Method and apparatus for marketing products over the internet

• US 7,343,322 B1
• Filed: 12/28/1999
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TI Consumer Marketing, Inc. (IAC, Inc.), Monica A. Ray
• Original Assignee: TI Consumer Marketing, Inc. (IAC, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mulderry, Amy, Stutzman, William J., Vantrease, Holley
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J
• Application Number:
  US09/473,649
• Time in Patent Office: 2,996 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/26.81
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for permitting an online user to buy merchandise over the Internet from multiple vendor sites, after a single entry of their credit card information. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes an online impulse marketing system including a plurality of customer and merchant servers/computers. A customer computer is programmed to provide a user with access to a computer network for the purpose of contacting a plurality of online merchant sites for the purpose of purchasing merchandise. The merchant computer is programmed to: store product information and order processing software in the form of hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) pages for use by requesting customer computers; process requests for merchandise; request an impulse sale offer from a second merchant; display the offer; process the customer'"'"'s response; and then automatically transmit the customer'"'"'s credit card information to the second merchant, if necessary.

Claims

1. A method of completing a plurality of transactions on a computer network involving at least one customer computer directly operated by a customer and a plurality of merchant computers, said method comprising the following steps:

transmitting an offer from a first merchant computer to a customer computer;

transmitting information inputted by the customer from the customer computer to the first merchant computer in response to the offer;

utilizing the information inputted by the customer to process the offer, wherein said information inputted by the customer contains a payment method and customer identification data required by said first merchant computer to process said offer;

transmitting a second offer from a second merchant computer to said customer computer;

transmitting said information inputted by the customer from said first merchant computer to said second merchant computer, provided said customer computer accepts said second offer

processing said information inputted by the customer by said second merchant computer;

causing a merchandise to be delivered to the customer associated with said information inputted by the customer; and

automatically debiting a customer account for a purchase corresponding to said information inputted by the customer after said merchandise has been delivered, provided said customer does not cancel future delivery of said merchandise.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting an offer is further comprised of the following steps:

sending an offer from said second merchant computer to said first merchant computer; and

presenting said offer by said first merchant computer to said customer computer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting an offer is further comprised of the following steps:

sending an offer from said second merchant computer to said first merchant computer;

storing said offer on said first merchant computer; and

presenting said offer by said first merchant computer to said customer computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said merchandise is a predetermined number of issues of a periodical.

5. A method of completing a plurality of transactions on a computer network involving at least one customer computer directly operated by a customer and a plurality of merchant computers, said method comprising the following steps:

transmitting an offer from a first merchant computer to a customer computer;

transmitting information inputted by the customer from the customer computer to the first merchant computer in response to the offer;

utilizing the information inputted by the customer to process the offer, wherein said information inputted by the customer contains a payment method and customer identification data required by said first merchant computer to process said offer;

transmitting a second offer from at least a second merchant computer to said customer computer;

transmitting said information inputted by the customer from said first merchant computer to said at least second merchant computer, provided said customer computer accepts said second offer;

processing said information inputted by the customer by at least said second merchant computer;

causing a merchandise to be delivered to the customer associated with said information inputted by the customer; and

automatically debiting a customer account for a purchase corresponding to said information inputted by the customer after said merchandise has been delivered, provided said customer does not cancel future delivery of said merchandise.

6. The method from claim 5 wherein said step of transmitting an offer is further comprised of the following steps:

sending an offer from said at least second merchant computer to said first merchant computer; and

presenting said offer by said first merchant computer to said customer computer.

7. The method from claim 5 wherein said step of transmitting an offer is further comprised of the following steps:

sending an offer from said at least second merchant computer to said first merchant computer;

storing said offer on said first merchant computer; and

presenting said offer by said first merchant computer to said customer computer.