Online shopping system

• US 7,590,567 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kroger Company
• Original Assignee: Kroger Company
• Inventors: Hopson, David B., Keys, Kemberly S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen; Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US11/548,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/500
• US Class Current: 705/26.81
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent
• 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

An online shopping system that permits a customer to submit online orders for items and/or services from a store that serves both walk-in customers and online customers. The online shopping system presents an online display of an order cutoff time and an associated delivery window for items selected by the customer. The system accepts the customer'"'"'s submission of a purchase order for the item in response to a time of submission being before the order cutoff time. The online shopping system does not settle with a credit supplier of the customer until the item selected by the customer is picked from inventory but before it is delivered. Therefore, the customer can go online and make changes to the order. In addition, available service windows are presented to the customer as a function of customer selected order and service types; and further, the order picking is assigned in accordance with a picker'"'"'s preference.

Claims

1. A method of operating an online shopping system that permits a customer to submit online orders for items and/or services from a store that serves both walk-in customers and online customers, the method comprising:

presenting identifications of items on a web page for selection by a customer,

presenting an online display acknowledging the customer'"'"'s selection of selected items;

presenting an online display of an order cutoff time and an associated delivery window selected by the customer;

presenting an online display permitting the customer to submit a purchase order for the selected items;

receiving a submission of a purchase order for the selected items from the customer;

comparing a time of submission of the purchase order to the order cutoff time associated with the delivery window selected by the customer;

presenting an online display accepting the customer'"'"'s submission of the purchase order for the selected items in response to the time of submission being before the order cutoff time;

thereafter, picking the selected items for delivery;

thereafter, pricing the purchase order for the selected items;

thereafter, settling the purchase order for the selected items with a credit supplier; and

then, delivering the selected items to the customer.

2. A method of operating an online shopping system that permits a customer to submit online orders for items and/or services from a store that serves both walk-in customers and online customers, the method comprising:

presenting identifications of items on a web page for selection by a customer,

presenting an online display acknowledging the customer'"'"'s selection of selected items;

presenting an online display of an order cutoff time and an associated delivery window selected by the customer;

presenting an online display permitting the customer to submit a purchase order for the selected items;

receiving a submission of a purchase order for the selected items from the customer;

comparing a time of submission of the purchase order to the order cutoff time associated with the delivery window selected by the customer;

presenting an online display requesting the customer select another delivery window for the item in response to the time of submission of the purchase order being later than the order cutoff time;

thereafter, picking the selected items for delivery;

thereafter, pricing the purchase order for the selected items;

thereafter, settling the purchase order for the selected items with a credit supplier; and

then, delivering the selected items to the customer.

3. A method of changing submitted online orders with an online shopping system that permits a customer to re-submit online orders for items and/or services from a store that serves both walk-in customers and online customers, the method comprising:

providing a database of items available for sale to a customer;

presenting online representations of the items for selection by a customer,

presenting an online display acknowledging the customer'"'"'s selection of selected items;

presenting an online display of an order cutoff time and an associated delivery window selected by the customer;

presenting an online display permitting the customer to submit an order for the selected items;

presenting an online display confirming receipt of a submitted order for the selected items by the customer including the delivery window and payment information;

thereafter receiving online instructions from the customer to change the submitted order; and

presenting an online display confirming the change to the submitted order in response to receiving the online instructions prior to the order cutoff time;

thereafter, picking the selected items for delivery;

thereafter, pricing the order for the selected items;

thereafter, settling the order for the selected items with a credit supplier; and

then, delivering the order of the selected items to the customer.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

comparing a time of receipt of the online instructions to change the submitted order to the order cutoff time; and

presenting the online display confirming the change to the submitted order in response to the time of receiving the online instructions being before the order cutoff time.

5. A method of changing submitted online orders with an online shopping system that permits a customer to submit online orders for items and/or services from a store that serves both walk-in customers and online customers, the method comprising:

presenting to a customer different service and order types,

providing a database of items available for sale to a customer;

presenting online representations of the items for selection by a customer,

presenting an online display acknowledging the customer'"'"'s selection of selected items;

presenting an online display of an order cutoff time and an associated delivery window selected by the customer;

presenting an online display permitting the customer to submit an order for the selected items;

presenting an online display confirming receipt of a submitted order for the selected items by the customer including the delivery window and payment information;

thereafter receiving online instructions from the customer to change the submitted order; and

presenting an online display requesting that the customer select another, later delivery window in response to the time of receiving the online instructions being after the order cutoff time;

thereafter, picking the selected items for delivery;

thereafter, pricing the order for the selected items;

thereafter, settling the order for the selected items with a credit supplier; and

then, delivering the order of the selected items to the customer.

6. A method of settling submitted online orders with an online shopping system that permits a customer to submit online orders for items and/or services from a store that serves both walk-in customers and online customers, the method comprising:

presenting items on a web page for selection by a customer,

presenting an online display acknowledging the customer'"'"'s selection of first items;

presenting an online display permitting the customer to submit an order for the first items and authorization to pay for the order via a credit supplier;

presenting an online display acknowledging the customer'"'"'s submission of the order for the first items;

thereafter, picking the first items for delivery;

thereafter, pricing the order for the first items;

thereafter, settling the order for the first items with a credit supplier; and

then, delivering the order of the first items to the customer.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

presenting an online display of an order cutoff time and an associated delivery window selected by the customer, the order cutoff time being earlier than initiation of picking of the first items;

receiving online instructions from the customer to change the order for the first items; and

presenting an online display confirming the change to the order for the first items in response to receiving the online instructions prior to the order cutoff time.

8. A method of settling submitted online orders with an online shopping system that permits a customer to submit online orders for items and/or services from a store that serves both walk-in customers and online customers, the method comprising:

presenting items on a web page for selection by a customer;

presenting an online display acknowledging the customer'"'"'s selection of first items;

presenting an online display permitting the customer to submit an order for the first items and authorization to pay for the order via a credit supplier;

presenting an online display acknowledging the customer'"'"'s submission of the order for the first items;

thereafter, picking the first items for delivery;

thereafter, pricing the order for the first items;

thereafter, settling the order for the first items with a credit supplier;

presenting an online display of an order cutoff time and an associated delivery window selected by the customer, the order cutoff time being earlier than initiation of picking of the first items;

receiving online instructions from the customer to change the order for the first items;

presenting an online display requesting that the customer select another, later delivery window in response to the time of receiving the online instructions being after the order; and

then, delivering the order of the first items to the customer.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising presenting an online display including an identification of the credit supplier with the display acknowledging the customer'"'"'s submission of the order for the item.

10. A method of determining available service windows for an online shopping system that permits a customer to submit online orders for items and/or services from a store that serves both walk-in customers and online customers, wherein a service window is a window of time during which items are provided to a customer in response to an online order by the customer, the method comprising:

presenting an online display permitting a customer to select one of multiple order types, each of the order types being limited to specific items and/or services not available with an other order type;

presenting an online display permitting a customer to select one of multiple service types, each of the service types having service windows with times and dates different from times and dates of service windows for an other service type;

receiving an online request from the customer to display available service windows for selected ones of the order and service types;

retrieving all possible service windows for the selected ones of the order and service types over a date interval;

identifying available service windows for the selected ones of the order and service types by eliminating service windows that have a time and date earlier than a current time and date plus lead times for the selected ones of the order and service types, and exceed system resources to pick and deliver items selected by the customer associated with the selected ones of the order and service types;

presenting to the customer an online display of the available service windows for the selected ones of the order and service types;

thereafter, picking selected items for delivery;

thereafter, pricing an order for the selected items;

thereafter, settling the order for the selected items with a credit supplier; and

then, delivering the order of the selected items to the customer.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the service types are selected from a group consisting of orders that are to be delivered to the customer, orders that are to be picked up by the customer and printing a list of items for the customer.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the order types are selected from a group consisting of groceries, flowers, liquor products and catering services.

13. A method of determining available service windows for an online shopping system that permits a customer to submit online orders for items and/or services from a store that serves both walk-in customers and online customers, wherein a service window is a window of time during which items are provided to a customer in response to an online order by the customer, the method comprising:

presenting an online display permitting customers to select one of at least multiple order types, each order type being limited to specific items and/or services not available with another of the order types;

presenting an online display permitting a customer to select one of multiple service types, each of the service types representing a different service in providing items and/or services to a customer;

receiving online requests from customers to display service windows for respective selected ones of the order and service types;

selecting a first online request from a first customer to display service windows for one of the respective selected ones of the order and service types;

retrieving all possible service windows for the one of the respective selected ones of the order and service types over a time and/or date interval;

identifying available service windows for the one of the respective selected ones of the order and service types by eliminating service windows that have a time and date earlier than a current time and date plus a lead time for the one of the respective selected ones of the order and service types, and exceed system resources to pick and deliver items selected by the customer associated with the one of the respective selected ones of the order and service types;

presenting to the first customer an online display of the available service windows for the one of the respective selected ones of the order and service types; and

servicing other online requests from customers to display service windows for others of the respective selected ones of the order and service types by iterating the above steps of selecting, retrieving, identifying and presenting for each of the other of the respective selected ones of the order and service types;

thereafter, picking selected items for delivery;

thereafter, pricing an order for the selected items;

thereafter, settling the order for the selected items with a credit supplier; and

then, delivering the order of the selected items to the customer.

14. A method of operating an online shopping comprising:

providing different service types to a customer on a computer;

thereafter, providing different order types to the customer;

thereafter, displaying to the customer via the computer a set of available service windows when the order can be delivered or picked up at a store selectable by the customer;

thereafter, providing items for purchase by the customer;

thereafter, storing the customer'"'"'s order in an order database in a server which is accessible by computers located in the store;

thereafter, picking items of the customer'"'"'s order;

thereafter, pricing the customer'"'"'s order for the selected items;

thereafter, settling the order for the items with a credit supplier; and

then delivering the order to the customer.