System, method and computer program product for utilizing market demand information for generating revenue
First Claim
1. A method for managing an independent supply chain, comprising:
- in a supply chain comprising at least independent suppliers, independent stores, and an independent supply chain manager with an independent supply chain manager computer connected together by a network, the independent supply chain manager negotiating supplier master contracts with the independent suppliers, wherein each different supplier master contract is to supply at least one item directly or indirectly to at least one of the independent stores, wherein each of a plurality of the supplier master contracts includes a term assigning directly or indirectly at least one independent distributors to the independent supplier to which to supply directly or indirectly the at least one item, and further wherein each of a plurality of the supplier master contracts establishes a contract price for one of the items and an invoice price for that item and requires the independent supplier to bill at the invoice price, wherein the contract price for the item and the invoice price for the item are different,storing a plurality of terms of the supplier master contracts in a supply chain electronic database accessible via the network;
registering at least each of a plurality of the independent suppliers and the independent stores and maintaining a list of registered users in the independent supply chain manager computer;
receiving store sales data from a plurality of the independent stores utilizing the network, the store sales data comprising sales of goods by the independent stores, wherein the sales of the goods are made over a counter or otherwise at a store location;
receiving data from the independent suppliers and/or the independent stores utilizing the network, the data relating to the sales of the items from the independent suppliers directly or indirectly to the independent stores and including a number of items sold;
for the sales of items, electronically calculating by computer an amount to be transferred from or to the independent supplier based on a number of items sold by the independent supplier directly or indirectly to at least one of the independent stores and a difference between the contract price and invoice price for the items;
generating a communication or providing electronic access via the network to data relating to the amount to be transferred;
automatically comparing by computer at least one contract term in one of the supplier master contracts for the at least one item to received data relating to the sales of the at least one item;
automatically generating a communication if there is a discrepancy between the at least one contract term and the received data; and
,providing an interface on the network to allow access by a registered user to the supply chain electronic database, wherein each of a plurality of the registered users that are independent suppliers has access to the store sales data for the stores that they supply either directly or indirectly.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and computer program product are disclosed for risk management in a supply chain management framework. A supply chain manager is appointed for at least one buying supply chain participant. The supply chain manager is given authority to negotiate supply agreements for at least one good on behalf of the at least one buying supply chain participant. One or more supply agreements are entered into for the at least one good, wherein provisions of the supply agreement include: (i) pricing for each one good shall be based upon factors including an actual market price of at least one commodity when the supply chain manager has not established a commodity position price; and (ii) pricing for each one good shall be based upon factors including a commodity position price of at least one commodity when the supply chain manager has established a commodity position price. Periodically, a commodity position price is established through the supply chain manager.
-
Citations
63 Claims
-
1. A method for managing an independent supply chain, comprising:
-
in a supply chain comprising at least independent suppliers, independent stores, and an independent supply chain manager with an independent supply chain manager computer connected together by a network, the independent supply chain manager negotiating supplier master contracts with the independent suppliers, wherein each different supplier master contract is to supply at least one item directly or indirectly to at least one of the independent stores, wherein each of a plurality of the supplier master contracts includes a term assigning directly or indirectly at least one independent distributors to the independent supplier to which to supply directly or indirectly the at least one item, and further wherein each of a plurality of the supplier master contracts establishes a contract price for one of the items and an invoice price for that item and requires the independent supplier to bill at the invoice price, wherein the contract price for the item and the invoice price for the item are different, storing a plurality of terms of the supplier master contracts in a supply chain electronic database accessible via the network; registering at least each of a plurality of the independent suppliers and the independent stores and maintaining a list of registered users in the independent supply chain manager computer; receiving store sales data from a plurality of the independent stores utilizing the network, the store sales data comprising sales of goods by the independent stores, wherein the sales of the goods are made over a counter or otherwise at a store location; receiving data from the independent suppliers and/or the independent stores utilizing the network, the data relating to the sales of the items from the independent suppliers directly or indirectly to the independent stores and including a number of items sold; for the sales of items, electronically calculating by computer an amount to be transferred from or to the independent supplier based on a number of items sold by the independent supplier directly or indirectly to at least one of the independent stores and a difference between the contract price and invoice price for the items; generating a communication or providing electronic access via the network to data relating to the amount to be transferred; automatically comparing by computer at least one contract term in one of the supplier master contracts for the at least one item to received data relating to the sales of the at least one item; automatically generating a communication if there is a discrepancy between the at least one contract term and the received data; and
,providing an interface on the network to allow access by a registered user to the supply chain electronic database, wherein each of a plurality of the registered users that are independent suppliers has access to the store sales data for the stores that they supply either directly or indirectly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A system for managing an independent supply chain, comprising at least independent suppliers, independent stores, and an independent supply chain manager with an independent supply chain manager computer connected together by a network, comprising:
-
a storage medium including a supply chain electronic database accessible via the network storing supplier master contracts, the supplier master contracts negotiated by the independent supply chain manager with the independent suppliers, wherein each different supplier master contract is to supply at least one item directly or indirectly to at least one of the independent stores, wherein each of a plurality of the supplier master contracts includes a term assigning directly or indirectly at least one of the independent stores to the independent supplier to which to supply directly or indirectly the at least one item, and further wherein each of a plurality of the supplier master contracts establishes a contract price for one of the items and an invoice price for that item and requires the independent supplier to bill at the invoice price, wherein the contract price for the item and the invoice price for the item are different; and at least one processor operably connected to the storage medium for implementing the independent supply chain manager computer, and including among them if there is more than one processor, the following logic elements logic for registering at least each of a plurality of the independent suppliers and the independent stores, and maintaining a list of registered users in the independent supply chain manager computer; logic for receiving store sales data from a plurality of the independent stores utilizing the network, the store sales data comprising sales of goods by the independent stores, wherein the sales of the goods are made over the counter or otherwise at a store location; logic for receiving data from the independent suppliers and/or the independent stores utilizing the network, the data relating to the sales of the at least one item from the independent suppliers directly or indirectly to the independent stores and including a number of items sold; for the sales of items, logic for electronically calculating an amount to be transferred from or to the independent supplier based on the number of items sold by the independent supplier directly or indirectly to at least one of the independent stores and a difference between the contract price and invoice price for the items; logic for generating a communication or providing electronic access via the network to data relating to the amount to be transferred; logic for automatically comparing at least one contract term in one of the supplier master contracts for the at least one item to received data relating to the sales of the at least one item; logic for automatically generating a communication if there is a discrepancy between the at least one contract term and the received data; and logic for providing an interface on the network to allow access by a registered user to the supply chain electronic database, wherein each of a plurality of the registered users that are independent suppliers has access to the store sales data for the stores that they supply either directly or indirectly. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. A computer program product for managing an independent supply chain comprising at least independent suppliers, independent stores, and an independent supply chain manager with an independent supply chain manager computer connected together by a network, comprising:
-
at least one computer usable media having computer readable program code embodied therein or among them if there is more than one computer usable medium, to be executed by a computer, the computer readable program code comprising computer code for electronically accessing in a supply chain database via the network stored master contracts, the supplier master contracts negotiated by the independent supply chain manager, wherein each different supplier master contract is to supply at least one item directly or indirectly to at least one of the independent stores, wherein each of a plurality of the supplier contracts includes a term assigning directly or indirectly at least one of the independent stores to the independent supplier to which to supply directly or indirectly the at least one item, and further wherein each of a plurality of the supplier master contracts establishes a contract price for one of the items and an invoice price for that item and requires the independent supplier to bill at the invoice price, wherein the contract price for the item and the invoice price for the item are different; computer code for registering at least each of a plurality of the independent suppliers and the independent stores, and maintaining a list of registered users in the independent supply chain manager computer; computer code for receiving store sales data from a plurality of the independent stores utilizing the network, the store sales data comprising sales of goods by the independent stores, wherein the sales of the goods are made over a counter or otherwise at a store location; computer code for receiving data from the independent suppliers and/or the independent stores utilizing the network, the data relating to the sale of the at least one item from the independent suppliers directly or indirectly to the independent stores and including a number of items sold; for the sales of items, computer code for calculating an amount to be transferred from or to the independent supplier based on a number of items sold by the independent supplier directly or indirectly to at least one of the independent stores and a difference between the contract price and invoice price for the items; computer code for generating a communication or providing access via the network to data relating to the amount to be transferred; computer code for automatically comparing at least one contract term in one of the supplier master contracts for the at least one item to received data relating to the sales of the at least one item; computer code for automatically generating a communication if there is a discrepancy between the at least one contract term and the received data; and computer code for providing an interface on the network to allow access by a registered user to the supply chain electronic database, wherein each of a plurality of the registered users that are independent suppliers has access to the store sales data for the stores that they supply either directly or indirectly. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
-
Specification