Optimizing a business transaction between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor
First Claim
1. A method for using a computer to optimize a business transaction between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor, the method comprising:
- receiving by the computer a query from a selling vendor, the selling vendor maintaining a physical and virtual inventory of products, the query comprising customer order data, the selling vendor comprising a vendor receiving an order from a customer;
identifying by the computer at least one possible shipping vendor based on the customer order data, each of the at least one possible shipping vendor comprising a vendor possessing a physical inventory of at least one product described by the customer order data;
determining by the computer shipping information for each of the at least one possible shipping vendors;
selecting via the computer a preferred shipping vendor from among the at least one possible shipping vendors, the preferred shipping vendor adapted to use a shipping company to ship the at least one product; and
completing a transaction between the selling vendor and the preferred shipping vendor.
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for optimizing a business transaction between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor. The method includes receiving a query from a selling vendor. The query includes customer order data. The method also includes identifying at least one possible shipping vendor based on the customer order data and determining shipping information for each of the at least one possible shipping vendors. The method further includes selecting a preferred shipping vendor from among the at least one possible shipping vendors and completing the transaction between the selling vendor and the shipping vendor.
40 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for using a computer to optimize a business transaction between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor, the method comprising:
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receiving by the computer a query from a selling vendor, the selling vendor maintaining a physical and virtual inventory of products, the query comprising customer order data, the selling vendor comprising a vendor receiving an order from a customer; identifying by the computer at least one possible shipping vendor based on the customer order data, each of the at least one possible shipping vendor comprising a vendor possessing a physical inventory of at least one product described by the customer order data; determining by the computer shipping information for each of the at least one possible shipping vendors; selecting via the computer a preferred shipping vendor from among the at least one possible shipping vendors, the preferred shipping vendor adapted to use a shipping company to ship the at least one product; and completing a transaction between the selling vendor and the preferred shipping vendor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system for optimizing a business transaction between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor, the computer system comprising:
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a processor; an input device connected to the processor; a memory connected to the processor and storing data and instructions to control the operation of the processor; the input device receiving a query from a selling vendor, the selling vendor maintaining a physical and virtual inventory of products, the query including customer order data; the processor operative with the stored instructions to; access a catalog of the selling vendor stored in the memory; access a master catalog stored in the memory, the master catalog comprising inventory of a plurality of shipping vendors; identify at least one possible shipping vendor from the plurality of shipping vendors based on the customer order data, the master catalog and the catalog of the selling vendor, each possible shipping vendor possessing a physical inventory of at least one product identified by the customer order data; determine shipping information for each of the at least one possible shipping vendors; rank the at least one possible shipping vendors; select a preferred shipping vendor from among the at least one possible shipping vendors; and complete a transaction between the selling vendor and the preferred shipping vendor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification