US 6,684,980 B2Granted

Minimal inventory package and delivery system in a retail business environment

AssigneeKHSH Enterprises, LLC

InventorC. Stuart Hungerford, III

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The specification and drawings describe and show a package and delivery system method and display to be used in a retail business environment where customers choose to purchase an item represented by a displayed example. The delivery is handled through a central facility and a post card is used by the purchaser to notify the recipient of the impending receipt of the purchased item. The invention allows for a retailer to operate in essentially an inventory free environment. Graphic designs included on the postcard may be limited edition prints. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims67

Dependent claims

A method for packaging and delivering accessory items in a retail business environment, the method comprising:

providing a package and delivery system display in a retail business establishment, the display including a separable postcard and order combination card, and an example of an accessory item offered for sale by the retail business establishment,
wherein a purchaser takes the postcard and order combination card from the display after deciding to purchase a desired accessory item represented by the example on the display, the purchaser annotates a name and address of an intended recipient on the order portion of the combination card, presents the combination card to a cashier and purchases the desired accessory item by paying a pre-calculated price, the pre-calculated price including all shipping and handling fees for shipping the desired accessory item to the intended recipient by one of private and governmental mail and package delivery methods, and
wherein the retailer retains the order portion of the combination card and the purchaser retains the postcard portion of the combination card;
the retailer then forwarding the order portion of the combination card to an order fulfillment facility;
the order fulfillment facility then placing the name and address of the intended recipient on a shipping container containing the purchased desired accessory item;
and
the order fulfillment facility then mailing said shipping container to the intended recipient by the selected private or governmental mail and package delivery method,
wherein the retailer is able to maintain a minimal inventory of said accessory item.

5 more elements

A package and delivery system display for a retail business entity, the display comprising:

means for displaying an example of an accessory item offered for sale by the retail business establishment;
the display means being located in a retail business entity;
an example of an accessory item offered for sale mounted on the display means;
the display means further including at least one postcard and order combination card, each combination card being separable into a postcard portion and an order portion;
the order portion of the combination card having designated locations for a purchaser to annotate a name and address of an intended recipient;
the postcard portion of the combination card having a designated portion for annotating an originator of the postcard, and a second designated portion for annotating to whom the postcard is to be delivered;
the display means further comprising means for holding the plurality of combination cards;
the display means further including information on how the accessory item represented by the displayed example may be purchased by the purchaser, on how to complete the order portion and the postcard portion of the combination card, and information related to the process of purchasing the accessory item;
the display means further including a sample of a package shipping container representative of another shipping container in which the purchased accessory item would be shipped to the intended recipient;
and
the display means having means for the purchaser to complete the order portion and the postcard portion of the combination card.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/040,097Filed 2 Jan 2002
Published: US 2003/0126030 A13 Jul 2003
Granted: 3 Feb 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G06Q 10/08
Administration; Management: logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
G06Q 20/203
Point-of-sale [POS] network systems: inventory monitoring
G07F 17/40
Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services: for devices for accepting orders, advertisements, or the like
G06Q
Information and communication technology [ict] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial