Patent ID: 7376601

Claim:
A method for evaluating the delivery of retail products through a supply chain and retail sale, the method comprising the steps of: including a self-monitoring feature within said retail products, said self-monitoring feature indicating use of said retail products provided from a supplier to a retail store; maintaining a database including information concerning the date said retail products are provided from said supplier to said retail store; updating said database with information concerning the date store returned ones of said retail products are returned from said retail store to said supplier; examining the self-monitoring feature within said store returned ones of said retail products to determine whether said returned ones of said retail products have been used; determining retail product shelf life from the date said retail products are provided from said supplier to said retail store and the date said store returned ones of said retail products are returned from said retail store to said supplier, for said store returned ones of said retail products that have not been used; updating said database with information concerning the date customer returned ones of said retail products are returned from retail store customers who have obtained said retail products to said supplier; examining the self-monitoring feature within said customer returned ones of said retail products to determine whether said customer returned ones of said retail products have been used; and determining customer installation time for said retail products from the date said store returned ones of said retail products are returned from said retail store to said supplier and the date said customer returned ones of said retail products are returned to said supplier, for said returned ones of said retail products that have not been used.