WO2001013309A2

WO2001013309A2 - Method for secure drop-shipment of goods or information

Info

Publication number: WO2001013309A2
Application number: PCT/US2000/022551
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yoram Ben-Barak
Original assignee: Ben Barak Yoram
Priority date: 1999-08-16
Filing date: 2000-08-16
Publication date: 2001-02-22
Also published as: AU6645200A; WO2001013309A8

Abstract

This is a method for securely sending an item from one party to another so that each party cannot determine the other's identity. In particular, this is a method for a party such as a seller to ship an item to a receiver, such as a customer, via a single drop-shipment from a supplier directly to the customer so that the supplier and customer are not able to determine each other's identity or, in the case of the customer, even the supplier's existence as entity separate from the seller. This method also includes a process for a receiving party such as a customer to return the item to the supplier in the same secure fashion.

Description

METHOD FOR SECURE DROP-SHIPMENT OF GOODS OR INFORMATION

^•FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the shipment of goods or information. In particular, this invention is a method for a seller or broker to securely transfer goods or information to a receiver, such as a customer, from a supplier or vendor utilizing only one shipment and in such a manner that the supplier and customer are prevented from knowing each other's identity.

BACKGROUND

Commercial transactions are becoming more sophisticated as developments such as the Internet and the advent of e-commerce allow for significantly increased efficiency coupled with reductions in transaction costs. These improvements, driven in large part by technological change, are driving down profit margins for manufacturers and retailers alike. As the dissemination of information places increasing power in the hands of customers, who now have access to more information regarding every aspect of the products they wish to purchase, the pressure to minimize transactional costs so to enhance one's competitive edge has never been greater.

Such pressure especially affects those parties who must have products shipped or otherwise delivered to customers. The most obvious examples of such parties are those who sell products to customers via the telephone, the Internet, mail-order catalogs, home- shopping programs such as QVC, etc., and shippers or other intermediaries who deliver these products to the customer.

One situation in which third-party shipping costs are magnified is that involving independent sellers who obtain their stock from a third-party manufacturer or supplier. By design, or due to an event such as an inventory shortfall, the seller receives an order for a product or item from a customer that they do not have in stock. The seller then turns to the supplier (who has that product in stock) and has them ship that item to the seller. The seller then repackages the item and ships it to the customer, fulfilling the order. This is a costly endeavor: it requires the seller to replace the old packaging materials, it involves two shipments, and it takes more time.

In the world of e-commerce, for example, many direct marketing companies purposely avoid maintaining a product inventory using a concept known as virtual warehousing. Such a practice is similar to that described above but only involves a single shipment. Here, the seller receives an order from a customer for a particular product. Rather than having the manufacturer or supplier ship that product to the seller for repackaging and delivery to the customer, the seller instructs the manufacturer or supplier to drop-ship the product directly from the manufacturer or supplier to the customer. Regardless of whether such practices occur as part of a company's business practice or if they are only occasionally used to fill an order on an emergency basis, such systems have an inherent flaw: confidentiality.

To protect the fruits of a seller's marketing labor and to prevent the manufacturer or supplier from stealing the seller's customer, the seller frequently wishes to prevent the supplier from obtaining the customer's identity. In addition, the seller has an incentive to keep the identity of the supplier from the customer, lest the customer realize they can obtain a better price by dealing directly with the supplier. Often, the very fact that the seller-supplier relationship exists is of concern to the seller; it is desirable for the seller to maintain the impression that the customer is receiving the item directly from the seller. In this manner, the seller may maintain their goodwill towards the customer (as long as they perform adequately) and the customer can realize the experience of a seamless sale.

What is needed is a method for three-party drop-shipping transactions that maintains the aforementioned advantages while ensuring the confidentiality of the various relationships remains intact.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a method for sending an item to a receiver from a supplier so that the supplier and receiver cannot identify each other in relation to the item. In one sense, the method includes the steps of assigning an item code to an item such that the code is capable of revealing the identity of the receiver for that item to individuals having authority to obtain the receiver's identity, transferring this code to a party having such authority, and authorizing that party to ascertain the receiver's identity and deliver the item to the receiver. Typically, the receiver is a customer. The item code may be alphanumeric, electronic, or readable by an optical reader.

The step of transferring the code to an authorized party may be performed simultaneously with the authorizing step; the transfer step can even be the authorizing step. Prior to assigning the item code to the item, the invention additionally comprises the step of receiving information from the receiver relating to the item.

The invention also comprises the step of authorizing the party that is to deliver the item to remove any indicia related to the supplier from the item prior to delivery. This removal may include replacing any shipping tracking number with a new shipping tracking number and/or replacing the old packaging with new packaging.

The party authorized to deliver the item may also be authorized to mark this item as having originated with a seller prior to delivery. Prior to transferring the code to the party for delivery, the code may be placed on a shipping bill accompanying the item. The item may also be identified for drop-shipment. If necessary, the party delivering the item may be authorized to redeliver the item from the receiver to the supplier such that the receiver and supplier cannot identify each other in relation to the item.

This invention also is a method for delivering an item to a receiver so that a supplier and the receiver cannot identify each other in relation to the item, comprising receiving an item code assigned to the item for sending to the receiver, this code being capable of revealing the identity of the receiver to only those having the authority to obtain such identity, obtaining the item from a supplier, correlating the code with the item and with the receiver's identity, and delivering the item to the receiver. Additional options and features as discussed above are also possible with this method. This method also includes replacing a tracking number for the item with a new tracking number that cannot be accessed by the supplier as well as marking the item as having originated with a seller prior to delivery.

This invention also is a method for a seller to arrange to have a shipper deliver an item from a supplier to a receiver while prohibiting the supplier or receiver from obtaining any information relative to one another. Such a method comprises assigning an item code to the item, which code is capable of revealing the identity of the receiver to only those having the authority to obtain such identity, authorizing a supplier without such authority and having possession of the item to correlate the item with the item code, making the item code available to a shipper having the necessary authority, and authorizing this shipper to obtain the item and the accompanying item code from the supplier, correlate or ascertain the item code with the receiver's identity, remove any indicia related to the supplier from the item and the item code, mark the item as having originated with a seller, assign a tracking code distinct from the item code to the item, and deliver the item to the receiver. Additional options and features as discussed above are also possible with this method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Figure 1 is a schematic representation of one process variation of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This invention is a method for securely sending an item from one party to another so that neither party can determine the other's identity. In particular, this invention is a method for a party such as a seller to ship an item to a receiver or a customer via a single drop-shipment from a supplier directly to the customer in such a way that the supplier and customer are not able to determine each other's identity or, in the case of the supplier, even the supplier's existence as a separate entity from the seller. This method also includes a process for a receiving party such as a customer to return the item to the supplier in the same secure fashion. The fundamental aspect of this invention is an efficient method by which Party A can send an item from Party B to Party C without Parties B or C knowing about each other and without Party A having to take possession of the item.

Throughout this description, the term "item" is meant to encompass anything of value which is capable of being transferred from one party to another, regardless of the means by which such transfer is accomplished. Such transmission means can include, but is not limited to, electromagnetic means (e.g., traditional wire networks such as telephone lines, optical networks, radio, etc.), thermal means, vibratory means (such as acoustic), etc. For instance, the item can be an electronic file or digital package, such as a novel or MP3 file capable of delivery via a computer network. "Item" also encompasses a shipment of anything of value to a single receiver or customer. In this sense, a truckload or shipping container full of a diverse array of goods is contemplated. The term "item" as used herein is explicitly understood to be a generic term encompassing these and other commodities for such transfer as will be described below.

One particularly useful series of steps forming the present invention is schematically shown in Figure 1. Here, each block represents a major step in the process and is described below in detail.

As will become clear, the process illustrated in Figure 1 is merely representative of one aspect of the present invention. Significant departure from the content of one or more steps as well as the order of their execution may be realized and still be within the scope of the invention. For instance, the blocks indicated by broken lines represent optional steps that may be carried out depending upon the particular needs of the parties.

Parties Involved in Practicing the Invention

Consider the four parties demonstrably depicted in the various blocks of Figure 1 as the seller, the customer, the supplier, and the shipper. Each of these parties is discussed below to provide a clear understanding of the scope of each party's roles and their relationship to the other parties. These names are given strictly by way of example and for the purposes of clarity and consistency; each party may have a different name or role and jet still be within the scope of the present invention.

The party wishing to have the package or file delivered is termed a "seller". This party may also be termed a "broker", "originator", or the like. It may be an individual person or group of persons. In a typical application, this party is a business or organization, such as an internet-based direct marketing firm or a more traditional "brick-and-mortar" company that for any number of reasons wishes to send another party an item that they do not have in their immediate possession or one to which they do not have direct access. This may be because the seller operates without inventory, e.g., its business is designed to find a market for and sell a product manufactured or supplied by another company. For instance, many retail furniture companies operate in this capacity. Typically, they maintain a retail showroom or the like in which is displayed furniture from a variety of manufacturers. This presents the furniture to the customer in a tasteful, realistic, and attractive way. Rather than maintaining a costly network of warehouses and accompanying inventory, the furniture retailer may prefer to develop relationships with various furniture manufacturers, etc., who themselves maintain a large inventory of furniture on behalf of the retailer and provide the retailer with a piece of furniture ordered by the retailer's customer. Clearly, in those instances where the furniture manufacturer also sells its products to customers in the retail market (such as through an outlet or selected retail store), the furniture retailer would prefer to keep the name of the manufacturer from their customer to protect the appearance that the retailer is directly providing the customer with the furniture the customer ordered.

Alternatively, in the world of e-commerce, a "supplier" may be an Internet-based direct marketing company or auction house. Such a company may maintain a web site that sells, by way of example, computer-related supplies to their customers. This company, as is the case with many Internet-based operations, may exist entirely as a few people working in an office building or residence with little to no product inventory. This company's "showroom" consists of the various pages on its web site describing the products available for purchase. When a customer places an order for a product (such as a modem) by visiting the company's web site, the company will arrange to have the modem shipped directly to the customer from a modem supplier while maintaining the appearance to the customer that the modem originated with the seller, not the supplier.

Given these examples, it is apparent that the party wishing to obtain the product or file is typically a customer, be it retail or wholesale. In a broader sense, however, this party can be thought of simply as a receiver or recipient of a package or file. For purposes of clarity, this party is referred to throughout this description as a "customer", though it is expressly understood that this term encompasses any party designated to receive the item.

Likewise, the party that maintains the product inventory or that has the desired package or file in their possession is herein dubbed a "supplier". This party may, for instance, be a manufacturer, a warehouser, or a distributor. In its most generic sense, this party can be considered any party that has the desired item in its possession.

Finally, the party that delivers the item to the customer from the supplier may be termed a "shipper". Such a shipper may be a traditional shipper such as the postal service, a trucking company, a railroad company, or a seabound container shipping company, or it may be any one of the commercial overnight couriers, a same-day delivery courier such as a bicycle messaging service, an individual, etc.

When, for, instance the item is a digital file capable of being delivered electronically or optically (such as digital music in the form of an MP3 file), the "shipper" may be an entity that accesses the file on behalf of the seller and electronically delivers that file to the customer. Alternatively, the shipper in this case may simply be software capable of performing the tasks shown in Figure 1 and as described below. In this instance, the software will act as a virtual "agent" on behalf of the seller and deliver the MP3 file to the customer via the Internet or other electronic means.

Although such electronic file transfer described above is clearly within the scope of the invention, the demonstrative process of Figure 1 is discussed below in the context of a product that a shipper physically delivers to a customer from a supplier on behalf of a seller.

Order Receipt

Turning now to the first optional step 100 shown in phantom in Figure 1 , the seller receives an order for an item from a customer (or one acting on behalf of the customer).

For instance, a customer may visit a seller's furniture showroom and place an order with the seller for an end table. Such an order may also be placed electronically over the internet, or by telephone, facsimile, letter, etc.

I consider this step optional for at least two reasons. First, there may be a standing order from the customer that does not require this step for each item or shipment. An example of this scenario is the typical requirement contract in which the seller promises to supply all specific goods or services which the customer may need during a certain period at an agreed price. For instance, the seller may be a coffee broker and the customer may be a coffee shop that receives weekly shipments of coffee beans facilitated by the broker. In such an instance, the literal "order" may have been placed when the contract was formed sometime in the past. Second, for promotional or even gift purposes, the seller may wish to send an item to a customer without ever having received an order for that item.

Item Code Assignment

The next step in the process is referred to in Figure 1 as item code assignment step 120 and, optionally, step 140. Once a requirement for the seller to facilitate the delivery of an item to a customer is established, the seller may assign a unique code to the item. This item code is capable of revealing the identity of the customer only to those having the authority to obtain the customer's identity, and preferably is capable of identifying the desired item in relation to the customer in the same manner. This code may be unique to this specific shipment and may change with each shipment to a single customer.

This item code may be a numeric, alphabetic, or alphanumeric identifier such as a series of letters and numerals. It may be readable by laser, infrared or other optical, electronic or thermal means (such as a barcode label), or embedded in a magnetic strip or hologram such as are found on smart cards, credit cards, etc. In general, any written or printed, electronic, optical, electromagnetic, thermal, digital or other type of item code format capable of achieving the purposes of the invention are within the scope of the invention.

This code may be capable of placement on, attachment to, or embedding in the item to be delivered without damaging it. The code may also be capable of affixation to the item's packaging, invoice, shipping bill, bill of lading, label, etc.

In the case the item is a file capable of electronic delivery to a customer, the code may exist in digital electronic form. Such an electronic code may be attached to or embedded in the file itself or, e.g., be part of an email or similar file accompanying the file. Authorized parties may correlate this item code to a database so that the identity of the customer, the item, and any other information (such as the name, address, and telephone number of each of the parties, details associated with the shipping destination and delivery, demographic information regarding the customer, the seller's account number, details of the item being shipped (weight, size, perishability, packaging), etc.) may be securely obtained. For some transactions, this customer information may also include the identity and location of the supplier; otherwise, such supplier information may be separately made available to the shipper for that particular shipment (for instance, when a single repeat customer orders items from various suppliers). This information may be collectively referred to as "customer information".

Such a database may be remotely accessed by a networked computer or wireless internet connection, or it may exist or be reproduced on a temporary storage medium such as a floppy disk, voice recording, paper printout, or the like. The customer information may be transferred to the authorized party via any suitable means, such as by facsimile, automatic e-mail intervention of the seller's computer in the authorized party's databases, etc. Rather than existing separately from the code in a database, this customer information may accompany the code itself. For instance, the desired customer information may be embedded in a magnetic strip, smart card, hologram, an encrypted data file, or it may be written on the item or its packaging, shipping bill, bill of lading, label, etc. in the form of scrambled coded text (preferably shrunken for efficiency and unobtrusiveness). In this case, the shipper will have a "key", e.g., a deencryption manual or device capable of obtaining access to and deencrypting the desired data. Such a system has the advantage that a single "key" gives the holder the capacity to access information for a number of different customers or items, obviating the need for access to a database or the like to obtain (or deliver) the customer's identity.

The customer information may also be represented by a separate alphanumeric or other code agreed upon by all of the involved parties, preferably but not necessarily including the shipper and the seller. If information related to the supplier is separate from the customer information, then a separate code for the supplier may be used as well. Returning to the item code, as illustrated in Figure 1 , the shipper may assign this code instead of the seller. This may be especially desirable for those transactions accomplished via a networked computer system such as the Internet. In such a case, when the shipper learns that the seller needs to have an item shipped to a customer, the shipper can generate this code, obtain the item from the supplier, and then affix the code thereto. This option may result in lower costs and faster delivery times.

Of course, the shipper and seller will ensure that regardless of who generates this item code, the code itself and any other needed information are accessible by either party. The seller will most likely, but not necessarily, have control over who generates the code, its format, and the degree and type of associated information to be shared with the shipper and other parties.

Item Code and Customer Information Transfer Facilitation

This step is schematically illustrated in Figure 1 as step 160. Once the seller assigns the item code to the item in step 120, that code and any relevant customer information or supplier information (as discussed above) is made available to the shipper. This may be accomplished by a literal transfer of the code and information to the shipper, or by a passive arrangement in which the seller facilitates the shipper's access to the item code and such information.

As shown in Figure 1, if the item code is generated by the shipper in optional step 140 and not by the seller (step 120), then obviously the code (and possibly additional information discussed below) is already known by the shipper and need not be transferred.

This being said, however, the fact that the shipper generates the code in optional step 140 does not necessarily mean that the shipper has all the information necessary to complete its role in performing the steps of the invention. Regardless of which party generates the item code, the shipper, prior to obtaining the item from the supplier, may wish to have access to the customer and/or supplier information as discussed above. Of course, if the shipper is able to gain access to the seller's database for this information when it generates the code in optional step 140, step 160 effectively is already performed. In addition, transfer facilitation step 160 simplified when this additional information is encrypted and accompanies the item code. By now it should be clear that each of the steps discussed to this point need not be performed in a particular order or format. The illustrative process in Figure 1 is but one of a large number of ways these functions can be carried out. As long as a secure code is generated linking a customer to an item, this aspect of the invention is satisfied.

Item Code and Item Order Transfer

At this point, an order for an item has been placed with the seller and an item code is with the seller and the shipper.

The next step is illustrated in Figure 1 as item code and item order transfer step 180.

Here, the seller, the shipper, or both will request that the supplier prepare the item for delivery to the customer. In doing so, the item code will be made available to the supplier.

During this step, it is important that the supplier not have the ability to correlate the item code with the identity of the customer, nor that the supplier have the ability to access any other information regarding the transaction that the seller does not wish the supplier to know. Take a simple example in which the seller has generated an alphanumeric code

(e.g., a multi-character series of letters and/or numerals) for a customer's item. The seller will ask the supplier to package and mark the item for drop-shipment and place this multi- character code on the item's package, shipping label, air bill, bill of lading, etc. The supplier will have no other information other than the item code and the order for the item to be packaged for shipment to an unknown destination.

Any such airbill, shipping bill, bill of lading, or label on the item's package or electronic file header will preferably, but not necessarily, contain only the following information: (1) the item code (placed in a special field or portion of the airbill for easy identification); (2) an optional indication that the item is designated for drop-shipment, (3) the supplier's address, telephone number, etc. as that source from which the shipment originated. Other information may also appear with the item but it should be clear that no customer or other destination details would be present.

Optionally, however, the seller may wish to prevent the supplier from even knowing that the item is designated for drop-shipment. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways. For instance, the seller could direct the supplier to prepare the label, airbill, etc. by placing the seller's name and address in the "ship to" portion of the label. Of course, the item code will accompany the item, preferably on the same label. In order to indicate to the shipper that this is a drop-shipment and that therefore the "ship-to" address is to be ignored in favor of the customer, the item or label can contain some additional designation (e.g., a special mark, code, or portion of the item code) recognizable by the shipper. Preferably, this drop-shipment indicia would be part of the item code. Optionally, the shipper may be alerted to the seller's drop-shipment request by the mere existence of the item code and the fact that the "ship to" address is that of the seller.

Although this step is shown in Figure 1 as being accomplished in serial fashion after the shipper obtains the item code, it need not be so. For instance, there is no reason why step 180 cannot be performed simultaneously with, or prior to, facilitation of code and customer information transfer to the shipper (step 160).

In another optional scenario, the seller may have the supplier generate the item code instead of step 180. Here, the seller may take an item order from a customer, enter the pertinent information into a database, and then ask the supplier to generate the code and prepare the item for shipment. The supplier generates this code (which is preferably in this instance an alphanumeric sequence) and makes it available to the seller and the shipper.

The seller may then make the customer information available to the shipper. At this stage in the variation of the inventive process depicted in Figure 1, the seller has received an order for an item from a customer, and three parties (seller, shipper, and supplier) have access to the item code and information pertaining only to the item to which it is associated. Only the seller and possibly the shipper have access to the additional customer information regarding the actual identity and location of the customer with respect to that item.

Shipper Acquisition of Item

In order to deliver the item to the customer while maintaining the anonymity of the customer to the supplier and vice-versa, the shipper will be authorized to acquire the item from the supplier as shown in step 200.

As will be discussed below with respect to steps 220 through 280, the seller will authorize the shipper to correlate the item code with the customer's identity and deliver the item to the customer. Clearly implicit in this authority is the authority to obtain the item from the supplier or to at least facilitate its delivery. Such facilitation may be important if delivery is made electronically.

Such authorization may be accomplished on an order-by-order basis or may alternatively be arranged for a series of transactions in which the seller and shippei have contracted to ship a large number of items to one or more customers over a defined period of time. This authority may also be given when the code is generated and transferred to the shipper in step 160 as well.

Note also that authorizing and item acquisition step 200 may be performed simultaneously with the code transfer step 160 (or optional step 140); alternatively, steps

160 (or optional step 140) and 200 can be collapsed into the same step. The shipper may actually physically acquire the item, such as when the shipper visits the supplier's facility and obtains possession of the item having the code affixed thereto as described above. On the other hand, the supplier may mark the item's shipping bill as drop-ship authorized and deposit the item at the shipper's facility. Such facility can be a shipping center, or it may be a mailbox or dropbox as commonly used by government postal services and various commercial couriers.

Alternatively, especially if the item for delivery is a digital electronic file, the supplier may make the item available for digital access by the shipper, such as through the supplier's web site over the Internet or like computer network. The supplier may also digitally "drop-ship" the file by e-mailing or otherwise transferring it directly to the shipper or through a third party secure server.

Item Code-Customer Correlation

Steps 220 through 260 are related in that the shipper performs each of these steps so that the supplier and customer are not privy to (a) the existence of these steps, (b) the information being manipulated in these steps, or both.

The first of this series of steps is shown in Figure 1 as item code correlation step 220. Here, with possession of or access to the item of interest, the shipper will determine the identity of the customer by any number of means. For instance, there may be no destination address marked on the shipping bill accompanying the item. The shipper may also know the relationship among the various parties or may have been dispatched by the seller for this special process. The supplier may have specifically marked the item for drop-shipment. Perhaps most importantly, the shipper will note the item code on the shipping bill, which may indicate that this is a drop-shipment as discussed above (even though another's facility, such as, for example, that of the seller, may be designated as the "ship to" address).

Item code correlation step 220, in its simplest form, involves matching the item code to the identity of the customer. This can be done in a number of ways.

For example, correlation step 220 may be undertaken at the shipper's facility where the item code is cross-referenced to the same code on a computer printout in the hands of shipper personnel or by access to a computer database. Portable devices, such as barcode scanners or portable computers (with or without remote database access) may also be used to assist the shipper with this correlation. Such portable devices may be especially useful when the shipper is performing this step in a remote or mobile location, such as a drop shipment box, delivery van, the supplier's facility, etc.

When the item code is accompanied by encrypted customer information as previously discussed, this correlation step 220 may be performed without such external cross-reference. For instance, the seller may generate the code in step 160 and affix it to a holographic label. This label would not only contain the code itself (perhaps as an alphanumeric sequence readily visible to the human eye), but the customer's identity and any other information in encrypted form as well. In the holographic label example, this encrypted data may be readable only by a special laser or other optical scanning device. The seller may send the special holographic label (and/or the information to be contained in it) to the supplier and have the supplier affix the label to the item's packaging or shipping bill. After retrieving the labeled item from the supplier, the shipper will use an optical scanning device, enabled with a "key" to decrypt the encrypted information, to determine the customer identity and the like. In this manner, no cross-referencing to a database or printout needs to be accomplished.

Removal of Supplier Indicia and Relabeling

The next step in Figure 1 is labeled as supplier indicia removal and new label generation step 240.

This step involves the authorization of and the actual physical, electronic, or other redesignation of the item as having originated with the seller and addressing the item for delivery to the customer.

The seller or its agent, just as with the previous steps, authorizes the shipper to perform this step. Such authorization is preferably undertaken at an early stage in the seller-shipper relationship, or simultaneously with any authorization for any step herein described. With the mandate provided by the seller and the customer identification for the subject item in hand, the shipper will first remove all indicia relating to the supplier from the item or anything to which the item is affixed or associated. This may be the shipping bill created by the supplier as described above, it may be a removable label attached to the item's packaging, or it may be a bill of lading accompanying the item, etc. In the case the item is an electronic file, the shipper will strip any information relating to the supplier from the file or its associated files. As long as all indicia relating to the supplier are removed from the item, its packaging, and accompanying paperwork or electronic files, such that there is no trace of the supplier's identity left or the ability for an unauthorized party to gain access to such indicia, this step will be considered to have been successfully accomplished. Next, the shipper will generate a new shipping label or the like upon which the return address for the item will be listed as that of the seller and upon which the customer's address will be listed as the destination address. This completes step 240 and finalizes the item for delivery to the customer.

Note that this aspect of step 240 may also include repackaging the item. For instance, in the case of a physical item for delivery, the packaging material for the item from the supplier may contain the supplier's trademark, address, etc. There may be enough marking on the package to justify using entirely new packaging material. Such repackaging may include using the seller's packaging material or affixing the seller's trademarks or other promotional materials to the item or its packaging.

Generation of a New Tracking Number

Shown as optional step 260 in Figure 1 , this step involves the stripping and compartmentalization of any tracking number associated with the drop-shipment or other delivery of the item from the supplier to the shipper and the generation of a new tracking number for the same. Generally, when a third party shipper such as FedEx is utilized, the party from which the actual shipment originated (who, for purposes of the Figure 1 embodiment, is the supplier) will have a copy of the shipping bill that contains a tracking number. This number allows the supplier to check the status of the shipment to assure timely delivery. However, in the context of the present invention, if a supplier is able to contact the shipper with the tracking number from the original drop-shipment bill to track delivery of the package all the way to the customer, the seller's security will be breached and an advantage of the invention is at risk of being thwarted.

Preferably, these three parties (seller, shipper, and supplier) will have agreed that the supplier is not to be granted access to some of the information relating to the status of the item's shipment (such as destination) once it leaves the supplier's hands so that step

160 is not necessary. Under such an arrangement, a password or similar security enhancement may be assigned to the tracking number to keep curious suppliers from posing as an authorized party to try to gain access to information regarding the destination of the item, but the supplier may still be able to confirm the successful delivery of the item for its records. Such an arrangement may be the most efficient and cost-effective solution to this potential problem. However, for added security, optional step 260 is included in which the tracking number is replaced with a new tracking number for final delivery to the customer. This is most efficient when the shipper performs indicia removal and relabeling step 240. Such a new tracking number will be provided (or made available) only to the seller for tracking delivery of the item to the customer. For added security, the seller can be granted a password as discussed above.

This system may be set up so that retirement of the old tracking number will indicate to the supplier, either proactively or passively, that the item has been delivered to the seller. It may also indicate that a third-party request for access to information regarding delivery to a customer was denied, except, maybe, the fact that the delivery was made.

Final Item Delivery to Customer

Once the shipper has satisfactorily removed all indicia relating to the supplier from the item and has relabeled such for shipment from the seller to the customer, the shipper will then deliver the item to the customer.

It is within the scope of the invention that instead of the shipper delivering the item to the customer, the seller could contact the customer, or the customer could access their account with the .seller, and have the customer pick up the item from the shipper. In the case the item is an electronic file, the seller could direct the customer to access the shipper's web site, for instance, and retrieve the file. To facilitate such a transaction, the item code or other indicia could be made available to the customer who can submit the code to the shipper to match with the item.

Upon receipt, the customer will see only that the item was delivered by the shipper from the seller without any information about the supplier. This is important because the seller will not want the customer to be able to identify the actual supplier for the item.

Otherwise, the customer may contact the supplier directly for future purchases, robbing the seller of his profits which are the result of his marketing efforts.

Item Redelivery to Supplier It is also within the scope of this invention for the customer to have the capacity to return the item to the supplier while still maintaining the desired security via a single shipment. This is shown in Figure 1 as optional segment 400 (which includes optional steps 420 through 480).

There are many reasons why the recipient of the item may wish to return it. For example, the customer may be a customer who is unsatisfied with the item and who wishes to obtain a refund.

In such a case, the anonymity availed through the order and shipment process as described above may still be important to the seller, especially if the customer is upset. The seller will likely want to do all it can to satisfy the customer and keep them from going elsewhere (i.e., the supplier). On the other hand, the seller or sender may not care about the anonymity once the original shipment is completed.

Logistical difficulties can also arise for the seller in a return situation. Typically, the customer wanting to return the item will simply repackage and readdress the item or mark "Return to Sender" or like message on the original packaging. The customer will utilize the services of either the original shipper or another shipper to return the item directly to the seller. This may be a satisfactory arrangement for those sellers who prefer to be directly involved in handling customer returns, especially if maintaining good customer relations is paramount.

On the other hand, handling such returns can often be a difficult and frustrating process. Not only will the seller most likely have to eventually reship the item to the supplier anyway, but having "brokered" the original sale and shipment without actually handling the item in the first place, the seller will often be ill-equipped to provide the logistical and technical know-how to handle the return without significant added expense and difficulty. In such a case, having the customer return the item directly to the supplier may be preferred. If the aforementioned secrecy and logistics concerns (or other business reasons) dictate that the seller implement a secure return system in which the item is anonymously sent back to the supplier, a process such as that shown in Figure 1 as segment 400 may be an attractive path. Here, the process as described above for shipping the item to the customer is basically reversed. Turning to return step 420, the customer wishing to return the item will repackage the item and return it to the original shipper. To ensure that the original shipper handle the return, the seller may have arranged to include a prepaid return shipping bill with the original delivery, accompanied by detailed instructions for the customer on how to process a return.

Such a return-shipping bill may be premarked for drop-shipment. It may desirably have the same item code (with a slight modification) marked on the shipping bill for reverse correlation by the shipper, or it may have a tracking number that triggers access to the seller's database to ensure the shipper properly handles the item. Of course, other methods to ensure the item is placed in the hands of the shipper are within the scope of the invention; the example of a prepaid return-shipping bill is merely exemplary.

If the customer chooses to ignore the process for using the return-shipping bill, the customer will simply send the item to the seller. Although this will result in the seller having to handle the item, the anonymity of the supplier at least will not be breached.

Once the item is in the hands of the shipper, either after having picked it up from the customer, retrieving it from a drop-shipment box, or having been delivered the item from the customer, the shipper will proceed with the bulk of the inventive process in reverse: the shipper will first be alerted by the item code or like mechanism to handle the return as authorized by the seller. Then the shipper will correlate the item to be returned to the supplier (step 440 in Figure 1), remove all indicia related to the customer from the item or its packaging or accompanying docunientation and generate a new label addressed to the supplier but without reference to the customer (step 460 in Figure 1), optionally retire the return shipping label tracking number and generating a new number as described above with respect to optional step 260 (not shown for the return), and return the item to the supplier in a single shipment for further processing (step 480 in Figure 1).

Of course, customer service concerns will dictate that a mechanism be in place for the customer to track the status of the package and the processing of the return (e.g., for replacement or refund). This is made more difficult if the seller chooses the option to generate a new tracking number untraceable by the customer. To solve this problem, the seller can arrange for the shipper to provide an inquiring customer with information provided or authorized by the seller; i.e.. that the seller has received the product and that the seller has shipped a refund check or replacement item, where the item is, how long the customer can be expected to wait for processing, etc. In this manner, the anonymity of the supplier to the customer can be maintained. By the same token, maintaining limited access to information related to the original tracking number or by optionally generating a new tracking number allows the seller to be confident that the supplier cannot determine the customer from which the return originated.

Each of the options and variations of the present invention as discussed above with respect to the original item code designation and shipment from the supplier to the customer may be undertaken during this return procedure 400.

It should be clear that not all of the aforementioned steps shown in Figure 1 and discussed herein must be performed to practice the invention herein described. As defined by the claims, a fair number of these steps are optional (even if not shown as an optional dotted-line step in Figure 1 or described as such in the specification). The invention is not limited by the serial fashion and exemplary options of the process as shown in Figure 1 and discussed herein. Additionally, to the extent that there are variations of the invention, which are within the spirit of the disclosure and yet are equivalent to the inventions found in the claims, it is our intent that those claims cover those variations as well.

Claims

1. A method for sending an item to a receiver from a supplier so that the supplier and receiver cannot identify each other in relation to the item, comprising:

(a) assigning an item code to said item, said code capable of revealing the identity of said receiver for said item to individuals having authority to obtain said identity,

(b) transferring said code to a party having said authority, and

(c) authorizing said party to: correlate said code with said identity, and deliver said item to said receiver.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiver is a customer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said transferring step is said authorizing step.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said transferring step and said authorizing step are simultaneous.

5. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of receiving information from said receiver relating to said item prior to assigning said item code to said item.

6. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of authorizing said party to remove any indicia related to said supplier from said item prior to delivery of said item to said receiver.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said removal includes replacing any shipping tracking number with a new shipping tracking number.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said party is authorized to mark said item as having originated with a seller prior to delivering said item to said receiver.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said code is alphanumeric.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said code is electronic.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said code is readable by an optical reader.

12. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising placing said code on a shipping bill accompanying said item prior to transferring said code to said party.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said item is identified for drop-shipment.

14. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of authorizing said party to redeliver said item from said receiver to said supplier such that said receiver and supplier cannot identify each other in relation to the item.

15. Amethod for delivering an item to a receiver so that a supplier and said receiver cannot identify each other in relation to said item, comprising: (a) receiving an item code assigned to said item for sending to said receiver, said code capable of revealing the identity of said receiver to only those having the authority to obtain said identity,

(b) obtaining said item from a supplier, (c) correlating said code with said item and with said receiver identity, and

(d) delivering said item to said receiver.

16. The method of claim 15 where said receiver is a customer.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said transferring step is said authorizing step.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said transferring step and said authorizing step are simultaneous.

19. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising the step of receiving information from said receiver relating to said item prior to assigning said item code to said item.

20. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising the step of removing any indicia related to said supplier from said item prior to delivering said item to said receiver.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein said removing step includes replacing a tracking number for said item with a new tracking number that cannot be accessed by said supplier.

22. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising the step of marking said item as having originated with a seller prior to delivering said item to said receiver.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein said code is alphanumeric.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein said code is electronic.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein said code is readable by an optical reader.

26. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising placing said code on a shipping bill accompanying said item prior to transferring said code to said party.

27. The method of claim 15 wherein said item is identified for drop-shipment.

28. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising redelivering said item from said receiver to said supplier such that said receiver and supplier cannot identify each other in relation to the item.

29. A method for a seller to arrange to have a shipper deliver an item from a supplier to a receiver while prohibiting the supplier or receiver from obtaining any information relative to one another, comprising:

(a) assigning an item code to said item, said item code capable of revealing the identity of said receiver to only those having the authority to obtain said identity, (b) authorizing a supplier without said authority and having possession of said item o correlate said item with said item code,

(c) making said item code available to a shipper having said authority, and

(d) authorizing said shipper to: obtain said item and said accompanying item code from said supplier, correlate said item code with said receiver identity, remove any indicia related to said supplier from said item and said item code, mark said item as having originated with a seller, assign a tracking code distinct from said item code to said item, and deliver said item to said receiver.

30. The method of claim 29 where said receiver is a customer.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein said transferring step is said authorizing step.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein said transferring step and said authorizing step are simultaneous.

33. The method of claim 29 additionally comprising the step of authorizing said party to redeliver said item from said receiver to said supplier such that said receiver and supplier cannot identify each other in relation to the item.