Method and apparatus for facilitating shipment of packages

Abstract

A method and apparatus for facilitating the shipment of a package or packages, each package containing one or more items, from a Sender to a Recipient, via one of a number of shippers. The apparatus includes a database for storing shipper data, a processor for processing the data in the database, a Sender's terminal for selectively receiving and sending shipment information to and from the processing system, a first communications link for selectively enabling communication between the database/processor and the Sender's terminal, a second communications link for selectively communicating between the database/processor and the shipper of the package(s), and a third communications link for selectively communicating between the database/processor and customs facilitation entities such as customs brokers. The Internet may be used as at least one of the communication links, and the database may be made available through a Web site.

1 . A computer program product for processing shipment and return of a package containing items from a Sender to a Recipient, and including one or more computer readable instructions embedded on a tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to cause one or more computer processors to perform the steps of:
 electronically storing package data, for the package, and including item data, for the items in the package, in a database, before shipment occurs;   electronically retrieving shipment tracking data, for tracking shipment of the package from the Sender to the Recipient and return of one or more items of the items of the package from the Recipient to the Sender, from a shipping mechanism;   electronically adding the shipment tracking data to the database;   electronically correlating the package data in the database with the shipment tracking data for the package;   electronically determining whether the package requires customs clearance and, if so, electronically generating the appropriate customs documentation or data transmission to a customs broker;   permitting an authorized user to query the database for processing the shipment of the package from the Sender to the Recipient and the return from the Recipient to the Sender of the one or more items of the items of the package;   rendering data for display to an authorized user, based on a query of the database for shipping parameters of the package from the Sender to the Recipient and return from the Recipient to the Sender of the one more items of the items of the package;   electronically adding returned item information to the database if items from the package are returned to the Sender;   in the case of international shipments, electronically preparing duty and tax refund claims based on the returned item information and the corresponding item data; and   electronically adding duty and tax refund information to the database.   
     
     
         2 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 electronically assigning the package to a specific combination of a shipper and shipping method based on the package data.   
     
     
         3 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein the package data includes at least the originating address and the destination address, and the item data includes a description of the items in the package, said method further comprising the step of:
 using the package data to electronically calculate shipping charges and electronically generate invoices associated with the shipment.   
     
     
         4 . The computer program product of  claim 3 , wherein the item data includes the description and value of each item. 
     
     
         5 . The computer program product of  claim 3 , wherein the step of electronically storing package data comprises transmitting package data via the Internet. 
     
     
         6 . The computer program product of  claim 3 , wherein said permitting step comprises receiving a query over a computer network and transmitting data from the database over the computer network in response to the query parameters. 
     
     
         7 . The computer program product of  claim 6 , wherein the computer network comprises the Internet. 
     
     
         8 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein said permitting step comprises receiving a query over a computer network and transmitting data from the database over the computer network in response to the query parameters. 
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer network comprises the Internet. 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 selecting a shipping assignment for the package based on the package data.   
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 generating appropriate shipping documents for the package.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein said shipping documents comprise package labels. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein said shipping documents comprise shipping manifests. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein said shipping documents comprise customs forms. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 providing a Web site page for permitting the authorized user to query the database.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 generating duty and tax refund claims based upon receipt of returned item data.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 adding returned item information to said database if items from a package are returned to the Sender, and   preparing duty and tax refund claims based on the returned item information.