Systems and/or methods for selling non-inventory items at point-of-sale (POS) locations

An electronic registration (ER) system, comprising:

• processing resources including at least one processor and a memory;
• an ER database configured to store records of purchased products;
• a return/warranty qualification module that, under control of the processing resources and in response to a return/warranty eligibility inquiry, is configured to issue a return/warranty qualification;
• a connection to a checkout system of a store, the ER system being configured to receive, via the connection, a data feed from the checkout system, the data feed being formatted to include unique identifiers of purchased products, as well as pairs of order numbers and product identifiers for products ordered from, but not delivered by, the store;
• and
• program logic that, under the control of the processing resources and for each entry in the data feed, is configured to:
• create a corresponding record in the ER database,
• determine whether the entry is either a unique identifier of a purchased product, or an order number/product identifier pair for a product ordered at the store by determining whether the entry is generated in connection with a first mask or a second mask, the first mask being indicative of a purchased product and the second mask being indicative of an ordered product, the second mask being different from the first mask,
• effect transmission of an electronic message to a supplier of the product ordered at the store indicating that payment has been received for that product ordered at the store, when the program logic determines that the entry is an order number/product identifier pair,
• enable receipt, from the supplier, of an indication that a product has been or is being shipped, along with an actual identifier of the product that has been or is being shipped,
• update the corresponding record in the ER database with the actual identifier, the indication including the associated order number and the actual identifier for the product being shipped, and
• associate, in the ER database, the actual identifier with the order number.

A method of processing an order, the method comprising:

• receiving, via a computer provided to a brick-and-mortar store, an order for a product that is sold but not stocked by the store, the computer being prevented from actually selling the ordered product;
• generating, using the computer, an order number for the ordered product, the order number being formatted in accordance with a first mask;
• and
• printing a receipt for the ordered product, the receipt including the order number and a product identifier for the ordered product,
• wherein the receipt is processable by a checkout system of the store so as to complete a sale of the ordered product, the order number being treated as if it were an actual identifier formatted in accordance with a second mask that is different from the first mask, and
• wherein a centralized computer system is configured to (a) receive from the checkout system a data feed including entries for both unique identifiers of purchased products and order numbers for ordered products, (b) generate messages confirming to one or more suppliers, as appropriate, that payment has been received for entries in the data stream that correspond to ordered products, and (c) receive, from the one or more suppliers, an indication that a product has been or is being shipped, along with an actual identifier of the product that has been or is being shipped, and update a corresponding record in a database within the centralized computer system with the actual identifier being associated with the order number.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computer, are configured to at least:

• cause an order for a product that is sold but not stocked by the store to be received from a computer provided to a brick-and-mortar store, the computer being prevented from actually selling the ordered product;
• generate, using the computer, an order number for the ordered product, the order number being formatted in accordance with a first mask;
• and
• direct a receipt for the ordered product to be printed, the receipt including the order number and a product identifier for the ordered product,
• wherein the receipt is processable by a checkout system of the store so as to complete a sale of the ordered product, the order number being treated as if it were an actual identifier formatted in accordance with a second mask that is different from the first mask, and
• wherein a centralized computer system is configured to (a) receive from the checkout system a data feed including entries for both unique identifiers of purchased products and order numbers for ordered products, (b) generate messages confirming to one or more suppliers, as appropriate, that payment has been received for entries in the data stream that correspond to ordered products, and (c) receive, from the one or more suppliers, an indication that a product has been or is being shipped, along with an actual identifier of the product that has been or is being shipped, and update a corresponding record in a database within the centralized computer system with the actual identifier being associated with the order number.

A method of processing orders for products placed at, but not delivered by, a retailer, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a point-of-sale (POS) system of the retailer and over a computer network connection, a data feed including unique identifiers of purchased, as well as pairs of order numbers and product identifiers for products ordered from, but not delivered by, the retailer;
• for each entry in the data feed, and in connection with at least one processor:
• creating a corresponding record in an electronic registration (ER) database,
• determining whether the entry is either a unique identifier of a purchased product, or an order number/product identifier pair for a product ordered at the retailer by determining whether the entry is generated in connection with a first mask or a second mask, the first mask being indicative of a purchased product and the second mask being indicative of an ordered product, the second mask being different from the first mask, and
• transmitting an electronic message to a supplier of the product ordered at the retailer indicating that payment has been received for that product ordered at the retailer, when it is determined that the entry is an order number/product identifier pair;
• and
• receiving, from the supplier, an indication that a product has been or is being shipped, along with an actual identifier of the product that has been or is being shipped, and updating the corresponding record in the ER database with the actual identifier along with the order number.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly storing instructions for processing orders for products placed at, but not delivered by, a retailer that, when executed by at least one processor of a computer, are configured to at least:

• cause a data feed including unique identifiers of purchased, as well as pairs of order numbers and product identifiers for products ordered from, but not delivered by, the retailer to be received from a point-of-sale (POS) system of the retailer and over a computer network connection;
• for each entry in the data feed:
• create a corresponding record in an electronic registration (ER) database,
• determine whether the entry is either a unique identifier of a purchased product, or an order number/product identifier pair for a product ordered at the retailer by determining whether the entry is generated in connection with a first mask or a second mask, the first mask being indicative of a purchased product and the second mask being indicative of an ordered product, the second mask being different from the first mask, and
• effect transmission of an electronic message to a supplier of the product ordered at the retailer indicating that payment has been received for that product ordered at the retailer, when it is determined that the entry is an order number/product identifier pair;
• and
• enable receipt, from the supplier, of an indication that a product has been or is being shipped, along with an actual identifier of the product that has been or is being shipped, and updating the corresponding record in the ER database with the actual identifier along with the order number.