Customer Returns Without Receipt?

A new patent-pending product purchase date system predicts a product’s purchase date without a customer receipt. The Internet-based predictive purchase system permits manufacturers and retailers to provide groundbreaking customer service by making it easy to return products when a purchase receipt or point-of-sale records are unavailable. Whether under store 30-day return policy, warranty or exchange, the hassle of proving date and source of purchase at the point of return is possible with Electronic Product Code (“EPC”) platforms being integrated into next-generation supply chain networks.

For the first time, a predictive computer analytic system helps customers, retailers and manufacturers track products through their sales lifecycles by analyzing a product’s EPC code ... a “fingerprint” that can be electronically monitored by trading partners across the supply chain and at retail point-of-sale terminals. EPC data can be tracked from an individual purchase at a store or during transit by participants in the emerging EPCglobal network.

Reading the EPC number and entering it at any Internet-connected return location provides an estimated date of sale, including source location of purchase, with an associated confidence level. For example, a digital camera can be returned to a store or e-tailer for credit, repair or other service warranty just by reading the EPC tag number on the product. Upon a return, the seller or manufacturer scans the product tag using an Internet-connected browser terminal, that reports:

“The estimated purchase date for this Canon EOS camera (Model EOS1-21), purchased from Wal-mart Store #239, was the week of July 5, 2007—with a predictive confidence/accuracy score of 85 percent.”

Intellareturn's Take: The future of customer service and returns is here.