Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'

h a l f b a k e r y
Quis custodiet the custard?

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, best, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: Browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

User:
Pass:
Login
Create account.


       
Please log in.
If you're not logged in, you can see what this page looks like, but you will not be able to add anything.



Generic Object Tracking
it's a nonsense each is proprietary
  (+2, -1)
(+2, -1)
  [vote for,
against]


I've just sent something off to a lucky ebay purchaser,and decided to protect us both by sending it registered mail.

It struck me at the time that I'm only really doing it so if there's a problem I can say 'look, I sent something to you' so I was thinking a generic object tracking service might be in order. You go to a website and print off a unique barcode (it writes the number underneath) and affix it to your item. Then anyone that wants to can comment on that item e.g.

[neilp] : I've just sent that thing you bought
[Auspost] : recieved at St. Peters post office (see pic)
[Auspost] : delivered to address in Melbourne
[Dan]: thanks mate- I got that thing and it's great.

I think it would be much more useful as an end-to-end process and quite cheap for organisations/people to add into their existing workflows.
It might work a bit like bookcrossing (see link).

neilp, Dec 15 2004

a site that gives you a unique number http://www.bookcrossing.com
so you can pass-on books to strangers. [neilp, Dec 15 2004]



Annotation:







       This sounds like a great concept, but I don't know about the bookcrossings model. Bookcrossings is a great concept too, but in my experience it seems to rely heavily on the users acceptance of the possibility that some large percentage of the books you release will just vanish. That part of the appeal isn't it? You never know when something will resurface.   

       Not how I would want to handle an ebay transaction... but plus anyway for getting the ball rolling.

tiromancer, Dec 16 2004
  


 
back: main index
 business 
 computer 
 culture 
 fashion 
 food 
 halfbakery 
 home 
 other 
 product 
 public 
 science 
 sport 
 vehicle