Systems and methods for initiating returns over a network

• US 9,824,325 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• 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: Chalmers, Geoff S., Hoffmann, Thomas V.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZURITA, JAMES H
• Application Number:
  US13/828,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20130204803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261, 705 271
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for processing return transactions over a network. An embodiment of the invention discloses an online return application that generates an electronic return shipping label that can be delivered to a browser of a customer that wishes to make a return. Also, disclosed is the creation and transmission of label delivery links, which provide for dynamic generation and delivery of shipping labels.

Claims

1. An electronic return shipping system for facilitating the return of a good previously purchased by a customer from a merchant, wherein the merchant has issued a return authorization, the system comprising:

one or more computers and a network wherein the one or more computers are configured to;

generate a shipping label delivery link, wherein the shipping label delivery link comprises (a) a hypertext link to a uniform locator address, and (b) data associated with the return authorization;

transmit, over the network and to a user device, the shipping label delivery link, wherein the label delivery link (a) is displayed by a user interface of the user device and (b) comprises visually selectable indicia configured to activate the hypertext link to the uniform locator address;

responsive to selection, via the user interface, of the visually selectable indicia, to activate the hypertext link;

(a) receive the data associated with the return authorization as a result of activation of the hypertext link,

(b) extract at least a portion of the data associated with the return authorization,

(c) dynamically generate a shipping label based at least in part upon the extracted data, wherein the shipping label (i) comprises a package tracking number, (ii) is stored in an image format for presentation via the user interface, and (iii) is enabled for printing, and

(d) generate and transmit, over the network to a vendor device associated with a vendor email address, an electronic return notification, the electronic return notification further including a bounce email address; and

responsive to receipt of a notification that the electronic return notification could not be delivered to the vendor email address, automatically forwarding the electronic return notification over the network via the bounce email address.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are configured to generate a return service request as an extensible markup language document.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are configured to send the label delivery link to the merchant over the network via electronic mail.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are configured to send the label delivery link to the customer over the network via electronic mail.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, upon activation of said hypertext link, the one or more computers are configured to display the image format of the shipping label in to a browser associated with the customer and the customer interface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the label delivery link includes at least one of a locality string, a merchant registration identification, or a shipping label creation date.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are configured to encrypt at least a portion of the label delivery link.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computers are configured to encode at least a portion of the label delivery link.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic return notification comprises a human-readable portion and a machine-readable portion.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more computers are further configured to send the electronic return notification to the merchant over the network via an electronic mail.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the bounce email address is an address associated with the merchant.

12. An electronic return shipping system for facilitating the return of a good previously purchased by a first entity from a second entity, wherein the second entity has issued a return authorization, the system comprising:

one or more computers and a network wherein said one or more computers are configured to;

generate a shipping label delivery link, wherein the shipping label delivery link comprises (a) a hypertext link to a uniform locator address, and (b) data associated with the return authorization;

transmit, over the network and to a first entity user device, the shipping label delivery link, wherein the label delivery link (a) is displayed by a user interface of the first entity user device and (b) comprises visually selectable indicia configured to activate the hypertext link to the uniform locator address;

responsive to selection, via the user interface, of the visually selectable indicia, to activate the hypertext link;

(a) receive the data associated with the return authorization as a result of activation of the hypertext link,

(b) extract at least a portion of the data associated with the return authorization,

(c) dynamically generate a shipping label based at least in part upon the extracted data, wherein the shipping label comprises a package tracking number, (ii) is stored in an image format for presentation via the user interface, and (iii) is enabled for printing, and

(d) generate and transmit, over the network to a second entity device associated with a second entity email address, an electronic return notification, the electronic return notification further including a bounce email address; and

responsive to receipt of a notification that the electronic return notification could not be delivered to the second entity email address, automatically forwarding the electronic return notification over the network via the bounce email address.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the electronic return notification comprises a human-readable portion and a machine-readable portion.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more computers are further configured to send the electronic return notification to a third entity over the network via the bounce email address.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the bounce email address is an address associated with the third entity.