Patent ID: 8190497

Claim:
A handheld scanning system for managing inventory, the system comprising: a scanner operable to read identification symbols disposed on products and retail display locations in a retail store environment; a communication interface to receive information from a remote information repository; a processor coupled to the scanner and to the communication interface; a display device coupled to the processor; and a memory containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: in response to the scanner reading a product identification symbol that is disposed on a greeting card product, identify a correct location at which the greeting card product should be located in the retail store environment, the correct location being identified based on the product identification symbol that is read from the greeting card product; in response to the scanner reading a second identification symbol that is disposed on a pocket of a greeting card retail display location at which the greeting card product is currently located, identify a current location at which the greeting card product is currently located in the retail store environment, the current location being identified based on the second identification symbol that is read from the pocket of the greeting card retail display location; determine, based on a comparison of (i) said identified correct location, with (ii) said identified current location, that the identified current location does not match the identified correct location; and present on the display device data indicating the correct retail display location responsive to said determination that the identified current location does not match the identified correct location.