as available for expedited order processing.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said registering further comprising providing one or more pricing suggestions for each of said one or more listed items, wherein said one or more pricing suggestions are based on historical pricing information for said one or more listed items from said fulfillment services provider.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said single action user interface element is a web-based element, wherein receiving the indication of activation of the single action user interface element comprises receiving said indication via a web-based interface.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising program instructions computer-executable to:

determine identification information for a merchant;

based on the identification information for the merchant, access, from an e-commerce provider of an e-commerce channel listing one or more items for sale for the merchant, listing information for the one or more listed items that are already listed for sale by the merchant with the e-commerce provider through the e-commerce channel;

generate, based on the stored listing information, a user interface providing an indication of the one or more listed items that are already listed for sale by the merchant with the e-commerce provider through the e-commerce channel, wherein the user interface provides a single action user interface element for the merchant to register the one or more listed items for order fulfillment services provided by a fulfillment services provider other than a particular fulfillment services provider that is currently providing fulfillment services for the one or more listed items listed for sale in the electronic marketplace, and wherein the single action user interface element corresponds to the one or more listed items accessed based on the identification information for the merchant; and

in response to receiving an indication of activation of the single action user interface element, register the one or more listed items for order fulfillment services provided by said fulfillment services provider to transition order fulfillment responsibility for the one or more listed items from the merchant to said fulfillment services provider.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein registering the one or more listed items for fulfillment by said fulfillment services provider includes one or more of:

providing to said merchant information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items to said fulfillment services provider, modifying one or more sales listings for the one or more listed items to indicate that orders for the one or more listed items are fulfilled by said fulfillment services provider, and including the one or more listed items as available for one or more promotional or special handling services offered for other items for which orders are fulfilled by said fulfillment services provider.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein said registering includes said providing to said merchant the information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items to said fulfillment services provider, wherein providing information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items comprises providing shipping information comprising one or more of:

a shipping list, a packing slip, and a shipping label for said one or more listed items.

20. The medium of claim 18, wherein said registering includes said providing to said merchant the information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items to said fulfillment services provider, wherein providing information or items for conveying units of the one or more listed items comprises providing to said merchant a packaging kit comprising shipping containers and instructions for packing particular ones of said one or more listed items within particular ones of said shipping containers.

21. The medium of claim 18, wherein said registering includes said modifying the one or more sales listings for the one or more listed items, wherein said modifying further comprises modifying said one or more sales listings such that the one or more sales listing indicate that one or more of said promotional or special handling services are available for said one or more listed items.

22. The medium of claim 18, wherein said registering comprises including the one or more listed items as available for said one or more promotional or special handling services, wherein said including comprises including the one or more listed items as available for a discounted shipping rates program for shipping one or more of said one or more listed items to a purchasing customer.

23. The medium of claim 18, wherein said registering comprises including the one or more listed items as available for said one or more promotional or special handling services, wherein said including comprises including the one or more listed items as available for expedited order processing.

24. The medium of claim 18, wherein said registering further comprising providing one or more pricing suggestions for each of said one or more listed items, wherein said one or more pricing suggestions are based on historical pricing information for said one or more listed items from said fulfillment services provider.

25. The medium of claim 17, wherein said single action user interface element is a web-based element, wherein receiving the indication of activation of the single action user interface element comprises receiving said indication via a web-based interface.