Method and system for online sales and purchases

• US 20110106683A1
• Filed: 10/13/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intesource, Inc. (Proactis Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Intesource, Inc. (Proactis Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Slonaker, Diane L., Predosin, Mirko, Russell, Richard A., Davis, Oren L., Solar, Richard J. JR.
• Application Number:
  US12/587,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106683A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Internet-based commercial network connects multiple qualified participant buyers and sellers. Items are made available for defined periods of time, referred to as an event (139). Event terms and conditions include item types, price, quantity, volume or units, discount, shipping terms (138). Reiterative offer and counteroffers permit negotiation of terms for an event. Participants may view anonymous competitive quotes for comparison and analysis. Pooled purchases and auctions are envisioned. Participants may create web presences and are subject to restrictions on access (141) and purchase (142) authority. Central system maintains participant data.

Claims

1-67. -67. (canceled)

68. A method of negotiated contract implementation comprising:

(a) providing an interne website for facilitating negotiation between a first party seeking a contract proposal and at least one second party responding with a proposal,

(b) providing at least one page at the website adapted to permit the first party to create an event by placing a contract out for bid,

(c) providing at least one page at the website adapted to permit the at least one second party to submit a proposal, and

(d) providing at least one further page facilitating analysis by the first party of each proposal from the at least one second party.

69. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 68, further comprising requiring the at least one second party to accept at least one of event details and event terms and conditions by the first party before permitting the at least one second party to submit a proposal.

70. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 68, further comprising enabling the first party to further negotiate terms with the at least one second party, including permitting the at least one second party to revive a previously submitted term in response to negotiation with the first party.

71. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 70, wherein enabling the first party to further negotiate includes enabling the first party to reveal to the at least one second party one or more terms of competitive proposals of other second parties for comparison by the at least one second party of the at least one second party'"'"'s proposals for said one or more terms with the one or more terms proposed by the other second parties.

72. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 70, further comprising, after a revision of a previously submitted term by the at least one second party in response to negotiation with the first party, refreshing at least a portion of the analysis facilitated at step (d) for indicating to the first party the effect of the revision of the at least one term by the at least one second party.

73. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 68, wherein the first party is a buyer and step (b) comprises:

(i) enabling the buyer to identify items to be purchased,

(ii) setting an event time and duration at the buyer'"'"'s instructions, and

(iii) identifying at least one of contract begin date, contract duration, estimated contract volume, and discount and future rates of money at the buyer'"'"'s request.

74. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 73, wherein step (b) further comprises, identifying participating sellers at the buyer'"'"'s request.

75. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 73, further comprising requiring, at the buyer'"'"'s request, sample submission.

76. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 75, further comprising conveying by e-mail the buyer'"'"'s invitations to sellers identified by the buyer.

77. The method of negotiation contract implementation comprising claim 68, wherein step (c) includes, at the least one second party'"'"'s instructions:

(i) proposing cost, and

(ii) proposing at least one of annual dollar volume, proposal duration, payment terms, annual seasonal distribution and movement.

78. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 77, wherein step (c) further comprises, at the least one second party'"'"'s instructions:

(iii) offering additional funding.

79. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 68, wherein step (d) further comprise making available to the first party a side-by-side comparison of proposals from all participating second parties.

80. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 68, wherein step (d) further comprises, at the instructions of the first party, categorizing each additional funds offering by a participating second party, and providing category-by-category comparison to the first party.

81. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 68, wherein step (d) further comprises, providing the first party an analysis of the relationship between time and money involved in a proposal by the at least one second party.

82. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 68, wherein step (d) further comprises, at the instructions of the first party, providing a contingency analysis.

83. The method of negotiated contract implementation according to claim 70, wherein step (d) further comprises affording the first party at least one of calculation of net present value, calculation of item list cost differential, and calculation of additional profitability.

84-93. -93. (canceled)