System and method for automatically providing shipping/transportation fees

A general multi-purpose processor-based system for authorizing a desired transaction to be conducted utilizing a particular provider, wherein information with respect to said desired transaction as conducted by each of a plurality of providers is presented for selection of said particular provider, said system comprising:

• means for determining parameters with respect to said desired transaction;
• means for determining a value of said transaction associated with two or more of said plurality of providers utilizing ones of said transaction parameters;
• means for presenting each of said determined values for comparison;
• means for selecting said particular provider as a function of said comparison of said ones of said plurality of providers;
• and
• means for printing authorization information acceptable by said particular provider in conducting said transaction.

A system for retrievably storing transaction information for a plurality of transactions, wherein ones of said plurality of transactions are associated with different transaction facilitators of a plurality of transaction facilitators, said system comprising:

• a memory for storing transaction information, wherein the memory is contained within the secure confines of a portable package also including a processor restricting access to said memory;
• at least one input device accepting information input regarding aspects of a desired transaction;
• a processor-based system in information communication with said memory and said at least one input device, said processor-based system including circuitry interfaced so as to receive said desired transaction information input into said processor based-system, wherein said processor-based system is a general multi-purpose processor based system and said circuitry is defined at least in part bv a computer program operating thereon, wherein said circuitry operates to determine information specific to ones of the plurality of facilitators conducting a transaction as a function of said desired transaction aspects, and wherein the portable package of the memory is removably coupled to said processor-based system to provide said information communication;
• at least one interface device accepting said information specific to ones of the plurality of facilitators and presenting said accepted information specific to ones of the plurality of facilitators for selection of a particular one of said facilitators to conduct a transaction as a function of said desired transaction aspects;
• and
• a printer coupled to said processor-based system adapted to print information authorizing said particular one of said facilitators to conduct a transaction as a function of said desired transaction aspects.

A system for selecting a particular shipping service provider of a plurality of shipping service providers and printing an authorization for shipping an item via said particular shipping service provider, said system comprising:

• a first processor device storing an amount of credit suitable for use in authorizing shipment of said item;
• a second processor device having an interface adapted for coupling with said first processor device and for providing information communication there between, wherein said second processor device includes a user interface adapted to interface with a user to accept input associated with said shipment of said item, and wherein said second processor device includes circuitry coupled to said user interface adapted to determine a shipping rate associated with ones of said shipping service providers as a function of said input associated with said shipment of said item and to present said determined shipping rates to said user for selection of said particular shipping service provider, wherein said circuitry communicates at least said shipping rate associated with said particular shipping service provider to said first processor for decrementing said shipping rate associated with said particular shipping service provider from said amount of credit prior to printing an authorization for shipping said item;
• wherein determination of said shipping rates of at least one shipping service provider of said plurality of shipping service providers includes reference to a discrete database for said at least one shipping service provider;
• and
• wherein said discrete database is remote to said first processor device.