System and method for control of bailment inventory

1. A method for control of bailment inventory, the method comprising:

a) receiving a customer identifier from a customer;

b) receiving from the customer at least one coat for bailment;

c) associating the customer identifier with the at least one coat, the associating step including taking a photograph of the coat;

d) storing the at least one coat; and

e) returning the at least one coat to the customer;

wherein each of the steps b), d), and e) are carried out by an attendant;

wherein the customer identifier is received with a tablet computer or a smartphone having a display and a camera, the camera situated on an opposite side of the display, the camera configured to take the photograph of the coat;

wherein the photograph of the coat is shown on the display at least during the returning step.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the customer identifier is associated with a previously known customer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving steps includes entering the customer identifier into the tablet computer or the smart phone.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

taking a photograph of the customer using a second cameral,

wherein the second camera is attached to the tablet computer or the smart phone on same side as the display.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein, the photograph of the coat and the photograph of the customer are displayed together on the display during the returning step.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: creating a customer account associated with the customer, wherein the customer account includes the photograph of the customer.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

reading a customer payment card using a credit card reader operatively attached to the tablet computer or the smartphone.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the associating step includes reading a code on a hanger.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the code is a QR code.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising;

displaying a cost of bailment to the customer; and

verifying acceptance of the cost of bailment from the customer.

11. The method, of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a data associated with the customer, the data based on at least one of the customer identifier and the at least one coat;

aggregating the data with previously generated data for at least one other customer; and

generating a business intelligence report based on the data.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing step includes storing the at least one coat with a hanger.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the hanger or a tag configured to be attached to the hanger, have a machine-readable code, the machine readable code configured to associate the hanger or the tag with the customer identifier.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer identifier is received with the tablet computer.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer identifier is received with the smartphone.

16. A method for control of bailment inventory, the method comprising:

a) receiving a customer identifier from a customer;

b) receiving from the customer at least one item for bailment;

c) associating the customer identifier with the at least one item, the associating step including taking a photograph of the at least one item and associating a machine-readable code on a hanger or on a tag on the hanger with the customer identifier;

d) storing the at least one item with the hanger; and

e) returning the at least one item to the customer;

wherein each of the steps b), d), and e) are carried out by an attendant;

wherein the customer identifier is received with a tablet computer or a smartphone having a display and a camera, the camera situated on an opposite side of the display, the camera configured to take the photograph of the item;

wherein the photograph of the item is displayed on the display at least during the returning step.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

taking a photograph of the customer using a second camera attached to the tablet computer or a smartphone on same side as the display.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

wherein the photograph of the item and the customer are displayed together on the display during the returning step.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the customer identifier is received with the tablet computer.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the customer identifier is received with the smartphone.