Internet enhanced local shopping system and method

• US 20050097005A1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: StepUp Commerce, Inc. (Intuit, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fargo, Kendall
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.62
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy

Abstract

Internet enhanced local shopping system in which businesses having physical stores where products and services can be purchased submit their inventories and business terms, including their geographic locations, into a searchable database available to shoppers wanting to buy products and services locally so that shoppers can find stores in their area where the products and services they desire are available and can be purchased under specified terms.

Claims

1. An on-line shopping system for connecting shoppers with a plurality of member stores wherein each such member store has a physical location at which shoppers can purchase and take away products and/or arrange for services, a computerized inventory accounting system in which inventory data of products and/or services is maintained in an inventory database, and business data including the address of at least one physical location comprising;

a searchable database that is accessible to shoppers via the Internet into which said business data of each said member store has been entered and is stored;

an Internet link between the inventory database of the computerized inventory accounting system of each member store and said searchable database via which inventory data from the inventory database of said member stores are transmitted to in said searchable database;

wherein the inventory data of each said member store in said searchable database is linked with that member store'"'"'s business information in said searchable database.

2. The on-line shopping system of claim 1 further comprising:

a member store interface between said Internet link and said searchable database at which a member store using a computer directs inventory data and business data into said searchable database.

3. The on-line shopping system of claim 1 further comprising:

a shopper interface accessible via the Internet at which a shopper using a computer can connect with and search said searchable database according to a plurality of criterion.

4. The on-line shopping system of claim 2 further comprising:

a shopper interface accessible via the Internet at which a shopper using a computer can connect with and search said searchable database according to a plurality of criterion.

5. The on-line shopping system of claim 4 wherein the member stores have no other presence on the world wide web.

6. The on-line shopping system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of criterion include product data and business data.

7. The on-line shopping system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of criterion include service data and business data.

8. The on-line shopping system of claim 5 wherein business data includes hours of operation, at least one store location, and payment options.

9. The on-line shopping system of claim 6 wherein product data includes price, size, model number and manufacturer.

10. The on-line shopping system of claim 7 wherein service data includes available appointment dates and times.

11. The on-line shopping system of claim 6 wherein business data includes hours of operation, at least one store location, and payment options.

12. The on-line shopping system of claim 4 further comprising:

a location module capable of determining the distance between two identified locations; and

a mapping module that provides directions for traveling between two identified locations wherein said mapping module is accessible to a shopper from at said shopper interface.

13. The on-line shopping system of claim 12 wherein the selectable criteria at said shopper interface include&

a maximum distance between a member store location and a location specified by the shopper.

14. The on-line shopping system of claim 12 wherein one of the specified locations is the location of a member store.

15. The on-line shopping system of claim 12 wherein said mapping module provides a shopper using a computer with directions to a member store from a specified location in response to a request at said shopper interface.

16. The on-line shopping system of claim 4 wherein the inventory data includes a manufacturer'"'"'s product code, and the system further comprises:

a product description database module that contains manufacturer'"'"'s product description information linked to manufacturer'"'"'s product codes in the inventory data, and wherein said product description database is linked to said shopper interface, and can be called up at said shopper interface by a shopper using a computer.

17. The on-line shopping system of claim 4 wherein the inventory data includes a manufacturer'"'"'s product code, and the system further comprises:

a product description database module that contains manufacturer'"'"'s product description information linked to manufacturer'"'"'s product codes in the inventory database wherein product description information is automatically attached to, and presented along with, search results that include a product code for which manufacturer'"'"'s product description information is available in said product description database module.

18. The on-line shopping system of claim 17 wherein said member store interface includes a manufacturer'"'"'s interface at which manufacturer'"'"'s product description information can be entered into said product description database module.

19. The on-line shopping system of claim 4 further comprising:

a client software module that interfaces with a member store'"'"'s computerized inventory accounting system and which facilitates the transfer of inventory data maintained in the member store'"'"'s inventory database to said searchable database.

20. The on-line shopping system of claim 19 wherein said client software module is compatible with the member store'"'"'s computerized inventory accounting system and is downloadable from said member store interface.

21. The on-line shopping system of claim 19 wherein said client software module facilitates the automatic transfer of member store inventory data periodically.

22. The on-line shopping system of claim 19 wherein said client software allows the temporary addition of promotions and sales of selected inventory items.

23. The on-line shopping system of claim 4 further comprising:

a payment function module accessible at said shopper interface to a shopper using a computer and permitting a shopper to make a payment.

24. The on-line shopping system of claim 23 wherein said payment module communicates with a member store through said member store interface whereby a member store is informed of purchases of its inventory which include a payment using said payment module.

25. A method of providing local shopping information to shoppers and providing a member store having a physical location at which shoppers can purchase and take away products and/or arrange for services and having a computerized inventory accounting system in which inventory data of products and/or services is maintained in an inventory database with the opportunity to be seen by and to attract Internet shoppers, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

providing a searchable database;

providing a browser-implemented store connection via the Internet between the searchable database and the member store inventory database;

uploading inventory data from the member store inventory databases to the searchable database over the browser-implemented store connection

26. The method, as recited in claim 25, wherein the member store has no other Internet presence.

27. The method, as recited in claim 54, further comprising;

providing a payment function module by which a shopper can make a payment to a member store.

28. The method, as recited in claim 54, wherein the inventory data uploaded to the searchable database includes manufacturer'"'"'s codes, and further comprising:

providing a shopper with expanded product and service description information based on the manufacturer'"'"'s codes when search results are presented to a shopper.

29. The method, as recited in claim 54, wherein the plurality of criterion specified by the shopper includes a store'"'"'s hours of operation and available payment options.

30. The method, as recited in claim 54, wherein the plurality of criterion specified by the shopper includes a product'"'"'s model number and manufacturer.

31. The method, as recited in claim 54, wherein the plurality of criterion specified by the shopper includes available appointment dates and times.

32. The method, as recited in claim 54, further comprising providing a shopper with directions to a store from a specified location.

33. The method, as recited in claim 54, further wherein the business data includes special sales on specified products.

34. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein inventory data is uploaded to the searchable database automatically and periodically.

54. The method, as recited in claim 25 wherein the member store has business data including at least one store location and further comprising;

linking to the uploaded inventory data of the member to store business data;

providing a browser-implemented shopper connection via the Internet between the searchable database and a shopper whereby a shopper can specify a plurality of search criterion.

55. The method, as recited in claim 54 wherein the search criterion includes a product or service and a maximum distance that the shopper is willing to travel to a store and further comprising;

performing a search of the searchable database for stores meeting the search criteria; and

reporting the results of the search to the shopper via the browser-implemented shopper connection.

35. A method of providing local shopping information to shoppers and enabling a store, having an inventory database of products and/or services and a physical location at which shoppers can purchase and take away products and/or arrange for services, to attract Internet shoppers, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

providing a searchable database that is accessible to shoppers via the Internet;

entering and storing business data of the store, including the store'"'"'s physical location, into the searchable database;

providing communication via the Internet between the inventory database of the store and said searchable database whereby inventory data from the inventory database of the store are entered into and stored in said searchable database; and

linking the inventory data of the store in said searchable database with the store'"'"'s business information in said database.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

providing a store interface accessible via the Internet at which the store using a computer can connect with and enter its inventory data and business data into said searchable database.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising:

providing a shopper interface accessible via the Internet at which a shopper using a computer can connect with and search said searchable database according to a plurality of criterion.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the plurality of criterion include product data and business data.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the plurality of criterion include service data and business data.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein business data includes hours of operation, at least one store location, and payment options.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein product data includes price, size, model number and manufacturer.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein service data includes available appointment dates and times.

43. The method of claim 37 wherein one of the searchable criteria is the distance the shopper is willing to travel to a store.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the shopper interface allows a shopper to enter a physical location into the searchable database as the point from which distance to a store is measured.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising:

providing a shopper with directions from an entered physical location to a store.

46. The method of claim 44 further comprising:

providing a shopper with a list of all stores that meet the search criteria and are within the specified distance from the entered physical location that the shopper is willing to travel.

47. The on-line shopping system of claim 35 wherein the inventory data includes a manufacturer'"'"'s product code, and further comprises:

storing in the searchable database manufacturer'"'"'s product descriptions based on the manufacturer'"'"'s product codes; and

providing a shopper with a manufacturer'"'"'s product description based on the manufacturer'"'"'s product code.

48. The on-line shopping system of claim 47 further comprising:

providing an Internet accessible manufacturer'"'"'s interface at which manufacturer'"'"'s product description information can be entered into said searchable database.

49. The on-line shopping system of claim 35 wherein inventory data is periodically automatically entered into said searchable database.

50. The on-line shopping system of claim 37 further comprising:

providing a payment function module accessible to a shopper using a computer at said shopper interface and permitting a shopper to make a payment.

51. The on-line shopping system of claim 50 wherein said payment module communicates with a member store whereby a member store is informed of purchases of its inventory which include a payment using said payment module.

52. A method of providing local shopping information to shoppers and providing Internet visibility to member stores wherein member stores have physical locations at which shoppers can purchase and take away products and/or arrange for services and have a computerized inventory accounting system in which inventory data of products and/or services is maintained in an inventory database, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

providing a searchable database;

providing a browser-implemented store connection via the Internet between the searchable database and member stores;

uploading inventory data from the inventory databases of the member stores to the searchable database over the browser-implemented connection;

uploading stores'"'"' business data, including geographic location, to the searchable database over the browser-implemented connection; and

attaching to the uploaded inventory data of each store that store'"'"'s business data, including geographic location.

53. The method of claim 52 further comprising:

providing a browser-implemented shopper connection via the Internet between the searchable database and a shopper whereby the shopper can specify a plurality of search criterion, including a product or service and a maximum distance that the shopper is willing to travel to a store from a specified location;

performing a search of the searchable database for stores meeting the search criteria and within the maximum distance specified by the shopper; and

reporting the results of the search to the shopper over the browser-implemented shopper connection.