Client-side E-commerce and inventory management system, and method
First Claim
1. A client-side system for e-commerce, which integrates point-of-sale and Internet operations, comprising:
- a merchant'"'"'s computer having a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer readable medium coupled to the memory having computer readable program code means embodied therein;
computer readable program code means for generating an e-commerce website on the merchant'"'"'s computer and uploading said website to a Web server;
computer readable program code means for maintaining a client-side database of the inventory of items offered for sale on the website and at a point-of-sale;
computer readable code means for updating said inventory database to reflect sales made on the website and at the point-ofsale; and
computer readable code means for reflecting changes on the website resulting from changes in the inventory of the items avalable for sale.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inventory management system that integrates online and “bricks and mortar” point-of-sale inventory, sales and operations data without requiring a dynamic web host. Software residing on a merchant'"'"'s in store computer performs all of the inventory database functions and serves as an in store point-of-sale terminal. Merchandise is presented online on customized web pages on a static website, without the merchant having to use scripts. Images and product information can be searched by category or using a search engine which indexes and manages HTML and non-HTML information. The software automatically tracks the inventory from online and in store sales and generates web pages of the merchant'"'"'s website changed as a result of changes in the program'"'"'s inventory database. It also can make reports on expenses, sales and profits, is compatible with hardware interfaces, can print receipts and barcodes, and can handle shipping and sales tax as well as vendor, customer and employee information.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A client-side system for e-commerce, which integrates point-of-sale and Internet operations, comprising:
-
a merchant'"'"'s computer having a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer readable medium coupled to the memory having computer readable program code means embodied therein;
computer readable program code means for generating an e-commerce website on the merchant'"'"'s computer and uploading said website to a Web server;
computer readable program code means for maintaining a client-side database of the inventory of items offered for sale on the website and at a point-of-sale;
computer readable code means for updating said inventory database to reflect sales made on the website and at the point-ofsale; and
computer readable code means for reflecting changes on the website resulting from changes in the inventory of the items avalable for sale. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
-
-
12. A system to integrate point-of-sale and e-commerce website operations on a merchant'"'"'s computer, having means to execute computer readable program codes and to communicate with a Web server, said system comprising:
-
a computer readable program code to construct and maintain an inventory database;
a computer readable program code to generate an e-commerce website;
a computer readable program code for updating inventory information in said database and on the website;
a computer readable program code for processing point-of-sale transactions;
a computer readable program code for processing e-commerce transactions, resulting in the data being in the same computer readable format as the point-of-sale transactions, and a computer readable program code for transferring data about transactions and inventory information between said merchant'"'"'s computer and the Web server to synchronize the inventory database and to update the website to reflect changes resulting from the processed transactions.
-
-
18. A client-side program executable by a merchant'"'"'s computer performing method steps for enabling an inventory management system to integrate point-of-sale and e-commerce operations on the merchant'"'"'s website, comprising:
-
transferring information between the merchant'"'"'s computer and a Web server linked to the merchant'"'"'s website;
querying said website for inventory information;
retrieving inventory information corresponding to said query; and
integrating said inventory information from the website with inventory information maintained about the merchant'"'"'s point-of-sale operations.
-
Specification