System and method for international merchandise return service

• US 10,430,753 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2014
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Felix, Shea R., Sobel, Kate A., Clausen, Rachel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Kevin H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zeroual, Omar
• Application Number:
  US14/568,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20150161562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0831 Overseas transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A system and method for generating a return label for merchandise being returned from a buyer or consumer in a first country to a merchant in a second country. A name and address of a consumer in the first country desiring to return merchandise and merchant or seller information including a merchant identifier is received. An address for receiving returns for the merchant or seller in the second country is accessed based on the merchant information. One or more machine readable identifiers for use by a first country carrier and for use by a second country carrier based at least on the consumer information, and information for routing the return merchandise are generated. A return label for merchandise being returned from the consumer to the merchant is generated. The return label can include the machine readable identifiers and a customs declaration for the merchandise.

Claims

1. A method of processing return merchandise being returned from a user in a first country to a merchant of the merchandise in a second country, the method comprising:

interconnecting a plurality of user computing devices and a first server using a network, the plurality of user computing devices being in data communication with the network and the first server having a data connection to a first database;

interconnecting, to the network, a second server including one or more processors and a data connection to a second database;

receiving, using the one or more processors, identifying information of a user in a first country desiring to return merchandise associated with a merchant;

accessing, using the one or more processors, address information for a merchandise return location in a second country based on information associated with the merchant;

generating, using the one or more processors, a first machine readable identifier in accordance with requirements of at least one of the first country or a first country carrier for use in tracking delivery in returning the merchandise based at least on the user information;

generating, using the one or more processors, a second machine readable identifier in accordance with requirements of at least one of the second country or a second country carrier for use by the second country carrier based at least on information to route the return merchandise;

determining, using the one or more processors, if the second country carrier is a same carrier for both an origination shipment of the merchandise from the merchant and to the merchandise return location in the second country;

determining, using the one or more processors, if a return shipping fee is required for merchandise being returned from the user in the first country to the merchandise return location in the second country and an amount of the return shipping fee if the return shipping fee is required, wherein the determining whether the return shipping fee is required is based at least in part on whether the second country carrier is the same carrier for both the origination shipment of the merchandise and a shipment for the merchandise return;

generating, using the one or more processors, a return label for merchandise being returned from the user in the first country to the merchandise return location in the second country, the return label including the first machine readable identifier, the second machine readable identifier, a customs declaration for the merchandise, and return shipment payment information, wherein the return shipment payment information comprises merchant information encoded to facilitate payment of the return shipping fee if any return shipment payment information is applicable;

storing information from the return label in the first database or second database;

wherein the first country carrier and the second country carrier are different return carriers, compensating the first country carrier for service rendered by the first country carrier,

querying the first database or second database storing information from the return label; and

determining that a customs service location for the second country received the package with the return label affixed thereupon and did not assess customs fees based on the query that the customs declaration portion of the return label indicates a return and one or more tariff codes indicative of returned merchandise.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising obtaining prepayment of the return shipping fee if the fee is required for the merchandise return.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein an amount of the prepaid return shipping fee is a flat rate amount.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein an amount of the prepaid return shipping fee is a reduced amount from a regular rate for a particular class of shipping service.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein, if the return shipping fee is required and has not been prepaid, the method further comprises:

receiving, using the one or more processors, return label information of the received package from the first database or second database;

computing, using the one or more processors, an amount of return shipping charges due for the received package based on the received return label information; and

deducting, using the one or more processors, the return shipping charges due from an account of the merchant or charging a credit card of the merchant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first machine readable identifier for use in tracking delivery comprises:

receiving, in response to a real-time web service call using the one or more processors, information from the first country carrier for use in tracking the return merchandise; and

producing, using the one or more processors, a tracking code based on the information obtained from the first country carrier.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the information from the first country carrier is accessed from a database associated with the first country carrier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated return label is included with the merchandise in the origination shipment.

9. The method of claim 8, additionally comprising receiving information added to the return label by the user, wherein the information is added by the user before the merchandise is returned.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the merchant comprises a commercial or private seller.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second server is part of a postal service computer system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors perform portions of the method at a merchant website utilizing an application programming interface.

13. A method of processing return merchandise being returned from a user in a first country to a merchant of the merchandise in a second country, the method comprising:

interconnecting a plurality of user computing devices and a first server using a network, the plurality of user computing devices being in data communication with the network and the first server having a data connection to a first database;

interconnecting, to the network, a second server including one or more processors and a data connection to a second database;

receiving, using the one or more processors, identifying information of a user in a first country desiring to return merchandise associated with a merchant;

accessing, using the one or more processors, address information for a merchandise return location in a second country based on information associated with the merchant;

generating, using the one or more processors, a first machine readable identifier in accordance with requirements of at least the first country or a first country carrier for use in tracking delivery in returning merchandise based at least on the user information;

generating, using the one or more processors, a second machine readable identifier in accordance with requirements of the second country or a second country carrier for use by the second country carrier based at least on information to route the return merchandise;

determining, using the one or more processors, that the merchant is not to be charged any shipping fee for a merchandise returns shipment based at least in part on whether a second country carrier is the same carrier for both an origination shipment of the merchandise from the merchant and a return shipment to the merchandise return location in the second country;

in response to the determining, using the one or more processors, generating a return label for merchandise being returned from the user in the first country to the merchandise return location in the second country, the return label including the first machine readable identifier, the second machine readable identifier, a customs declaration for the, and an indicia that the merchant is not to be charged a customs fee for the return shipment; and

compensating the first country carrier for service rendered by the first country carrier.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the customs declaration indicates a return and one or more tariff codes indicative of returned merchandise.

15. The method of claim 14, additionally comprising determining that the customs service location for the second country did not assess customs fees based on the customs declaration indicating the return and one or more tariff codes indicative of returned merchandise.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the first machine readable identifier for use in tracking delivery comprises:

receiving, in response to a real-time web service call via a computing environment, information from the first country carrier for use in tracking the return merchandise; and

producing, via a computing environment, a tracking code based on the information obtained from the first country carrier.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the merchant comprises a commercial or private seller.

18. A method of processing return merchandise being returned from a user in a first country to a merchant of the merchandise in a second country, the method comprising:

interconnecting a plurality of user computing devices and a first server using a network, the plurality of user computing devices being in data communication with the network and the first server having a data connection to a first database;

interconnecting, to the network, a second server including one or more processors and a data connection to a second database;

receiving, using the one or more processors, identifying information of a user in a first country desiring to return merchandise associated with a merchant;

accessing, using the one or more processors, address information for a merchandise return location in a second country based on information associated with the merchant;

generating, using the one or more processors, a first machine readable identifier in accordance with requirements of at least the first country or a first country carrier for use in tracking delivery in returning merchandise based at least on the user information;

generating, using the one or more processors, a second machine readable identifier in accordance with requirements of the second country or a second country carrier for use by the second country carrier based at least on information to route the return merchandise;

determining, using the one or more processors, if a second country carrier is a same carrier for both an origination shipment of the merchandise from the merchant and a return shipment to the merchandise return location in the second country;

determining, using the one or more processors, if a return shipping fee is required for merchandise being returned from the user in the first country to the merchandise return location in the second country and an amount of the return shipping fee if the return shipping fee is required, wherein the determining whether the return shipping fee is required is based at least in part on whether the second country carrier is the same carrier for both the origination shipment of the merchandise and the return shipment for the merchandise return;

generating, using the one or more processors, a return label for merchandise being returned from the user in the first country to the merchandise return location in the second country, the return label including the first machine readable identifier, the second machine readable identifier, a customs declaration for the merchandise, and return shipment payment information, wherein the return shipment payment information comprises merchant information encoded to facilitate payment of the return shipping fee if any return shipment payment information is applicable;

storing information from the return label in the first database or second database;

querying the first database or second database storing information from the return label; and

determining that a customs service location for the second country received the package with the return label affixed thereupon and did not assess customs fees based on the query that the customs declaration portion of the return label indicates a return and one or more tariff codes indicative of returned merchandise.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the merchant comprises a commercial or private seller.

20. A system for processing return merchandise being returned from a user in a first country to a merchant of the merchandise in a second country, the system comprising:

a network interconnecting a plurality of user computing devices and a first server having a data connection to a first database, the plurality of user computing devices being in data communication with the network;

a second server including one or more processors and a data connection to a second database, the second server being interconnected to the network;

wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive identifying information of a user in a first country desiring to return merchandise associated with a merchant;

access address information for a merchandise returns location in a second country based on information associated with the merchant;

perform a real-time web service call via the network to the first server to obtain information for use to track the return merchandise;

receive, in response to the web service call via the network, the information from the first server for use to track the return merchandise;

produce a tracking code based on the information obtained from the first server;

generate a first machine readable identifier in accordance with requirements of at least one of the first country or a first country carrier, for use in tracking delivery in returning merchandise based at least on the user information and the tracking code;

generate a second machine readable identifier in accordance with requirements of at least one of the second country or a second country carrier for use by the second country carrier based at least on information to route the return merchandise;

access merchant and buyer information in the first database or second database and determine if a second country carrier is a same carrier for both an origination shipment of the merchandise from the merchant and for the return shipment to the merchandise returns location in the second country;

determine if a return shipping fee is required for merchandise being returned from the user in the first country to the merchandise returns location in the second country and an amount of the return shipping fee if the return shipping fee is required, wherein the determining includes determining that the merchant is not to be charged for the merchandise return based on the merchant accepting a returns coverage fee for the origination shipment of the merchandise or utilizing the same second country carrier for both the origination shipment of the merchandise and the merchandise return shipment based at least on the accessed merchant and buyer information in the first database or second database;

generate a return label for merchandise being returned from the user in the first country to the merchandise returns location in the second country, the return label including the first machine readable identifier, the second machine readable identifier, a customs declaration for the merchandise, and return shipment payment information, if any return shipment information is applicable, wherein information from the return label is stored in the first database or second database;

query the first database or second database storing the information from the return label;

determine that a customs service location for the second country received a package with the return label affixed thereupon and did not assess customs fees, wherein a determination whether to assess custom fees is based on the query of the first database or second database having the return label information;

deduct the return shipping fee due from an account of the merchant or charging a credit card of the merchant if the merchant declines a returns coverage fee for the origination shipment of the merchandise and the second country carrier is not the same carrier for both the origination shipment of the merchandise and the merchandise return shipment based at least on the accessed merchant and buyer information in the first database or second database; and

compensate a first country carrier for service rendered by the first country carrier, wherein the first country carrier and the second country carrier are different return carriers, and wherein the first server and the first database correspond with the first country carrier, and the second server and the second database correspond with the second country carrier.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the return shipment payment information comprises merchant information encoded to facilitate payment of the return shipping fee.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more processors are additionally configured to obtain prepayment of the return shipping fee if the fee is required for the merchandise return.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein an amount of the prepaid shipping fee is a flat rate amount.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein an amount of the prepaid shipping fee is a reduced amount from a regular rate for a particular class of shipping service.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein, if the return shipping fee is required and has not been prepaid, the one or more processors are additionally configured to:

query the first database or second database for return label information of the received package;

compute an amount of return shipping charges due for the received package based on the queried return label information; and

deduct the return shipping charges due from an account for the merchant or charge a credit card for the merchant.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the second server is part of a postal service computer system.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the first machine readable identifier and/or the second machine readable identifier are based on one of a S10 international barcode or an intelligent mail package barcode (IMpB).

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the second server includes a web application.