Point-Of-Origin Store And Method Of Selling Merchandise On A Point-Of-Origin Basis

• US 20080116265A1
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl G. Hanson
• Original Assignee: Karl G. Hanson
• Inventors: Hanson, Karl G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,926,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The new store that includes a building that contains merchandise that was purchased by the store on a point-of-origin basis. The merchandise preferably is marketed for sale to consumers in such a way that there is consumer awareness in regard to the origin of the merchandise. The new store presents an alternative to conventional stores that focus mainly on price when other attributes are similar. The store may also include an on-line enterprise that locates locally-made merchandise for potential customers. By using a point-of-origin basis for buying and selling merchandise, the present invention provides consumers with a store where they can quickly locate and purchase merchandise that is made closer to their residence.

Claims

1. A store that comprises:

(a) a building; and

(b) merchandise that is (i) offered for sale within the building, (ii) made by a plurality of manufacturers, and (iii) was purchased by the store on a tiered point-of-origin basis.

2. The store of claim 1, wherein at least some of the point-of-origin basis purchases by the store are carried out on a tiered basis that includes at least that nation where the building is located.

3. The store claim 1, wherein the merchandise that is offered for sale in the building and that was purchased on a point-of-origin basis has been made by multiple manufacturers, and wherein the tiers include a first geographic region that comprises a city where the building is located and a second geographic region that comprises a state where the building is located.

4. The store claim 2, wherein the merchandise that is offered for sale in the building and that was purchased on a point-of-origin basis has been made by a super multiple of manufacturers.

5. The store of claim 2, wherein the point-of-origin basis purchases are carried out such that the location of manufacture of a particular item of merchandise is a major consideration.

6. The store of claim 5, wherein the merchandise is located within a building that has walls and that offers for sale merchandise comprising household items, clothing, and tools, wherein the store further comprises indicia on or within the store that indicates that the merchandise that is for sale was purchased by the store on a point-of-origin basis, wherein the merchandise includes locally made merchandise.

7. The store of claim 2, wherein at least 10% of the merchandise that the store offers for sale is purchased on a point-of-origin basis.

8. The store of claim 7, wherein the location of manufacture is a major consideration in purchasing at least 10% of the merchandise that the store offers for sale.

9. The store of claim 2, wherein at least 25% of the merchandise that the store offers for sale is purchased on a point-of-origin basis.

10. The store of claim 2, wherein at least 50% of the merchandise that the store offers for sale is purchased on a point-of-origin basis.

11. The store of claim 1, wherein the at least 10% of the merchandise that the store offers for sale that has been purchased on a point-of-origin basis and is locally made merchandise.

12. The store of claim 1, which store has a point system associated with at least an extended multiple of items of merchandise.

13. An online store that comprises:

a website that offers a variety of merchandise for sale to consumers through electronic interface with the website, wherein the variety of merchandise that is offered for sale to the consumers has been manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers and is made available to the consumer for purchase on the website such that locally made items of a particular product type are brought to the attention of the consumer relative to the consumer'"'"'s residence information and in response to an consumer inquiry for the particular product type.

14. The online store of claim 13, wherein the store advertises to consumers on its website that the online store offers locally made merchandise for sale.

15. The online store of claim 13, wherein the locally made items of merchandise are intentionally brought to the attention of the consumer as an operating principle of the online store.

16. The online store of claim 13, wherein a point system is used to provide a ranking the variety of items of merchandise.

17. An online store that comprises:

(a) a store hub;

(b) an electronic interface with online consumers via a website, which interface is capable of transmitting an online consumer inquiry regarding one or more product types that a consumer is interested in purchasing from the online store to the store hub and is capable of responding to the inquiry with information pertaining the product type(s) that are offered for sale online; and

(c) an electronic interface with a database that contains information pertaining to at least a super-multiple of product types and the location of manufacture in whole or in part, of the super-multiple of product types, the electronic interface being capable of furnishing the store hub with information that includes locally made products of the kind that the consumer has inquired about;

wherein the store hub will, via the electronic interface with the consumer at the website, or via an e-mail, respond to the consumer inquiry regarding the one or more product types with information that includes the product(s) brands that are available for sale from the online store and manufacturing location information these brands such that the consumer has the ability to select a locally made product for purchase.

18. The online store of claim 17, wherein the store advertises to consumers on its website that the online store specializes in the sale of locally made merchandise.

19. The online store of claim 17, which online store further comprises a point system.

20. A method of buying and selling merchandise for retail consumption, which method comprises:

(a) purchasing merchandise wholesale on a point-of-origin basis and on a tiered basis;

(b) advertising the purchased merchandise for sale, wherein the advertisement notes that the purchased merchandise offered for sale comprises locally made merchandise; and

(c) selling the purchased merchandise retail to consumers.