Facilitating returns of merchandise purchased from other sources

Abstract

A method for handling goods returned by customers of a plurality of different merchants. Merchants who have authorized return of merchandise transmit data identifying the customer and the merchandise to be returned to a central return facility for inclusion in a database. Customers of these merchants package the merchandise to be returned and are provided with a return authorization shipping label by the central return facility. This label includes a scannable bar code identifying the merchant and the customer. After the merchandise is received at the central returns facility, the scannable bar code is scanned so that the merchandise can be sorted by merchant, and the merchandise is then inspected to determine if the merchandise authorized for return has been received. If so, the appropriate merchant is advised, and the customer is electronically credited for the return of the merchandise. A bar code tag is attached to the returned merchandise that has been received to facilitate automated sorting on a conveyer system. The merchandise is thus directed to a storage bin for temporary storage along with other merchandise designated for the same disposition. When a bin is full, the merchandise contained therein is disposed of as designated.

1. A method for handling returned merchandise on behalf of a plurality of different merchants, comprising the steps of:
 (a) enabling a merchant to transmit data to a central database identifying merchandise that might be returned by a customer, said data identifying the merchant and the merchandise, and including contact information for the customer;  
 (b) providing a return shipping label to the customer for use in returning the merchandise, said return label including information referencing at least a portion of the data stored in the central database;  
 (c) entering at least part of the information included on the return shipping label into the central database upon receipt of merchandise returned by the customer, to indicate that the merchandise being returned has been received;  
 (d) assessing a condition of the merchandise that was received and associating a tag with said merchandise indicating a disposition thereof;  
 (e) automatically routing the merchandise to a station for implementing the disposition of the merchandise, as indicated by the tag; and  
 (f) disposing of the merchandise, as indicated by the tag.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the return shipping label comprises a scannable code, and wherein the step of entering at least part of the information comprises the step of scanning the return shipping label. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tag associated with the merchandise comprises a scannable code, and wherein the step of automatically routing the merchandise comprises the step of scanning the tag to determine the disposition of the merchandise and thereby controlling the automatic routing of the merchandise. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the station comprises a storage repository designated to hold returned merchandise that have all been allocated for a common disposition. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of electronically reporting receipt of the merchandise that was returned, to the merchant that transmitted the data identifying the merchandise, and indicating a condition and a disposition of the merchandise to said merchant. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of enabling the customer to selectively return the merchandise by one of a postal shipment and a shipping service. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a notice to the merchant indicating a status of the merchandise that has been returned at any step in the handling of the returned merchandise requested by the merchant. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of electronically posting a status report on a network accessible by the merchant, indicating the status of the merchandise that has been returned. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disposition of the merchandise includes at least one of:
 (a) salvaging at least one useful component from the merchandise and discarding a remainder of the merchandise that was returned;  
 (b) refurbishing and repackaging the merchandise that was returned for resale;  
 (c) donating the merchandise that was returned to benefit a selected charity;  
 (d) discarding the merchandise in an appropriate waste disposal facility;  
 (e) returning the merchandise to inventory for resale; and  
 (f) returning the merchandise to a manufacturer of the merchandise.  
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step enabling a refund to the customer returning merchandise at any point during the return and the handling of the returned merchandise, as specified by the merchant. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the return shipping label comprises the step of sending the return shipping label to the customer only after return of the merchandise has been authorized. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the return shipping label comprises the step of including the return shipping label with the merchandise when the merchandise was purchased by the customer. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the return shipping label comprises the step of sending an email to the customer to which is attached a printable return shipping label. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the return shipping label comprises the step of automatically providing the return shipping label to the customer, but only if predetermined conditions set by the merchant are met. 
     
     
       15. A method for facilitating return of merchandise by customers of a plurality of different merchants, comprising the steps of:
 (a) receiving electronically transmitted data regarding return authorizations from each merchant that were provided to customers of the merchants, said data for each return authorization identifying a customer, the merchandise authorized to be returned, and a merchant authorizing return of the merchandise;  
 (b) producing shipping labels, each shipping label including a scannable code referencing the data regarding a return authorization for return of merchandise authorized by a merchant and which includes an address to which the merchandise is to be shipped when being returned;  
 (c) providing the shipping labels to the customers for application to shipping containers in which the merchandise is to be returned;  
 (d) receiving the merchandise that was returned by the customers;  
 (e) scanning the shipping labels of the merchandise that has been received and sorting said merchandise based upon the merchant that is identified on each shipping label as having authorized the return of the merchandise;  
 (f) assessing contents of the shipping containers to determine a condition of the merchandise in each shipping container, and to assign a disposition for the merchandise;  
 (g) producing scannable tags that are associated with the merchandise, said scannable tags indicating the disposition of the merchandise that was received;  
 (h) automatically sorting and routing the merchandise to temporary storage, by scanning the tags associated with the merchandise to determine the disposition assigned, a different temporary storage being provided for each different type of disposition assigned to the merchandise; and  
 (i) disposing of the merchandise temporarily stored in accord with the disposition assigned to the merchandise.  
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein each different temporary storage comprises a bin, further comprising the step of transferring the bin and merchandise temporarily stored therein to a site that implements the disposition of the merchandise in accord with the disposition that was assigned to the merchandise temporarily stored in the bin. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of assessing is implemented at a plurality of processor stations; and wherein the step of assigning a disposition comprises the step of acting in accord with instructions provided by the merchant who originally sold the merchandise to which the disposition is being assigned. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of disposing of the merchandise comprises at least one of the steps of:
 (a) salvaging any usable components from the merchandise;  
 (b) repackaging the merchandise;  
 (c) transferring the merchandise to a charitable organization;  
 (d) depositing the merchandise at an appropriate waste disposal site;  
 (e) restocking the merchandise for resale; and  
 (f) returning the merchandise to a manufacturer of the merchandise.  
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of verifying the merchandise against the data to ensure that the merchandise returned is complete and is merchandise for which return was authorized by the merchant. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of notifying the merchant who authorized return of the merchandise, of results of the step of verifying. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of automatically sorting and routing is implemented with automatically controlled conveyors. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of providing the shipping labels comprises one of the steps of:
 (a) including a shipping label with the merchandise at the time of sale of the merchandise, authorization for the customer to return the merchandise if dissatisfied for any reason being then provided by the merchant;  
 (b) including a shipping label with the merchandise at the time of sale of the merchandise, but requiring the customer to obtain authorization to return the merchandise before using the shipping label to return the merchandise; and  
 (c) sending a shipping label to a customer only after authorization to return the merchandise has been requested by the customer and has been granted.  
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of providing to a merchant an online status of merchandise being returned by a customer. 
     
     
       24. A method for expediting handling of merchandise purchased from a plurality of different merchants that is being returned by customers, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a receiving facility for accepting returned merchandise at a defined address;  
 (b) receiving electronically transmitted data from each merchant who has authorized return of merchandise, said data identifying the merchandise authorized to be returned and the merchant that authorized return of the merchandise;  
 (c) providing bar-coded shipping labels to customers for use when the customers have been authorized to return merchandise, said bar-coded shipping labels including the defined address and indicating the merchandise and the merchant authorizing the return;  
 (d) receiving returned merchandise from customers and scanning the bar-coded labels to identify the merchandise and the merchants authorizing return of the merchandise;  
 (e) sorting returned merchandise received based on the merchant who authorized return of said merchandise;  
 (f) assessing a condition of the merchandise received and comparing the merchandise received to the data received from the merchants;  
 (g) automatically assigning a disposition of the merchandise received based upon the condition of the merchandise; and  
 (h) disposing of the merchandise received in accord with the disposition assigned.  
 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the step of advising the merchant whether the merchandise received from a customer corresponds to the merchandise authorized to be returned. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the step of issuing a credit to the customer for return of the merchandise. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of automatically assigning the disposition of the merchandise is carried out in accord with instructions provided by the merchants. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of providing the bar-coded shipping labels comprises one of the following steps:
 (a) providing a bar-coded shipping label when the customer purchases merchandise, said customer being then authorized to return the merchandise at that time if dissatisfied with the merchandise;  
 (b) providing a bar-coded shipping label when the customer purchases merchandise, said customer being required to request and receive authorization to return the merchandise before using the bar-coded shipping label to return the merchandise; and  
 (c) providing a bar-coded shipping label to a customer after the customer has requested and been granted authorization to return the merchandise.  
 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of providing the bar-coded shipping labels comprises the steps of electronically sending a bar-coded shipping label to a customer and enabling the customer to print the bar-coded shipping label. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the step of authorizing a customer to return merchandise only if a condition established by the merchant from whom the merchandise was purchased has been met. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the step of crediting an account of a customer who is returning merchandise for a value of the merchandise being returned, when specified by the merchant from whom the customer purchased the merchandise. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of debiting the account of the customer previously credited for the value of the merchandise being returned, if a condition established by the merchant for the return is subsequently found not to have been met after the step of assessing the condition of the returned merchandise. 
     
     
       33. A method for handling returned merchandise on behalf of a plurality of different merchants, comprising the steps of:
   receiving at least one item of returned merchandise from a customer, the one or more items of merchandise received at a returns facility and delivered to the returns facility by a shipping carrier, the merchandise packaged with a return shipping label provided to the customer for use in returning the merchandise, the return label including machine - readable information relevant for processing a return of the returned merchandise;        electronically reading at least part of the machine - readable information included on the return shipping label; and        determining a manner for disposing of the merchandise based on the electronic reading of the machine - readable information.     
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 33 , wherein the machine- readable information comprises a scannable code, and wherein the step of electronically reading machine - readable information comprises scanning the machine - readable information.   
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising assessing a condition of the merchandise that was received and determining the manner for disposing of the merchandise based at least in part on the condition of the merchandise. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 35 , further comprising;
   electronically receiving transaction data, from a merchant, before the returned merchandise is received from the customer, the transaction data relevant for processing the return of the merchandise; and        electronically reporting, to the merchant, the receipt of the returned merchandise from the customer.     
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 36 , wherein the transaction data electronically received from the merchant further includes contact information for the customer. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising routing the merchandise to a station for implementing the disposition of the merchandise, wherein the station comprises a storage repository designated to hold returned merchandise that has been allocated for a common disposition. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising enabling the customer to selectively return the merchandise by one of a postal shipment or a shipping service. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising providing a notice, to a merchant associated with the returned merchandise, indicating a status of the returned merchandise at any step in the handling of the returned merchandise. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising electronically posting a status report on a network accessible by a merchant, the status report indicating the status of the returned merchandise. 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 33 , wherein the disposition of the merchandise is selected from the group consisting of:
   salvaging at least one useful component from the returned merchandise;        refurbishing and repackaging the returned merchandise for resale;        donating the returned merchandise to a selected charity;        discarding the returned merchandise in a waste disposal facility;        sending the returned merchandise to a retailer for resale;        returning the returned merchandise to an inventory of a merchant associated with the returned merchandise for resale; and        returning the returned merchandise to a manufacturer of the merchandise.     
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising providing a refund to the customer. 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising sending the return shipping label to the customer. 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 44 , wherein the return shipping label is sent to the customer after the return of the merchandise is authorized. 
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 44 , wherein sending the return shipping label to the customer comprises sending an email to the customer, the email comprising a printable return shipping label. 
     
     
       47. The method of  claim 44 , wherein sending the return shipping label to the customer comprises sending the return shipping label to the customer in the mail. 
     
     
       48. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising including the return shipping label in a shipment of one or more items of merchandise to the customer. 
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
   determining that one or more predetermined conditions set by a merchant are met; and        providing the return shipping label to the customer.     
     
     
       50. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising storing data from the merchant in a central database, the data identifying the merchandise purchased by the customer and contact information for the customer. 
     
     
       51. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising the steps of:
   determining the status of the merchandise; and        communicating the determined status of the merchandise to the merchant.     
     
     
       52. The method of  claim 51 , wherein the step of determining the status of the merchandise comprises determining the status of the merchandise based on the information electronically read from the return shipping label. 
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 51 , further comprising the step of communicating the determined the status of the merchandise to the merchant prior to the fulfillment of the determined manner of disposition of the merchandise. 
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising the step of communicating to the merchant at least a portion of the information electronically read from the return shipping label. 
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 33 , further comprising the step of electronically communicating the return shipping label to the customer. 
     
     
       56. A method for facilitating return of merchandise by customers of a plurality of different merchants, comprising the steps of:
   producing shipping labels comprising machine - readable information representing transaction data associated with a merchant, the shipping labels further comprising an address to which one or more items of returned merchandise are to be shipped on return;        providing a selected one of the shipping labels to a customer for use in returning one or more items of merchandise;        receiving the one or more items of merchandise from the customer, the one or more items of merchandise packaged with the selected shipping label, the one or more items of merchandise received at a returns facility and delivered to the returns facility by a shipping carrier;        electronically reading the machine - readable information associated with the selected shipping label to identify the merchant associated with the one or more items of merchandise; and        determining a manner of disposing of the one or more items of returned merchandise based on the electronic reading of the machine - readable information.     
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 56 , further comprising:
   assessing a condition of the one or more items of merchandise that were received and determining the manner for disposing of the one or more items of merchandise based at least in part on the condition of the one or more items of merchandise.     
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 56 , further comprising disposing of the one or more items of merchandise, the manner of disposing selected from the group consisting of:
   salvaging at least one useful component from the one or more items of merchandise;        refurbishing and repackaging the one or more items of merchandise for resale;        donating the one or more items of merchandise to a selected charity;        discarding the one or more items of merchandise in a waste disposal facility;        sending the one or more items of merchandise to a retailer for resale;        returning the one or more items of merchandise to an inventory of the merchant associated with the one or more items of merchandise for resale; and        returning the one or more items of merchandise to a manufacturer of the one or more items of merchandise.     
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 56 , further comprising:
   electronically receiving return authorization data from the customer, the return authorization data issued to the customer from the merchant, the return authorization data identifying the customer and the returned merchandise; and        verifying the one or more items of merchandise against the electronically received return authorization data to ensure that the one or more items of merchandise are complete and authorized by the merchant.     
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 59 , further comprising notifying the merchant of the receipt of the one or more items of merchandise upon verifying the one or more items of merchandise to be complete and authorized by the merchant. 
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 56 , wherein providing the selected shipping label to the customer is selected from the group consisting of:
   sending the selected return shipping label to the customer after the return of the one or more items of merchandise is authorized;        sending the selected return shipping label to the customer in an email;        sending the selected return shipping label to the customer in the mail; and        including the return shipping label with one or more items of merchandise shipped to the customer.     
     
     
       62. The method of  claim 56 , further comprising providing to a merchant an online status of the returned merchandise. 
     
     
       63. The method of  claim 56 , further comprising the steps of:
   determining a status of the one or more items of merchandise; and        communicating the status of the one or more items of merchandise to the merchant.     
     
     
       64. The method of  claim 63 , wherein the status of the merchandise being returned is determined based upon the electronic reading of the selected shipping label. 
     
     
       65. The method of  claim 63 , further comprising communicating the status of the one or more items of merchandise to the merchant prior to disposing of the one or more items of merchandise in the determined manner of disposition. 
     
     
       66. The method of  claim 56 , further comprising:
   electronically reading the selected shipping label to determine data associated with the one or more items of merchandise, the customer, and the merchant; and        communicating, to the merchant, at least a portion of the information determined from the electronic reading of the selected shipping label.     
     
     
       67. The method of  claim 56 , wherein providing the selected shipping label to the customer comprises electronically communicating the selected shipping label to the customer. 
     
     
       68. The method of  claim 56 , wherein the machine- readable information represents data identifying one or more items of merchandise.   
     
     
       69. A method for managing the return of merchandise purchased from a plurality of different merchants by a plurality of customers, comprising the steps of:
   providing a returns facility for accepting returned merchandise;        providing shipping labels to a plurality of customers for use when the customers return one or more items of merchandise, the shipping labels including machine - readable information representing transaction data;        receiving one or more items of returned merchandise from a customer, the returned merchandise packaged with a selected shipping label, the one or more items of returned merchandise received at the returns facility and delivered to the returns facility by a shipping carrier;        electronically reading the machine - readable information on the selected shipping label to identify a merchant associated with the returned merchandise;        determining a manner for disposing of the returned merchandise based on the merchant identified during the electronic reading of the selected shipping label.     
     
     
       70. The method of  claim 69 , further comprising:
   electronically receiving the transaction data from the plurality of merchants, the transaction data identifying a particular merchant authorizing the return of the one or more items of merchandise;        determining whether the returned merchandise identified from electronic reading of the selected shipping label corresponds to the transaction data; and        advising the merchant associated with the returned merchandise of whether or not the returned merchandise corresponds to the transaction data.     
     
     
       71. The method of  claim 69 , further comprising issuing a credit to the customer for return of the merchandise. 
     
     
       72. The method of  claim 69 , further comprising:
   assessing a condition of the returned merchandise and determining the manner for disposing of the returned merchandise based at least in part on the condition of the returned merchandise.     
     
     
       73. The method of  claim 69 , wherein providing the shipping labels comprises a selected one from the group consisting of:
   sending a selected shipping label to the customer after the return of one or more items of merchandise is authorized;        sending a selected shipping label to the customer in an email;        sending a selected shipping label to the customer in the mail; and        including a selected shipping label with one or more items of merchandise shipped to the customer.     
     
     
       74. The method of  claim 69 , wherein providing the shipping labels comprises electronically sending a selected shipping label to the customer and enabling the customer to print the selected shipping label. 
     
     
       75. The method of  claim 69 , further comprising:
   determining that one or more predetermined conditions set by a merchant are met; and        providing the return shipping label to the customer.     
     
     
       76. The method of  claim 69 , further comprising the step of crediting an account of the customer for a value of the one or more items of returned merchandise. 
     
     
       77. The method of  claim 69 , further comprising the step of sorting the one or more items of returned merchandise received based on the merchant identified from the electronic reading of the selected shipping label. 
     
     
       78. The method of  claim 69 , further comprising the steps of:
   assessing a condition of the one or more items of returned merchandise and comparing the one or more items of returned merchandise to data received from the merchant;        automatically assigning a disposition of the one or more items of returned merchandise based upon the condition of the one or more items of merchandise; and        disposing of the one or more items of returned merchandise in accordance with the disposition assigned.     
     
     
       79. The method of  claim 69 , further comprising the steps of:
   determining a status of the one or more items of returned merchandise; and        communicating the status of the one or more items of returned merchandise to the merchant.     
     
     
       80. The method of  claim 69 , wherein determining the status of one or more items of returned merchandise comprises determining the status of one or more items of returned merchandise based on the information obtained from the electronic reading of the selected shipping label. 
     
     
       81. The method of  claim 69 , further comprising communicating the status of the one or more items of returned merchandise to the merchant prior disposing of the one or more items of returned merchandise in the determined manner. 
     
     
       82. The method of  claim 69 , further comprising communicating, to the merchant, at least a portion of the information obtained from electronically reading the selected shipping label. 
     
     
       83. The method of  claim 69 , wherein providing shipping labels to customers comprises electronically communicating the shipping labels to the customers. 
     
     
       84. The method of  claim 69 , wherein providing the shipping labels to customers comprises sending the shipping labels to the customers using a postal service or shipping carrier. 
     
     
       85. A method for the centralized management of customer returns of merchandise on behalf of one or more merchants, comprising:
   providing a returns service provider operable to handle customer returns of merchandise on behalf of one or more merchants;        providing a return shipping label to the customer for use by the customer in returning the merchandise by one of postal shipment or a shipping service, the return shipping label comprising bar - coded data used to process the return;        receiving the merchandise at a returns facility associated with the returns service provider, the merchandise delivered to the returns facility by a shipping carrier;        determining, by the returns service provider, a status of one or more items of merchandise being returned by a customer, the merchandise being previously purchased from a selected one of the one or more merchants; and        communicating the status of the one or more items of merchandise to the selected merchant.     
     
     
       86. The method of  claim 85 , further comprising:
   receiving, by the returns service provider, the one or more items of merchandise being returned by the customer; and        wherein the status of the one or more items of merchandise is determined and communicated to the selected merchant after the one or more items of merchandise are received by the returns service provider.     
     
     
       87. The method of  claim 85 , further comprising:
   receiving, by the returns service provider, the one or more items of merchandise being returned by the customer; and        wherein the status of the one or more items of merchandise is determined and communicated to the selected merchant prior to the returns service provider receiving the one or more items of merchandise.     
     
     
       88. The method of  claim 85 , further comprising:
   receiving, by the returns service provider, the one or more items of merchandise being returned by the customer, the one or more items of merchandise packaged with a return label previously provided to the customer for use in returning the one or more items of merchandise, the return label including machine - readable data relevant for processing a return of the one or more items of merchandise; and        wherein determining the status of the one or more items of merchandise comprises electronically reading the machine - readable data.     
     
     
       89. The method of  claim 88 , wherein:
   the machine - readable data on the return label comprises a scannable code; and        reading the machine - readable data comprises scanning the machine - readable data.     
     
     
       90. The method of  claim 85 , further comprising:
   determining a condition of the one or more items of merchandise received from the customer; and        electronically communicating to the selected merchant the determined condition of the one or more items of merchandise.     
     
     
       91. The method of  claim 85 , further comprising crediting an account associated with the customer. 
     
     
       92. The method of  claim 85 , wherein communicating the status of the one or more items of merchandise comprises electronically notifying the selected merchant that the one or more items of merchandise has been received by the returns service provider. 
     
     
       93. A method of managing customer returns of merchandise, comprising:
   providing a customer with a return shipping label for use by the customer in returning one or more items of merchandise by one of postal shipment or a shipping service, the return label including machine - readable data identifying at least the one or more items of merchandise and a merchant associated with the sale of the one or more items of merchandise;        receiving the one or more items of merchandise at a returns facility associated with the returns service provider, the merchandise delivered to the returns facility by a shipping carrier; and        receiving, from the returns service provider operable to handle the return of the one or more items of merchandise on behalf of the merchant, an electronic notification of the status of the one or more items of merchandise being returned by the customer, the electronic notification including information identified from the machine - readable data by the returns service provider.     
     
     
       94. The method of  claim 93 , further comprising crediting an account associated with the customer in response to receiving the electronic notification from the returns service provider. 
     
     
       95. The method of  claim 94 , wherein the account associated with the customer is credited before the merchandise is received by the returns service provider. 
     
     
       96. The method of  claim 94 , wherein the account associated with the customer is credited before the one or more items of merchandise are received by the merchant. 
     
     
       97. The method of  claim 93 , further comprising:
   receiving the one or more items of merchandise from the customer; and        disposing of the one or more items of merchandise in a manner requested by the merchant.     
     
     
       98. The method of  claim 97 , further comprising crediting an account associated with the customer, the account credited before the one or more items of merchandise are disposed of in the manner requested by the merchant. 
     
     
       99. The method of  claim 93 , wherein providing the customer with the return label comprises mailing the return label to the customer. 
     
     
       100. The method of  claim 93 , wherein providing the customer with the return label comprises communicating the return label to the customer by email. 
     
     
       101. The method of  claim 93 , wherein providing the customer with the return label comprises providing the customer with access to an electronic interface that allows the customer print a return label. 
     
     
       102. A method of handling customer returns of merchandise on behalf of one or more merchants, comprising:
   providing a return shipping label to a customer for use in returning one or more items of returned merchandise, the return shipping label including machine - readable information representing information relevant for the processing a return of the one or more items of merchandise;        receiving, from the customer, the one or more items of returned merchandise, the one or more items of returned merchandise received at a returns facility and delivered to the returns facility by a shipping carrier;        reading at least a portion of the machine - readable information to identify the information relevant for the processing of the return of the one or more items of merchandise; and        processing the return of the one or more items of returned merchandise based at least on the information identified from the reading of the portion of the machine - readable information.     
     
     
       103. The method of  claim 102 , further comprising identifying the one or more items of merchandise and a merchant based on the reading of the portion of the machine- readable information.   
     
     
       104. The method of  claim 102 , wherein:
   the machine - readable information comprises a scannable bar code; and        reading at the portion of the machine - readable information comprises scanning the scannable bar code.     
     
     
       105. The method of  claim 102 , wherein processing the return of the one or more items of merchandise comprises:
   identifying a merchant - selected manner for disposing of the one or more items of merchandise based on the information identified from the reading of the portion of machine - readable information; and        disposing of the one or more items of merchandise in accordance with the merchant - selected manner.     
     
     
       106. The method of  claim 102 , wherein the merchant- selected manner is selected from the group consisting of:      salvaging at least one useful portion of the one or more items of merchandise and discarding a remainder of the one or more items of merchandise;        repackaging the one or more items of merchandise;        sending the one or more items of merchandise to a charitable organization;        depositing the one or more items of merchandise at an appropriate waste disposal site;        restocking the one or more items of merchandise for resale;        sending the one or more items of merchandise to a merchant for sale;        returning the one or more items of merchandise to the merchant; and        returning the one or more items of merchandise to a manufacturer of the merchandise.     
     
     
       107. The method of  claim 102 , further comprising communicating to the merchant at least a portion of the information identified from the reading of the portion of the machine- readable information.   
     
     
       108. The method of  claim 102 , further comprising:
   determining a status of the one or more items of merchandise based at least on the information identified from the reading of the portion of the machine - readable information; and        electronically communicating the status of the one or more items of merchandise to the merchant.