Granted Patent B2

US 11,205,181 · App. 14/201,363 · Granted Dec 21, 2021

Inventors: Varun Reddy Agasti (Schaumburg, IL); Leena Munjal (Algonquin, IL); Sneha Narahalli (Schaumburg, IL)

Assignee: Transform SR Brands LLC

G06Q20/407G06Q20/322G06Q20/3224

Abstract

Claims (79)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a selection, via a graphical user interface presented by an e-commerce system on a display of a mobile computing device, of a particular brick-and-mortar establishment where a return is to be made;

receiving a selection, via the graphical user interface, of an order from a list of orders;

receiving a selection, via the graphical user interface, of the purchased item to be returned;

receiving an input, via the graphical user interface, of information identifying the vehicle that is used to return the purchased item;

pre-populating the graphical user interface with payment information previously associated with the selected item, wherein the payment information is pre-authorized by the e-commerce system to facilitate a credit for a return and a charge for a payment deficiency or an additional purchase;

determining whether the mobile computing device is in a defined zone outside of the brick-and-mortar establishment, wherein determining whether the mobile computing device is in the defined zone, comprises:

monitoring a global location of the mobile computing device, and

comparing the global location of the mobile computing device to the defined zone for the brick-and-mortar store;

in response to determining that the mobile computing device is in the defined zone, presenting, via the mobile computing device, a notification that requests whether to initiate the return, wherein the notification is removed when the mobile computing device leaves the defined zone, and wherein the notification is re-presented when the mobile computing device re-enters the defined zone;

transmitting, from a wireless transceiver of the mobile computing device to a return system of the brick-and-mortar establishment, a request to initiate the return if a response to the notification requests initiation of the return;

collecting, via an associate of the brick-and-mortar establishment, the purchased item to be returned from the vehicle;

transporting, via the associate, one or both of an exchange item and a newly purchased item to the vehicle; and

settling, via a mobile computing device of the associate at the vehicle, any price difference between the returned item and the one or both of the exchange item and the newly purchased item on a credit card or a debit card used in the purchase of the returned item.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating a timer that tracks an elapsed time from said transmitting; and

presenting the elapsed time via the mobile computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, in response to said transmitting, content that is targeted to a customer associated with the mobile computing device; and

presenting the targeted content to the customer via the mobile computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, in response to said transmitting, directions for executing the return; and

presenting the directions to the customer via the mobile computing device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the return system, a confirmation for the return; and

altering one or more operating characteristics of the mobile computing device in response to receiving the confirmation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting whether the mobile computing device is in a defined zone, comprises:

monitoring a signal transmitted from a transmitter of the brick-and-mortar establishment; and

detecting the defined zone based on the monitored signal.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage device comprising a plurality of instructions, that in response to being executed, cause a mobile computing device to:

receive a selection, via a graphical user interface presented by an e-commerce system on a display of a mobile computing device, of a particular brick-and-mortar establishment where a return is to be made;

receive a selection, via the graphical user interface, of an order from a list of orders;

receive a selection, via the graphical user interface, of the purchased item to be returned;

receive an input, via the graphical user interface, of information identifying the vehicle that is used to return the purchased item;

pre-populate the graphical user interface with payment information previously associated with the selected item, wherein the payment information is pre-authorized by the e-commerce system to facilitate a credit for a return and a charge for a payment deficiency or an additional purchase;

monitor a global location of the mobile computing device;

determine whether the mobile computing device is in a defined zone outside of the brick-and-mortar establishment based on a comparison of the global location of the mobile computing device to the defined zone for the brick-and-mortar store;

present, in response to the mobile computing device being determined to be in the defined zone, a notification that requests whether to initiate the return, wherein the notification is removed when the mobile computing device leaves the defined zone, and wherein the notification is re-presented when the mobile computing device re-enters the defined zone;

transmit, from a wireless transceiver of the mobile computing device to a return system of the brick-and-mortar establishment, a request to initiate the return in response to a reply to the notification that requests initiation of the return;

cause an associate of the brick-and-mortar establishment to collect the purchased item to be returned from the vehicle;

cause the associate to transport one or both of an exchange item and a newly purchased item to the vehicle; and

settle, via a mobile computing device of the associate at the vehicle, any price difference between the returned item and the one or both of the exchange item and the newly purchased item on a credit card or a debit card used in the purchase of the returned item.

8. The computer readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of instructions, in response to being executed, further cause the mobile computing device to:

initiate a timer that tracks an elapsed time from said transmitting; and

present the elapsed time to a user of the mobile computing device.

9. The computer readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of instructions, in response to being executed, further cause the mobile computing device to:

receive, in response to the transmitted request, content that is targeted to a customer associated with the mobile computing device; and

present the targeted content to the customer.

10. The computer readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of instructions, in response to being executed, further cause the mobile computing device to:

receive, in response to the transmitted request, directions that direct a customer associated with the mobile computing device through an execution of the return; and

present the direction to the customer.

11. The computer readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of instructions, in response to being executed, further cause the mobile computing device to alter one or more operating characteristics of the mobile computing device in response to receiving, from the return system, a confirmation for the return.

12. The computer readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of instructions, in response to being executed, further cause the mobile computing device to:

monitor a signal transmitted from a transmitter of the brick-and-mortar establishment; and

detect whether the mobile computing device is in the defined zone based on the monitored signal.

13. A system, comprising:

an application for a mobile computing device, wherein the application in response to being executed, causes the mobile computing device to:

receive a selection, via a graphical user interface presented by an e-commerce system on a display of a mobile computing device, of a particular brick-and-mortar establishment where a return is to be made,

present the graphical user interface through which an order from a list of orders is selected,

present the graphical user interface through which the purchased item to be returned is selected,

present the graphical user interface through which information identifying the vehicle that is used to return the purchased item is input,

present the graphical user interface through which payment information previously associated with the selected item is pre-populated, wherein the payment information is pre-authorized by the e-commerce system to facilitate a credit for a return and a charge for a payment deficiency or an additional purchase,

present, in response to determining that the mobile computing device is in a defined zone outside of the brick-and-mortar establishment, a notification that requests whether to initiate the return, wherein the notification is removed when the mobile computing device leaves the defined zone, wherein the notification is re-presented when the mobile computing device re-enters the defined zone, and wherein determining whether the mobile computing device is in the defined zone, comprises:

monitoring a global location of the mobile computing device, and

comparing the global location of the mobile computing device to the defined zone for the brick-and-mortar store,

transmit, via a wireless transceiver of the mobile computing device, a request to initiate the return in response to a reply to the notification that requests initiation of the return; and

cause an associate of the brick-and-mortar establishment to collect the purchased item to be returned from the vehicle;

cause the associate to transport one or both of an exchange item and a newly purchased item to the vehicle; and

settle, via a mobile computing device of the associate at the vehicle, any price difference between the returned item and the one or both of the exchange item and the newly purchased item on a credit card or a debit card used in the purchase of the returned item; and

a merchandise return system of the brick-and-mortar establishment, wherein the merchandise return system is configured to instruct the associate of the brick-and-mortar establishment to the prepare for the return, and notify the mobile computing device that the associate is prepared for the return.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an e commerce system configured to permit customer to identify an order that includes the item to be returned, and notify the merchandise return system of the order associated with the item to be returned.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the e commerce system is further configured to obtain vehicle information from the customer that describes a vehicle to be used to return the item; and

the merchandise return system is configured to direct the associate to the described vehicle in order to collect the item to be returned.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the e commerce system is further configured to send to the application of the mobile computing device a confirmation that indicate the brick-and-mortar store is prepared to process the return; and

the application is further configured to alter operation of the mobile computing device in response to receiving the confirmation.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the merchandise return system is configured to provide the application of the mobile computing device with content targeted to a customer associated with the return in response to receiving the request from the mobile computing device.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the merchandise return system is configured to provide the application of the mobile computing device with directions that direct a customer associated with the mobile computing device through an execution of the return.

Assignments (14)

Cited By (2)

US 12,591,850 US 12,699,961