Method of processing a ticket order

Abstract

A method of processing a ticket order requesting the production of an identification tag for an article of commerce can be accomplished in the following manner. In the first step, a ticketing services provider receives the ticket order placed by the client, the ticket order including, inter alia, order information (e.g., purchase order information) with respect to the article to which the tag is to be affixed. Having received the order, the ticketing services provider associates a unique identification code, such as an automatically-retrievable electronic product code (EPC), with the identification tag (e.g., by programming the IC chip of an RFID tag with the unique identification code). In turn, a file is stored in an electronically-accessible database which links the unique identification code for the ID tag with the order information for the article to which the tag is to be affixed. In this manner, the client can retrieve the order information relating to each individual article of commerce that it produces. The ability to track order information for individual articles of commerce is useful in, among other things, anti-counterfeit, anti-diversion, inventory management and article return applications.