System and method for automatically processing online refund request

Abstract

A method for automatically processing an online return request including receiving a refund request from an electronic device of a user for returning an item previously purchased as part of a store. The method further can include processing a refund solution based on the refund request. The method can process the refund solution by: (a) determining a returnable status of the item; (b) when the returnable status for the item is negative, returning a rejection decision to the electronic device; and/or (c) when the returnable status for the item is positive: (i) generating a cost-benefit analysis result; (ii) when the cost-benefit analysis result is negative, processing the refund request by returning a return amount to the user for the item; and/or (iii) when the cost-benefit analysis result is positive, providing an authorization for a return of the item in order for the user to receive the return amount. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computing instructions configured to run on the one or more processors and perform:
 receiving a refund request from an electronic device of a user for returning an item previously purchased as part of a transaction of a store; and 
 processing a refund solution based on the refund request by:
 determining a returnable status of the item; 
 when the returnable status for the item is negative, returning a rejection decision to the electronic device; and 
 when the returnable status for the item is positive:
 generating a cost-benefit analysis result; 
 when the cost-benefit analysis result is negative, processing the refund request by returning a return amount to the user for the item; and 
 when the cost-benefit analysis result is positive, providing an authorization for a return of the item in order for the user to receive the return amount. 
 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 determining the returnable status further comprises determining the returnable status according to one or more returnability rules generated based at least in part on one or more laws or regulations; and   the one or more laws or regulations are associated with the item and a physical location of the store.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 determining the returnable status further comprises:
 determining the returnable status according to one or more returnability rules generated based at least in part on an abuser status of the user; 
 when the abuser status retrieved from a database is positive, determining that the returnable status of the item is negative; and 
 when the abuser status retrieved from the database is negative:
 re-evaluating the abuser status based at least in part on at least one of:
 a return history of the user; or 
 a payment history of the user; and 
 
 when the return history exceeds a predetermined return ratio or when the payment history is poor:
 updating the abuser status in the database from negative to positive; and 
 determining that the returnable status of the item is negative. 
 
 
   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the one or more returnability rules are generated further based at least in part on a suspicious device status associated with the electronic device; and   determining the returnable status of the item further comprises:
 when the suspicious device status retrieved from the database is positive, determining that the returnable status of the item is negative; and 
 when the suspicious device status retrieved from the database is negative:
 re-evaluating the suspicious device status based at least in part on one or more of:
 the abuser status of the user; 
 a second abuser status of at least one second user account associated with the electronic device; or 
 an IP address of the electronic device; and 
 
 when the suspicious device status is positive:
 updating the suspicious device status in the database from negative to positive; and 
 determining that the returnable status of the item is negative. 
 
 
   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rejection decision comprises at least one of a rejection reason or an instruction to contact customer service. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing instructions are further configured to perform:
 providing a user interface to be rendered on the electronic device, the user interface being configured to display one or more purchased items associated with the transaction, wherein the one or more purchased items comprise the item;   determining a respective returnable status of each item of the one or more purchased items according to the one or more returnability rules; and   when the respective returnable status of the each item is positive, the user interface is configured to display a respective activated return control configured to incorporate the each item to the refund request when triggered by the customer.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing instructions are further configured to perform:
 providing a user interface to be rendered on the electronic device, the user interface being configured to submit a reason for the refund request from the electronic device; and   forwarding the reason for the refund request to the store.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 generating the cost-benefit analysis result further comprises generating the cost-benefit analysis result based on one or more cost-benefit factors associated with the item; and   the one or more cost-benefit factors comprise at least one of a processing cost for the return of the item, a resale profit of the item, a return policy from a supplier of the item, or a donatable status of the item.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a payment method associated with the transaction is one of a credit card, a debit card, a gift card, or an electronic benefit transfer card; and   after the item is returned to the store, the return amount is refunded to the user via a form of the payment method used to purchase the item.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the authorization for the return of the item comprises a bar code associated with the return amount for the item determined based at least in part on one or more of a sale price of the item, a discount of the item, a tax of the item, or a delivery fee associated with the item. 
     
     
         11 . A method being implemented via execution of computing instructions configured to run at one or more processors and stored at one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, the method comprising:
 receiving a refund request from an electronic device of a user for returning an item previously purchased as part of a store; and   processing a refund solution based on the refund request by:
 determining a returnable status of the item; 
 when the returnable status for the item is negative, returning a rejection decision to the electronic device; and 
 when the returnable status for the item is positive:
 generating a cost-benefit analysis result; 
 when the cost-benefit analysis result is negative, processing the refund request by returning a return amount to the user for the item; and 
 when the cost-benefit analysis result is positive, providing an authorization for a return of the item in order for the user to receive the return amount. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 determining the returnable status further comprises determining the returnable status according to one or more returnability rules generated based at least in part one of one or more laws or regulations; and   the one or more laws or regulations are associated with the item and a physical location of the store.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 determining the returnable status further comprises:
 determining the returnable status according to one or more returnability rules generated based at least in part on an abuser status of the user; 
 when the abuser status retrieved from a database is positive, determining that the returnable status of the item is negative; and 
 when the abuser status retrieved from the database is negative:
 re-evaluating the abuser status based at least in part on at least one of:
 a return history of the user; or 
 a payment history of the user; and 
 
 when the return history exceeds a predetermined return ratio or when the payment history is poor:
 updating the abuser status in the database from negative to positive; and 
 determining that the returnable status of the item is negative. 
 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the one or more returnability rules are generated further based at least in part on a suspicious device status associated with the electronic device; and   determining the returnable status of the item further comprises:
 when the suspicious device status retrieved from the database is positive, determining that the returnable status of the item is negative; and 
 when the suspicious device status retrieved from the database is negative:
 re-evaluating the suspicious device status based at least in part on one or more of:
 the abuser status of the user; 
 a second abuser status of at least one second user account associated with the electronic device; or 
 an IP address of the electronic device; and 
 
 when the suspicious device status is positive:
 updating the suspicious device status in the database from negative to positive; and 
 determining that the returnable status of the item is negative. 
 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the rejection decision comprises at least one of a rejection reason or an instruction to contact customer service. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 providing a user interface to be rendered on the electronic device, the user interface being configured to display one or more purchased items associated with the transaction, wherein the one or more purchased items comprise the item; 
 determining a respective returnable status of each item of the one or more purchased items according to the one or more returnability rules; and 
 when the respective returnable status of the each item is positive, the user interface is configured to display a respective activated return control configured to incorporate the each item to the refund request when triggered by the customer. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 providing a user interface to be rendered on the electronic device, the user interface being configured to submit a reason for the refund request from the electronic device; and 
 forwarding the reason for the refund request to the store. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 generating the cost-benefit analysis result further comprises generating the cost-benefit analysis result based on one or more cost-benefit factors associated with the item; and   the one or more cost-benefit factors comprise at least one of a processing cost for the return of the item, a resale profit of the item, a return policy from a supplier of the item, or a donatable status of the item.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 a payment method associated with the transaction is one of a credit card, a debit card, a gift card, or an electronic benefit transfer card; and   after the item is returned to the store, the return amount is refunded to the user via a form of the payment method used to purchase the item.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the authorization for the return of the item comprises a bar code associated with the return amount for the item determined based at least in part on one or more of a sale price of the item, a discount of the item, a tax of the item, or a delivery fee associated with the item.