DISTRIBUTING PRODUCTS FROM SUPPLIERS TO CONSUMERS IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110112929A1
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quivers Inc.
• Original Assignee: Brant W. Berger, Richard W. Berger
• Inventors: Berger, Brant W., Berger, Richard W., Funk, John L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

Systems and methods enabling suppliers to control the distribution of products to consumers in a network environment while accommodating the concerns of its brick and mortar distribution channels are described. Consumer orders for products are received, and consumer product orders are routed in accordance with fulfillment policies respectively selected by the supplier(s). The system includes a graphical consumer interface configured to receive consumer orders for products, and an order flow controller configured to route consumer product orders in accordance with fulfillment policies respectively selected by the supplier(s). The system also includes a graphical consumer interface that is accessible over the Internet and is configured to display price and availability information for the products of each of the suppliers organized by product category and is configured to receive consumer orders for products. A consumer may search through displayable product information within a given category by supplier, by product type, by product feature, or by a combination of two or more of these identifiers using a search engine.

Claims

1-40. -40. (canceled)

41. A method for coordinating the distribution of products from a plurality of product suppliers to consumers in a network environment, comprising:

posting a second product order on an order fulfillment page corresponding to a first product order received from a consumer to a given supplier for a product of said given supplier, said order fulfillment page being accessible by said given supplier or by one or more product retailers identified by said supplier in accordance with the selected fulfillment policies of said given supplier, wherein said first product order contains product order information of said consumer;

transmitting said product order information to said given supplier or retailer upon receipt of a fulfillment acceptance indication of said second product order from said given supplier or retailer; and

purging said second product order from said order fulfillment page after receiving said fulfillment acceptance indication.

43. The method of claim 41 or 42, further comprising, after a selected period of time after said second product order remains posted without receiving a fulfillment acceptance indication, the step of transmitting said product information to said supplier and purging said second product order from said order fulfillment page.

44. The method of claim 41 or 42 wherein said first and second product order contain said product order information.

45. The method of claim 41 or 42 wherein said second product order contains less information than that contained in said first product order.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein said first and second product order contain said product order information.

47. The method of claim 43 wherein said second product order contains less information than that contained in said first product order.

42. A method for coordinating the distribution of products from a product supplier to consumers in a network environment, comprising:

posting a second product order on an order fulfillment page corresponding to a first product order received from a consumer to a given supplier for a product of said given supplier, said order fulfillment page being accessible by said given supplier or by one or more product retailers identified by said supplier in accordance with the selected fulfillment policies of said given supplier, wherein said first product order contains product order information of said consumer;

transmitting said product order information to said given supplier or retailer upon receipt of a fulfillment acceptance indication of said second product order from said given supplier or retailer; and

purging said second product order from said order fulfillment page after receiving said fulfillment acceptance indication.