Systems, methods and computer program products for implementing processes relating to retail sales

• US 8,528,816 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2010
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lowe's Companies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lowe's Companies, Inc.
• Inventors: Stone, Steven M., Bhasker, Santosh E, Panzano, Alex C, Mitchell, John P
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US12/930,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20110166954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.25, 705/7.31, 705/7.32, 705/26.1, 705/26.5, 705/26.8, 705/28, 705/725, 705/26.43, 705/26.61, 705/26.64, 705/26.7, 705/26.81, 705/376, 705/383, 235/376, 235/383, 235/375, 235/385, 706/47, 709/203, 709/217, 715/202
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/165 Land development

Abstract

The present invention provides a system that facilitates the selection of purchasable items for use in an environs defined by the customer. In one aspect, the system includes a processing element capable of proposing a plurality of purchasable items to the customer for selection by the customer. The processing element also is capable of receiving data representing the environs and data representing at least one purchasable item selected by the customer. The processing element is further capable of generating and displaying a three-dimensional graphical representation of the environs and each purchasable item or items selected by the customer so that the customer can visualize the items in the environs.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating the selection of configurable purchasable items by a customer and the manufacture of selected configurable purchasable items by a third-party vendor, the system comprising:

a processing element capable of proposing a plurality of configurable purchasable items to the customer for selection by the customer, said processing element being capable of receiving data representing at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer, said processing element being capable of soliciting from the customer specifications for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer, said processing element being capable of receiving data representing the specifications for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer, and wherein said processing element is further capable of communicating data representing the specifications for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer to the third-party vendor.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the configurable purchasable items comprise products selected from the group consisting of furniture, appliances, flooring, decking, lighting, countertops, millwork, doorframes, window frames, doors, windows, paint, wall coverings, cabinetry, and shelving.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein the configurable purchasable items comprise services selected from the group consisting of design services, measuring services, installation services, maintenance services and warranty services.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said processing element is further capable of scheduling an appointment for the customer with an in-store customer representative relating to the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said processing element is further capable of scheduling at least one of the delivery of, installation of and on-site measurement for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said processing element is further capable of prompting a customer representative to contact the customer based upon the data received representing the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein said processing element is further capable of proposing a plurality of purchasable items to a plurality of customers for selection by the customers, said processing element being capable of receiving and storing data representing at least one purchasable item selected by each customer and data representing at least one sales variable for each customer, and wherein said processing element is further capable of comparing the at least one sales variable for at least two customers.

8. A computer program product for facilitating the selection of configurable purchasable items by a customer and the manufacture of selected configurable purchasable items by a third-party vendor, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program portions comprising:

an executable portion for proposing a plurality of configurable purchasable items to the customer for selection by the customer, said executable portion capable of receiving data representing at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer, said executable portion capable of soliciting from the customer specifications for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer, said executable portion capable of receiving data representing the specifications for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer, and wherein said executable portion capable of communicating data representing the specifications for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer to the third-party vendor.

9. A computer program product according to claim 8 wherein the configurable purchasable items comprise products selected from the group consisting of furniture, appliances, flooring, decking, lighting, countertops, millwork, doorframes, window frames, doors, windows, paint, wall coverings, cabinetry, and shelving.

10. A computer program product according to claim 8 wherein the configurable purchasable items comprise services selected from the group consisting of design services, measuring services, installation services, maintenance services and warranty services.

11. A computer program product according to claim 8 wherein said executable portion capable of scheduling an appointment for the customer with an in-store customer representative relating to the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer.

12. A computer program product according to claim 8 wherein said executable portion capable of scheduling at least one of the delivery of, installation of and on-site measurement for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer.

13. A computer program product according to claim 8 wherein said executable portion capable of prompting a customer representative to contact the customer based upon the data received representing the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer.

14. A computer program product according to claim 8 wherein said executable portion capable of proposing a plurality of purchasable items to a plurality of customers for selection by the customers, said executable portion capable of receiving data representing at least one purchasable item selected by each customer and data representing at least one sales variable for each customer, and wherein said executable portion capable of comparing the at least one sales variable for at least two customers.

15. A method for facilitating the selection of configurable purchasable items by a customer and the manufacture of selected configurable purchasable items by a third-party vendor, the method comprising:

proposing a plurality of configurable purchasable items to the customer for selection by the customer;

receiving electronically data representing at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer;

soliciting from the customer specifications for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer;

receiving electronically data representing the specifications for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer; and

communicating electronically data representing the specifications for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer to the third-party vendor.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the configurable purchasable items comprise products selected from the group consisting of furniture, appliances, flooring, decking, lighting, countertops, millwork, doorframes, window frames, doors, windows, paint, wall coverings, cabinetry, and shelving.

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein the configurable purchasable items comprise services selected from the group consisting of design services, measuring services, installation services, maintenance services and warranty services.

18. A method according to claim 15 further comprising scheduling an appointment for the customer with an in-store customer representative relating to the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer.

19. A method according to claim 15 further comprising scheduling at least one of the delivery of, installation of and on-site measurement for the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer.

20. A method according to claim 15 further comprising prompting a customer representative to contact the customer based upon the data received representing the at least one configurable purchasable item selected by the customer.

21. A method according to claim 15 further comprising:

proposing a plurality of purchasable items to a plurality of customers for selection by the customers;

receiving electronically data representing at least one purchasable item selected by each customer and data representing at least one sales variable for each customer;

storing electronically data representing at least one purchasable item selected by each customer and data representing at least one sales variable for each customer; and

comparing the at least one sales variable for at least two customers.