Patent ID: 8311892

Claim:
In connection with a system that uses electronic tags on products for storing information related to the products, a method comprising: providing an electronic tag having information loaded thereon that relates to a product to which the tag is attached; upon purchase of the product by a consumer: reading the information from the tag, generating an associated unique identifier that uniquely identifies the product relative to other similar products, storing, using a computer, information read from the tag in an electronic database, together with the associated unique identifier that uniquely identifies the product relative to other similar products, erasing at least some product information from the electronic tag, and storing the associated unique identifier on the electronic tag; and maintaining the electronic tag on the product after purchase; wherein the associated unique identifier is readable from the electronic tag in connection with a post sale transaction or inquiry, and wherein information on the product is accessible from the electronic database using the associated unique identifier in order to assist with processing of the post sale transaction or inquiry.