Distributing products from suppliers to consumers in a network environment
First Claim
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1. A network for coordinating the distribution of products from a plurality of product manufacturers to consumers wherein each of said manufacturers is an entity having at least one distribution channel that involves a retail establishment, comprising a server comprisinga graphical consumer interface accessible by consumers over the interne configured to display product information to consumers for products from said plurality of manufacturers and to receive product orders from consumers directly to any of said plurality of product manufacturers;
- a product distribution coordinator configured to receive from a given product manufacturer a selection of a fulfillment policy, wherein said fulfillment polices are selected from;
i) not accepting a consumer product order by any retailer or by said given product manufacturer;
ii) fulfilling a consumer product order by said given product manufacturer;
iii) fulfilling a consumer product order by a particular retailer identified by said given product manufacturer based on the particular product ordered; and
(iv) fulfilling a consumer product order by placing the order to a product order list accessible by said given product manufacturer and by one or more retailers identified by said given product manufacturer; and
an order flow controller configured to selectively route said consumer product orders for one or more products of a given product manufacturer in accordance with the fulfillment policies selected by said given product manufacturer such that;
if the fulfillment policy selected is;
i) not accepting a consumer product order by any retailer or by said given product manufacturer, the interface indicates product unavailability;
ii) fulfilling a consumer product order by said given product manufacturer, the controller routes consumer product orders to said given product manufacturer for fulfillment;
iii) fulfilling a consumer product order by a particular retailer identified by said given product manufacturer based on the particular product ordered, the controller routes consumer orders for the particular product to the particular identified retailer for fulfillment; and
iv) fulfilling a consumer product order by placing the consumer product order to a product order list accessible by said given product manufacturer and by one or more retailers identified by said given product manufacturer, the controller routes the consumer product order to a back room manager that posts the consumer product order on the product order list from which manufacturers and retailers select an order to be fulfilled by that manufacturer or retailer.
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Abstract
Systems and methods enabling suppliers to control the distribution of products to consumers in a network environment while accommodating the concerns of its brick and mortar distribution channels are described. Consumer orders for products are received, and consumer product orders are routed in accordance with fulfillment policies respectively selected by the supplier(s). The system includes a graphical consumer interface configured to receive consumer orders for products, and an order flow controller configured to route consumer product orders in accordance with fulfillment policies respectively selected by the supplier(s). The system also includes a graphical consumer interface that is accessible over the Internet and is configured to display price and availability information for the products of each of the suppliers organized by product category and is configured to receive consumer orders for products. A consumer may search through displayable product information within a given category by supplier, by product type, by product feature, or by a combination of two or more of these identifiers using a search engine.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A network for coordinating the distribution of products from a plurality of product manufacturers to consumers wherein each of said manufacturers is an entity having at least one distribution channel that involves a retail establishment, comprising a server comprising
a graphical consumer interface accessible by consumers over the interne configured to display product information to consumers for products from said plurality of manufacturers and to receive product orders from consumers directly to any of said plurality of product manufacturers; -
a product distribution coordinator configured to receive from a given product manufacturer a selection of a fulfillment policy, wherein said fulfillment polices are selected from; i) not accepting a consumer product order by any retailer or by said given product manufacturer; ii) fulfilling a consumer product order by said given product manufacturer; iii) fulfilling a consumer product order by a particular retailer identified by said given product manufacturer based on the particular product ordered; and (iv) fulfilling a consumer product order by placing the order to a product order list accessible by said given product manufacturer and by one or more retailers identified by said given product manufacturer; and an order flow controller configured to selectively route said consumer product orders for one or more products of a given product manufacturer in accordance with the fulfillment policies selected by said given product manufacturer such that; if the fulfillment policy selected is; i) not accepting a consumer product order by any retailer or by said given product manufacturer, the interface indicates product unavailability; ii) fulfilling a consumer product order by said given product manufacturer, the controller routes consumer product orders to said given product manufacturer for fulfillment; iii) fulfilling a consumer product order by a particular retailer identified by said given product manufacturer based on the particular product ordered, the controller routes consumer orders for the particular product to the particular identified retailer for fulfillment; and iv) fulfilling a consumer product order by placing the consumer product order to a product order list accessible by said given product manufacturer and by one or more retailers identified by said given product manufacturer, the controller routes the consumer product order to a back room manager that posts the consumer product order on the product order list from which manufacturers and retailers select an order to be fulfilled by that manufacturer or retailer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for coordinating the distribution of products from a plurality of product manufacturers, wherein each of said product manufacturers is an entity having at least one distribution channel that involves a retail establishment, to consumers from a network comprising a server comprising a graphical consumer interface accessible over the internet, comprising:
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providing access to said graphical consumer interface by consumers over the internet, said interface configured to display product information to consumers for products from said plurality of product manufacturers and configured to receive consumer product orders directly from consumers to any of said product manufacturers on behalf of a plurality of product manufacturers; receiving at said graphical consumer interface consumer product orders over the internet for products of one or more of the plurality of product manufacturers from consumers to any of said product manufacturers; receiving by a product distribution coordinator a selection of a fulfillment policy from a given product manufacturer, wherein said fulfillment polices are selected from; i) not accepting a consumer product order retailer or by said given product manufacturer; ii) fulfilling a consumer product order by said given product manufacturer; iii) fulfilling a consumer product order by a particular retailer identified by said given product manufacturer based on the particular product ordered; and (iv) fulfilling a consumer product order by placing the order to a product order list accessible by said given product manufacturer and by one or more retailers identified by said given product manufacturer; and selectively routing consumer product orders for one or more products of a given product manufacturer in accordance with the fulfillment policies selected by said given product manufacturer such that if the fulfillment policy selected is; i) not accepting a consumer product order by any retailer or by said given product manufacturer, the interface indicates product unavailability; ii) fulfilling a consumer product order by said given product manufacturer, the controller routes consumer products orders to said given product manufacturer for fulfillment; iii) fulfilling a consumer product order by a particular retailer identified by said given product manufacturer based on the particular product ordered, the controller routes consumer orders for the particular product to the particular identified retailer for fulfillment; and iv) fulfilling a consumer product order by placing the consumer product order to a product order list accessible by said given product manufacturer and by one or more retailers identified by said given product manufacturer, the controller routes the consumer product order to a back room manager that posts the consumer product order on the product order list from which manufacturers and retailers select an order to be fulfilled by that manufacturer or retailer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeQuivers Inc.
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Original AssigneeBrant W. Berger, Richard W. Berger
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InventorsBerger, Brant W., Berger, Richard W., Funk, John L.
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Primary Examiner(s)Shah; Amee A
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Application NumberUS10/665,841Time in Patent Office2,699 DaysField of Search705/26, 705/27US Class Current705/26.8CPC Class CodesG06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time man...G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation...G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing ...G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders...
