Method And Apparatus For Managing Shipping And Advertisement Information In A Communications Environment

A drop-off unit for receiving a parcel to be shipped to a destination via at least one shipment provider, said drop-off unit comprising:

• a) an interface suitable for receiving from the sender shipping information associated with the shipment of the parcel, said shipping information including:
• i) destination information;
• ii) payment information;
• b) a receptacle suitable for receiving the parcel from a sender, the parcel being associated with the shipping information;
• c) a processing unit suitable for generating a signal to be transmitted to the at least one shipment provider, said signal being indicative that at least one parcel has been received at the drop-off unit.

A method for receiving a parcel to be shipped to a destination via at least one shipment provider, said method comprising:

• a) receiving from a sender shipping information associated with the shipment of the parcel to be shipped, said shipping information including:
• i) destination information;
• ii) payment information;
• b) associating the shipping information received from the sender with a parcel to be received at a drop-off box;
• c) generating a signal to be transmitted to the at least one shipment provider, said signal being indicative that at least one parcel has been received at the drop-off unit.

A payment kiosk for receiving from a user payment for a good or service, said payment kiosk comprising:

• a) a common display screen operative for:
• i) displaying to a user information about the good or service to be purchased;
• ii) displaying advertisement information;
• b) a user interface for enabling a user to enter payment information associated with a good or service to be purchased;
• c) a processing unit for generating a signal indicative that a good or service has been purchased by the user on the basis of received payment information;
• d) a transmitter suitable for transmitting said signal to a centralized control entity.

A method for managing information in a network of payment kiosks, each kiosk in the network of kiosks being operative for:

• (1) displaying advertisement information;
• (2) enabling a user to enter payment information associated with a good or service to be purchased;
• said method comprising:
• a) receiving at a centralized control entity a signal from at least one kiosk in the network of kiosks indicative of usage information;
• b) transmitting from the centralized control entity to at least one payment kiosk advertisement information to be displayed at the at least one kiosk.