Point-of origin store and method of selling merchandise on a point-of-origin basis

• US 7,926,716 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Localmakers.com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Localmakers.com Incorporated
• Inventors: Hanson, Karl G.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US11/538,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20080116265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 705/10, 705/14.11, 705/14.2, 705/14.39, 705/14.4, 705/14.49, 705/14.57, 705/14.58
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The new store that includes a building that contains merchandise that was purchased by the store on a point-of-origin basis. The merchandise preferably is marketed for sale to consumers in such a way that there is consumer awareness in regard to the origin of the merchandise. The new store presents an alternative to conventional stores that focus mainly on price when other attributes are similar. The store may also include an on-line enterprise that locates locally-made merchandise for potential customers. By using a point-of-origin basis for buying and selling merchandise, the present invention provides consumers with a store where they can quickly locate and purchase merchandise that is made closer to their residence.

Claims

1. An online store that comprises:

a website that offers a variety of merchandise for sale to consumers through electronic interface with the website, the website allowing for a consumer to input their residence information and an inquiry for a desired product type, wherein the variety of merchandise that is offered for sale to the consumers has been manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers and is made available to the consumer for purchase on the website such that locally made items of a particular product type are brought to the attention of the consumer on the website relative to the consumer'"'"'s previously inputted residence information and in response to the consumer inquiry for the particular product type.

2. The online store of claim 1, wherein the websites electronically interfaces with a database that contains information pertaining to a super multiple of product types, the interface allowing for the website to display a list of product brands located closer to the consumer residence information than other product brands in the database of the inquired product type.

3. The online store claim 2, wherein the merchandise that is offered for sale has been made by multiple manufacturers.

4. The online store claim 3, wherein the merchandise that is offered for sale at the online store has been made by a super multiple of manufacturers.

5. The online store of claim 1, wherein the website is adapted to display a plurality product brands that are available for purchase in response to the consumer inquiry for the particular product type, the displayed product brands having location of manufacture that is located closer to the consumer'"'"'s residence information than the non-displayed product brands in the database.

6. The store of claim 5, wherein the consumer has an option on the website to expand the list of displayed product brands to a larger geographic area than the first inputted inquiry.

7. The online store of claim 1, wherein the merchandise that the online store offers for sale is available for searching on a point-of-origin basis.

8. The online store of claim 7, wherein the location of manufacture of the locally made items of the particular product type is displayed on the website in response to the consumer inquiry for the particular product type.

9. The online store of claim 1, wherein the online store includes a catalog of merchandise that is searchable on a point-of-origin basis.

10. The online store of claim 1, comprising an electronic interface with a database that can furnish the website with a listing of one or more items of the product type that the consumer has inquired about.

11. The online store of claim 1, wherein the merchandise that the online store offers for sale is available for searching by the consumers on a point-of-origin basis, and locally made merchandise, relative to the consumer'"'"'s residence information, is first displayed on the website as a list of one or more product brands in response to the consumer inquiry.

12. The online store of claim 1, wherein a point system is used to provide a ranking for the variety of items of merchandise.

13. The online store of claim 12, wherein the point system associated with the items of merchandise results in a ranking being displayed on the website for each displayed item on the website in response to the consumer inquiry.

14. The online store of claim 1, wherein the store advertises to consumers on its website that the online store offers locally made merchandise for sale.

15. The online store of claim 1, wherein the locally made items of merchandise are intentionally brought to the attention of the consumer as an operating principle of the online store.

16. The online store of claim 1, wherein the residence information comprises a ZIP code, and wherein the locally made items of the particular product type that are brought to the attention of the consumer on the website are displayed relative to the inputted ZIP code.

17. An online store that comprises:

(a) a store hub;

(b) an electronic interface with online consumers via a website, which interface is capable of transmitting an online consumer inquiry regarding one or more product types that a consumer is interested in purchasing from the online store to the store hub and is capable of responding to the inquiry with information pertaining the product brands that are offered for sale online; and

(c) an electronic interface with a database that contains information pertaining to at least a super-multiple of product types and the location of manufacture in whole or in part, of the brands within the super-multiple of product types, the electronic interface being capable of furnishing the store hub with information that includes locally made products brands, relative to the consumer'"'"'s residence information, of the product type that the consumer has inquired about;

wherein the store hub will, via the electronic interface with the consumer at the website, or via an e-mail, respond to the consumer inquiry regarding the one or more product types with information that includes the product(s) brands that are available for sale from the online store such that the consumer has the ability to select a locally made product brand for purchase, the response to the consumer inquiry being tailored to first display product brands made geographically closer to the consumer'"'"'s residence information than other brands of the same product type.

18. The online store of claim 17, wherein the store advertises to consumers on its website that the online store specializes in the sale of locally made merchandise.

19. The online store of claim 17, which online store further comprises a point system.

20. The online store of claim 19, wherein the point system comprises a ranking that includes an indicia that comprises units from one to five.