System for ordering products and forecasting customer interest

• US 8,751,330 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Malsbenden, Francis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US12/889,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20110016012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/26.2, 705/27.1, 705/14.41, 705/14.45, 705/26.5
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0248 Avoiding fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for ordering a product and forecasting consumer interest, including a computer, software executing on the computer for listing a plurality of products for purchase, software executing on the computer for determining when a user views a product of the plurality of products, software executing on the computer for determining when a user orders a product of the plurality of products, software executing on the computer for tolling the views of each product and for tolling the orders of each product, software executing on the computer for identifying a first customer based on the tolled views, and software executing on the computer for identifying a second customer based on the tolled orders.

Claims

1. A system for ordering a product and forecasting consumer interest, comprising:

a computer;

software executing on said computer for listing a plurality of products for purchase;

software executing on said computer for determining when a user views a product of the plurality of products;

software executing on said computer for determining when a user orders a product of the plurality of products;

software executing on said computer for tolling the views of each product and for tolling the orders of each product;

software executing on said computer for tolling the number of modifications of each product for each user;

software executing on said computer for identifying a first customer based on the tolled views;

software executing on said computer for identifying a second customer based on the tolled orders; and

software executing on said computer for indicating whether a product is to be supplied based on the tolled number of orders and modifications for the product.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising software executing on said computer for transmitting the identity of the first customer to a product supplier.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising software executing on said computer for transmitting the identity of the second customer to a product supplier.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising software executing on said computer for determining a popularity of each product based on the tolled views and the tolled orders.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising software executing on said computer for storing a list of products based on a frequency of tolled views.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising software executing on said computer for storing a list of products based on a frequency of tolled orders.

7. A system for ordering a product and forecasting consumer interest, comprising:

a computer;

software executing on said computer for receiving a plurality of orders for various products among a plurality of products;

software executing on said computer for receiving a plurality of modifications to the various products;

software executing on said computer for tolling orders for each product of the plurality of products to determine a popularity of each product based on the tolled orders;

software executing on said computer for tolling modifications for each product of the plurality of products to determine a popularity of each product based on the tolled modifications;

software executing on said computer for storing a list of the plurality of products based on the frequency of orders of each product;

software executing on said computer for storing a list of the plurality of products based on the frequency of modifications of each product;

software executing on said computer for indicating whether a product is to be supplied based on the tolled orders and tolled modifications for the product; and

software executing on said computer for transmitting the orders and modifications to a product supplier.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising software executing on said computer for receiving a plurality of modifications for a single order.

9. A method for ordering a product and forecasting consumer interest, comprising the steps of:

providing a computer;

listing a plurality of products for purchase;

using said computer for determining when a user views a product of the plurality of products;

using said computer for determining when a user orders a product of the plurality of products;

using said computer for determining when a user orders a modification to a product of the plurality of products;

tolling a number of views of each product using said computer;

tolling a number of orders of each product using said computer;

tolling a number of modifications of each product using said computer;

identifying a first customer based on the tolled views;

identifying a second customer based on the tolled orders; and

indicating whether a product is to be supplied based on the tolled number of orders and modifications for the product.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising transmitting the identity of the first and second customers to a product supplier.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising determining a popularity of each product based on the tolled views and the tolled orders.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising storing a list of products based on the tolled views and the tolled orders.

13. A system for ordering a product, comprising:

a computer;

software executing on said computer for soliciting an order from a customer for an item that is not yet and may never be available for purchase;

software executing on said computer for receiving the order;

software executing on said computer for sending an order identifier to the customer, each order identifier including an indication of the ordered item;

software executing on said computer for storing the order identifier;

software executing on said computer for notifying the customer when the ordered item is available for purchase;

software executing on said computer for prompting the customer to submit the order identifier; and

software executing on said computer for matching the received order identifier with the stored order identifier for confirming the customer placed the reservation.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising software executing on said computer for confirming the customer submitting the order identifier sent the solicited reservation by matching the received order identifier with the stored order identifier.

15. The system according to claim 13, further comprising

software executing on said computer for prompting the customer to submit an identity of the customer;

software executing on said computer for storing the identity;

software executing on said computer for prompting the customer to submit the identity contemporaneously with prompting the customer to submit the order identifier; and

software executing on said computer for matching the received identity and received order identifier with the stored identity and stored order identifier.

16. The system according to claim 13, further comprising software executing on said computer for masking the solicitation of a reservation from certain customers while permitting other customers to view the solicitation of a reservation.

17. The system according to claim 13, further comprising software executing on said computer for reminding the customer the item is available for purchase.

18. The system according to claim 13, further comprising software executing on said computer for displaying a list of items available to be provided, each item being reservable by the customer.

19. The system according to claim 13, further comprising software executing on said computer for updating the list based on the received reservations.

20. The system according to claim 13, further comprising software executing on said computer for expiring the received reservation upon receipt of the order identifier by the customer.