Flexible merchandise checkout and inventory management system

摘要

A flexible merchandise checkout system utilizes a portable two-dimensional bar code scanner/data terminal as part of an auxiliary checkout station for use during times of peak customer traffic, permitting two or more checkers to empty a shopping cart at once for higher throughput. The checkout system includes separable modules for scanning purchased items and for receiving customer payments, respectively. Customer checks tendered in payment may be processed in real time via electronic funds transaction (EFT) orders. Depleted inventory is replaceable using a system wherein replacement inventory items are labeled with two-dimensional bar-coded information describing the ultimate destination, and packed into a container for shipment to a receiving/distribution center, at which the destination information is scanned and decoded to enable proper routing of the replacement inventory items.