E-commerce system including online automatable inventory monitor and control system

• US 8,234,203 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2001
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adventive, Inc. (BlueTie, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Adventive, Inc. (BlueTie, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koretz, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oyebisi, Ojo O
• Application Number:
  US09/853,726
• Time in Patent Office: 4,099 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37, 705/26, 705/14, 705/80, 705/219, 705/35, 705/36.R, 379/88.2
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

An e-commerce system offering retail, instant buy, and auction sales models automatically moves items for sale between the sales models according to seller-defined criteria, such as elasticity of demand, cash generation, time in sales model, and quantity in sales model. The retail sales model includes a virtual storefront creation tool with which sellers can create and customize their own virtual storefronts. The system lists items offered for sale in the retail and instant buy sales models by sellers with virtual storefronts in the sellers'"'"' storefronts.

Claims

1. A method for conducting e-commerce with an e-commerce computer system over a network between a plurality of client computer systems, the method comprising:

establishing one of two or more sales models for an item in an e-commerce computer system;

establishing a value for at least one variable which is a threshold for changing the established sales model to another one of the sales models before the item is offered for sale under the established sales model in the e-commerce computer system;

offering the item for sale under the established sales model with the e-commerce computer system;

determining with the e-commerce computer system if the value is satisfied; and

automatically moving the item from the established sales model to the another one of the sales models with the e-commerce computer system when the determining determines the value is satisfied.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a selected price for the item with the e-commerce computer system from one of the plurality of client computer systems;

monitoring with the e-commerce computer system which of the two or more sales models is established for the item; and

providing a notification from the e-commerce computer system to the one of the client computer that provided the selected price when one of a listed price of the item is at or below the selected price for the item and the monitored one of the two or more sales models is one of an instant buy sales model and an auction sales model.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a providing a plurality of storefronts in the e-commerce computer system each offering one or more of the items for sale under one of the sales models.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising collecting one or more of the items from the plurality of storefronts in a single cart in the e-commerce computer system.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising providing a unified checkout system at the e-commerce computer system that the items from the plurality of storefronts to be purchased with a single payment transaction.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one variable established for the e-commerce computer system comprises at least one of demand elasticity, sales rate, cash generation, time within the established one of the two or more sales models, and quantity of the item.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the two or more sales models for the e-commerce computer system comprise a retail sales model, an instant buy sales model, and an auction sales model.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising creating at least one virtual storefront for the established sales model in the e-commerce system.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the creating the at least one virtual storefront further comprises:

providing a plurality of templates to select from for the at least one virtual storefront with the e-commerce computer system;

providing at least one of a plurality of color schemes and a color picker to create a color scheme of for the at least one virtual storefront with the e-commerce computer system;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of templates and one of the plurality of color schemes and the color picker at the e-commerce computer system.

10. The method as set forth in claim system of claim 8 wherein the creating at least one virtual storefront further comprises creating at least one of a main page, an about page, and a contact page with the e-commerce computer system.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the instant buy sales model comprises:

offering the item for sale at a first undisclosed price with the e-commerce computer system;

receiving an offer to purchase the item at a first disclosed price from one of the client computer systems; and

selling the item with the e-commerce computer system to the one of the client computer systems that provided the first disclosed price if the first disclosed price exceeds the first undisclosed price.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising:

allowing receipt of another offer to purchase the item at a second disclosed price after a first period of time period at the e-commerce computer system from the one of the client computer systems that provided the received offer at the first disclosed price if the first disclosed price did not exceed the first undisclosed pride; and

selling the item with the e-commerce computer system to the one of the client computer systems that provided the second disclosed price if the second disclosed price exceeds the first undisclosed price.

13. A computer system for use in e-commerce, the system comprising:

a sales model management system in a computer system that establishes one of two or more sales models for an item;

a variable management system in the computer system that establishes a value for at least one variable which is a threshold for changing the established sales model to another one of the sales models before the item is offered for sale under the established sales model; and

at least one virtual storefront in the computer system that offers the item for sale under the established sales model;

the variable management system in the computer system that determines if the established value is satisfied and automatically moves the item from the established sales model to the another one of the sales models when the value is satisfied.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising:

a purchasing system in the computer system that receives a selected price for the item;

a monitoring system in the computer system that monitors which of the two or more sales models is established for the item; and

a notification system in the computer system that provides a notification when one of a listed price of the item is at or below the selected price for the item and the monitored one of the two or more sales models is one of an instant buy sales model and an auction sales model.

15. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the computer system provides a plurality of storefronts each offering one or more of the items for sale under one of the sales models.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a single cart system in the computer system that collects all of the one or more of the items from the plurality of storefronts.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising a unified checkout system in the computer system that provides for the purchase of the items from the plurality of storefronts with a single payment transaction.

18. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the at least one variable comprises at least one of demand elasticity, sales rate, cash generation, time within the established one of the two or more sales models, and quantity of the item.

19. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the two or more sales models comprise a retail sales model, an instant buy sales model, and an auction sales model.

20. The system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a creation system in the computer system that creates the at least one virtual storefront for the established sales model.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the creation system further comprises:

a template selection system in the computer system that provides a plurality of templates to select from for the at least one virtual storefront;

at least one of color scheme selection system and a color picker system a color scheme in the computer system to create the at least one virtual storefront;

a selection system in the computer system that receives a selection from one of the color scheme selection system and the color picker system.

22. The system as set forth in claim system of claim 20 wherein the creation system in the computer system further comprises a creation system that creates at least one of a main page, an about page, and a contact page.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the instant buy sales model further comprises the at least one virtual storefront in the computer system that offers the item for sale at a first undisclosed price and a purchasing system in the computer system that receives an offer to purchase the item at a first disclosed price and sells the item if the first disclosed price exceeds the first undisclosed price.

24. The system as set forth in claim 23 wherein the purchasing system allows receipt of another offer to purchase the item at a second disclosed price after a first period of time period if the first disclosed price did not exceed the first undisclosed price and sells the item if the second disclosed price exceeds the first undisclosed price.