SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF MANAGING ITEM PICKUP AT ATTENDED DELIVERY/PICKUP LOCATIONS

• US 20140278843A1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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: Lievens, Daniel, Dethier, Vincent, Pirenne, Luc
• Application Number:
  US14/200,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20140278843A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• 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 10/08345 Pricing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• 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 20/407 Cancellation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating pick up of items from attended delivery/pickup locations. In various embodiments, the system is configured for determining a deadline for retrieving a parcel delivered to an attended delivery/pickup location. In particular embodiments the system is configured to return the parcel to the sender when the recipient does not retrieve the parcel before the deadline. The system may be configured to provide one or more incentives to recipients to retrieve parcels before particular deadlines.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:

(A) receiving a first confirmation that one or more parcels have been delivered to a particular attended delivery/pickup location, said one or more parcels having an intended recipient;

(B) at least partially in response to said first confirmation, determining a final deadline by which said intended recipient must retrieve said one or more parcels;

(C) at least partially in response to a passing of said final deadline, determining whether said intended recipient has retrieved said one or more parcels by said final deadline; and

(D) at least partially in response to determining that said intended recipient has not retrieved said one or more parcels by said final deadline, facilitating a return of said one or more parcels to a sender of said one or more parcels.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for:

(E) at least partially in response to determining that said intended recipient has retrieved said one or more parcels, providing a first compensation to said intended recipient.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein said first compensation comprises a financial compensation.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein said first compensation comprises an offer for a discount on future services associated with said particular attended delivery/pickup location.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for:

(E) at least partially in response to said first confirmation, determining an early pickup deadline by which said intended recipient may retrieve said one or more parcels, wherein said early pickup deadline is before said final deadline;

(F) at least partially in response to a passing of said early pickup deadline, determining whether said intended recipient has retrieved said one or more parcels by said early pickup deadline; and

(G) at least partially in response to determining that said intended recipient has retrieved said one or more parcels by said early pickup deadline, providing a second compensation to said intended recipient.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein facilitating said return of said one or more parcels comprises by transmitting a request to a logistics provider to pick up the one or more parcels from the attended delivery/pickup location and deliver the one or more parcels to a location associated with said sender.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein said location associated with said sender is a second particular attended delivery/pickup location, said second particular attended delivery/pickup location being an attended pickup/delivery location convenient to an address associated with said sender.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein said address associated with said sender is selected from a group consisting of:

(1) a residential address of said sender; and

(2) a work address of said sender.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said one or more parcels contain one or more items ordered from an online retail website by said intended recipient.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said facilitating said return of said one or more parcels to said sender comprises facilitating a refund of a purchase price of said one or more items to said intended recipient.

11. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor, wherein said computer system is configured for;

(A) determining a final deadline by which an intended recipient must retrieve one or more parcels from a particular attended delivery/pickup location;

(B) at least partially in response to a passing of said final deadline, determining whether said intended recipient has retrieved said one or more parcels by said final deadline;

(C) at least partially in response to determining that said intended recipient has not retrieved said one or more parcels by said final deadline, enabling said intended recipient to extend said final deadline;

(D) receiving a request form said intended recipient to extend said final deadline; and

(E) at least partially in response to receiving said request, extending said final deadline.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said computer system is further configured for:

at least partially in response to said first confirmation, determining an early pickup deadline by which said intended recipient may retrieve said one or more parcels; and

at least partially in response to determining that said intended recipient has retrieved said one or more parcels by said early pickup deadline, providing a financial reward to said intended recipient.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein said enabling said intended recipient to extend said final deadline comprises:

notifying said intended recipient of a passage of said final deadline; and

providing said intended recipient with a selection of one or more parcel options.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein said one or more parcel options comprise:

returning said one or more parcels to a sender of said one or more parcels; and

extending said final deadline.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said extending said final deadline comprises charging said intended recipient a fee.

16. A computer-implemented method comprising:

(A) determining, by a processor, a deadline by which an intended recipient must retrieve one or more parcels from a particular attended delivery/pickup location;

(B) at least partially in response to a passing of said deadline, determining, by a processor, whether said intended recipient has retrieved said one or more parcels by said deadline; and

(C) at least partially in response to determining that said intended recipient has retrieved said one or more parcels by said deadline, facilitating provision, by a processor, a financial reward to said intended recipient.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein:

said particular attended delivery/pickup location is associated with a brick-and-mortar retail location; and

said financial reward is an offer for discounted merchandise at said brick-and-mortar retail location.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein:

said deadline is a first deadline; and

said computer-implemented method further comprises;

determining, by a processor, a second deadline, said second deadline occurring at a time after said first deadline; and

determining, by a processor, whether said intended recipient has retrieved said one or more parcels by said second deadline; and

at least partially in response to determining that said intended recipient has not retrieved said one or more parcels by said second deadline, facilitating a return of said one or more parcels to a sender of said one or more parcels.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein said one or more parcels contain one or more items ordered from an online retail website by said intended recipient.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein said financial reward comprises an offer for a discount on logistics services.