Method and system for a hand-held device initiated search, purchase and delivery

• US 8,775,269 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• 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 J
• Application Number:
  US13/794,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272, 705/28, 705330-342
• 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 search request to receive a plurality of offers for purchase of a product or service, the request including a selection of criteria associated with the good or service;

receive updated information for a plurality of offers related to the search request and display a listing of the received plurality of offers, 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 a buyer to make a purchase;

permit the buyer to select at least one additional delivery for the product or service as part of a delivery schedule;

provide the buyer with an option to alter the delivery schedule at a later time; and

provide a seller of the good or service with an indication that the delivery schedule has been altered by the buyer.

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

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

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the server is in communication with computing devices associated with the plurality of merchants.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the altering of the delivery schedule includes the ability to select a different time period from a list of available options.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the ability to select a different time period includes an option to add a quantity to the initial purchase.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the delivery schedule is expressed in a unit of measurement, a specific day, or number of days.

9. 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.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the altering of the delivery schedule includes an option to select a quantity and a recurring delivery time period.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein at least one of the quantity or the recurring delivery time period can be changed by the buyer at a later time to alter future deliveries.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the recurring delivery time period is expressed in days, weeks, or months.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, 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.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the selectable criteria is a category of a product or service.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the selectable criteria is information associated with at least one of a product, a service, or a seller and a rating.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the delivery schedule is related to a time period expressed in weeks or months.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the criteria most often received from a plurality of buyers to review corresponding offers from sellers for purchase is updated and shared with at least one other seller.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the update occurs in real-time.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the criteria is associated with influencing buyer purchases.

20. 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.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the discounted price is based on a minimum volume ordered by the buyer over a period of time.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein a higher volume purchased by the buyer results in a higher discount.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the delivery schedule includes at least a time period during which the buyer can alter a delivery.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the price is dynamic and can change after a purchase by the buyer.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the search request includes information entered by the buyer related to at least one quantity and a plurality of desired delivery times.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the search request includes the buyer providing both quantity and delivery information to a plurality of sellers and a time period associated with seller responses.

27. 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 the hand-held device a search request to receive a plurality of offers for purchase of a product or service, the request including a selection of criteria associated with the good or service,

receive updated information for a plurality of offers related to the search request and display a listing of the received plurality of offers, 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 a buyer to make a purchase,

permit the buyer to select at least one additional delivery for the product or service as part of a delivery schedule,

provide the buyer with an option to alter the delivery schedule at a later time, and

provide a seller of the good or service with an indication that the delivery schedule has been altered by the buyer.

28. The system of claim 27, the one or more software modules further executable to transmit the search request to a server.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the information is received from the server in response to the search request.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the updated information is associated with one or more real-time offers.