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Patent Issued For Online Shipping Calculation Process

Written by Evan Schuman
January 17th, 2008
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E-tailers trying to focus on distinctive value-add while using as much industry standard functionality as possible have another hurdle, courtesy of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

The USPTO has issued a patent—to be effective Jan. 29—for a method for "real-time calculations of shipping costs for items purchased online using a zip code as a destination location indicator." The patent, which covers calculating such shipments across multiple carriers, and accounts for additional characteristics of the item being shipped, such as weight, special packaging, handling, and insurance costs, according to the company who was awarded the patent, Paid Inc.

The patent was applied for in May 2000 and will be given Patent# 7324968.

Posted in E-Commerce, Payment Systems, Software
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One Comment | Read Patent Issued For Online Shipping Calculation Process

  1. Jestep Says:
    January 18th, 2008 at 5:15 pm

    It’s always bothered be when patents are issued for common tasks like this one. Some company would try to patent typing if they could get away with it.

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