Product returns processing system including return address determination based upon disposition and product availability and condition and related methods

A returns processing server comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to said processor and configured to store
• a plurality of purchase transaction receipts for respective products and received from a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices associated with respective users,
• for each product, a product return rule, a product availability status, and a disposition, the product availability status comprising available for purchase at a primary market retailer, backordered, sold-out at the primary market retailer, discontinued, and recalled, and the disposition comprising return-to-retailer stock, donate to a charity, send to a secondary market retailer, and dispose in a landfill, and
• for each user, a return mode preference;
• said processor configured to
• determine a return window expiration for each product based upon a respective product return rule,
• send a return window expiration notice to each mobile wireless communications device for display thereon based upon a respective return window expiration,
• receive a given product return request for an associated product from a given mobile wireless communications device, and when the given product return request is received before a given return window expiration then
• cooperate with the mobile wireless communications device to obtain user input corresponding to a product condition of the associated product, the product condition being selectable from a group comprising new, used, and damaged,
• determine the product availability status,
• determine a return address based upon the disposition, the product availability status, and the product condition so when the associated product is
• available for purchase at the primary market retailer and the product condition is used, the return address is associated with the charity for donation,
• available for purchase at the primary market retailer and the product condition is new, the return address is associated with the primary market retailer for returning-to-retailer stock,
• one of damaged and recalled, regardless of product availability status, the return address is associated with the landfill for disposition thereat,
• discontinued, and the product condition is one of new and used, the return address is associated with the secondary market retailer, and
• one of backordered and sold-out at the primary market retailer, and the product condition is one of new and used, the return address is associated with the primary market retailer for returning-to-retailer stock, and
• generate a mailing label with the return address and based upon the return mode preference.

A method of processing product returns comprising:

• using a returns processing server comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor to store
• a plurality of purchase transaction receipts for respective products and received from a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices associated with respective users,
• for each product, a product return rule, a product availability status, and a disposition, the product availability status comprising available for purchase at a primary market retailer, backordered, sold-out at the primary market retailer, discontinued, and recalled, and the disposition comprising return-to-retailer stock, donate to a charity, send to a secondary market retailer, and dispose in a landfill, and
• for each user, a return mode preference;
• and using the processor to
• determine a return window expiration for each product based upon a respective product return rule,
• send a return window expiration notice to each mobile wireless communications device for display thereon based upon a respective return window expiration,
• receive a given product return request for an associated product from a given mobile wireless communications device, and when the given product return request is received before a given return window expiration then
• cooperate with the mobile wireless communications device to obtain user input corresponding to a product condition of the associated product, the product condition being selectable from a group comprising new, used, and damaged,
• determine the product availability status,
• determine a return address based upon the disposition, the product availability status, and the product condition so when the associated product is
• available for purchase at the primary market retailer and the product condition is used, the return address is associated with the charity for donation,
• available for purchase at the primary market retailer and the product condition is new, the return address is associated with the primary market retailer for returning-to-retailer stock,
• one of damaged and recalled, regardless of product availability status, the return address is associated with the landfill for disposition thereat,
• discontinued, and the product condition is one of new and used, the return address is associated with the secondary market retailer, and
• one of backordered and sold-out at the primary market retailer, and the product condition is one of new and used, the return address is associated with the primary market retailer for returning-to-retailer stock, and
• generate a mailing label with the return address and based upon the return mode preference.

A non-transitory computer readable medium for processing returns, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for causing a processor of a returns processing server to perform operations comprising:

• storing in a memory coupled to the processor
• a plurality of purchase transaction receipts for respective products and received from a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices associated with respective users,
• for each product, a product return rule, a product availability status, and a disposition, the product availability status comprising available for purchase at a primary market retailer, backordered, sold-out at the primary market retailer, discontinued, and recalled, and the disposition comprising return-to-retailer stock, donate to a charity, send to a secondary market retailer, and dispose in a landfill, and
• for each user, a return mode preference;
• determining a return window expiration for each product based upon a respective product return rule;
• sending a return window expiration notice to each mobile wireless communications device for display thereon based upon a respective return window expiration;
• and
• receiving a given product return request for an associated product from a given mobile wireless communications device, and when the given product return request is received before a given return window expiration then
• cooperating with the mobile wireless communications device to obtain user input corresponding to a product condition of the associated product, the product condition being selectable from a group comprising new, used, and damaged,
• determining the product availability status,
• determining a return address based upon the disposition, the product availability status, and the product condition so when the associated product is
• available for purchase at the primary market retailer and the product condition is used, the return address is associated with the charity for donation,
• available for purchase at the primary market retailer and the product condition is new, the return address is associated with the primary market retailer for returning-to-retailer stock,
• one of damaged and recalled, regardless of product availability status, the return address is associated with the landfill for disposition thereat,
• discontinued, and the product condition is one of new and used, the return address is associated with the secondary market retailer, and
• one of backordered and sold-out at the primary market retailer, and the product condition is one of new and used, the return address is associated with the primary market retailer for returning-to-retailer stock, and
• generating a mailing label with the return address and based upon the return mode preference.