Method and apparatus for using greeting cards distributed with electronic commerce transactions as pick tickets
A method, system and apparatus enables on-line selection and personalization of greeting cards over a computer network. The printed personalized greeting card can be shipped alone, or in conjunction other items as a single entity, and serves as any of: 1) a direct source of information for generating a shipping label or an intermediate document used for matching/picking multiple items, 2) as a reference to a file containing data defining the shipping label or packing list used for matching/picking multiple items, 3) as the source of information for generating any of a gift card, gift certificate or addressed envelope that is matched/packaged with the card, 4) as a reference to a data file containing information for enabling generation of a gift card or gift certificate that is matched/packaged with the card, and/or 5) as the actual medium on which the recipient/shipping address is printed.
1. In a computer system connectable to a computer network, a method comprising:
(a) maintaining in a memory data identifying one of a plurality of document templates and any personalization modifications thereto;
(b) printing a personalized document comprising the document template in conjunction with any personalization modifications thereto at a location where at least one product that has been ordered on line physically resides and with which the personalized document is associated;
(c) printing a data reference on the personalized document;
(d) maintaining, in a memory, reference data representing one of data identifying a product selected independent of the personalized document and with which the personalized document will be matched, and a destination shipping address; and
(e) shipping the product combined with the personalized document to a designated recipient.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference data comprises a bar code identifying any of a destination address, SKU and lot number of another product to be shipped with the personalized document.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
(d) generating from the reference data printed on the document any of a shipping label, envelop or an intermediate label useable to help match the document with another product.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference data comprises any of a destination address, SKU and packing list of at least one product to be shipped with the document.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of document templates comprise any of greeting cards, promotional advertisements, and catalogs.
6. In a computer system connectable to a computer network, a method comprising:
(a) maintaining in a memory data identifying a document template and any personalization modifications thereto;
(b) printing a personalized document comprising the document template in conjunction with any personalization modifications thereto at a location where at least one product that has been ordered on line physically resides and with which the personalized document is associated;
(c) printing a data reference on the personalized document; and
(d) maintaining, in a memory, reference data representing one of data identifying a product selected independent of the personalized document and with which the personalized document will be matched, and a destination shipping address; and
(e) shipping the product combined with the personalized document to a designated recipient.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the reference data comprises a bar code identifying any of a destination address, SKU and lot number of another product to be shipped with the personalized document.
8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:
(d) generating from the reference data printed on the document any of a shipping label, envelop or an intermediate label useable to help match the document with another product.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein the reference data comprises any of a destination address, SKU and packing list of at least one product to be shipped with the document.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein the document template comprise any of greeting cards, promotional advertisements, and catalogs.