VIRTUAL CLOSET

• US 20080082395A1
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brian Grady, Dean Shulman, Olivia Shulman
• Original Assignee: Brian Grady, Dean Shulman, Olivia Shulman
• Inventors: Grady, Brian, Shulman, Dean, Shulman, Olivia
• Application Number:
  US11/832,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082395A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed that provide a forum for shopping between customers and merchants within a host website connected on a computer network. Merchants and customers are registered within the host website, and the products of registered merchants are loaded onto the host website. Registered customers shop exclusively on the host website such that the shopping is configured to be based on the loaded products of registered merchants.

Claims

1. A method of shopping between customers and merchants within a host website connected on a computer network, comprising:

registering at least one of a plurality merchants and at least one of a plurality of customers within the host website;

categorizing products associated the registered merchants based on features corresponding to prospective registered customers;

storing the categorized products associated with the registered merchants in a storage medium connected to the host website;

transmitting the stored products via the computer network to a display interface, the display interface configured to be accessible by at least one of the registered customers; and

permitting the at least one of a plurality of registered customers to access the transmitted products of registered merchants, wherein the host website is configured to limit products available to registered customers to those of registered merchants.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the categorizing comprises using software mechanisms to format information related to the registered merchants products.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking the number of access to the transmitted products of registered merchants made by the registered customers, the tracking configured to be based on the number of clicks received by products associated with each registered merchant.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

calculating the total number of clicks received by each registered merchant; and

billing each merchant based on the calculated total.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing comprises accessing a database, read-only memory and/or random access memory.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing the registered customer to an external website associated with a registered merchant to facilitate the registered customer to purchase at least one of the loaded products associated with the registered merchant.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

permitting the registered customer to assemble a plurality of products associated with registered merchants;

storing the assembled products in a personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer;

moving a plurality of the stored products around within the storage medium in order to decide whether the stored products match; and

displaying the moving products in an output device.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

automatically placing products associated with registered merchants into the personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer based on the registered customer'"'"'s profile and preferences as identified during the registration of the customer.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

determining products the registered customer failed to preview;

filtering products from the determined products that are estimated to be suitable for the registered customer; and

transmitting the filtered products to the personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling the placement of products placed on the host website based on the registered merchants bidding on advertisement placements within the host website; and

selecting advertisement placements directed to registered customers to the advertisement placement that receives the highest bid.

6. A method of shopping between customers and merchants within a host web site connected on a computer network, comprising:

registering at least one of a plurality merchants and at least one of a plurality of customers within the host website;

assigning a personal interface to each of the registered customers, wherein the personal interface is connected to a storage medium allocated to each of the registered customers;

identifying information associated with each of the registered customers based on information inputted to the host website by the each customer during registration/signup with the host website; and

automatically placing products associated with registered merchants in the personal interface of registered customers corresponding to the information inputted to the host website by each customer during registration/signup.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the personal interface assigned to each registered customer is configured to enable each registered customer to assemble a plurality of products within their respective personal interface by moving products around in order to determine which of the plurality of products match one another.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the host website continuously stores a last image displayed on the registered customer'"'"'s interface within the storage medium.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

tracking the number of accesses to placed products of registered merchants made by the registered customers, the tracking configured to be based on the number of clicks received by placed products associated with each registered merchant.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

calculating the total number of clicks received by each registered merchant; and

billing each merchant based on the calculated total.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the storage medium comprises a database, read-only memory and or random access memory.

30. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

directing the registered customer to an external website associated with a registered merchant to facilitate the registered customer to purchase at least one of the loaded products associated with the registered merchant.

31. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

permitting a registered customer to assemble a plurality of products associated with registered merchants;

storing the assembled products in a personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer;

moving a plurality of the stored products around within the storage medium in order to decide whether the stored products match; and

displaying the moving products in an output device.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

automatically placing products associated with registered merchants into the personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer based on the registered customer'"'"'s profile and preferences as identified during the registration of the customer.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

determining products the registered customer failed to preview;

filtering products from the determined products that are estimated to be suitable for the registered customer; and

transmitting the filtered products to the personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer.

34. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

controlling the placement of products placed on the host website based on the registered merchants bidding on advertisement placements within the host website; and

selecting advertisement placements directed to registered customers to the advertisement placement that receives the highest bid.

12. An shopping system within a host website connected on a computer, comprising:

a registration mechanism for registering at least one of a plurality merchants and at least one of a plurality of customers within the host website;

a categorizing mechanism for categorizing products associated the registered merchants based on features corresponding to prospective registered customers;

a storage mechanism for storing the categorized products associated with the registered merchants in a storage medium connected to the host website;

a transmitting mechanism for transmitting the stored products via the computer network to a display interface, the display interface configured to be accessible by at least one of the registered customers; and

an authentication mechanism for permitting the at least one of a plurality of registered customers to access the transmitted products of registered merchants, wherein the host website is configured to limit products available to registered customers to products of registered merchants.

13. A shopping system, comprising:

a registration mechanism for registering at least one of a plurality merchants and at least one of a plurality of customers within the host website;

an assigning mechanism for assigning a personal interface to each of the registered customers, wherein the personal interface is connected to a storage medium allocated to each of the registered customers;

an identifying mechanism for identifying information associated with each of the registered customers based on information inputted to the host website by the each customer during registration/signup with the host website; and

an automated placement mechanism for automatically display products associated with registered merchants in the personal interface of registered customers, the displayed products correlated to the information inputted to the host website by each customer during registration/signup,

wherein the host website is configured to limit products available to registered customers to products of registered merchants.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the personal interface assigned to each registered customer is configured to enable each registered customer to assemble a plurality of products within their respective personal interface by moving products around in order to determine which of the plurality of products match one another.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the host website continuously stores a last image displayed on the registered customer'"'"'s interface within the storage medium.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a tracking mechanism for tracking the number of access to placed products of registered merchants made by the registered customers, the tracking configured to be based on the number of clicks received by placed products associated with each registered merchant.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a calculating mechanism for calculating the total number of clicks received by each registered merchant; and

a billing mechanism for billing each merchant based on the calculated total.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the storage medium comprises a database, read-only memory and/or random access memory.

35. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a purchasing mechanism for directing the registered customer to an external website associated with a registered merchant to facilitate the registered customer to purchase at least one of the loaded products associated with the registered merchant.

36. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

an assembling mechanism for permitting a registered customer to assemble a plurality of products associated with registered merchants;

a storing mechanism for storing the assembled products in a personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer;

a movement mechanism for moving a plurality of the stored products around within the storage medium in order to decide whether the stored products match; and

a display mechanism for displaying the moving products in an output device.

37. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

a placement mechanism for automatically placing products associated with registered merchants into the personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer based on the registered customer'"'"'s profile and preferences as identified during the registration of the customer.

38. The system of claim 37, further comprising:

a determining mechanism for determining products the registered customer failed to preview;

a filtering mechanism for filtering products from the determined products that are estimated to be suitable for the registered customer; and

a transmitting mechanism for transmitting the filtered products to the personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer.

39. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a control mechanism for controlling the placement of products placed on the host website based on the registered merchants bidding on advertisement placements within the host website; and

a selecting mechanism for selecting advertisement placements directed to registered customers to the advertisement placement that receives the highest bid.

19. A method of shopping between customers and merchants within a host website connected on a computer network, comprising:

registering at least one of a plurality merchants and at least one of a plurality of customers within the host website;

loading registered merchants products on to the host website; and

shopping exclusively on the host website by registered customers, the shopping configured to be based on the loaded products of registered merchants.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

directing the registered customer to an external website associated with a registered merchant to facilitate the registered customer to purchase at least one of the loaded products associated with the registered merchant.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

permitting a registered customer to assemble a plurality of products associated with registered merchants;

storing the assembled products in a personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer;

moving a plurality of the stored products around within the storage medium in order to decide whether the stored products match; and

displaying the moving products in an output device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

automatically placing products associated with registered merchants into the personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer based on the registered customer'"'"'s profile and preferences as identified during the registration of the customer.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining products the registered customer failed to preview;

filtering products from the determined products that are estimated to be suitable for the registered customer; and

transmitting the filtered products to the personalize storage medium associated with the registered customer.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

controlling the placement of products placed on the host website based on the registered merchants bidding on advertisement placements within the host website; and

selecting advertisement placements directed to registered customers to the advertisement placement that receives the highest bid.