Method and system for facilitating reseller transactions
First Claim
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1. A method of retrieving product distribution information comprising:
- (a) storing a plurality of agreements in computer-accessible memory where each agreement identifies a buyer, a seller and a product to be provided from said seller to said buyer, (b) retrieving a first agreement from said computer-accessible memory, wherein the first agreement comprises information that identifies a first entity as said buyer, a second entity as said seller, and a first product as said product, (c) processing the information retrieved for the first agreement with a computer processor, wherein the processor determines whether a second agreement stored in the computer-accessible memory identifies the second entity in said first agreement as a buyer in said the second agreement, and determines whether the product in the second agreement relates to the first product in the first agreement, and returns the identity of the second agreement depending on the result, and (d) generating a product order pursuant to the identified second agreement.
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Abstract
A computer-implemented method and system is provided which retrieves interrelated agreements between the buyers and sellers of products and/or services. In one implementation, the products are personalized, and the personalization information is passed up the chain of distribution.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method of retrieving product distribution information comprising:
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(a) storing a plurality of agreements in computer-accessible memory where each agreement identifies a buyer, a seller and a product to be provided from said seller to said buyer, (b) retrieving a first agreement from said computer-accessible memory, wherein the first agreement comprises information that identifies a first entity as said buyer, a second entity as said seller, and a first product as said product, (c) processing the information retrieved for the first agreement with a computer processor, wherein the processor determines whether a second agreement stored in the computer-accessible memory identifies the second entity in said first agreement as a buyer in said the second agreement, and determines whether the product in the second agreement relates to the first product in the first agreement, and returns the identity of the second agreement depending on the result, and (d) generating a product order pursuant to the identified second agreement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of providing information about a product including typesetting comprising:
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(a) storing data representing a product available from a mid-level entity to a class of customers in a computer accessible memory, said product including typesetting;
(b) storing data, in a computer-accessible memory, representing an agreement by a top-level member to provide said product to said mid-level member;
(c) receiving a customer request from a customer of said class of customers for said product, said customer request including typesetting information describing said typesetting;
(d) storing said customer request in said computer accessible memory;
(e) causing a computer processor to retrieve said agreement from said computer-accessible memory based on the identity of said product and the identity of said mid-level member associated with said customer request, wherein the agreement identifies the mid-level member as the recipient of the product provided by the top-level member;
(f) processing the retrieved agreement to generate a second request that said top-level member provide said product to said mid-level member, said second request identifying said typesetting information;
(g) transmitting said second request to said top level member. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of retrieving information comprising:
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(a) storing first agreement Information and second agreement information in computer accessible memory, said agreement information identifying a buyer, a seller and a first product provided from said seller to said buyer, (b) identifying said first agreement information which identifies a first entity as said buyer, a second entity as said seller, and a first product as said product, (c) identifying said second agreement information which identifies said second entity as said buyer, a third entity as said seller, and a second product as said product, (d) retrieving said first agreement information from said computer accessible memory, (e) processing in a computer processing the first agreement information so as to retrieve said second agreement information based on whether the computer-accessible memory indicates that the second entity is indicated as being both a seller in the first agreement information and a buyer in the second agreement information.
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36. A system for storing information about agreements between buyers and sellers, said system maintained by an administrator, said system comprising:
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(a) data stored in a computer accessible memory representing an agreement by a middle entity to provide a product to a bottom entity in exchange for compensation and an agreement by a top entity to provide a related product to said middle entity in exchange for compensation, none of said entities being said administrator, and (b) a processor for utilizing said data to process a request for said product from said bottom entity to said middle entity such that said request generates a request for said product from said middle entity to said top entity based on the middle entity being identified as the buyer in one of the stored agreements and the seller in the other stored agreement. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method of retrieving information relating to a request for personalized products, said method comprising:
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(a) storing, in computer-accessible memory, an agreement by a second entity to provide a product to a first entity, (b) storing, in computer-accessible memory, an agreement by a third entity to provide said product to said second entity, (c) requesting by said first entity said product from said second entity such that the request includes modifying the product in accordance with personalization information provided by said first entity, said personalization information being particular to said first entity, and (d) causing a computer processor to generate a request for said product from said second entity to the third entity, wherein the processor determines whether the second entity is common to the stored agreements, and wherein the processor includes the personalization information in the request from said second entity to said third entity. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method of selling products over the world-wide web, said method comprising:
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(a) providing a database centrally storing agreements between a plurality of members to sell a product;
(b) sending a web page from a first member to a customer, said web page identifying a product that is the subject of one of said agreements of said database;
(c) receiving a request for said product from said customer, said request including an image provided by said customer;
(d) generating a first purchase order from said first member to a second member based on a second agreement stored in said database, said purchase order including said image, and (e) generating, with a computer processor, a second purchase order from said second member to a third member based on the processor determination of whether a third agreement is stored in the database such that the second member is indicated as a purchaser of the product from the third member said purchase order including said image. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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Specification