System and method for managing recurring orders in a computer network

• US 20080015951A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amway Corporation (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Amway Corporation (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Parker, John, McDonald, Kenneth, Zevalkink, Claire, Kerker, William, Bancino, Randy, Paasche, Thomas, Bamborough, Dave, Horder-Koop, Robin
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A recurring order management system and method for a computer network is disclosed. The system receives a request to suggest a recurring order for one or more products or services. The system generates a profile which stores the suggested products or services, the suggested recurrence for those products or services and the suggested quantities to deliver upon each recurrence. The order then automatically recurs one or more times according to the specified recurrence.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating electronic commerce through a network, said network comprising at least one server computer capable of communicating with a browser system located at a remote client computer, said method comprising:

(a) providing one or more interactive messages relating to one or more of a plurality of products or services, said interactive messages comprising messages relating to usage information about how said first one or more suggested products or services are to be used;

(b) receiving one or more responses to said one or more interactive messages;

(c) determining a first suggested order based on said received one or more responses, said first suggested order comprising a first one or more suggested products or services of said plurality of products or services;

(c) determining a predicted lifespan corresponding to said first one or more suggested products or services;

(d) calculating a first suggested recurrence for each of said first one or more suggested products or services and a first suggested quantity for each of said first one or more suggested products or services based on the received one or more responses and the predicted lifespan; and

(e) generating a first profile, said first profile comprising said first suggested order, wherein said first suggested order automatically recurs one or more times according to said first suggested recurrence.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) confirming acceptance of said first suggested order prior to said generating.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of products or services are associated with a multi-level marketing system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a user is registered with said multi-level marketing system as a client, member or independent business owner (“

ibo”

) and wherein said receiving further comprises receiving said one or more responses from said user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of products or services is associated with a respective plurality of electronic commerce system products or services web files.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said plurality of electronic commerce system products or services web files are operatively coupled with a web site associated with said network, said network comprising an electronic commerce system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first profile is pre-existing, said generating further comprising updating said pre-existing first profile with said first suggested order.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) fulfilling said first suggested order to a user according to said first profile.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said receiving and generating are performed by a first one or more entities and said fulfilling is performed by a second entity different from said first one or more entities.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) receiving a second request for a second suggested order, said second suggested order comprising a second one or more suggested products or services of said plurality of products or services, a second suggested recurrence for each of said second one or more suggested products or services and second suggested quantities; and

wherein (e) further comprises generating a second profile, said second profile comprising said second suggested order, wherein said second suggested order automatically recurs one or more times according to said second suggested recurrence.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said second suggested recurrence is different from said first suggested recurrence.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said first profile and said second profile are the same profile.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) altering said first profile according to one or more modifications.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said modifications are received after said generating.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said one or more modifications include adding one or more of said plurality of first electronic commerce system products or services to said first suggested order.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said one or more modifications include removing one or more of said first one or more suggested products or services from said first suggested order.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said one or more modifications include modifying said first suggested recurrence.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) balancing said first suggested quantities and said first suggested recurrence to substantially equalize a distribution of subsequent recurrences of said first suggested order.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said balancing substantially equalizes a distribution of cost per recurrence of said first suggested order.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said balancing substantially equalizes a distribution of incentive compensation per recurrence of said first suggested order.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said usage information comprises frequency of use of said first one or more suggested products or services.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said usage information comprises quantity per use of said first one or more suggested products or services.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to demographic information.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to subjective preference information.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to a specific product or service selected from said plurality of first electronic commerce system products or services.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to use of a product or service.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein (e) further comprises accessing a product or service database to select said first one or more suggested products or services which correlate to said one or more responses.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) providing one or more pre-defined groupings of one or more products or services selected from a plurality of products or services offered by one or more vendors; and

wherein said one or more responses further comprises a selection indication of one or more of said one or more pre-defined groupings.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein said first suggested recurrence further comprises a first recurrence interval upon elapse of which said first suggested order is to recur.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said first recurrence interval comprises one or more calendar months, said first suggested order further specifying which day of the month to fulfill said first suggested order.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein said first one or more suggested products or services comprise facilitating a payment between a debtor and a creditor.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein said first one or more suggested products or services comprise providing one or more reminder messages to a user.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said one or more reminder messages comprise a message that an event is about to occur.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said event comprises impending recurrence of said first suggested order.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein said message further facilitates purchase of a product or service related to said event.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein said one or more reminder messages comprise electronic mail messages.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein said one or more reminder messages comprise telephone messages.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein said one or more reminder messages comprise postal mail messages.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein said first profile is generated based on historical orders for one or more of said plurality of products or services

77. The method of claim 1, wherein said first suggested recurrence further comprises a first recurrence interval upon elapse of which said first suggested order is to recur.

78. The method of claim 31, wherein said first recurrence interval comprises one or more calendar months, said first suggested order further specifying which day of the month to fulfill said first suggested order.

40. An order management system for facilitating electronic commerce over a network, said network comprising at least one server computer capable of communicating with a browser system located at a remote client computer over said network, said order management system comprising:

an assessment interface operative to provide one or more interactive messages relating to one or more of a plurality of products or services, said interactive messages comprising messages relating to usage information about how said first one or more suggested products or services are to be used;

an order receiver coupled to the assessment interface and operative to receive one or more responses to said one or more interactive messages and determine a first suggested order based on said received one or more responses, said first suggested order comprising a first one or more suggested products or services of said plurality of products or services;

a profile generator coupled with said order receiver and operative to (1) determine a predicted lifespan corresponding to said first one or more suggested products or services, (2) calculate a first suggested recurrence for each of said first one or more suggested products or services and a first suggested quantity for each of said first one or more suggested products or service based on the received one or more responses and the predicted lifespan, and (3) generate a first profile, said first profile comprising said first suggested order; and

an order generator responsive to said first profile and operative to cause said first suggested order to automatically recur one or more times according to said first suggested recurrence.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said usage information comprises frequency of use of said first one or more suggested products or services.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein said usage information comprises quantity per use of said first one or more suggested products or services.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to demographic information.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to subjective preference information.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to a specific product or service selected from said plurality of first electronic commerce system products or services.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to use of a product or service.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein (b) further comprises accessing a product or service database to select said first one or more suggested products or services which correlate to said one or more responses.

48. A method for facilitating electronic commerce through a network, said network comprising at least one server computer capable of communicating with a browser system located at a remote client computer, said method comprising:

(a) providing one or more pre-defined groupings of one or more products or services offered by one or more vendors, each pre-defined grouping further specifying a first suggested recurrence and a first suggested quantity for each of said one or more products or services;

(b) receiving a first request for a first suggested order, said first suggested order comprising a selection indication of one or more of said one or more predefined groupings; and

(c) generating a first profile, said first profile comprising said first suggested order, wherein said first suggested order automatically recurs one or more times according to said first suggested recurrence.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

(d) confirming acceptance of said first suggested order prior to said generating.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein said plurality of products or services are associated with a multi-level marketing system.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein a user is registered with said multi-level marketing system as a client, member or independent business owner (“

ibo”

) and wherein said receiving further comprises receiving said first request from said user.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein said plurality of products or services is associated with a respective plurality of electronic commerce system products or services web files.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said plurality of electronic commerce system products or services web files are operatively coupled with a web site associated with said network, said network comprising an electronic commerce system.

54. The method of claim 48, wherein said first profile is pre-existing, said generating further comprising updating said pre-existing first profile with said first suggested order.

55. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

(d) fulfilling said first suggested order to a user according to said first profile.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein said receiving and generating are performed by a first one or more entities and said fulfilling is performed by a second entity different from said first one or more entities.

57. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

(d) receiving a second request for a second suggested order, said second suggested order comprising a second one or more suggested products or services of said plurality of products or services, a second suggested recurrence for each of said second one or more suggested products or services and second suggested quantities; and

wherein (c) further comprises generating a second profile, said second profile comprising said second suggested order, wherein said second suggested order automatically recurs one or more times according to said second suggested recurrence.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein said second suggested recurrence is different from said first suggested recurrence.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein said first profile and said second profile are the same profile.

60. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

(d) altering said first profile according to one or more modifications.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein said modifications are received after said generating.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein said one or more modifications include adding one or more of said plurality of first electronic commerce system products or services to said first suggested order.

63. The method of claim 60, wherein said one or more modifications include removing one or more of said first one or more suggested products or services from said first suggested order.

64. The method of claim 60, wherein said one or more modifications include modifying said first suggested recurrence.

65. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

(d) balancing said first suggested quantities and said first suggested recurrence to substantially equalize a distribution of subsequent recurrences of said first suggested order.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein said balancing substantially equalizes a distribution of cost per recurrence of said first suggested order.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein said balancing substantially equalizes a distribution of incentive compensation per recurrence of said first suggested order.

68. The method of claim 48, wherein said first request further comprises usage information about how said first one or more suggested products or services are to be used, and further comprising:

(c) determining a predicted lifespan corresponding to said first one or more suggested products or services; and

(d) calculating said first suggested quantities and said first suggested recurrence based on said usage information and said predicted lifespan.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein said usage information comprises frequency of use of said first one or more suggested products or services.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein said usage information comprises quantity per use of said first one or more suggested products or services.

71. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

(c) providing one or more interactive messages relating to one or more of said plurality of products or services; and

wherein said first request further comprises one or more responses to said one or more interactive messages.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to demographic information.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to subjective preference information.

74. The method of claim 71, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to a specific product or service selected from said plurality of first electronic commerce system products or services.

75. The method of claim 71, wherein a subset of said one or more interactive messages further relates to use of a product or service.

76. The method of claim 71, wherein (b) further comprises accessing a product or service database to select said first one or more suggested products or services which correlate to said one or more responses.

79. The method of claim 48, wherein said first one or more suggested products or services comprise facilitating a payment between a debtor and a creditor.

80. The method of claim 48, wherein said first one or more suggested products or services comprise providing one or more reminder messages to a user.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein said one or more reminder messages comprise a message that an event is about to occur.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein said event comprises impending recurrence of said first suggested order.

83. The method of claim 81, wherein said message further facilitates purchase of a product or service related to said event.

84. The method of claim 80, wherein said one or more reminder messages comprise electronic mail messages.

85. The method of claim 80, wherein said one or more reminder messages comprise telephone messages.

86. The method of claim 80, wherein said one or more reminder messages comprise postal mail messages

87. An order management system for facilitating electronic commerce over a network, said network comprising at least one server computer capable of communicating with a browser system located at a remote client computer over said network, said order management system comprising:

an interactive interface operative to present one or more pre-defined groupings of one or more products or services offered by one or more vendors, each pre-defined grouping further specifying a first suggested recurrence and a first suggested quantity for each of said one or more products or services;

an order receiver operative to receive a first request for a first suggested order, said first suggested order comprising a selection indication of one or more of said one or more predefined groupings;

a profile generator coupled with said order receiver and operative to generate a first profile, said first profile comprising said first suggested order; and

an order generator responsive to said first profile and operative to cause said first suggested order to automatically recur one or more times according to said first suggested recurrence.

88. A method for facilitating electronic commerce through a network, said network comprising at least one server computer capable of communicating with a browser system located at a remote client computer, said method comprising:

(a) providing one or more interactive messages relating to one or more of a plurality of products or services, said interactive messages comprising messages relating to usage information about how said first one or more suggested products or services are to be used;

(b) receiving from a user registered with a multi-level marketing system as a client, member or independent business owner (“

IBO”

), by said at least one server computer, one or more responses to said one or more interactive messages;

(c) determining a first suggested order based on said received one or more responses, said first suggested order comprising a first one or more suggested products or services of said plurality of products or services;

(c) determining a predicted lifespan corresponding to said first one or more suggested products or services;

(d) calculating a first suggested recurrence for each of said first one or more suggested products or services and a first suggested quantity for each of said first one or more suggested products or services based on the received one or more responses and the predicted lifespan; and

(e) generating a first profile, said first profile comprising said first suggested order, wherein said first suggested order automatically recurs one or more times according to said first suggested recurrence.

89. An order management system for facilitating electronic commerce over a network, said network comprising at least one server computer capable of communicating with a browser system located at a remote client computer over said network, said order management system comprising:

an assessment interface operative to provide one or more interactive messages relating to one or more of a plurality of products or services, said interactive messages comprising messages relating to usage information about how said first one or more suggested products or services are to be used;

an order receiver coupled to the assessment interface and operative to receive from a user registered with a multi-level marketing system as a client, member or independent business owner (“

IBO”

), by said at least one server computer, one or more responses to said one or more interactive messages and determine a first suggested order based on said received one or more responses, said first suggested order comprising a first one or more suggested products or services of said plurality of products or services;

a profile generator coupled with said order receiver and operative to (1) determine a predicted lifespan corresponding to said first one or more suggested products or services, (2) calculate a first suggested recurrence for each of said first one or more suggested products or services and a first suggested quantity for each of said first one or more suggested products or service based on the received one or more responses and the predicted lifespan, and (3) generate a first profile, said first profile comprising said first suggested order; and

an order generator responsive to said first profile and operative to cause said first suggested order to automatically recur one or more times according to said first suggested recurrence.

90. A method for facilitating electronic commerce through a network, said network comprising at least one server computer capable of communicating with a browser system located at a remote client computer, said method comprising:

(a) providing one or more pre-defined groupings of one or more products or services offered by one or more vendors, each pre-defined grouping further specifying a first suggested recurrence and a first suggested quantity for each of said one or more products or services;

(b) receiving from a user registered with a multi-level marketing system as a client, member or independent business owner (“

IBO”

), by said at least one server computer, a first request for a first suggested order, said first suggested order comprising a selection indication of one or more of said one or more predefined groupings; and

(b) generating a first profile, said first profile comprising said first suggested order, wherein said first suggested order automatically recurs one or more times according to said first suggested recurrence.

91. An order management system for facilitating electronic commerce over a network, said network comprising at least one server computer capable of communicating with a browser system located at a remote client computer over said network, said order management system comprising:

an interactive interface operative to present one or more pre-defined groupings of one or more products or services offered by one or more vendors, each pre-defined grouping further specifying a first suggested recurrence and a first suggested quantity for each of said one or more products or services;

an order receiver operative to receive from a user registered with a multi-level marketing system as a client, member or independent business owner (“

IBO”

), by said at least one server computer, a first request for a first suggested order, said first suggested order comprising a selection indication of one or more of said one or more predefined groupings;

a profile generator coupled with said order receiver and operative to generate a first profile, said first profile comprising said first suggested order; and

an order generator responsive to said first profile and operative to cause said first suggested order to automatically recur one or more times according to said first suggested recurrence.