Method and computer medium for facilitating a buyer-initiated feature within a business transaction

• US 8,438,075 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valentine Communications LLC
• Original Assignee: Ewinwin Incorporated
• Inventors: Mesaros, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, William
• Application Number:
  US13/492,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20120284110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272, 705/80
• US Class Current: 705/26.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system and method for conducting electronic business between buyers and sellers is provided. The system and method disclose a means for at least one buyer to request and receive online bids from one or more sellers of a particular product according to a price curve or price schedule. A price schedule or curve for a product defining a product'"'"'s unit price as a function of the volume of product ordered. Upon receipt of a plurality of bids from sellers, a buyer can then select a seller-supplier based at least in part on the price schedule.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium stored on a hand-held computing device, the medium having embodied thereon instructions executable by a processor to:

receive through an input of the hand-held device a first request to receive a plurality of offers for purchase of a product or service, the request including a selection of pre-determined criteria associated with the good or service, the pre-determined criteria being established and presented by a third party;

receive information for a plurality of offers related to the first request, the plurality of offers including at least one discounted price with a price per unit for the product or service, a quantity associated with the discounted price, and a time period associated with the delivery of the good or service;

permit the buyer to alter the time period after the purchase;

provide a supplier of the good or service with an indication that the delivery time has been altered by the buyer; and

display a listing of the received plurality of offers.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, the instructions further executable to transmit the first request to a server.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the information is received from the server in response to the first request.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first request includes a search request.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the information is associated with one or more updated offers.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the information is updated in real-time.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 2, the instructions further executable to transmit the second request to a server in communication with computing devices associated with the plurality of merchants.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the altering of the time period associated with the delivery of the good or service includes the ability to select a different time period from a list of options.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the ability to select a different time period includes an option to add a quantity to the initial order.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the altering of the time period associated with the delivery of the good or service includes the ability to select an additional time period.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein an additional time period includes a quantity and a recurring delivery schedule.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the delivery schedule is expressed in days, weeks, or months.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein at least one of the quantity or recurring delivery schedule can be changed by the buyer at a later time to alter future deliveries.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the purchase is made by way of credit card information associated with the buyer and stored in an online account.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the altering of the time period associated with the delivery of the good or service includes an option to select a quantity and a recurring delivery time period.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the time period is expressed in days, weeks, or months.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the option selected by a buyer is stored to an online account associated with the buyer and allows the buyer to receive at least one of a price discount, credit, or rebate.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the selectable criteria includes a category and a feature associated with the category.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the selectable criteria includes information related to the reputation of at least one seller.

20. A system for facilitating a buyer-initiated feature within a business transaction, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

one or more software modules stored in the memory and executable by the processor to;

receive through an input of a hand-held device a first request to receive a plurality of offers for purchase of a product or service, the request including a selection of pre-determined criteria associated with the good or service, the pre-determined criteria being established and presented by a third party;

receive information for a plurality of offers related to the first request, the plurality of offers including at least one discounted price with a price per unit for the product or service, a quantity associated with the discounted price, and a time period associated with the delivery of the good or service;

permit the buyer to alter the time period after the purchase;

provide a supplier of the good or service with an indication that the delivery time has been altered by the buyer; and

display a listing of the received plurality of offers.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first request includes a search request.

22. The system of claim 20, the instructions further executable to transmit the second request to a server in communication with computing devices associated with the plurality of merchants.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the altering of the time period associated with the delivery of the good or service includes the ability to select a different time period from a list of options.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the ability to select a different time period includes an option to add a quantity to the initial order.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the altering of the time period associated with the delivery of the good or service includes the ability to select an additional time period.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein an additional time period includes a quantity and a recurring delivery schedule.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the delivery schedule is expressed in days, weeks, or months.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein at least one of the quantity or recurring delivery schedule can be changed by the buyer at a later time to alter future deliveries.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the altering of the time period associated with the delivery of the good or service includes an option to select a quantity and a recurring delivery time period.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the time period is expressed in days, weeks, or months.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the option selected by a buyer is stored to an online account associated with the buyer and allows the buyer to receive at least one of a price discount, credit, or rebate.

32. The system of claim 20, wherein the selectable criteria includes a category and a feature associated with the category.