INTERNET BASED CUSTOMER DRIVEN PURCHASE METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20090048943A1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John W. Hardigree
• Original Assignee: John W. Hardigree
• Inventors: HARDIGREE, JOHN W.
• Application Number:
  US12/187,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20090048943A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A system and apparatus for facilitating communication network based purchase transactions includes logic to enable a user to produce a specific purchase offer, tender payment, and to enable sellers to satisfy the purchase offer. The embodiments include a system for receiving a search request, performing a search and offering at least one product for purchase by a user, receiving a user specified product purchase offer and performing a search. If necessary, pooling a plurality of user specified product purchase offers, determining a pooled price for the at least one product presenting an offer to at least one buyer for a pooled quantity at a specified price for the at least one product to facilitate the purchase transaction.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a communication network supported purchase operation, comprising:

receiving a search request;

performing a search and offering at least one product for purchase by a user;

receiving a user specified product purchase offer;

receiving and holding payment from the user;

supporting a purchase between a seller and the user if user terms and seller terms correspond;

supporting alternate purchase processes in an effort to fulfill the user'"'"'s purchase offer.

2. The method of claim 1 further including supporting a manual purchase process that includes placing purchase offers on one of a web page, web service, data transfer, remote portlet, or RSS feed with purchase offer information.

3. The method of claim 1 further including supporting purchase and sales bundling or pooling to facilitate purchase transactions between buyers and sellers.

4. The method of claim 1 further including refunding the user'"'"'s purchase price if a purchase transaction is not fulfilled.

5. The method of claim 4 further including reducing the refund by an administrative charge.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the purchase offer includes at least one of a purchase price and a delivery deadline.

7. The method of claim 6 further including determining if the purchase offer may be filled by evaluating a seller price, a shipping price and the purchase price.

8. The method of claim 7 further including determining a net purchase price after shipping and server transaction prices are deducted and publishing the net purchase price to facilitate a purchase transaction.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the net purchase price is published on a specified web page.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the published net price is published as a part of a bundled transaction to facilitate purchase order fulfillment for a plurality of purchasers and a larger sales transaction by a user.

11. A method for facilitating a communication network supported purchase operation, comprising:

receiving a search request;

performing a search and offering at least one product for purchase by a user;

receiving a user specified product purchase offer;

pooling a plurality of user specified product purchase offers;

determining a pooled price for the at least one product; and

presenting an offer to at least one buyer for a pooled quantity at a specified price for the at least one product.

12. The method of claim 11 further including receiving and holding payment from each user.

13. The method of claim 11 further including supporting a purchase between a seller and the pooled users if specified price or other user terms and seller terms correspond.

14. A procurement server for facilitating a communication network supported purchase operation, comprising:

an input/output module for generating and processing at least one of audio and visual display signals and data entry signals, respectively;

a memory for storing computer instructions and data that define operational logic of the server;

a processing module operable to communicate with the input/output module and the memory and further operable to process the computer instructions and data in the memory;

a communication module operably coupled to the processing module; and

wherein the procurement server is operable to;

receive a search request;

perform a search and offer at least one product for purchase by a user;

receive a user specified product purchase offer;

receive and hold payment from the user;

support a purchase between a seller and the user if user terms and seller terms correspond; and

support alternate purchase processes in an effort to fulfill the user'"'"'s purchase offer.

15. The procurement server of claim 14 wherein the procurement server is further operable to support purchase and sales bundling or pooling to facilitate purchase transactions between buyers and sellers.

16. The procurement server of claim 14 wherein the procurement server is further operable to communicate with a banking institution to generate a refund of the user'"'"'s purchase price if a purchase transaction is not fulfilled.

17. The procurement server of claim 16 wherein the refund is reduced the refund by an administrative charge.

18. The procurement server of claim 14 wherein the purchase offer includes at least one of a purchase price and a delivery deadline.

19. The procurement server of claim 14 wherein the procurement server is operable to determine if the purchase offer may be filled by evaluating a seller price, a shipping price and the purchase price.

20. The procurement server of claim 14 wherein the procurement server is operable to publish the net purchase price on a specified web page.

21. The procurement server of claim 20 wherein the published net price is published as a part of a bundled transaction to facilitate purchase order fulfillment for a plurality of purchasers and a larger sales transaction by a user.