E-commerce system, method and computer program product

• US 7,899,721 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2001
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Bowman-Amuah, Michel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell; James P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu; Marissa
• Application Number:
  US09/796,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20020120553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,654 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/37, 235/377, 259/679
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for e-commerce. In use, a plurality of suppliers are registered. In addition, goods-related information from customers is received, where the goods-related information is associated with goods. Access to the goods-related information by the suppliers is allowed utilizing a network. Further, offers relating to the goods from the suppliers are received utilizing the network, and the customers are informed of the offers. Still yet, a guarantee is provided to the customers regarding a qualification of at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the offer received therefrom. Such guarantee is provided as a function the at least one supplier or at least one action thereof.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving contracts from customers;

allowing access to the contracts by the suppliers utilizing a network;

receiving bids on the contracts from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online bid form;

automatically informing the customers of the bids;

requiring the suppliers to secure a performance bond relating to the contracts;

receiving payment from the suppliers; and

paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the payment is based on a percentage of price-related terms and conditions of the contracts.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising paying the customers.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the contracts includes a work order for goods or services.

4. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving contracts from customers;

allowing access to the contracts by the suppliers utilizing a network;

receiving bids on the contracts from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online bid form;

automatically informing the customers of the bids;

requiring the suppliers to secure a performance bond relating to the contracts; and

receiving payment from the customers.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the payment is based on terms and conditions of the contracts.

7. A computer-implemented method for procuring business,

comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving contracts from customers via an on-line form utilizing a network, wherein the contracts are requests for at least one of goods and services, and the network includes the Internet;

allowing access to the contracts by the suppliers utilizing the network;

receiving bids on the contracts from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online bid form;

automatically informing the customers of the bids;

providing a guarantee to the customers regarding at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the bid received therefrom for reducing an associated risk, wherein the guarantee is provided as a function of at least one action by the at least one supplier;

receiving payment from the suppliers; and

paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving goods-related information from customers, the goods-related information being associated with goods;

allowing access to the goods-related information by the suppliers utilizing a network;

receiving offers relating to the goods from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online offer form;

automatically informing the customers of the offers;

providing a guarantee to the customers regarding a qualification of at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the offer received therefrom;

wherein the guarantee is provided as a function of at least one action by the at least one supplier;

receiving payment from the suppliers; and

paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the goods-related information includes at least one order.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the goods-related information includes at least one contract.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the offers include bids.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the bids are directly related to the goods.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the bids are directly related to an actual cost of the goods.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the guarantee involves a performance bond.

15. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the suppliers are indicated as being bonded.

16. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the action includes securing of a performance bond.

17. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an online registration form;

computer code for receiving goods-related information from customers, the goods-related information being associated with goods;

computer code for allowing access to the goods-related information by the suppliers utilizing a network;

computer code for receiving offers relating to the goods from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online offer form;

computer code for informing the customers of the offers;

computer code for providing at least a partial guarantee to the customers regarding a qualification of at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the offer received therefrom;

computer code for receiving payment from the suppliers; and

computer code for paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the at least partial guarantee is provided as a function of the at least one supplier.

18. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving goods-related information from customers, the goods-related information associated with goods;

automatically informing the customers of offers from the suppliers for the provision or fulfillment of the goods, the provision or fulfillment of the goods being secured by a performance bond;

receiving payment from the suppliers; and

paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers;

wherein the customers is at least partially guaranteed that the suppliers are qualified, based, at least in part, on the supplier.

19. A computer-implemented method for procuring business, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving contracts from customers via an on-line contract form utilizing a network, wherein the contracts are requests for at least one of goods and services, and the network includes the Internet;

allowing access to the contracts by the suppliers utilizing the network and a secure personalized profile driven network accessible via the Internet, wherein the contracts are represented in a standard form;

receiving bids on the contracts from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online bid form;

automatically informing the customers of the bids;

providing a guarantee to the customers regarding at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the bid received therefrom, wherein the guarantee is provided as a function of at least one action by the at least one supplier;

receiving payment from the suppliers; and

paying the customers a portion of the payment received from the suppliers.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising performing a qualification process for determining the integrity of the plurality of suppliers.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising limiting the bids based on at least one of a financial disincentive approach and a behavior modeling algorithm.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising requiring the suppliers to secure a performance bond relating to the contracts for reducing the risk of the suppliers failing to fulfill the contracts.

23. A computer-implemented method for procuring business, comprising:

registering a plurality of suppliers utilizing an on-line registration form;

receiving contracts from customers via an on-line contract form utilizing a network, wherein the contracts are requests for at least one of goods and services, and the network includes the Internet;

allowing access to the contracts by the suppliers utilizing the network and a secure personalized profile driven network accessible via the Internet, wherein the contracts are represented in a standard form;

receiving bids on the contracts from the suppliers utilizing the network and an online bid form;

validating the bids to ensure data values entered are credible;

if a bid is determined to be invalid, returning an error message to the supplier that made the bid, where the error message itemizes at least one error found in the bid;

automatically informing the customers of the bids;

receiving payment from the customer;

sending the payment to the supplier; and

providing a guarantee to the customers regarding at least one supplier with respect to a provision or fulfillment of the bid received therefrom, wherein the guarantee is provided as a function of at least one action by the at least one supplier.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising performing a qualification process for determining the integrity of the plurality of suppliers.

25. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising limiting the bids based on at least one of a financial disincentive approach and a behavior modeling algorithm.

26. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising requiring the suppliers to secure a performance bond relating to the contracts for reducing the risk of the suppliers failing to fulfill the contracts.