Patent Application
20220237559
Online commerce and similar endeavors rely on the availability of efficient and widely available systems for shipping packages from one entity to another, typically via service providers such as the USPS and other national or international postal services, FedEx®, DHL®, and UPS®, and other foreign and domestic commercial shipping service providers. Such systems typically provide techniques to pre-pay for the initial shipping postage, such as by purchasing pre-paid indicia that are affixed to the package to be mailed. Some shippers, such as online and mail-order stores, also may provide various return shipping options that allow initial recipients to return packages that were sent to them by the initial shipper. For example, online stores often provide an option for an initial recipient to return a purchased item for a refund. The cost of the return shipping may be paid by the initial recipient or by the initial shipper.
As used herein, an “initial shipper” is an entity that initially sends goods through a mail stream in a package or other mail piece. Similarly, an “initial recipient” is a party that receives the initial shipment after transport through the mail stream. When goods are returned via a return shipment technique, including techniques disclosed herein, the initial recipient may be considered a “return shipper” because they initiate the return shipment. Similarly, the initial shipper may be considered a “return recipient” because they receive the return shipment. A “shipping provider” is any entity that provides shipment services of mail pieces, such as the United States Postal Service (USPS) or other local, country, or regional mail services, commercial shippers such as FedEx, DHL, and the like, and service and solution providers such as Quadient and the like.
Embodiments disclosed herein provide methods and systems for providing return shipping postage via an automated kiosk. Features of the disclosed methods and systems include receiving, from a return shipper, a computer-readable representation of a unique identifier associated with a request to return an item sent by an initial shipper to the return shipper, obtaining shipping dimensions of a package from the return shipper, providing the unique identifier to a shipping provider, responsive to providing the unique identifier to the shipping provider, receiving, from the shipping provider, a return shipping label, providing the return shipping label to the return shipper, and receiving, from the return shipper, the package and the return shipping label. The kiosk may automatically measure dimensions of the package, or they may be provided by the return shipper manually or via a computer-readable representation of package information such as a bar code or QR code. The kiosk may validate the shipping dimensions by comparing the shipping dimensions to a pre-defined set of dimensions or a range of dimensions, such as those provided by an initial shipper or a shipping provider. The dimensions may correspond to those of an item sent to the initial recipient.
According to an embodiment, a shipping provider may provide the return shipping label by receiving a request for a return shipping label for a return shipment associated with an initial shipper; verifying sufficient funds exist in a VPSD associated with an account of the initial shipper and, subsequently decrementing a register of the VPSD in an amount sufficient to generate the return shipping label; generating a return shipping label; receiving a unique identifier corresponding to the return shipment package; receiving dimensions of a package to be sent with the return postage label; verifying that the dimensions are within a range allowed for an initial shipment sent by the initial shipper and associated with the unique identifier; and responsive to the verifying, providing the return shipping label. The request for the shipping label and/or the unique identifier may be received from the return shipper or from the automated kiosk. The generated return shipping label may be provided to an automated kiosk to provide to the return shipper or to affix to the return shipment automatically.
Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary and the following detailed description are illustrative and are intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the claims.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosed subject matter, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings also illustrate embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and together with the detailed description serve to explain the principles of embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. No attempt is made to show structural details in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the disclosed subject matter and various ways in which it may be practiced.
As online commerce and other activities increase in popularity, so too does the need for efficient and convenient systems and methods for return shipping. For example, many online and mail-order vendors provide various return shipping programs that allow customers to return purchases that are incorrect, damaged, unwanted, and the like. The use of return shipping is not limited to online commerce, but is more generally applicable in any situation where an initial recipient may need or want to return a shipment to an initial shipper.
Current solutions for return shipping typically use a post-paid regime, in which a party is only charged for the return shipment when a mail piece actually enters the mail stream for delivery back to the initial shipper. For example, many online commerce merchants provide a system that allows initial recipients to return goods by obtaining a shipping label that is affixed to the return package. The shipping label typically has a barcode, QR code, or the like that enables the shipping vendor to determine the identity of the initial shipper and charge them for the cost of the return shipment. Thus, the initial shipper may provide a return label with every package to make the return process relatively easy for customers. One downside of such a system is that the initial shipper may not be able to predict the cost of return shipping with any accuracy, since costs are incurred as shipments are returned. To address this, some initial shippers only provide return shipping labels upon request, often requiring the initial recipients to request approval for the return. Other initial shippers may not provide return shipping labels at all, instead providing credit for the cost of the return or requiring customers (as initial recipients) to bear the cost of the return postage. Such systems are more burdensome and/or costly for customers and therefore maybe less desirable both to customers and merchants.
Pre-pay return shipping systems have not been adopted previously due to expected and potential regulatory and administrative burdens associated with them. For example, managing the generation of shipping labels for the purpose of return shipments processed within the USPS is relatively difficult due to strict USPS prepay policies regarding postage generation. The complexity of a pre-pay model mostly centers on the idea of determining a shipping cost which requires parcel dimensions and weight. This can make it difficult for the original sender to generate a shipping label since the return shipper (the customer) is responsible for packaging the shipment. Additionally, in some cases using the USPS for return shipments may require the retailer to pay for postage that may not get used requiring the extra work in generating a refund. The USPS and other systems also offer post-pay options for return shipping, but there is no way in such systems to control costs that may arise with unexpected or unreasonable physical dimensions for the return shipment, including total weight, outer dimensions, and the like. As an alternative, online retailers typically process return shipments by using carriers who employ a post-pay system since the cost of returning an item can be determined after the parcel has entered the carrier's infrastructure, or at the point of entry, as previously disclosed.
Current return shipping systems also typically require a return shipper to provide a return shipment parcel to a shipper or intermediary in person. This may require the return shipper either to visit a return shipping office, such as a USPS location, or to arrange for the return shipment to be picked up at the shipper's home or other location. Regardless, conventional techniques often require the return shipper to be assisted by a human operator to process the return shipment, such as where a USPS or other shipping provider employee verifies the dimensions of a parcel and enters the return shipment information into a tracking system. In some cases, such as during an epidemic, pandemic, or other health emergencies, it may be desirable to minimize interactions between return shippers and other humans. It also may be desirable to provide return shipping capabilities at times when it is inconvenient or overly costly for a business establishment to remain open, such as outside of normal business hours, over holidays, late at night, and the like. Embodiments disclosed herein may address such needs by providing automated kiosks that are able to receive a parcel from a return shipper without needing another human attendant.
Embodiments disclosed herein provide improved return shipping systems and techniques that make the return shipping process relatively simple and efficient for initial recipients, while using a pre-pay system that allows initial shippers to more efficiently track and predict costs associated with return shipments. In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided for creating return shipment postage using a virtual postal security device (PSD).
Presuming the initial recipient desires to send a return shipment, label information from the initial shipper 110 may be pre-generated upon receiving a request for a shipment return from an initial recipient 120, i.e., the return sender. For example, the initial shipper 110 may be an online or other vendor, and the initial recipient may be a customer wishing to return an item purchased from the vendor. At 210, the initial recipient may request or otherwise notify the initial shipper that return shipping is desired. The initial shipper may verify the request at 215, such as by comparing the item to be returned to sales records or other customer records, such as to determine whether the item to be shipped is still covered by the initial shipper's return policy, or similar. The policies, requirements, and parameters of a return for a particular shipper are incidental to the present subject matter, and in some cases minimal or no such verification may be performed depending upon the initial shipper's policies. After receiving the notification or request 210, at 220, the initial shipper 110 sends pre-generated label data to a shipping provider 150, such as via an Application Programming Interface (API) or similar interface with the shipping provider 150. The label data 220 may include, for example, the initial shipper's return address, the initial recipient's delivery information, or other information typically included on shipping labels, particularly return shipping labels. Alternatively or in addition, some data may be provided by the return shipper via a keyboard, voice recognition, optical character recognition (OCR), bar code or QR code scanner, or the like. For example, the return shipper may provide their own address, the return address, or the like via any suitable interface. As a specific example, the return shipper may provide an initial shipping label to the kiosk, from which information such as the initial shipper's return address may be extracted via OCR or by scanning a bar code or QR code included on the label. As another example, the return shipper may provide their own return mailing address via their mobile device 130, or an interface on the kiosk 140 such as a real or virtual keyboard, microphone, touch screen lookup, or the like. Information also may be obtained directly from the return shipper's mobile device, such as via a local connection such as wife or Bluetooth, or via scanning a bar code, QR code, or other graphical data representation shown on the device's display.
At 230, the shipping provider 150 may generate or otherwise pre-process a return label, similar to a return label generated in a conventional Request to Send (RTS) request. A return label may be pre-processed, for example, by generating label data that includes all information necessary for the return shipment to be processed and delivered to the initial shipper without yet charging any shipping fees for the return shipment. For example, in a pre-paid system such as the USPS, the label data may include weight and other dimension thresholds, the initial shipper's meter account number and shipping address, the return shipper's address, service and rate codes to be used for the shipment, and the like. This data may be generated by the system prior to receipt of payment for the label or generation of the physical label. Such a request received from the initial shipper 110 also may be validated by the shipping provider 150 at 225, such as via the API, to verify that the request is legitimate and associated with a customer of the shipping provider. For example, the shipping provider may verify that the request matches an expected return shipment. The shipping provider 150 also may verify that there are sufficient funds available on a virtual PSD (VPSD) meter account associated with the initial shipper 110 to pay for the requested shipment at 225, typically before generating the return label at 230. Presuming sufficient funds exist, the provider 150 may decrement and/or increment appropriate registers of the VPSD to receive sufficient funds to generate the requested shipping label. That is, the provider may obtain payment for the return shipping label from a suitable account of the initial shipper 110. In some embodiments the funds need not be obtained from a VPSD or may be obtained from a different VPSD than that of the initial shipper. For example, the account may be a shipping provider VPSD associated with an e-commerce retailer or other initial shipper, in which case the retailer's funds are used for the return label. As another example, the shipping provider's meter funds may be used and the initial shipper may be billed later for the return shipping cost. Funds also may be obtained from any pre-arranged funding source without using a VPSD or equivalent device, such as where an initial shipper has made a funding source such as a direct transfer bank account, credit account, or the like available to the shipping provider for such purpose. Also at 230, the shipping provider may store one or more records linking a unique identifier and/or authentication token to the generated shipping label and/or the particular return shipment for which the label data was received. For example, the initial shipper 110 may provide data for any potential return shipment, for every shipment that may result in a return shipment, or only for specifically-requested return shipments. These records may be used later to identify and provide the appropriate return shipping label, such as at 240/270.
At 250, the shipping provider 150 sends a reply to the initial shipper 110 that includes a unique identifier that can be used to identify and authenticate the request for return shipping 240. The reply also may include an authentication token, such as where one or more forms of user authentication and/or secure communication are used. The specific form of authentication token used may be selected based on other features or constraints of the system. The initial shipper 110 then sends the identifier to the initial recipient 120 at 245, who now will be the become the return shipper for a package using the return label as disclosed in further detail herein. For example, the initial shipper 110 may send a barcode or similar image that encodes the identifier to the initial recipient via email, text message, or the like, after receiving it from the shipping provider 150. The identifier may encode, or may be linked to a record of a set of threshold dimensions for the item to be sent in the return shipment. For example, where a specific item was purchased by the initial recipient from the initial shipper, the dimensions of the item will be known by the initial shipper 110 and threshold dimensions may be set that include the known dimensions as well allowing additional space and weight for a reasonable amount of packaging material based on the specific item. Notably, the expected dimensions may be determined and thresholds applied on an item-by-item basis even where multiple items were sent to the initial recipient in a single package. This allows for an initial recipient to return only a portion of items received in a single shipment while still allowing for verification of the expected dimensions of the return shipment.
At 260, the return shipper sends 120 or initiates a request to the shipping provider's system 150, such as via the API, using the identifier received from the initial shipper. This may be done, for example, using an internet-based interface, a physical kiosk or similar location, or a combination thereof.
For example, when using a kiosk as disclosed herein, the return shipper may bring the identifier to a physical kiosk at 250, such as by bringing a barcode or similar graphical representation on a phone app, physical copy, or the like. The kiosk may then communicate with the shipping provider as disclosed herein, such as by transmitting the identifier to the provider 150 at 260.
At 270, the shipping provider authenticates the kiosk and the request by verifying the identifier, such as by comparing the two to a record of the initial identifier and token sent to the initial shipper at 250. The shipping provider then sends a message to the customer confirming that the shipment information has been received.
The return shipper 120 may provide parcel dimensions 275 for the return shipment, or may provide the package containing the return shipment to a kiosk or similar physical device, which can automatically determine the dimensions of the package at 280 such as via laser, infrared (IR), or similar measurement for the outer dimensions, and a digital scale or similar for the weight of the return package.
At 285, these dimensions may be sent to the shipping provider 150, which checks the provided or obtained dimensions to verify that they are within the thresholds set at 150 or elsewhere during the process at 290. Alternatively, the kiosk 140 may perform this verification through communication with the provider 150. If the dimensions are valid, a return shipping label may be generated using stored funds in the initial shipper's VPSD meter, and provided to the return shipper at 295. For example, the return shipping label may be provided to a kiosk to which the return shipper has taken the package for shipping back to the return recipient (initial shipper). Alternatively, a kiosk or similar device as disclosed herein may automatically receive the return package and apply the return shipping label received from the shipping provider. If the return shipper has not yet provided the package to the kiosk, they may do so after providing the dimensions or allowing the kiosk to determine the dimensions, and/or after applying the return shipping label to the package. For example, the return shipper 120 may apply the return shipping label to the package, and place the package with the label applied in a collection bin in the kiosk at 300.
In an embodiment, a kiosk 140 as previously disclosed with respect to
More generally, any combination of any of the steps described with respect to
Embodiments disclosed herein may allow for various processes to be performed by an automated kiosk and/or a shipping provider. For example, referring again to
Similarly, a shipping provider 150 may perform a process as shown in
Notably, embodiments disclosed herein allow for on-demand, pre-paid return shipping. Because package dimensions, including weights, may be verified at the time of shipping, complications that would arise using conventional return shipping techniques may be avoided. For example, the chance of package dimensions being incorrect or an incorrect item being returned is reduced or eliminated since the details of the item to be returned are known ahead of time and can be conveyed between the initial shipper, the kiosk, and the shipping provider. Embodiments disclosed herein also allow for an item to be returned in a different packaging than was used initially to send the item to the initial recipient. Since the item dimensions are known, even if the item is provided in a package of a different size, the kiosk may determine that the package is within an expected range of dimensions for the item before accepting the return shipment as previously disclosed herein. Such verification cannot be performed with conventional return shipping processes which require a human to accept the return shipment package, since the human operator typically will have no knowledge of the original shipment generally or knowledge of the specific dimensions of the item being returned. Furthermore, because the kiosk is automated and does not require a human operator to enter tracking or delivery information, the chance of human error during data entry is also removed.
Although the examples described above relate to a return of a purchased item, one of skill in the art will understand that the same processes, devices, and systems may be used in any situation in which goods are being exchanged and, specifically, in which one item with physical dimensions in a known range is being sent from one entity to another. For example, where two items are being exchanged, one item may be sent by the initial shipper to the initial recipient as previously disclosed herein. The initial recipient then may follow the same procedure as described for a return shipment, except instead of returning the same item sent by the initial shipper, the return shipper (initial recipient) may send an agreed-upon or otherwise expected item of known physical dimensions. The kiosk or equivalent device as disclosed herein then may follow the same process as described for the return shipment, but for the second item being sent to the initial shipper by the return shipper. The same options for payment also may be used, such that the initial shipper or a shipping provider may provide an account that is to be charged for one or both shipments.
Embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter may be implemented in and used with a variety of component and network architectures.
The bus 21 allows data communication between the central processor 24 and one or more memory components. Applications resident with the computer 20 are generally stored on and accessed via a computer readable medium, such as a fixed storage 23 and/or a removable storage 25 such as an optical drive, floppy disk, or other storage medium.
The fixed storage 23 may be integral with the computer 20 or may be separate and accessed through other interfaces. The network interface 29 may provide a direct connection to a remote server via a wired or wireless connection. The network interface 29 may provide such connection using any suitable technique and protocol as will be readily understood by one of skill in the art, including digital cellular telephone, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, near-field, and the like. For example, the network interface 29 may allow the computer to communicate with other computers via one or more local, wide-area, or other communication networks, as described in further detail below.
More generally, various embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter may include or be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. Embodiments also may be embodied in the form of a computer program product having computer program code containing instructions embodied in non-transitory and/or tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, USB (universal serial bus) drives, or any other machine readable storage medium, such that when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. Embodiments also may be embodied in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, such that when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.
In some configurations, a set of computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium may be implemented by a general-purpose processor, which may transform the general-purpose processor or a device containing the general-purpose processor into a special-purpose device configured to implement or carry out the instructions. Embodiments may be implemented using hardware that may include a processor, such as a general-purpose microprocessor and/or an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) that embodies all or part of the techniques according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter in hardware and/or firmware. The processor may be coupled to memory, such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, a hard disk or any other device capable of storing electronic information. The memory may store instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to perform the techniques according to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.
The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit embodiments of the disclosed subject matter to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and their practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to utilize those embodiments as well as various embodiments with various modifications as may be suited to the particular use contemplated.
