Business process modeling of wholesale procurement

• US 20030033215A1
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Halim Habiby, Kamran J. Haq, Marie Joelle Simonpietri, Richard Scott, William A. Hurley
• Original Assignee: Halim Habiby, Kamran J. Haq, Marie Joelle Simonpietri, Richard Scott, William A. Hurley
• Inventors: Scott, Richard, Habiby, Halim, Simonpietri, Marie Joelle, Hurley, William A., Haq, Kamran J.
• Application Number:
  US10/205,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20030033215A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system for transacting business between wholesalers, distributors and their customers.

Claims

1. A system for purchasing products comprising:

a database comprising a list of products said products having complex attributes and rules that govern product relationships and interdependencies,

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said system generates standardized, parameterized, and proprietary master catalogs for various industries and spools out customized versions to participants in those industries.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein a user can search, through multiple manufacturers for products based on relevant engineering specifications and technical criteria, as well as aesthetic qualities, pricing, and other attributes.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said attributes include but are not limited to dimension, flow rate, finish, mount type, capacity, valve construction, building code compliance, color, weight and price.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said system allows a user to select products that, when installed, are compatible with each other.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein items that require the purchase of other items will be denoted as such.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein items for which a wholesaler or manufacturer recommends the purchase of other items will be denoted as such.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein optional accessories will be shown and denoted as such.

9. The system of claim 1 said system identifies products having relationships and dependencies among each other.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said system allows users to find compatible, related products that will fit together regardless of manufacturers who produced them.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said user can bundle selected products into logical purchasing groups and pay for them and schedule them for delivery as required.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein a user can accept a given list price, a discounted trade price, or a negotiated individualized contract price offered by a wholesaler or distributor.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein a buyer can interact electronically with a wholesaler or distributor through Request for Quote (RFQ) functionality until an agreeable price is reached.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein when responding to an RFQ a wholesaler or distributor may quote individual product line terms to said buyer, or said wholesaler or distributor may provide one price quote for all items together, with a quoted price contingent on purchase price of all items at hand.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein electronic messages between said buyer and said distributor are stored in said RFQ, along with a versioned history of said quotation.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein when responding to an RFQ a wholesaler or distributor can substitute an equivalent product to one that said buyer is requesting.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said system facilitates substitutions by allowing a quick search for a substitute item and easy replacement into said quotation.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said system provides individualized pricing for its users.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein a wholesaler or distributor and buyer may negotiate contractual pricing that is honored specifically for that buyer and no other party.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein contractual pricing may be set up for particular items or SKUs, that a buyer purchases frequently.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein each buyer has a unique pricing structure for items they purchase.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein prices are part of product information and are searchable.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein once a group of products is ready for purchase within a procurement project, and all pricing is agreed upon, an order is generated and transmitted to a wholesaler or distributor.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein said system allows a user to forward selections of products electronically to a second user for purchase.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said second user can substitute one or more products to an order.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein information for said database is aggregated detailed product information from multiple manufacturers.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said information is updated on a periodic basis.