Commodity trading system
First Claim
1. A method of selling commodities comprising:
- a. identifying combinations of commodities which are generally used by industrial consumers and establishing a price for each combination, said price being lower than the sum of said market costs of said individual commodities;
b. establishing a Web site at which said identified combinations of commodities are offered for sale at said price, wherein no price for an individual commodity is quoted.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for buying commodities comprising identifying suppliers of commodities having surplus capacities; entering into take or pay supply agreements and/or option to purchase agreements for a plurality of commodities with one or more of said suppliers, each of said agreements specifying a cost for an individual commodity, said cost being less than market cost for said individual commodity in the absence of said take or pay and/or option to purchase agreement. A method of selling commodities comprising identifying combinations of commodities which are generally used by industrial consumers and establishing a price for each combination, said price being lower than the sum of said market costs of said individual commodities; and establishing a Web site at which said identified combinations of commodities are offered for sale at said price, wherein no price for an individual commodity is quoted. The method of buying and selling can be combined. A computer system for implementing the method delivers Web pages offering for sale to industrial customers a combination of individual commodities at a price which is lower than the sum of the market prices of the individual commodities.
69 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of selling commodities comprising:
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a. identifying combinations of commodities which are generally used by industrial consumers and establishing a price for each combination, said price being lower than the sum of said market costs of said individual commodities;
b. establishing a Web site at which said identified combinations of commodities are offered for sale at said price, wherein no price for an individual commodity is quoted. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 22)
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2. A method of buying commodities comprising:
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a. identifying suppliers of commodities having surplus capacities; and
b. entering into take or pay supply agreements and/or option to purchase agreements for a plurality of commodities with one or more of said suppliers, each of said agreements specifying a cost for an individual commodity, said cost being less than market cost for said individual commodity in the absence of said take or pay supply agreement or option to purchase agreement. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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3. A method of buying and selling commodities comprising:
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a. identifying suppliers of commodities having surplus capacities;
b. entering into take or pay supply agreements and/or option to purchase agreements for a plurality of commodities with one or more of said suppliers, each of said supply agreements specifying a cost for an individual commodity, said cost being less than market cost for said individual commodity in the absence of said take or pay supply agreement and/or or option to purchase agreement;
c. identifying combinations of commodities which are generally used by industrial consumers and establishing a price for each combination, said price being the sum of the cost of the individual commodities specified in said supply agreements plus a profit factor but said price being lower than the sum of said market costs of said individual commodities;
d. establishing a Web site at which said identified combinations of commodities are offered for sale at said price, wherein no price for an individual commodity is quoted.
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- 13. System for selling commodities comprising a programmed computer system adapted to deliver Web pages offering for sale to industrial consumers a combination of individual commodities at a combination price which is lower than the sum of the market prices of the individual commodities.
Specification