E-commerce volume pricing
First Claim
1. A method of costing, comprising:
- electronically offering a product for sale to select buyers in a private deal room, access which is limited at least in part to buyers who satisfy and accept a seller'"'"'s terms and conditions;
receiving a first order for the product at a first price;
receiving a second order for the product at a second price, the second price being lower than the first price; and
agreeing to fill the first order and the second order at a third price equal to or less then the second price.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In the volume pricing methodology, a seller initially establishes a price structure for a product which provides for lower prices as larger quantities of the product are purchased. The price structure is electronically made available to potential buyers of the product. For example, the price structure may be displayed on an Internet site. The sellers further establish an “open session” period during which orders for the product are accepted. During the open session period, multiple buyers are able to place orders for the product up to a maximum available quantity. At the end of the open session, the total quantity of products collectively ordered by all of the buyers is calculated. Based on the total quantity ordered, the final price to all buyers is the lowest price provided from the price structure regardless of whether the lowest price had been reached at the time a particular buyer placed their order during the open session.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of costing, comprising:
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electronically offering a product for sale to select buyers in a private deal room, access which is limited at least in part to buyers who satisfy and accept a seller'"'"'s terms and conditions; receiving a first order for the product at a first price; receiving a second order for the product at a second price, the second price being lower than the first price; and agreeing to fill the first order and the second order at a third price equal to or less then the second price. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 23, 24)
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9. A method of costing, comprising:
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electronically offering a product for sale in a private deal room in accordance with a price schedule set by a seller, the price schedule setting a price for the product which varies in accordance with a quantity of the product ordered; limiting access to the deal room to select buyers that meet and accept seller'"'"'s terms and conditions; receiving orders for the product from a plurality of different buyers; calculating a total quantity of products ordered from the plurality of different buyers; determining a lowest price for the product from the price schedule based on the total quantity of products ordered; and agreeing to fill the orders for each of the plurality of different buyers at the lowest price. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22, 25, 26)
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16. A server comprising:
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a processor; a memory coupled to the processor; and a network interface coupled to the processor for transmitting and receiving data with at least one remote computer system; wherein a price schedule for a product offered for sale electronically is stored in the memory, the price schedule providing price for the product which varies in accordance with a quantity of the product ordered, and wherein the server is configured to limit viewing of products and their associated price schedules to select registered buyers in one or more private deal rooms that satisfy and agree to seller terms and conditions, receive orders for the product from a plurality of different buyers via the at least one remote computer system, obtain credit approval for each buyer'"'"'s order, calculate a total quantity of products ordered from the plurality of different approved buyers, and determine a lowest price for the product from the price schedule based on the total quantity of products ordered. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A system for conducting business electronically comprising:
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a central server that stores a price schedule for a product offered for sale electronically, the price schedule providing a price for the product which varies in accordance with a quantity of the product ordered, and wherein the server includes one or more computer executable instructions to limit viewing of products and their associated price schedules to select buyers in one or more private deal rooms that meet and accept seller terms and conditions, receive orders for the product form a plurality of different buyers via the at least one remote computer system, obtain credit approval for each buyer'"'"'s order, calculate a total quantity of products ordered from the plurality of different approved buyers, and determine a lowest price for the product from the price schedule based on the total quantity of products ordered; and at least one computer system coupled to the server via a network. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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27. A business-to-business costing methodology comprising:
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electronically offering a product for sale in one or more private deal rooms each deal room including a customized price schedule, wherein access to deal rooms is restricted at least in part to select buyers that accept seller'"'"'s terms and conditions and the price schedule sets a price for the product which varies in accordance with a quantity of the product ordered; calculating a total quantity of products ordered from a plurality of different buyers in one or more deal rooms; determining a lowest price for the product from the price schedule associated with each buyer based on the total quantity of products ordered; and agreeing to fill the orders for each of the plurality of different buyers at the lowest price. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification