Online Transaction Method and System Using a Payment Platform and a Logistics Company

• US 20100287068A1
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced New Technologies Company Limited (Ant Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Liang, Zhu, Shi Yu, Qi, Xiaoning, Du, Jun Li, Yu, Feng, Ni, Xingjun, Hu, Xiaoming
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

The disclosed online transaction method and system uses payment platform acting as an intermediary agent between the merchant and the shipping company to handle the payment. While the payment platform receives payment from the shipping company, the merchant receives payment from the payment platform. The method and system do not require buyers to use the payment method provided by an intermediary transaction platform to make a payment. Instead, the buyer may pay directly to the shipping company. Unlike conventional transaction method based on COD, however, the disclosed online transaction method and system centrally manage a logistics platform or multiple logistics operations run by logistics companies. The merchant does not receive the payment from the logistics company, but rather receive the payment from a centralized payment platform to ensure secure and fast payment.

Claims

1. An online transaction method for conducting a merchandise transaction between a merchant and a user, the method comprising:

(a) allowing the user to purchase a product of the merchant through an intermediary transaction platform, and receiving from the user a transaction request including at least a mode of payment selected by the user;

(b) sending a request for pickup service to a logistics company;

(c) receiving a first transaction status indicating that the merchant has shipped the product;

(d) receiving a second transaction status indicating that the user has confirmed receiving the product;

(e) conducting a first fund settlement between a payment platform and the logistics company, the first fund settlement including receiving funds from the logistics company into the payment platform; and

(f) conducting a second fund settlement between the payment platform and the merchant, the second fund settlement including transferring funds from the payment platform to the merchant.

2. The online transaction method as recited in claim 1, wherein the payment platform is a separate platform from the intermediary transaction platform.

3. The online transaction method as recited in claim 1, wherein the payment platform and the intermediary transaction platform are integrated into a single intermediary platform.

4. The online transaction method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first fund settlement between the payment platform and the logistics company is conducted through a logistics platform on behalf of the logistics company.

5. The online transaction method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first fund settlement between the payment platform and the logistics company and the second fund settlement between the payment platform and the merchant are conducted collectively for multiple transactions on a periodic basis.

6. The online transaction method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first fund settlement comprises paying a service fee to the logistics company.

7. The online transaction method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second fund settlement comprises charging a service fee on the merchant.

8. The online transaction method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the merchant to select the logistics company from a plurality of logistics companies contracted with the intermediary transaction platform.

9. The online transaction method as recited in claim 8, wherein the logistics company is selected by the merchant as a default logistics company for all transactions involving the same merchant.

10. The online transaction method as recited in claim 1, wherein the logistics company is designated by the intermediary transaction platform.

11. The online transaction method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

tracking occasions wherein a result of pickup service indicating “

unsuccessful pick-up of goods”

is received from the logistics platform;

applying a punitive measure on the merchant according to a pre-determined rule if an accumulative number of the said occasions is greater than a threshold.

12. An online transaction system for conducting a merchandise transaction between a merchant and a user, the online transaction system comprising an intermediary transaction platform and a payment platform, the intermediary transaction platform and the payment platform being programmed to perform the following:

(a) allowing the user to purchase a product of the merchant through the intermediary transaction platform, and receiving from the user a transaction request including at least a mode of payment selected by the user;

(b) sending a request for pickup service to a logistics company;

(c) receiving a first transaction status indicating that the merchant has shipped the product;

(d) receiving a second transaction status indicating that the user has confirmed receiving the product;

(e) conducting a first fund settlement between the payment platform and the logistics company, the first fund settlement including receiving funds from the logistics company into the payment platform; and

(f) conducting a second fund settlement between the payment platform and the merchant, the second fund settlement including transferring funds from the payment platform to the merchant.

13. The online transaction system as recited in claim 12, wherein the intermediary transaction platform is accessible by the user, the merchant, and the logistics company through the Internet.

14. The online transaction system as recited in claim 12, wherein the payment platform is accessible by the merchant and the logistics company through a designated line or the Internet.

15. The online transaction system as recited in claim 12, wherein the intermediary transaction platform and the payment platform are connected through any one or more of a designated line, a local area network, and the Internet.

16. The online transaction system as recited in claim 12, wherein the intermediary transaction platform and the payment platform are integrated into a single intermediary platform.