Patent ID: 6950803

Claim:
A method of creating direct marketing opportunities by use of a package storage and retrieval system comprising the steps of: a) providing within a retail outlet a receptacle with a compartment capable of receiving, retaining and releasing at least one package deposited by a sender for pick-up by a recipient thereby beginning a transaction; b) providing to the sender access to the receptacle to deposit a pre-ordered package within the receptacle for a recipient; c) providing to the recipient, using a computer, access to the receptacle to retrieve the package and thereby completing a transaction such that the compartment may be used for another transaction, wherein the recipient is a customer retrieving the pre-ordered package; d) acquiring, using a computer, customer information before or during the transaction; and e) using the acquired customer information to provide direct marketing to the customer before, during or after the transaction, wherein the direct marketing is made possible by the recipient's visit to the retail outlet to pick up the at least one package.