Code based product tracking methods and apparatus

1. A method for tracking production of a rug comprising:

creating, via a server, in a database a product data structure configured to store product information for the rug, the product information including manufacturing information of the rug and inspection information of the rug;

creating, via the server, a code and an identifier of the code;

storing, via the server, the identifier of the code to the data structure;

receiving, via the server, a message indicative that the code was accessed, the message being generated responsive to a user device accessing the code and including the identifier of the code;

determining, via the server, a source entity type that transmitted the message;

conditioned on the source entity type being a manufacturer of the rug, storing the manufacturing information to the data structure including an identification of individuals involved in the manufacture of the rug;

conditioned on the source entity type being an inspector of the rug:

transmitting, via the server, the manufacturing information to a user device of the inspector, and

storing to the data structure via the server the inspection information of the rug received from the user device of the inspector; and

conditioned on the source entity type being a consumer of the rug:

determining consumer context information including at least a portion of the manufacturing information of the rug and a portion of the inspection information of the rug, and

transmitting, via the server, the consumer context information to a user device of the consumer.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, storing to the data structure via the server consumer information received from the user device of the consumer.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the consumer information includes at least one of a rating of the product, an identifier of the consumer, an Internet Protocol address associated with the user device of the consumer and a time the consumer transmitted the message.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, conditioned on the source entity type being customs agent:

transmitting the manufacturing information to a user device of the customs agent; and

storing to the data structure via the server customs information received from the user device of the customs agent.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, conditioned on the source entity type being a merchant:

transmitting the manufacturing information to a user device of the merchant; and

storing to the data structure via the server merchant information received from the user device of the merchant.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the source entity type corresponds to a consumer includes determining the source entity is not the manufacturer and is not the inspector.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the source entity type includes prompting a user of the user device via the server to provide the source entity type after receiving the message indicative that the code was accessed.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the source entity type includes:

determining an Internet Protocol address of the user device;

determining a geographic location associated with the Internet Protocol address; and

determining the source entity type based on the geographic location.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the code is included on a product tag of the rug and includes at least one of a Quick Response (“QR”) code, a bar code, a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) chip, and a near field communication (“NFC”) chip.

10. A machine-accessible device having instructions stored thereon that are configured, when executed, to cause a machine to at least:

transmit an order to a manufacturer to manufacture a carpet, the order including a scanable code configured to be included on a product card of the carpet, the scanable code having an identifier;

create in a database a product data structure configured to store product information for the carpet associated with the scanable code, the product information including manufacturing information related to the carpet, inspection information related to the carpet, and customs information related to the carpet;

store the manufacturing information to the product data structure responsive to receiving a manufacturer message from the manufacturer generated by a manufacturer user device scanning the scanable code, the message including the manufacturing information of the product and the identifier of the scanable code;

store the inspection information to the product data structure responsive to receiving an inspection message from an inspector generated by an inspector user device scanning the scanable code, the message including the inspection information of the product and the identifier of the scanable code;

store the customs information to the product data structure responsive to receiving a customs message from a customs agent generated by a customs user device scanning the scanable code, the message including the customs information of the product and the identifier of the scanable code;

cause the scanable code to be provided within a catalog;

receive a consumer message to access the product information, the consumer message being generated from a consumer user device scanning the scanable code in the catalog; and

transmit at least a portion of the product information related to the carpet to the consumer user device.

11. The machine-accessible device of claim 10 , wherein the catalog is an online catalog and the scanable code includes a hyperlink to the product information.

12. The machine-accessible device of claim 10 , wherein the catalog is a paper catalog and the scanable code includes a hyperlink to the product information.

13. The machine-accessible device of claim 10 , wherein the inspection information includes at least one of a date the carpet was inspected, an identifier of the inspector, a certification type provided by the inspector, and a level of quality.

14. The machine-accessible device of claim 10 , wherein the manufacturing information includes at least one of an identification of raw materials used to manufacture the carpet, an identification of a supplier of the raw materials, an address of the manufacturer, a date the carpet was manufactured, a manufacturing method used to create the carpet, and physical characteristics of the carpet.

15. The machine-accessible device of claim 10 , wherein the customs information includes a time the carpet went through customs and an indication the carpet passed a customs inspection.

16. An apparatus for tracking production of a woven carpet, comprising

a database including a product data structure configured to store (i) information indicative of a manufacturer of the woven carpet, (ii) information indicative of employees of the manufacturer that produced the woven carpet including a name and an age of each employee, (iii) information indicative of a certification inspection of the woven carpet, and (iv) information indicative of the woven carpet passing through customs;

a server communicatively coupled to the database, the server configured to:

associate a code with the woven carpet and the product data structure;

receive items (i) and (ii) in conjunction with a first message including the code scanned by a first device of the manufacturer of the woven carpet;

receive item (iii) in conjunction with a second message including the code scanned by a second device of an inspector of the woven carpet;

receive item (iv) in conjunction with a third message including the code scanned by a third device of a customs agent;

determine items (i) to (iv) are to be stored to the product data structure based on the code received in conjunction with each of items (i) to (iv);

store the information of items (i) to (iv) to the product data structure;

create a consumer context of the information of items (i) to (iv); and

make the consumer context of the information of items (i) to (iv) available to a consumer upon receiving a message from a user device of the consumer indicative that the code was accessed by the user device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the server is configured to provide transparency to the consumer regarding the manufacture of the woven carpet via the information of items (i) to (iv).

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the server is configured to receive the information of items (i) to (iv) responsive to at least one of the manufacturer, the employees, the inspector, and the customs agent accessing the code.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the server is configured to transmit the information of items (i) and (ii) to a user device of the inspector responsive to the user device of the inspector scanning the code.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the server is configured to transmit the information of items (i) and (iii) to a user device of the customs agent responsive to the user device of the customs agent scanning the code.