Method and system for ordering items over the internet

• US 6,922,676 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2000
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey Alnwick
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey Alnwick
• Inventors: Alnwick, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CUONG H
• Application Number:
  US09/732,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20020007318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: G06/F01.7/60, 705 26- 29, 705/10, 705/14, 705/22, 705 16- 17, 705/20
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A system and method of ordering components over the Internet. A website owner would provide websites for one or more wholesalers including a home page for each of the wholesalers on the Internet as well as various cascading website pages. A customer would be able to determine whether a particular component was in stock utilizing the webpage of a particular dealer and would have the ability to order that component from that wholesaler. The customer can request a blind shipment which conceals the fact that the product came from the wholesaler'"'"'s inventory and not the customer'"'"'s inventory. Additionally, one or more graphical representations would be provided illustrating the customer'"'"'s participation in a bonus discount program. More specifically, a bar graph would be used to show the user'"'"'s participation. When an order is in place, the height of the bar graph would increase until it reaches a particular target value. An exchange platform can be provided allowing a number of customers to retrieve the inventories of a number of sellers. The customer could search the inventories of the sellers and would be able to contact the sellers directly to place an order to utilize the exchange platform to place the order.

Claims

1. A computerized method for transmitting inventory information between a plurality of vendors and at least one buyer, comprising the steps of:

creating an exchange platform provided at a location removed from the buyer and the vendors;

transmitting first inventory information from a first group of vendors denoted as search time participants to said exchange platform at first discrete time intervals during a twenty-four hour period of time;

transmitting second inventory information from a second group of vendors denoted as order time participants to said exchange platform polling said second group of vendors at second discrete time intervals during said twenty-four hour period of time, the number of said first discrete time intervals being less than said second discrete time intervals, resulting in the receipt of said second inventory information at said exchange platform more frequently than the receipt of said first inventory information at said exchange platform, said second inventory information including a purchase price;

transmitting third inventory information from a third group of vendors denoted as real time participants to said exchange platform at third discrete time intervals during said twenty-four hour period of time, the number of third discrete time intervals being greater than said second discrete time intervals, resulting in the receipt of said third inventory information at said exchange platform more frequently than the receipt of said second inventory information at said exchange platform;

periodically reviewing said first, second and third inventory information by the buyer through said exchange platform;

transmitting a first purchase order from the buyer directly to said search time participants without sending said first purchase order to said exchange platform;

providing said exchange platform with an order time approval program allowing the buyer to communicate with said order time participants through said exchange platform;

transmitting a second purchase order from the buyer to said order time approval program at said exchange platform, said exchange platform transmitting said second purchase order to one of said order time participants;

transmitting a first communication from one of said order time participants to the buyer through said exchange platform responsive to said second purchase order, said first communication rejecting or approving said second purchase order;

transmitting a third purchase order from the buyer to one of said real time participants through said exchange platform;

transmitting a second communication from one of said real time participants to the buyer through said exchange platform;

said second communication sent to the buyer in real time indicating whether said third purchase order was rejected or approved; and

the buyer purchasing inventory from one of the vendors when one of said purchase orders is approved by one of the vendors.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first inventory information is sent to said exchange platform use batch file.

3. The method an accordance with claim 2, wherein said batch file is sent to said exchange platform once a day.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second inventory information is sent to said exchange platform at a frequency not to exceed every five minutes.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third inventory information is sent to said exchange platform in real time at every instance there is a change in said inventory information.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the buyer transmits to said order time approval program a target price for at least one item in said second inventory information, not equal to the asking price of said item.

7. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein at least one of said order time participant transmits to the buyer a rejection or approval of said target price.