Virtual Shelf With Single-Product Choice and Automatic Multiple-Vendor Selection

• US 20090164338A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glyde Corporation
• Original Assignee: Glyde Corporation
• Inventors: Rothman, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 8,630,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A retail front-end experience for the user with a multi-seller back-end. A product is displayed on a webpage, and if the user views it, the software automatically selects at least one best supplier for each item and condition (new, used, etc.) for that user, and then displays the one specific price from only those vendors. The price includes the shipping costs from that vendor'"'"'s location to the user'"'"'s location. Thus, the back end is hidden from the user—the user is not forced to choose from a list of vendors. The software selects the best vendor based on a variety of criteria, such as item selection (condition, price and version), the geographic closeness of the vendor (reduced shipping costs and/or reduced shipping speed), the reliability rating of the vendor (responsiveness, product description accuracy, etc.).

Claims

1. A method for selling over a network, comprising:

storing vendor information for a plurality of vendors in a database, said vendor information including a vendor address, a product price, and a product condition;

storing user information, said user information including a payment mechanism and a user address;

displaying a product representation;

in response to a user selection of said product representation corresponding to a product, determining that there is at least one vendor of said vendors offering said product; and

displaying product data for said one vendor along with price data reflecting a price for said product and a shipping cost for said product from an address of said one vendor to said address of said user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

offering said product in different conditions; and

selecting, by said user, a desired condition.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said product is a specific stock keeping unit (SKU).

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to a user selection of a buy option, selecting a vendor to provide said product to said user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said vendors is selected to provide said product to said user, the selection of said one vendor is based upon said product priced offered by the vendor, expected shipping time and cost from the vendor to the user and a reliability rating of the vendor.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a buy option by said user; and

displaying a shipping speed for said product prior to said selecting a buy option.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a general shipping speed for any user in a region serviced by a server associated with said database when a user is not logged in to permit locating a user address.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a specific shipping speed for said user when said user is logged in, by retrieving address information for said user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said vendors is selected to provide said product to said user based at least in part on a reliability rating of said vendors, said reliability rating including a rating of the past responsiveness of said vendor and the accuracy of product description by said vendor.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said vendors is selected to provide said product to said user, said one vendor being selected based on a lowest price for said product.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said one vendor is further selected based on one of a shipping price and a shipping time from an address of said one vendor.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a single-page buy display window to said buyer, said single-page buy display window including (a) an image of said product, (b) a description of said product, (c) a cost of said product, said cost including said shipping cost;

and (d) a buy button.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a product option without packaging.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing user preferences relating to delivery speed and delivery cost.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising implicitly determining said user preferences by observing user behavior.

16. A computer-implemented system comprising:

a database configured to store (a) seller information for a plurality of sellers, the seller information including a seller address, and product information for a product to be sold over the internet, and (b) buyer information for a plurality of buyers, said buyer information including a buyer shipping address and payment information;

a server configured to generate product data using data from said database;

a communication interface configured to provide a link between said server and a browser of a buyer; and

computer readable media including computer readable code for a software application comprising;

code for displaying a product for sale;

code for, in response to a user selection of said product representation corresponding to a product, determining that there is at least one vendor of said vendors offering said product; and

code for displaying product data for said one vendor along with price data reflecting a price for said product and a shipping cost for said product from an address of said one vendor to said address of said user.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

code for offering said product in different conditions; and

code for selecting, by said user, a desired condition.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising code for, in response to a user clicking on a buy icon, selecting a vendor to provide said product to said user.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein one of said vendors is selected to provide said product to said user, the selection of said one vendor is based upon the shipping time and cost of the vendor to the user and a reliability rating of the vendor.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein one of said vendors is selected to provide said product to said user based on a reliability rating of said vendors, said reliability rating includes a rating of the past responsiveness of said vendor.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein one of said vendors is selected to provide said product to said user, said one vendor being selected based on a lowest price for said product.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said lowest price includes a shipping price from an address of said one vendor.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising code for providing a single page buy display window to said buyer, said single page buy display window including (a) an image of said product, (b) a description of said product, (c) a cost of said product, said cost including said shipping cost;

and (d) a buy button.

24. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

code for selecting a buy option by said user; and

code for displaying a shipping speed for said product prior to said selecting a buy option.

25. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

code for displaying a general shipping speed for any user in a region serviced by a server associated with said database when a user is not logged in to permit locating a user address.