Consumable goods online shopping system,portal server, electronic settlement server,mail order center server, recycling plantserver, or server, and consumable goodsonline shopping method and program, andrecording medium

• US 20020049638A1
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Tatsuo
• Application Number:
  US09/893,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049638A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

This mechanism monitors status of use of consumable goods used in a printing device, applies a discount service in accordance with the status of use to the consumable goods at a predetermined Web sale, and pays compensation to a trader that is managing the predetermined Web sale.

Claims

1. A consumable goods online shopping system that comprises communication information equipment that consumes consumable goods, a portal server to which data is sent from said communication information equipment, an electronic settlement server that performs the settlement of the transaction performed in said communication information equipment, a mail order center server for mail-ordering the consumable goods, a recycling plant server installed in a recycling plant of the consumable goods, and a merchandise control center server installed in a merchandise control center of the consumable goods that interconnect via a network, comprising:

said communication information equipment including,

first information processing means that performs processing of various information in the communication information equipment, first screen display means that displays information-processed information on the screen, first input means that inputs information necessary for information processing, first printing means that prints information-processed contents, first communicating means that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, first consumable goods consumption executing means that executes processing which consumes the consumable goods, and first consumable goods remaining quantity detecting means that detects a remaining quantity of the consumable goods,

said portal server including,

second information processing means that performs the processing of various information in the portal server, second display means that displays the information-processed information on the screen, second input means that inputs the information necessary for information processing, second printing means that displays the information-processed information on the screen, a second mail order address database in which a mail address and recovery cartridge information of the communication information equipment connected to the portal server are stored, a second delivery store database in which delivery stores of the consumable goods are stored, a second mail order center registration information database in which the information of a mail order center that is connected to the portal server and in which an order issue of the consumable goods is given, and a second consumable goods price database in which individual merchandise price information is stored for each mail order center,

said electronic settlement server including,

third information processing means that performs an electronic settlement based on authentication information input from the first input means on said communication processing equipment, third screen display means that displays the information-processed information, third input means that inputs the information necessary for information processing, third printing means prints the information-processed contents, third communicating means for communicating the information necessary for performing the electronic settlement, and a third electronic settlement database in which the data necessary for performing the electronic settlement is stored,

said mail order center server including,

fourth information processing means that performs the processing of various information in the mail order center server, fourth screen display means that displays the information-processed information on the screen, fourth input means that inputs the information necessary for information processing, fourth printing means that prints the information-processed contents, fourth communicating means that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, a fourth merchandise database in which the data of the merchandise necessary for receiving the mail order including the price and the stock quantity of the consumable goods controlled in the mail order center, a fourth customer management database in which the customer information of the customer of which the order request is given, and a fourth order table database for storing the order table to which an order is given,

said recycling plant server including,

fifth information processing means that performs the processing of various information in the recycling plant server, fifth screen means that displays the information-processed information on the screen, fifth input means that inputs the information necessary for information processing, fifth printing means that prints the information-processed contents, fifth communicating means that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, a fifth cartridge information reader that reads the owner information stored in the storage area of the cartridge recovered in the recycling plant, and a fifth owner information management database in which the number of recovery cartridges and the owner information are linked and stored; and

said merchandise control center server including,

sixth information processing means that performs the processing of various information in the merchandise control center server, sixth screen display means that displays the information-processed information on the screen, sixth input means that inputs the information necessary for the information processing, sixth printing means that prints the information-processed contents, fifth communicating means that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, and a sixth merchandise inventory control database in which the merchandise inventory control information of the consumable goods is recorded.

2. The portal server to which data is sent from said communication information equipment connected to the communication information equipment that consumes the consumable goods, the electronic settlement server that performs the settlement of the transaction performed in said communication information equipment, the mail order center server for mail-ordering the consumable goods, the recycling plant server installed in the recycling plant of the consumable goods, and the merchandise control center server installed in the merchandise control center of the consumable goods via the network, further comprising:

information processing means that performs the processing of various information in the portal server;

screen display means that displays the information-processed information;

input means that inputs the information necessary for information processing;

communicating means that communicates the information-processed contents via the network;

a mail address database in which the mail address and recovery cartridge information of the communication information equipment connected to the portal server are stored;

a delivery store database in which delivery stores of the consumable goods are stored for each area;

a mail order center registration information database in which the information of the mail order center that is connected to the portal server and in which the order issue of the consumable goods is given; and

a consumable goods price database in which the individual merchandise price information is stored for each mail order center.

3. The portal server according to claim 2, wherein said information processing means comprises:

mail address notification means that receives a mail address acquisition request issued by mail address automatic registering means of the communication information equipment, retrieves said mail address database, allocates and reports an unregistered empty mail address as the mail address of the communication information equipment to which a request is given; and

automatic mail address allocation means that automatically allocates the empty mail address for the allocation of the mail address; and

empty mail address retrieving means for supporting allocation by a portal server administrator.

4. The portal server according to claim 3, wherein said information processing means comprises:

mail order center information registering means that registers the information about an order issue destination of the order table in a mail order center registration database,

consumable goods price data registering means that receives the price information and stock information of the consumable goods merchandise that are periodically sent from said consumable goods mail order center server stored in a second mail order center registration database; and

price information sorting means that sorts the price information for each area genre-classified for each consumable goods merchandise in the price order and associates and stores the price information and a mail order center name at the update of said consumable goods price database.

5. The portal server according to claim 4, wherein said information processing means comprises:

order start information acquiring means that receives order start information sent from the side of the communication information equipment and acquires the order start information; and

consumption discount calculating means that calculates a discount which matches a consumption amount of the consumable goods in the acquired order start information.

6. The portal server according to claim 5, wherein said information processing means comprises:

order table creating means that creates an order table based on the order start information acquired by said order start information acquiring means; and

order table sending means that sends the created order table to said communication equipment,

said order table creating means including,

price information portion creating means that creates a price information portion of the order table;

delivery information creating means that creates a delivery information portion of the order table;

electronic settlement information portion creating means that creates an electronic settlement information portion of the order table; and

order issue portion creating means that creates an order issue portion of the order table,

said price information portion creating means including,

price information acquiring means that retrieves the second consumption goods price database based on machine type information in the order start information and acquires the price information and stock information of the consumable goods that match the machine type information;

said consumption amount discount calculating means that calculates discount information which matches the consumption amount of the consumable goods; and

recycling discount calculating means that acquires the number of recovery cartridges stored the second mail address database and calculates the discount information which matches the number of recovery cartridges, and

said information processing means

creates the price information portion for each mail order center according to the price information, stock information, consumption amount discount information, recycling discount information, and the number of orders setting area obtained by each of the processing, acquires the price information acquired by the price information acquiring means in the sequence sorted in the price order on the consumable goods database, creates the price information portion sorted in the state according to the price, and creates the price information portion of the order table in which priority is given to the specified mail order center when there is specification in the connection information to said mail order center server in the order start information,

said delivery information portion creating means including,

delivery method specification area creating means that creates a specification area which can specify a delivery method including at least any one of mailing, conveyance, and store-based delivery as the specification of the delivery method;

destination information specification area creating means that creates a destination information store specification area necessary for the mailing and conveyance; and

delivery store specification creating means that creates a deliver store specification area necessary for the stored-based delivery,

the specification area obtained by each of said means is created as the delivery information portion,

at creation of said destination information specification area, at least one of a postal number, an address, a name, and a telephone number written to the owner information in the order start information is set a fault value,

at the creation of said delivery store specification area, by store information default setting means, a delivery area is specified from the postal number, address, and telephone number, a second delivery store database is retrieved from specified regional information, and a store that is doing business in the delivery area is set so that it can preferentially specified as a default,

regarding the second delivery store database, the latest data is always updated and registered by the control of the portal server administrator,

said electronic settlement information portion creating means comprises authentication data input area creating means that creates an area to which authentication data is input required for performing the electronic settlement in said electronic settlement server and creates the authentication data input area created by the authentication data input area creating means,

the order issue portion creating means including,

order issue specification area creating means that creates the area in which the activation of a mail order issue instruction can be specified, and

coupon ticket issuing specification area creating means that creates an area in which the activation of a coupon ticket issuing specification area can be specified, and

the specification area created by said coupon ticket issuing specification area creating means is created as an order issue portion.

7. The portal server according to claim 6, wherein said information processing means comprises:

coupon ticket issuing notification receiving means that receives the sent coupon ticket issuing notification;

coupon packet issuing processing means that receives the coupon ticket issuing and the order table and performs the ticket issuing of the coupon information based on the consumption discount information and the recycling discount information provided in the price information portion of the order table; and

coupon information sending means that sends the ticket-issued coupon information to the communication information equipment.

8. The portal server according to claim 7, wherein said information processing means comprises:

back margin registering means at the side of the manufacturer that registers the information about the brokerage and discount fee that match the handing amount decided according to the arrangement with each mail order center by the data input of the portal server administrator;

order issue notification receiving means that receives a received order notification from the communication information equipment;

electronic settlement acknowledgment requesting means that receives the received order notification, creates acknowledgment information based on the authentication data input to the order table, sends it to said electronic settlement server, and performs an electronic settlement acknowledgment request for order issue merchandise to the specified mail order center;

order issue request mediation means that receives acknowledgment result notification information from said electronic settlement server and performs mediation to the mail order center server;

received order acknowledgment notification receiving means that receives a received order acknowledgment notification from the mail order center server; and

received order completion notification sending means that receives the received order acknowledgment notification and issues an order issue completion notification to the communication information equipment,

said received order request mediation means including,

number of mediation items counting means that counts the number of mediation items for each mail order center when the electronic settlement is acknowledged according to the acknowledgment notification information from said electronic settlement server;

order issue request registering means that registers the number of orders counted by the number of mediation items counting means in the second mail order registration information database for each mail order center together with the order table of the order of which the order issue request is received;

order issue request order table sending means that sends the order table of which the order request is received to the mail order center; and

electronic settlement not-acknowledged notification means that sends an electronic settlement not-acknowledged notification to said first communication information equipment when the electronic settlement is not acknowledged, and

the information processing means of said portal server including,

brokerage calculating means at the side of the manufacturer that calculates the brokerage paid to the side of the mail order center side in accordance with the number of orders that is counted by said number of mediation items counting means and registered in the mail order registration information database by said order issue request registering means; and

order issue discount calculating means that calculates the discount paid to the mail order center in accordance with the number of mediation items.

9. The portal server according to claim 8, wherein the information processing means of said portal server comprises:

settlement information calculating means at the side of the manufacturer that calculates monthly settlement information for each mail order center at a monthly settling day or according to the instruction of the server administrator;

settlement information sending means at the side of the manufacturer that send the calculated settlement information to each mail order center;

settlement information backup means at the side of the manufacturer that backs up all of the settlement information total, settlement information, and order table handled within a settling month to the backup area in said second mail order center registration information database;

settlement information clearing means at the side of the manufacturer that clears the number of orders issued within a predetermined period and an issued table order when the settlement information is backed up by said settlement information backup means at the side of the manufacturer; and

settlement information utility means at the side of the manufacturer that prints and deletes the information backed up in the backup area according to the instruction of the portal server administrator, and

said settlement information calculating means at the side of the manufacturer including;

consumption discount price total calculating means at the side of the manufacture that calculates the total of the consumption discount price recorded in the order table as the settlement information for all the order table tables of the mail order center specified in said mail order center registration information database;

recycling discount price total calculating means at the side of the manufacturer that calculates the total of the recycling discount price recorded in the order table as the settlement information;

said brokerage calculating means that calculates the brokerage paid from the side of the mail order center in accordance with the number of orders as the settlement information;

said order issue discount calculating means at the side of the manufacturer that calculates the discount fee paid to the mail order center in accordance with the number of mediation items as the settlement information; and

settlement information total calculating means at the side of the manufacturer that calculates the value in which the order issue discount price is subtracted from the total of the consumption discount price, recycling discount price, and order issue discount as the settlement information total.

10. The portal server according to claim 9, wherein said information processing means comprises:

stored merchandise order issue receiving means that receives the stored merchandise order issue of which the order issue is given by said stored merchandise order issue means; and

stored merchandise order issue mediation means that mediates the order issue of the stocked merchandise of which the received order is given and sends the order table to the merchandise control center server of the consumable goods.

11. The electronic settlement server that performs the settlement of the transaction performed in said communication information equipment that is connected to the communication information equipment that consumes the consumable goods, the portal server to which data is sent from said communication information equipment, the mail order center server for mail-ordering the consumable goods, the recycling plant server installed in the recycling plant of the consumable goods, and the merchandise control center server installed in the merchandise control center of the consumable goods via the network, comprising:

information processing means that performs the electronic settlement based on the authentication information input from the input means on said communication information equipment;

screen display means that displays the information-processed information;

input means that inputs the information necessary for information processing;

printing means that prints the information-processed information;

communicating means for communicating the information for performing the electronic settlement; and

electronic settlement data base in which the data required for performing the electronic settlement is stored.

14. The recycling plant server according to claim 13, wherein said communication information equipment comprises:

cartridge owner information reading means that reads the owner information stored in the storage memory of the recovered cartridge;

owner information management database registering means that acquires the mail address information from the read owner information and registers it in said owner information management database;

recycling discount information sending means that periodically sends the mail address information and the recovery cartridge information registered in the owner information management database to the portal server of the equipment manufacturer as the recycling discount information;

owner information management database clearing means that clears the sent mail address information and the recovery cartridge information in said owner information management database from the owner information management database after the sending processing is performed by said recycling discount information sending means; and

owner information management database utility means that displays, prints, and deletes the contents in the owner information management database according to the instruction of the server administrator;

said owner information management database utility means including,

recovery cartridge information initialization means that sets the recover cartridge information to 1 and registers it in said fifth owner information management database together with the mail address information when the mail address information in the owner information read by said cartridge owner information reading means is not registered in said owner information management database; and

recovery cartridge information update means that increments (counts up) the recovery cartridge information in the database when the mail address information is not registered in said owner information management database.

16. The server according to claim 15, further comprising:

registering means that registers a price list the second consumable goods trader offers in an acceptance storage portion via said predetermined line;

distributing means that distributes the price information registered by said registering means to a communicable terminal unit via said predetermined communication line; and

calculating means that calculates the discount price that matches the price information distributed by said distributing means and the point calculated by said calculating means.

17. The server according to claim 16, wherein said control means comprises control means said customer and said consumable goods trader are associated and stored, controls the applicable condition of said service for each of said customer as the utility condition of the service for each of said consumable goods trader, and said deciding means decides said compensation in accordance with the utilization condition of the service for each said consumable goods trader by said control means.

18. The server according to claim 15, wherein said status of use is the recovery condition of said consumable goods or the amount of said consumable goods used.

12. The mail order center server for mail-ordering the consumable goods that is connected to the communication information equipment, the portal server to which data is sent from said communication information equipment, the electronic settlement server that performs the settlement of the transaction performed in said communication information equipment, the recycling plant server installed in the recycling plant of the consumable goods, and the merchandise control center server installed in the merchandise control center of the consumable goods through the network, comprising:

information processing means that performs the processing of various information in the mail order center server;

screen display means that displays the information-processed information on the screen;

the input means that inputs the information necessary for information processing;

the printing means that prints the information-processed contents;

the communicating means that communicates the information-processed contents;

the merchandise database in which the data of the merchandise necessary for receiving the mail order including the price and the stock quantity of the consumable controlled in the mail order center;

the customer management database in which the customer information of the customer in which the order request is given; and

the fourth order table database for storing the order table to which the order is given.

13. The recycling plant server installed in the recycling plant of the consumable goods that is connected to the communication information equipment that consumes the consumable goods, the portal server to which data is sent from said communication information equipment, the electronic settlement server that performs the settlement of the transaction performed in said communication information equipment, the mail order center server for mail-ordering the consumable goods, and the merchandise control center server installed in the merchandise control center of the consumable goods, comprising:

the information processing means that performs the processing of various information in the recycling plant server;

the screen display means that displays the information-processed information;

the input means that inputs the information necessary for information processing;

the communicating means that communicates the information-processed contents via the network;

the cartridge information reader that reads the owner information stored in the storage area of the cartridge recovered to the recycling plant; and

the owner information management database in which the number of cartridges and the owner information are linked and stored.

15. The server that controls status of use of said consumable goods the first consumable goods trader who handles the consumable goods, further comprising:

calculating means that receives the status of use of the consumable goods used in a printing device via a predetermined communication line and calculates a point against a customer in accordance with the received status of use; and

compensation deciding means that decides compensation that is based on a reduced price, paid to said second consumable goods trader in accordance with the fact that said customer purchases the merchandise the second consumable goods trader offers at said reduced price that is based on said point via a predetermined purchase screen.

19. A consumable goods online shopping method applied to the consumable goods online shopping system that comprises communication information equipment that consumes consumable goods, the portal server to which data is sent from said communication information equipment, the electronic settlement server that performs the settlement of the transaction performed in said communication information equipment, the mail order center server for mail-ordering the consumable goods, the recycling plant server installed in the recycling plant of the consumable goods, and the merchandise control center server installed in the merchandise control center of the consumable goods that interconnect via the network, comprising:

the first information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the communication information equipment, the first screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the first key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with a key/by a pointing device on the screen, the first printing step that prints information-processed information, the first communication step that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, the first consumable goods consumption execution step that executes the processing which consumes the consumable goods, the first consumable goods remaining quantity detection step that detects the remaining quantity of the consumable goods, in said communication information equipment;

the second information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the portal server, the second screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the second key input/pointing process that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the pointing device on the screen, the second printing step that prints information-processed contents, the second communication step that communicates information-processed contents via the network, the twenty-first storage step that stores the mail address and recovery cartridge information of the communication information equipment connected to the portal server in the second mail address database, the twenty-second storage step that stores the delivery store of the consumable goods in the second delivery store database for each area, the twenty-third storage step that stores the information of the mail order center that is connected to the portal server and in which the order issue of the consumable goods is given in the second mail order center registration information database, the twenty-fourth storage step that stores individual merchandise price information in the second consumable goods price database for each mail order center, in said portal server;

the third information processing step that performs the electronic settlement based on the authentication information input according to the first processing input on said communication information equipment, the third screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the third key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the pointing device on the screen, the third printing step that prints information-processed contents, the third communication step for communicating the information necessary for performing the electronic settlement, the third storage step that stores the data necessary for performing the electronic settlement, in said electronic settlement server;

the fourth information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the nail order center server, the fourth screen display step that displays information-processed on the screen, the fourth key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the pointing device, the fourth printing step that prints information-processed contents, the fourth communication step that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, the 41st storage step that stores the merchandise data necessary for the mail order including the price and the stock quantity controlled in the mail order center in the fourth merchandise database, the 42nd storage step that stores the customer information of the customer of which order is requested in the fourth customer management database, the 43rd storage step the order table of which the order is given in the fourth order table database, the fifth information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the recycling plant server, in said mail order center server;

the fifth screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the fifth key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the point device on the screen, the fifth printing step that prints information-processed contents, the fifth communication step that communicates the information-processed information contents via the network, the fifth cartridge owner reading step that reads the owner information stored in the storage area of the cartridge recovered in a recycling plant, the fifth cartridge information reading step that links and stores the number of recovery cartridges and the owner information, in said recycling plant server; and

the sixth information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the merchandise control center server, the sixth screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the sixth key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing, the sixth printing step that prints information-processed contents, the sixth communication step that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, and the sixth merchandise inventory step that records the merchandise inventory control information of the consumable goods, in said merchandise control center.

20. The online shopping method by the server that controls the status of use of said consumable goods the first consumable goods that handles the consumable goods offers, further comprising:

calculation step that receives the status of use of the consumable goods used in the printing device via the predetermined communication line; and

compensation decision step that decides the compensation based on said discount price, paid to said second consumable goods trader in accordance with the fact that said customer purchases the merchandise the second consumable goods trader offers at the discount price based on said point via the predetermined communication line.

21. A program for realizing the consumable goods online shopping system that comprises communication information equipment that consumes consumable goods, the portal server to which data is sent from said communication information equipment, the electronic settlement server that performs the settlement of the transaction performed in said communication information equipment, the mail order center server for mail-ordering the consumable goods, the recycling plant server installed in the recycling plant of the consumable goods, and the merchandise control center server installed in the merchandise control center of the consumable goods that interconnect via the network, wherein the program the computer execute:

the first information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the communication information equipment, the first screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the first key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key/by the pointing device on the screen, the first printing step that prints information-processed information, the first communication step that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, the first consumable goods consumption execution step that executes the processing which consumes the consumable goods, the first consumable goods remaining quantity detection step that detects the remaining quantity of the consumable goods, in said communication information equipment;

the second information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the portal server, the second screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the second key input/pointing process that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the pointing device on the screen, the second printing step that prints information-processed contents, the second communication step that communicates information-processed contents via the network, the 21st storage step that stores the mail address and recovery cartridge information of the communication information equipment connected to the portal server in the second mail address database, the 22nd storage step that stores the delivery store of the consumable goods in the second delivery store database for each area, the 23rd storage step that stores the information of the mail order center that is connected to the portal server and in which the order issue of the consumable goods is given in the second mail order center registration information database, the twenty-fourth storage step that stores individual merchandise price information in the second consumable goods price database for each mail order center, in said portal server;

the third information processing step that performs the electronic settlement based on the authentication information input according to the first processing input on said communication information equipment, the third screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the third key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the pointing device on the screen, the third printing step that prints information-processed contents, the third communication step for communicating the information necessary for performing the electronic settlement, the third storage step that stores the data necessary for performing the electronic settlement, in said electronic settlement server;

the fourth information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the nail order center server, the fourth screen display step that displays information-processed on the screen, the fourth key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the pointing device, the fourth printing step that prints information-processed contents, the fourth communication step that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, the 41st storage step that stores the merchandise data necessary for the mail order including the price and the stock quantity controlled in the mail order center in the fourth merchandise database, the 42nd storage step that stores the customer information of the customer of which order is requested in the fourth customer management database, the 43rd storage step the order table of which the order is given in the fourth order table database, the fifth information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the recycling plant server, in said mail order center server;

the fifth screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the fifth key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the point device on the screen, the fifth printing step that prints information-processed contents, the fifth communication step that communicates the information-processed information contents via the network, the fifth cartridge owner reading step that reads the owner information stored in the storage area of the cartridge recovered in a recycling plant, the fifth cartridge information reading step that links and stores the number of recovery cartridges and the owner information, in said recycling plant server; and

the sixth information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the merchandise control center server, the sixth screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the sixth key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing, the sixth printing step that prints information-processed contents, the sixth communication step that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, and the sixth merchandise inventory step that records the merchandise inventory control information of the consumable goods, in said merchandise control center.

22. The program executed by the server that controls the status of use of said consumable goods the first consumable goods trader who handles the consumable goods offers, wherein the program makes the computer execute:

calculating means that receives the status of use of the consumable goods used in the printing device via the predetermined communication line and calculates the point against the customer in accordance with the received status of use; and

compensation deciding means that decides compensation that is based on the reduced price, paid to said second consumable goods trader in accordance with the fact that said customer purchases the merchandise the second consumable goods trader offers at said reduced price that is based on said point via the predetermined purchase screen.

23. A recording medium of which the contents can be read, in which a program code for realizing the consumable goods online shopping system is stored, and that comprises communication information equipment that consumes consumable goods, the portal server to which data is sent from said communication information equipment, the electronic settlement server that performs the settlement of the transaction performed in said communication information equipment, the mail order center server for mail-ordering the consumable goods, the recycling plant server installed in the recycling plant of the consumable goods, and the merchandise control center server installed in the merchandise control center of the consumable goods that interconnect via the network, comprising:

the first information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the communication information equipment, the first screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the first key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key/by the pointing device on the screen, the first printing step that prints information-processed information, the first communication step that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, the first consumable goods consumption execution step that executes the processing which consumes the consumable goods, the first consumable goods remaining quantity detection step that detects the remaining quantity of the consumable goods, in said communication information equipment;

the second information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the portal server, the second screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the second key input/pointing process that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the pointing device on the screen, the second printing step that prints information-processed contents, the second communication step that communicates information-processed contents via the network, the 21st storage step that stores the mail address and recovery cartridge information of the communication information equipment connected to the portal server in the second mail address database, the 22nd storage step that stores the delivery store of the consumable goods in the second delivery store database for each area, the 23rd storage step that stores the information of the mail order center that is connected to the portal server and in which the order issue of the consumable goods is given in the second mail order center registration information database, the twenty-fourth storage step that stores individual merchandise price information in the second consumable goods price database for each mail order center, in said portal server;

the third information processing step that performs the electronic settlement based on the authentication information input according to the first processing input on said communication information equipment, the third screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the third key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the pointing device on the screen, the third printing step that prints information-processed contents, the third communication step for communicating the information necessary for performing the electronic settlement, the third storage step that stores the data necessary for performing the electronic settlement, in said electronic settlement server;

the fourth information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the nail order center server, the fourth screen display step that displays information-processed on the screen, the fourth key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the pointing device, the fourth printing step that prints information-processed contents, the fourth communication step that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, the 41st storage step that stores the merchandise data necessary for the mail order including the price and the stock quantity controlled in the mail order center in the fourth merchandise database, the 42nd storage step that stores the customer information of the customer of which order is requested in the fourth customer management database, the 43rd storage step the order table of which the order is given in the fourth order table database, the fifth information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the recycling plant server, in said mail order center server;

the fifth screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the fifth key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing with the key or by the point device on the screen, the fifth printing step that prints information-processed contents, the fifth communication step that communicates the information-processed information contents via the network, the fifth cartridge owner reading step that reads the owner information stored in the storage area of the cartridge recovered in a recycling plant, the fifth cartridge information reading step that links and stores the number of recovery cartridges and the owner information, in said recycling plant server; and

the sixth information processing step that performs the processing of various information in the merchandise control center server, the sixth screen display step that displays information-processed information on the screen, the sixth key input/pointing step that inputs the information necessary for information processing, the sixth printing step that prints information-processed contents, the sixth communication step that communicates the information-processed contents via the network, and the sixth merchandise inventory step that records the merchandise inventory control information of the consumable goods, in said merchandise control center.

24. The recording medium of which the contents can be read by the computer, in which the program code for storing the program code read by the server that controls the status of use of said consumable goods the first consumable goods that handles the consumable goods offers, wherein the recording medium stores the program and executes:

calculating means that receives the status of use of the consumable goods used in the printing device via the predetermined communication line and calculates the point against the customer in accordance with the received status of use; and

compensation deciding means that decides compensation that is based on the reduced price, paid to said second consumable goods trader in accordance with the fact that said customer purchases the merchandise the second consumable goods trader offers at said reduced price that is based on said point via the predetermined purchase screen.