METHOD OF PROVIDING PRICE OF COMMODITY SOLD VIA INTERNET

• US 20080004987A1
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Naver Corporation
• Original Assignee: NHN Corporation
• Inventors: YOON, YOUNG WOON, CHOE, JEONG OK
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A method of providing price information of goods includes maintaining a database recording user information associated with a user, a product identifier, and desired price information, the user information including a user identifier and a mobile phone number or an electronic mail address associated with the user identifier. The method further includes receiving a selection of a product and desired price information for the product from the user, and recording the product identifier and the desired price information of the product in the database, in association with the user information of the user. The method further includes receiving selling price information of the product associated with the product identifier from at least one seller, and notifying the user of predetermined information when the received selling price satisfies a predetermined criterion.

Claims

1. A method of running an on-line shopping mall, the method comprising:

transmitting, to a terminal associated with a user, at least one price of a product available from at least one retailer associated with an on-line shopping mall;

receiving a desired price of the product from the terminal;

obtaining an updated price of the product from a first retailer associated with the on-line shopping mall;

comparing the updated price of the first retailer against the desired price; and

sending a notification to the user if the updated price is equal to or lower than the desired price.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to transmitting, receiving a request from the user for providing sales information of the product available in the on-line shopping mall; and

prior to transmitting, searching for sales information of the product available in the on-line shopping mall.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting sales information of the product in addition to the at least one price of the product, wherein the sales information is selected from the group consisting of a brand name of the product, a picture of the product and an online store selling the product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification provides a link configured to open a web page of the first retailer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification provides the updated price.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is sent to an email address of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is sent to a mobile telephone of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining comprises:

sending a request for an updated price of the product to at least one retailer associated with the on-line shopping mall; and

receiving the updated price from the first retailer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining comprises retrieving a price of the product from the web page of the first retailer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-line shopping mall comprises a shopping web page comprising at least one link configured to open at least one on-line store registered with the on-line shopping mall.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the notification further provides a link configured to open a web page of a retailer who has provided the updated price.

11. A method for processing to purchase a product from an on-line shopping mall, the method comprising:

searching, by a user, for a desired product in an on-line shopping mall;

receiving at least one retailer price of the product from the on-line shopping mall;

submitting, to the on-line shopping mall, the user'"'"'s desired price of the product; and

receiving, from the on-line shopping mall, a notification notifying the user that an updated price is equal to or lower than the desired price.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

visiting the retailer'"'"'s web page; and

purchasing the product from the retailer at the updated price.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the notification provides the updated price.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the notification is by either an email or a text message to a mobile phone of the user.

16. A method of running an on-line shopping mall, the method comprising:

receiving a request, from a terminal associated with a user, for information of a product available from the on-line shopping mall;

transmitting, to the user terminal, at least one price of the product available from at least one retailer associated with the on-line shopping mall;

receiving, from the user terminal, the user'"'"'s desired price of the product;

sending the desired price of the user to the at least one retailer;

receiving, from a terminal associated with a first retailer, a communication indicative of the first retailer'"'"'s intention to sell the product at the desired price of the user; and

sending, to the user terminal, a notification indicative of the first retailer'"'"'s intention.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the notification provides a link configured to open a web page of the first retailer.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising sending user information along with the user'"'"'s desired price for consideration by the at least one retailer.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

upon receiving the request, searching for sales information of the product available in the on-line shopping mall.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting sales information of the product in addition to the at least one price of the product, wherein the sales information is selected from the group consisting of a brand name of the product, a picture of the product and an online store selling the product.