Method of executing an electronic commerce sale from an affiliate web site

• US 7,565,308 B1
• Filed: 03/25/1999
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Denison W. Bollay
• Original Assignee: Denison W. Bollay
• Inventors: Bollay, Denison W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNHAM, JASON B
• Application Number:
  US09/276,598
• Time in Patent Office: 3,771 Days
• Field of Search: 705/27, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/26.41
• 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 30/0613 Third-party assisted

Abstract

A central hub server stands between a number of affiliate web sites and a number of vendor web sites to execute sales of vendor products featured on the affiliate web sites. Affiliate sites sign-up with the hub server and select products offered by vendors. The affiliate sites feature selected vendor products on their web sites. A buyer that browses an affiliate web site causes identifiers of the buyer, the affiliate site, and the product to be sent to the hub server. The hub server searches a database to find a picture of the product, its current price and the buyer'"'"'s previously stored credit information and shipping address. The hub server returns a form to the user visiting the affiliate site, including a picture of the product, its price and a submit icon superimposed on the picture. If the buyer clicks on the submit icon, the purchase information is returned to the hub server. The buyer'"'"'s credit card is debited with the purchase price and the vendor site is credited with the sale less commissions credited to the affiliate site and the hub. The form submitted to the vendor site includes all information necessary to make the purchase: product code, price, hub affiliate ID, and buyer shipping and billing information. The vendor site processes the sale and ships the product to the buyer'"'"'s address.

Claims

1. A method of processing multiple electronic transactions at a hub server comprising:

maintaining a vendor product information database of product information from multiple vendors at said hub server;

said product information being accessible by a plurality of affiliate web sites;

maintaining an affiliate web site database at said hub server;

maintaining a buyer profile database of buyer information of one or more buyers, including a particular buyer, at said hub server;

receiving a purchase request at said hub server, wherein said purchase request originated at one of said affiliate web sites and includes a buyer identifier, an affiliate web site identifier and at least one of a product identifier and a category identifier;

combining a plurality of information associated with said buyer identifier and stored within said buyer profile database with said purchase request received from one of said affiliate web sites to facilitate creating combined purchase order information;

forwarding said combined purchase order information from said hub server to one of said multiple vendors, such that said purchase request is completed while said buyer is on said affiliate web site;

receiving at said hub server from said affiliate web site a first time purchase request from said particular buyer;

sending from said hub server to said affiliate web site a buyer information form;

receiving at said hub server said buyer information form for said particular buyer; and

storing said buyer information form for said particular buyer in said buyer profile database during a first purchase by said particular buyer at an affiliate web site, wherein said buyer information form includes a shipping address, shipping method and credit card payment information for said particular buyer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of forwarding said combined purchase order information from said hub server to a vendor comprises:

dynamically creating computer code needed to submit said purchase request upon a condition that said particular buyer selects a submit icon displayed on a web page;

inserting said computer code and a tag into said web page.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of forwarding said combined purchase order information from said hub server to a vendor comprises:

dynamically creating computer code needed to submit said purchase request upon a condition that said particular buyer selects a submit icon displayed on a web page; and

inserting said computer code and a tag into said web page.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of forwarding said combined purchase order information from said hub server to a vendor further comprises selecting said vendor based on at least one of a price and an aggregation efficiency.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises receiving said purchase request at said hub server, said purchase request includes a vendor identifier.

6. A method of processing multiple electronic transactions at a hub server comprising:

maintaining a vendor product information database of product information from multiple vendors at said hub server;

said product information being accessible by a plurality of affiliate web sites;

maintaining an affiliate web site database at said hub server;

maintaining a buyer profile database of buyer billing and shipping information of one or more buyers, including a particular buyer, at said hub server;

receiving a purchase request at said hub server, wherein said purchase request originated at one of said affiliate web sites and includes a buyer identifier, an affiliate web site identifier and at least one of a product identifier and a category identifier;

combining stored buyer billing and shipping information of said particular buyer with said purchase request received from one of said affiliate web sites to facilitate creating combined purchase order information;

recording said combined purchase order information at said hub server;

forwarding said combined purchase order information from said hub server to one of said multiple vendors;

receiving at said hub server from said affiliate web site a first time purchase request from said particular buyer;

sending from said hub server to said affiliate web site a buyer information form;

receiving at said hub server said buyer information form for said particular buyer; and

;

storing said buyer information form for said particular buyer in said buyer profile database during a first purchase by said particular buyer at an affiliate web site, wherein the buyer information includes a shipping address, shipping method and credit card payment information for said particular buyer.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of forwarding said combined purchase order information from said hub server to a vendor comprises:

dynamically creating computer code needed to submit said purchase request upon a condition that said particular buyer selects a submit icon displayed on a web page;

inserting said computer code and a tag into said web page.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of forwarding said combined purchase order information from said hub server to a vendor comprises:

dynamically creating computer code needed to submit said purchase request upon a condition that said particular buyer selects a submit icon displayed on a web page; and

inserting said computer code and a tag into said web page.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of forwarding said combined purchase order information from said hub server to one of said multiple vendors further comprises selecting one of said multiple vendors based on at least one of a price and an aggregation efficiency.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprises receiving said purchase request at said hub server, said purchase request includes a vendor identifier.

11. A method of processing multiple electronic transactions at a hub server comprising:

accessing vendor product information from a vendor web site;

storing said vendor product information at said hub server;

transferring said vendor product information to a plurality of affiliate web sites;

receiving buyer billing and shipping information of one or more buyers, including a particular buyer, from said plurality of affiliate web sites;

storing said buyer billing and shipping information at said hub server;

receiving at said hub server from one of said affiliate web sites a purchase request of said particular buyer for a selected product;

combining said stored buyer billing and shipping information of said particular buyer with said selected product information received from said affiliate web site to facilitate creating combined purchase order information;

forwarding said combined purchase order information from said hub server to said vendor web site by selecting said vendor based on an aggregation efficiency.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of transferring said vendor product information to a plurality of affiliate web sites further comprises selecting said product information randomly within a category.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of transferring said product information to a particular user further comprises selecting said product based on one or more of a buyer'"'"'s profile, affiliate site and category.

14. A method of executing purchase sales of vendor products featured on a plurality of affiliate web sites, wherein a central hub server is coupled in communication to the plurality of affiliate web sites and a plurality of vendor web sites, said method comprising:

associating a plurality of affiliate web sites with said hub server;

selecting, at a particular affiliate web site, products offered by vendors;

displaying selected products to users on said plurality of affiliate web sites;

sending a sale request that includes a buyer identifier, an affiliate web site identifier, a product identifier and a vendor web site identifier to said hub server in the event a buyer selects a vendor product displayed on said particular affiliate web site;

searching a database at said hub server for a product picture, a current product price and previously stored buyer credit card information and shipping address associated with said buyer identifier;

sending, from said hub server to said buyer at said particular affiliate web site, a form including said product picture, said current product price and a submit icon superimposed on said product picture;

returning said form, from said buyer at said particular affiliate web site to said hub server, in the event said buyer clicks on said submit icon;

debiting, at said hub server, said buyer'"'"'s credit card with said purchase price;

crediting said vendor web site with an amount that is substantially equal to said current product price less a commission credited to said particular affiliate web site;

submitting from said hub server to said vendor web site information to facilitate transacting a purchase, wherein said information includes a product code, a product price, an affiliate web site identifier, a vendor web site identifier, a buyer identifier and shipping address;

processing said sale request at said vendor web site; and

shipping said product to said shipping address in said form.