Virtual grocery shopping

• US 20060259369A1
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Myers, Robert Andrew, Thomas, Jeff David, Chi, Hye Suk, Kangas, Paul Daniel, Bongrazio, Stacy Leigh
• Application Number:
  US11/127,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20060259369A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A method and system that allows an on-line shopper to be assigned a queue number for each department in a store is presented. Each time the shopper'"'"'s number comes up in a queue in a specific store department, a real-time audio/video session is initiated between the shopper and a personal assistant who is physically located in that specific department. Thus, the shopper is able to seamlessly and instantly move from department to department with minimal waiting down-time.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a network-based computer connection between a shopper and a plurality of departments in a physical store location;

assigning a queue number to the shopper for each store department selected by the shopper for service assistance; and

in response to a specific store department reaching a queue number assigned to the shopper, establishing a communication link between the specific store department and the shopper via the network-based computer connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-based computer connection is established between a home computer used by the shopper and a store computer used by each of the plurality of departments in the physical store location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the store computer has a video feed capability, wherein the shopper can view a live attendant in each selected specific store department.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

an alert signal, sent to the home computer and recognizable by the shopper, indicating a queue position for each specific store department selected by the shopper.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-based computer connection utilizes an Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing an Instant Message (IM) connection between the shopper and other remote shoppers that are logged into the network-based computer connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the shopper is a preferred customer, and wherein the shopper is assigned a queue number authorizing the shopper to be served before a non-preferred customer who has also selected a same store department for service assistance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the shopper must agree to purchase goods having a pre-determined minimum value before being allowed to establish a communication link with the specific store department.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

an on-line check-out station, wherein the shopper can pay for products chosen from the physical store location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the shopper is in a same queue for service as on-site shoppers.

11. A computer program product, residing on a computer usable medium, comprising:

program code for establishing a network-based computer connection between a shopper and a plurality of departments in a physical store location;

program code for assigning a queue number to the shopper for each store department selected by the shopper for service assistance; and

program code for in response to a specific store department reaching a queue number assigned to the shopper, establishing a communication link between the specific store department and the shopper via the network-based computer connection;

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the network-based computer connection is established between a home computer used by the shopper and a store computer used by each of the plurality of departments in the physical store location.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the store computer has a video feed capability, wherein the shopper can view a live attendant in each selected specific store department.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

program code for an alert signal, sent to the home computer and recognizable by the shopper, indicating a queue position for each specific store department selected by the shopper.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the network-based computer connection utilizes an Internet.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

program code for establishing an Instant Message (IM) connection between the shopper and other remote shoppers that are logged into the network-based computer connection.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the shopper is a preferred customer, and wherein the shopper is assigned a queue number authorizing the shopper to be served before a non-preferred customer who has also selected a same store department for service assistance.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the shopper must agree to purchase goods having a pre-determined minimum value before being allowed to establish a communication link with the specific store department.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

program code for an on-line check-out station, wherein the shopper can pay for products chosen from the physical store location.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the shopper is in a same queue for service as on-site shoppers.