System and process for local acquisition of products priced online
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and process for establishing prices for products on line and for allowing acquisition of those products from retailers that honor such prices. The system and process involve a customer having a credit card account, a computer terminal configured to access a network, and a central authority coupled to the computer terminal via the network. The central authority maintains information about a product and a corresponding price. The price is established by the central authority and the central authority is configured to communicate the information about the product and the price to the customer via the network. Also involved is a credit card processor that is coupled to the central authority. The credit card processor is configured to query the information maintained by the central authority and to receive the price from the central authority. A retailer is involved and includes a point-of-sale system coupled to the central authority and to the credit card processor. The retailer is configured to deliver the product to the customer after the customer purchases the product from the retailer via his credit card account or other form of payment at the price established by the central authority and provided to the retailer and the point-of-sale system by the credit card processor.
127 Citations
141 Claims
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1-114. -114. (canceled)
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115. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor; and
a memory operatively connected to the processor, the memory storing the program, wherein the processor is operative with the program to;
receive transaction information, the transaction information being associated with (i) a buyer who arranges to purchase a product at a first price and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price different from the first price; and
transmit information that enables the buyer to physically acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant in exchange for providing payment of an amount based on the first price, wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price, and, if the first price is less than the second price, at least one of a central controller and a third party provides payment of an amount based on the difference between the first price and the second price to the merchant.
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116. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor; and
a memory operatively connected to the processor, the memory storing the program, wherein the processor is operative with the program to;
receive transaction information, the transaction information being associated with (i) a buyer who arranges to purchase a product at a first price and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price different from the first price; and
transmit information that enables the buyer to physically acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant in exchange for providing payment of an amount based on the first price, wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price, and if the first price is less than the second price, a payment is provided to the merchant of an amount based on the second price. - View Dependent Claims (117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139)
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140. A method, comprising:
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receiving, via a Web site, from a buyer a selection of a product and an indication of a willingness to acquire the product from a merchant that is distinct from an entity operating the Web site;
establishing for the buyer a first price for the product, wherein the merchant offers the product for sale at a second price different from the first price; and
arranging via the Web site for the buyer to purchase the product from the merchant, wherein the buyer provides payment of the first price, and if the first price is less than the second price, a payment based on a difference between the first price and the second price is provided to the merchant. - View Dependent Claims (141)
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Specification