Builders on-line assistant

• US 20020099617A1
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ePt Records, LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bruce A.. Fogelson
• Inventors: Fogelson, Bruce A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,254,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for servicing a customer of a builder by a third-party website provider. The method includes the steps of providing a first website by the third-party website provider for use by the customer in viewing and selecting product options for product offerings provided by the builder, receiving from the customer through the first website views and selections of an option of the options provided by the builder and collecting a fee or commission based upon the received selection made by the customer.

Claims

1. A method of servicing a customer of a builder by a third-party website provider, such method comprising the steps of:

providing a first website by the third-party website provider for use by the customer in viewing and selecting product options of product offerings available from or through the builder;

providing a variety of related forms and services through the first website;

receiving from the customer through the first website a view and selection of an option of the options provided by the builder; and

collecting a fee or commission based upon the products viewed by and selections made by the customer.

2. The method of servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 1 wherein the step of providing related forms further comprise filtering and supplying product information, contract, financing, closing, and post-sale forms and information.

3. The method of servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 1 wherein the step of providing related services further comprises offering purchase and pre-purchase information, promoting a buyers'"'"' group service for volume discounts and advertising, providing lending, closing, title, tax, government, permits, insurance, inspection, appraisal, RESPA, utility, warrantee, and moving services, and providing post-closing warrantee and product information, and customer and sales support.

4. The method of servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 1 wherein the step of providing the first website further comprises providing an online deposit system.

5. The method of servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 4 further comprising purchasing extras using the online deposit system.

6. The method of servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 1 wherein the step of providing the first website further comprises providing order verification and tracking.

7. The method for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 1 further comprising collecting data concerning buying trends.

8. The method for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 1 wherein the step of providing the first website further comprises allowing manufacturers, sub-contractors, and vendors to pre-view potential orders, groups of orders,and customer product viewings.

9. The method for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 1 further comprising providing web and communications tools to the builder, sub-contractors, and suppliers.

10. The method for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 9 further comprising defining the web tools as e-mail, real-time chat, calendars, escrow, e-business, job reports, notices, attendance tracking, buyer satisfaction ratings, next day activity lists, job logs, messaging, post-its, sample requests, and threaded discussion groups.

11. The method for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 1 wherein the step of collecting the fee or commission based upon the views and selections made by the customer further comprises collecting up-front access, semi-custom web design, and data service fees or commissions from the builder and third-party advertisers.

12. The method for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 1 wherein the step of providing the first website further comprises allowing manufacturers, sub-contractors, and suppliers to advertise their products through the system.

14. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 13 wherein the means for providing related forms further comprises means for filtering and generating contract, financing, closing, and post-sale forms and information.

15. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 13 wherein the means for providing related services further comprises means for offering purchase and pre-purchase information, promoting a buyers'"'"' group service for volume discounts and advertising, facilitating lending, closing, title, tax, government, permits, insurance, inspection, appraisal, RESPA, utility, warrantee, and moving services, and providing post-closing warrantee and product information, and customer and sales support.

16. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 13 wherein the means for providing the first website further comprises means for offering an online deposit system.

17. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 16 wherein the means for offering the online deposit system further comprises means for purchasing extras.

18. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 13 wherein the means for providing the first website further comprises means for providing order verification and tracking.

19. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 13 further comprising means for collecting data concerning buying trends.

20. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 13 wherein the means for providing the first website further comprises means for allowing manufacturers, sub-contractors, and vendors to pre-view potential orders, groups of orders, and cutomer product viewings.

21. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 13 further comprising means for providing web and communications tools to the builder, sub-contractors, and suppliers.

22. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 21 wherein the web tools further comprise e-mail, real-time chat, calendars, escrow, e-business, job reports, notices, attendance tracking, buyer satisfaction ratings, next day activity lists, job logs, messaging, post-its, sample requests, and threaded discussion groups.

23. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 13 wherein the means for collecting the fee or commission based upon the views and selections made by the customer further comprises means for collecting up-front access, semi-custom web design, and data service fees or commissions from the contractor.

24. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 13 wherein the means of providing the first website further comprises means for allowing manufacturers, sub-contractors, and suppliers to advertise their products through the system.

26. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 25 wherein the related forms further comprise product information, contract, financing, closing, and post-sale forms and information.

27. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 25 wherein the related services further comprise purchase and pre-purchase information, a buyers'"'"' group service for volume discounts and advertising, lending, closing, title, tax, government, permits, insurance, inspection, appraisal, RESPA, utility, warrantee, and moving services.

28. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 25 wherein the first website further comprises an online deposit system.

29. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 28 wherein the online deposit system further comprises a credit source for the purchase of extras.

30. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 25 wherein the first website further comprises an order verification and tracking system.

31. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 25 further comprising a system for collecting data concerning buying trends.

32. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 25 wherein the first website further comprises a system for allowing manufacturers, sub-contractors, and vendors to pre-view potential orders, groups of orders, and customer product viewings.

33. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 25 further comprising web and communications tools available to the builder, sub-contractors, and suppliers.

34. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 33 wherein the web tools further comprise e-mail, real-time chat, calendars, escrow, e-business, job reports, notices, attendance tracking, buyer satisfaction ratings, next day activity lists, job logs, messaging, post-its, sample requests, and threaded discussion groups.

35. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 25 further comprising a system for collecting up-front access, semi-custom web design, and data service fee or commissions from the builder or third-party advertisers.

36. The apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder as in claim 25 wherein the first website further comprises a system for allowing manufacturers, sub-contractors, and suppliers to advertise their products.

13. An apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder by a third-party website provider, such apparatus comprising:

means for providing a first website by the third-party website provider for use by the customer in viewing and selecting product options of product offerings available from the builder;

means for providing a variety of related forms and services through the first website;

means for receiving from the customer through the first website a view and selection of an option of the options provided by the builder; and

means for collecting a fee or commission based upon the products viewed by and selections made by the customer.

25. An apparatus for servicing a customer of a builder by a third-party website provider, such apparatus comprising:

a first website provided by the third-party website provider for use by the customer in viewing and selecting product options of product offerings available from the builder;

a variety of related forms and services through the first website;

a selection processor receiving through the first website views and selections of an option of the options provided by the builder; and

a commission processor adapted to collect a fee or commission based upon the received selection made by the customer, and the products viewed by the customer.