Conducting commerce between individuals with integrated shipping

• US 20030195843A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilk, Tracy L., Perry, Sarah E., Matsuda, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,499,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

Receiving payment includes the establishment, at a first server, a transaction record including information identifying a payment amount, a first account to be credited by the payment amount, and a second account to be debited by a debit amount. A financial authorization network performs an authorization analysis on at least the second account. The second account is debited if the authorization analysis is successfully completed, and the first account is directly credited by the payment amount to conclude the transaction. Risk analysis may be performed for each individual. Payment is integrated with shipping.

Claims

1. A method of integrating the shipping of goods with the purchase of said goods, said method comprising:

recording, on a transaction server, a purchase price of said goods, a first account for an individual buyer and a second account for an individual seller, said seller and said buyer connecting to said transaction server over a network to provide information regarding said purchase;

receiving an indication of a chosen shipper by which to ship said goods from said seller to said buyer;

receiving a tracking number identifying said goods to be shipped by said shipper;

receiving a notification from said shipper regarding a status of said goods associated with said tracking number;

debiting said first account of said buyer only after said notification is received; and

crediting said second account of said seller to complete said purchase of said goods.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said status of said goods associated with said tracking number is that said goods have been shipped.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said status of said goods associated with said tracking number is that said goods have been delivered to said buyer.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

storing said tracking number on said transaction server; and

tracking the status of said goods by reference to said tracking number.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

generating said tracking number at a shipping server operated by said shipper; and

communicating said tracking number from said shipping server to said transaction server.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first account of said buyer is debited by said purchase price and said second account of said seller is credited by said purchase price.

7. A method of integrating the shipping of goods with the purchase of said goods, said method comprising:

recording, on a transaction server, a purchase price of said goods, a first account for an individual buyer and a second account for an individual seller, said seller and said buyer connecting to said transaction server over a network to provide information regarding said purchase;

receiving an indication of a chosen shipper by which to ship said goods from said seller to said buyer;

receiving a tracking number identifying said goods to be shipped by said shipper;

storing said tracking number on said transaction server, whereby said transaction server is arranged to track the shipping status of said goods; and

debiting said first account of said buyer and crediting said second account of said seller to complete said purchase of said goods.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

generating said tracking number at a shipping server operated by said shipper; and

communicating said tracking number from said shipping server to said transaction server.

9. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

debiting said first account of said buyer by said purchase price.

10. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

receiving an indication of a chosen shipping method by which to ship said goods from said seller to said buyer;

calculating a shipping price for said goods based on said shipping method and information regarding said goods to be shipped; and

debiting said first account of said buyer by said shipping price and said purchase price combined, whereby a single debit to said first account simplifies the debiting of said first account.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said chosen shipping method is chosen by said buyer or by said seller.

12. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said first account of said buyer is debited by said purchase price and said second account of said seller is credited by said purchase price.

13. A method of integrating the shipping of goods with the purchase of said goods, said method comprising:

recording a purchase transaction between an individual seller and an individual buyer on a transaction server connected to a network, said transaction server recording a purchase price of said goods, a first account for said buyer and a second account for said seller;

receiving an indication of a chosen shipping method by which to ship said goods from said seller to said buyer;

receiving information regarding said goods to be shipped;

calculating a shipping price for said goods based on said chosen shipping method and said received information regarding said goods to be shipped; and

debiting said first account of said buyer and crediting said second account of said seller to complete said purchase transaction.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising:

debiting said first account of said buyer by said purchase price.

15. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising:

debiting said first account of said buyer by said shipping price and said purchase price combined, whereby a single debit to said first account simplifies the debiting of said first account.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising:

crediting said second account of said seller by said purchase price; and

crediting a third account of a shipper by said shipping price, said shipper being arranged to ship said goods using said chosen shipping method.

17. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said chosen shipping method is chosen by said buyer and said shipping price is communicated to said buyer.

18. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said chosen shipping method is chosen by said seller and said shipping price is communicated to said seller.

19. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said first account of said buyer is debited by said purchase price and said second account of said seller is credited by said purchase price.

20. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising:

generating a tracking number identifying said goods to be shipped by said chosen shipping method; and

storing said tracking number on said transaction server, whereby said transaction server is arranged to track the shipping status of said goods.

21. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said step of calculating a shipping price is performed by a shipping server, and wherein said method further comprises:

communicating said shipping price from said shipping server to said transaction server, whereby said shipping price is communicated to said seller or to said buyer.

22. A method of integrating the shipping of goods with the purchase of said goods, said method comprising:

recording a purchase transaction between an individual seller and an individual buyer on a transaction server connected to a network, said transaction server recording a purchase price of said goods, a first account for said buyer and a second account for said seller;

receiving an indication of a chosen shipping method by which to ship said goods from said seller to said buyer, said chosen shipping method being chosen by said seller;

receiving information regarding said goods to be shipped;

calculating a shipping price for said goods based on said chosen shipping method and said received information regarding said goods to be shipped;

communicating said shipping price to said seller; and

debiting said first account of said buyer by said purchase price and crediting said second account of said seller by said purchase price to complete said purchase transaction.

23. A method of integrating an escrow period with the purchase of goods, said method comprising:

recording, on a transaction server, a purchase price of said goods, a first account for an individual buyer and a second account for an individual seller, said seller and said buyer connecting to said transaction server over a network to provide information regarding said purchase;

debiting said first account of said buyer by an amount equal to said purchase price;

placing said amount into an escrow account;

establishing said escrow period during which said amount is held in said escrow account; and

crediting said second account of said seller to complete said purchase transaction when said escrow period has ended, whereby said buyer has a chargeback right during said escrow period.

24. A method as recited in claim 23 wherein said escrow period is a set period of time established by said transaction server.

25. A method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

receiving an indication of a chosen shipper by which to ship said goods from said seller to said buyer; and

beginning said escrow period upon receiving an indication from said shipper that said goods have been shipped or received.

26. A method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

ending said escrow period upon receiving a signal from said buyer that said goods have been properly received.