System and method for find and deliver service

Abstract

This disclosure describes systems, methods and apparatus for finding and delivering a desired item, including unique or hard-to-find items. In one example, there is provided a method that includes receiving a request to find the item and broadcasting the request. The method includes receiving responses to the broadcasted request, the responses indicating a finding of the item and including a bid to sell the item. The method includes providing purchase options for the item to a source of the request based on the received responses, and receiving, from the source of the request, a selection of a purchase option from among the purchase options provided to the source. The method includes providing instructions to a provider of the selected purchase option based on the received selection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for facilitating a search for a desired item, comprising:
 a memory unit;   a processor operationally coupled to the memory unit and configured to:
 receive, via a user interface, a request from a user to find an item; 
 broadcast, via a user interface, the request to a plurality of potential providers of the item; 
 receive, via a user interface, responses to the broadcasted request, the responses indicating a finding of the item and including a bid for providing the item to the user; 
 provide, via a user interface, delivery options for the item to the user based on the received responses; 
 receive, via a user interface, from the user, a selection of a delivery option from among the delivery options provided to the user; 
 provide, via a user interface, instructions to the provider of the selected delivery option based on the received selection; and 
 facilitate transmission of the item based on the selected delivery option, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a first electronic delivery label comprising a computer readable code, the computer readable code including anonymized delivery information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein to broadcast the request, the processor is further configured to generate anonymized information, including removing elements of the information indicative of the requesting user. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 generate the first electronic label having a first identifier associated with the provider of the selected delivery option; and   transmit to the provider of the selected delivery option information associated with the first electronic label.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate a second label having a second identifier associated with the user, in response to receiving the item with a label which includes the transmitted information associated with the first electronic label, from the provider of the selected delivery system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor facilitates the transmission based on receiving delivery instructions from the user or the provider of the selected delivery option for the transmission of the item. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, prior to receiving the request from the user, the processor is configured to provide the user a graphical user interface (GUI) that receives information regarding the item inputted into the GUI by the user. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive payment for the item from the user;   hold the payment in an escrow account;   receive a message from the user indicating user inspection and approval of the item received by the user from the provider of the selected delivery option; and   release the payment to the provider of the selected delivery option, in response to receipt of the message indicating the inspection and the approval of the item by the user.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 monitor at least one of the received request or the received responses to detect an illegal activity; and   suspend a transaction involving the at least one of the received request or the received responses, in response to detection of the illegal activity.   
     
     
         9 . A system for facilitating a search for a desired item, comprising:
 means for receiving a request from a user to find a physical item;   means for broadcasting the request to a plurality of potential providers of the item;   means for receiving responses to the broadcasted request from providers of the item, the responses indicating an ability to provide the item and including a bid for providing the item to the user;   means for providing purchase options for the item to the user based on the received responses;   means for receiving, from the user, a selection of a purchase option from among the purchase options provided to the user;   means for providing instructions to the provider of the selected purchase option based on the received selection;   means for generating a first electronic delivery label including a first identifier, the first identifier including anonymized delivery information; and   means for transmitting information indicative of the first electronic delivery label to the provider of the selected purchase option.   
     
     
         10 . A system for facilitating a search for a desired item, comprising:
 a server communicatively coupled to a requester, and to a plurality of providers, the server comprising:
 a memory unit; 
 a processor operationally coupled to the memory unit and configured to:
 receive a request from the requester to find an item including an identity of the requester and a delivery point for the requested item; 
 
 an anonymizer adapted to generate an anonymized request based on the received request; 
   the processor further configured to:
 broadcast the request to a plurality of potential providers of the item; 
 receive responses from one of the providers to the broadcasted anonymized request, the responses indicating a finding of the item and including a bid for providing the item to the requester; 
 generate a computer readable code for a transaction between the requester and the provider, the computer readable code associated with the identity of the requestor and the delivery point for the requested item; 
 provide the computer readable code to the provider for printing on a first label; and 
   a distribution facility comprising a reader configured to read the computer readable code on the first label and determine the delivery point associated with the computer readable code.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to broadcast the request based on:
 generating anonymized information based on removing elements indicative of the source of the request; and   broadcasting the anonymized information.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 generate the first label in electronic form, having a first identifier associated with the provider; and   transmit to the provider information associated with the first label.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate a second label having a second identifier associated with the source of the request, in response to receiving the item with the first label from the provider. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor receives the request based on providing, to the source of the request, a graphical user interface (GUI) that receives information regarding the item inputted into the GUI by the source. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive payment for the item from the source of the request;   hold the payment in an escrow account;   receive a message from the source indicating inspection and approval of the item from the provider; and   release the payment to the provider of the item, in response to the inspection and the approval of the item by the source.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 monitor at least one of the received request or the received responses to detect an illegal activity; and   suspend a transaction involving the at least one of the received request or the received responses, in response to the detected illegal activity.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein broadcasting the request comprises:
 generating anonymized information based on removing elements indicative of the source of the request; and   broadcasting the anonymized information.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate a second identifier associated with the source of the request, in response to receiving the item with the first label from the provider. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive payment from the source or the provider for the transmission of the item. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 extract a subset of the received information regarding the item, the extracted subset not indicative of an identity of the source; and   supplement the extracted subset with other transaction data not indicative of the identity of the source.