Online store product availability
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for assisting a customer to order a product from an online store via a computer network, the computer network including at least a customer interface system in communication with a storage system, the customer interface system facilitating ordering the product, and the storage system facilitating storage of the product, the method comprising:
- obtaining, by the customer interface system, information associated with availability of the product from one or more databases associated with an order management system, wherein the information associated with availability of the product is computed based at least in part on one or more of an inventory of the product and an arrival date of the product, wherein the information associated with the availability of the product is obtained via an interface between the customer interface system and the order management system, the interface being implemented using one or more executable programs, a first portion of the one or more executable programs being configured to send data from the customer interface system to the order management system, and a second portion of the one or more executable programs being configured to send data from the order management system to the customer interface system, and wherein the order management system is configured to poll one or more other systems for an update to information associated with the product and to communicate the update to the information associated with the product to the customer interface system;
providing delivery timing information regarding the product to the customer via the customer interface system even when the product is not currently in stock but scheduled to be available by a future date, to assist the customer in ordering the product, wherein the delivery timing information regarding the product is associated with the information associated with the availability of the product;
recording information in the storage system regarding receiving the product at a physical storage location for storing a plurality of products orderable from the online store, the online store allowing a plurality of customers to purchase from the online store; and
automatically updating availability information of the product at the customer interface system, from not being in stock to being in stock, after the receiving of the product at the physical storage location, based on at least the information recorded in the storage system.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for effecting electronic commerce using a data network is described. The data network includes a plurality of subsystems which, together, form an integrated system for receiving customer orders for selected items via a data network, fulfilling the customer orders, and delivering the ordered products to the customers. Moreover, according to a specific embodiment, the integrated nature of the system architecture of the present invention allows the on-line merchant to provide a guarantee to the customer that the ordered items will be available to be delivered to the customer at the specified delivery date, time, and location.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for assisting a customer to order a product from an online store via a computer network, the computer network including at least a customer interface system in communication with a storage system, the customer interface system facilitating ordering the product, and the storage system facilitating storage of the product, the method comprising:
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obtaining, by the customer interface system, information associated with availability of the product from one or more databases associated with an order management system, wherein the information associated with availability of the product is computed based at least in part on one or more of an inventory of the product and an arrival date of the product, wherein the information associated with the availability of the product is obtained via an interface between the customer interface system and the order management system, the interface being implemented using one or more executable programs, a first portion of the one or more executable programs being configured to send data from the customer interface system to the order management system, and a second portion of the one or more executable programs being configured to send data from the order management system to the customer interface system, and wherein the order management system is configured to poll one or more other systems for an update to information associated with the product and to communicate the update to the information associated with the product to the customer interface system; providing delivery timing information regarding the product to the customer via the customer interface system even when the product is not currently in stock but scheduled to be available by a future date, to assist the customer in ordering the product, wherein the delivery timing information regarding the product is associated with the information associated with the availability of the product; recording information in the storage system regarding receiving the product at a physical storage location for storing a plurality of products orderable from the online store, the online store allowing a plurality of customers to purchase from the online store; and automatically updating availability information of the product at the customer interface system, from not being in stock to being in stock, after the receiving of the product at the physical storage location, based on at least the information recorded in the storage system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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17. A computer network for assisting a customer to order a product from an online store comprising:
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a customer interface system configured obtain information associated with availability of the product from one or more databases associated with an order management system and to provide delivery timing information regarding the product to the customer even when the product is not currently in stock but scheduled to be available by a future date, to assist the customer in ordering the product, wherein the information associated with availability of the product is computed based at least in part on one or more of an inventory of the product and an arrival date of the product, and wherein the delivery timing information regarding the product is associated with the information associated with the availability of the product, wherein the information associated with the availability of the product is obtained via an interface between the customer interface system and the order management system, the interface being implemented using one or more executable programs, a first portion of the one or more executable programs being configured to send data from the customer interface system to the order management system, and a second portion of the one or more executable programs being configured to send data from the order management system to the customer interface system, and wherein the order management system is configured to poll one or more other systems for an update to information associated with the product and to communicate the update to the information associated with the product to the customer interface system; and a storage system in communication with the customer interface system to facilitate storage of the product, the storage system configured to record information regarding receiving the product at a physical storage location for storing a plurality of products orderable from the online store, the online store allowing a plurality of customers to purchase from the online store; wherein the customer interface system is configured to automatically update availability information of the product from not being in stock to being in stock, after the receiving of the product at the physical storage location, based on at least the information recorded in the storage system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification