Shipment preparation using network resource identifiers in packing lists

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed, causes a shipment preparation computing system to perform a method comprising:

• facilitating preparation of a shipment of an order, by:
• receiving shipment preparation information from a machine-readable data block in a packing list, the shipment preparation information including a network resource identifier that identifies a code module that is remote and separate from the shipment preparation computing system;
• communicating, using the network resource identifier from the received shipment preparation information from the machine-readable data block, with the remote code module to obtain information for the preparation of the shipment of the order;
• communicating, using the network resource identifier from the received shipment preparation information from the machine-readable data block, with the remote code module to cause the remote code module to persistently store in a data repository status information about the preparation of the shipment of the order;
• and
• initiating the shipment of the order based on the shipment preparation information received from the machine-readable data block in the packing list, wherein initiating the shipment of the order further comprises causing a bar code to be included in a package used for the shipment of the order, the bar code configured to cause, in response to being scanned by a smart phone of a buyer recipient of the shipment of the order, the smart phone to initiate a refund and/or exchange process, including notification of a carrier to pick up a returned item.

A shipment preparation computing system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory that is communicatively coupled to the processor,
• wherein the shipment preparation computing system is configured to facilitate preparation of a shipment of an order, by:
• receiving shipment preparation information from a machine-readable data block in a packing list and read by a scanning device, the shipment preparation information including a network resource identifier that identifies a code module that is remote and separate from the shipment preparation computing system, wherein the shipment preparation information from the machine-readable data block in the packing list is structured according to a shipping protocol that defines a syntax for shipment preparation information and corresponding item shipment actions taken by a computing system that complies with the shipping protocol, wherein the shipment preparation information includes one or more property names that specify one or more item shipment actions and that are expressed according to the defined syntax for shipment preparation information defined by the shipping protocol;
• communicating, using the network resource identifier from the received shipment preparation information from the machine-readable data block, with the remote code module to obtain information for the preparation of the shipment of the order;
• communicating, using the network resource identifier from the received shipment preparation information from the machine-readable data block, with the remote code module to cause the remote code module to persistently store in a data repository status information about the preparation of the shipment of the order;
• and
• performing the specified one or more item shipment actions expressed according to the defined syntax for shipment preparation information defined by the shipping protocol, wherein the specified item shipment actions include an instruction to obtain from the remote code module a destination shipping address, an instruction to replace a field in the shipment information with a data item associated with the shipment of the order, and an instruction to transmit to the remote code module the status information about the preparation of the shipment of the order.