Methods, Apparatuses, and Systems for Online Item Lookup Operations

• US 20160350836A1
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Home Depot Product Authority, LLC (The Home Depot, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Homer TLC Incorporated (The Home Depot, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burns, Karen, Saak, Jessica R., Thompson, Jesse, Gerstenberger, Troy, Peregoy, Brenda L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,438,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and implementations of an online item searching platform having a store-to-store interface are disclosed. At least some versions of the disclosed systems enable a user to perform purchase and pickup transactions for items across multiple remote stores. The disclosed systems may enable a user to separately navigate hierarchical menus, perform text searches, and navigate favorites bars to find and select items for purchase.

Claims

1. A method for implementing an online inventory application, the method comprising:

initiating a session of an online inventory application by accessing a user interface running or stored on a hardware device comprising at least one processor;

accessing a category hierarchical menu on the user interface comprising;

a search field;

a popular items list; and

a category list comprising a plurality of item categories;

making a selection from the category hierarchical menu;

accessing a sub-category hierarchical menu on the user interface comprising;

a search field;

a sub-category popular items list comprising items related to the selection from the category hierarchical menu; and

a sub-category list comprising a plurality of item sub-categories;

making a selection from the sub-category hierarchical menu; and

performing a menu transaction on the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, where performing the menu transaction comprises:

accessing one or more additional hierarchical menus; and

making a selection from the one or more additional hierarchical menus.

3. The method of claim 1, where performing the menu transaction comprises:

accessing an item page on the user interface comprising one or more of;

one or more functional fields, and

one or more informational fields displaying information; and

selecting a functional field.

4. The method of claim 3, the selecting the functional field comprises:

accessing a store interface on the user interface, the store interface configured to access item information from a current store and a plurality of remote stores;

inputting a quantity of an item related to the item page for purchase; and

completing a purchase transaction of the item for a customer.

5. The method of claim 4, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises designating the item for pickup at the current store.

6. The method of claim 4, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises designating the item for pickup at a remote store.

7. The method of claim 4, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises:

selecting a remote item from a remote store on the remote store inventory list on the user interface;

completing a purchase transaction of the remote item; and

designating the remote item for pickup at the remote store.

8. The method of claim 4, where the accessing the store interface further comprises conducting a search of the remote stores.

9. The method of claim 8, where the search comprises one or more of a zip code search and a store number search.

10. The method of claim 1, where the popular items list comprises a list of most-sold items over a plurality of categories over a period of time.

11. The method of claim 1, where the sub-category popular items list comprises a list of most-sold items in a sub-category over a period of time.

12. The method of claim 1, where the popular items list and the sub-category popular items list are unique to a transaction register location.

13. The method of claim 1, where the popular items list and the sub-category popular items list are updated at set time intervals.

14. The method of claim 1, where the making the selection from the category hierarchical menu comprises one or more of:

performing a text search in the search field;

selecting an item from the popular items list; and

selecting a category from the category list.

15. The method of claim 14, where the popular items list is separately navigable from the search field and the category list.

22. The method of claim 4, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises applying a gift card balance to a purchase of the item.

24. The method of claim 4, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises applying a store credit balance to a purchase of the item.

26. The method of claim 4, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises adding one or more third party items to an order for the customer.

16. A method for implementing an online inventory application, the method comprising:

accessing a store interface running or stored on a hardware device comprising at least one processor, the store interface configured to access item information from a current store and a plurality of remote stores;

inputting a quantity of an item related to the item page for purchase on the user interface; and

completing a purchase transaction of the item for a customer on the user interface.

17. The method of claim 16, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises designating the item for pickup at the current store.

18. The method of claim 16, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises designating the item for pickup at a remote store.

19. The method of claim 16, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises:

selecting a remote item from a remote store on the remote store inventory list on the user interface;

completing a purchase transaction of the remote item; and

designating the remote item for pickup at the remote store.

20. The method of claim 16, where the accessing the store interface further comprises conducting a search of the remote stores.

21. The method of claim 20, where the search comprises one or more of a zip code search and a store number search.

23. The method of claim 16, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises applying a gift card balance to a purchase of the item.

25. The method of claim 16, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises applying a store credit balance to a purchase of the item.

27. The method of claim 16, where the completing the purchase transaction comprises adding one or more third party items to an order for the customer.

28. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program comprising instructions executable by a machine to:

initiate a session of an online inventory application by accessing a user interface running or stored on a hardware device comprising at least one processor;

access a category hierarchical menu on the user interface comprising;

a search field;

a popular items list; and

a category list comprising a plurality of item categories;

make a selection from the category hierarchical menu;

access a sub-category hierarchical menu on the user interface comprising;

a search field;

a sub-category popular items list comprising items related to the selection from the category hierarchical menu; and

a sub-category list comprising a plurality of item sub-categories;

make a selection from the sub-category hierarchical menu; and

perform a menu transaction on the user interface.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, where the instructions executable by a machine to perform the menu transaction comprise instructions executable by a machine to:

access one or more additional hierarchical menus; and

make a selection from the one or more additional hierarchical menus.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, where the instructions executable by a machine to perform the menu transaction comprise instructions executable by a machine to:

access an item page on the user interface comprising one or more of;

one or more functional fields, and

one or more informational fields displaying information; and

selecting a functional field.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 30, where the instructions executable by a machine to select the functional field comprise instructions executable by a machine to:

access a store interface on the user interface, the store interface configured to access item information from a current store and a plurality of remote stores;

input a quantity of an item related to the item page for purchase; and

complete a purchase transaction of the item for a customer.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, where the instructions executable by a machine to complete the purchase transaction comprise instructions executable by a machine to designate the item for pickup at the current store.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, where the instructions executable by a machine to complete the purchase transaction comprise instructions executable by a machine to designate the item for pickup at a remote store.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, where the instructions executable by a machine to complete the purchase transaction comprise instructions executable by a machine to:

select a remote item from a remote store on the remote store inventory list on the user interface;

complete a purchase transaction of the remote item; and

designate the remote item for pickup at the remote store.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, where the instructions executable by a machine to access the store interface further comprise instructions executable by a machine to conduct a search of the remote stores.

36. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 35, where the instructions executable by a machine to conduct the search further comprise instructions executable by a machine to execute one or more of a zip code search and a store number search.

37. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, where the popular items list comprises a list of most-sold items over a plurality of categories over a period of time.

38. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, where the sub-category popular items list comprises a list of most-sold items in a sub-category over a period of time.

39. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, where the popular items list and the sub-category popular items list are unique to a transaction register location.

40. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, where the popular items list and the sub-category popular items list are updated at set time intervals.

41. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, where the instructions executable by a machine to make the selection comprise one or more of:

performing a text search in the search field;

selecting an item from the popular items list; and

selecting a category from the category list.

42. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 41, where the popular items list is separately navigable from the search field and the category list.

43. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, where the instructions executable by a machine to complete the purchase transaction comprise instructions executable by a machine to apply a gift card balance to a purchase of the item.

44. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, where the instructions executable by a machine to complete the purchase transaction comprise instructions executable by a machine to apply a store credit balance to a purchase of the item.

45. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 31, where the instructions executable by a machine to complete the purchase transaction comprise instructions executable by a machine to add one or more third party items to an order for the customer.

46. A computing device for implementing an online inventory application, the computing device comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory device; and

a display device configured to display a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising one or more graphical elements configured to implement, using the at least one processor, one or more software applications stored on one or more servers, the software applications configured to;

initiate a session of an online inventory application by accessing a user interface running or stored on a hardware device comprising at least one processor;

access a category hierarchical menu on the user interface comprising;

a search field;

a popular items list; and

a category list comprising a plurality of item categories;

make a selection from the category hierarchical menu;

access a sub-category hierarchical menu on the user interface comprising;

a search field;

a sub-category popular items list comprising items related to the selection from the category hierarchical menu; and

a sub-category list comprising a plurality of item sub-categories;

make a selection from the sub-category hierarchical menu; and

perform a menu transaction on the user interface.