Method and system for customizing a distribution network based on market conditions

• US 6,965,875 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2000
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Levine
• Original Assignee: Robert Levine
• Inventors: Levine, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Jasmin, Lynda C.
• Application Number:
  US09/711,987
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 705/27, 705/14, 705/8, 705/10, 709/213, 709/217, 707/501.1, 707/513, 707/5, 707/10
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A method for pricing a product by a wholesaler. The method comprises providing a master database of product information to a distributor, receiving a selection of products from the distributor, wherein the distributor chooses the selection from the master database and provides a variable margin amount for the products to the wholesaler. The wholesaler associates a customer category with the variable margin amounts, and then assigns the customer category to one of the products. Finally, the wholesaler calculates a variable price for the products, based on provided variable margin amount and transmits the calculated variable price for the products to the distributor.

Claims

1. The method for a wholesaler to host a plurality of distributor web sites to display product information and pricing to a plurality of customers, comprising:

a) wherein said wholesaler provides a customized web site to each distributor;

b) said wholesaler provides each distributor with at least one customized distributor web site customized to include customer information for each of a distributor'"'"'s customers based on information received from each distributor;

c) receiving a margin amount for each of a plurality of products from each distributor, wherein the margin amount is designated by the distributor for each customer;

d) calculating variable product prices based on each distributor'"'"'s designated margin amounts for each of said products to form a distributor order sheet for each customer; and

e) displaying said distributor order sheet on said customized web site for each customer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a log-on request from a customer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting said customized distributor web site to the customer in response to said customer log-on.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said product and customer information is stored in a master database for data mining.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating said web site by said wholesaler.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said updating of the web site is performed after receiving a computer-readable data flile from said distributor containing updated product and customer information.

7. The margin amount of claim 1, wherein the margin amount is determined by the distributor and established based on a price the distributor paid for a particular product.

8. The margin amount of claim 7, wherein a distributor'"'"'s relationship with a customer is considered by the distributor, when the margin amount is designated for said customer.