Method and system for reserving future purchases of goods and services

• US 8,229,841 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Holdit, LLC
• Original Assignee: Smart Options LLC
• Inventors: Pappas, Christian S., Brown, Charles P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NIQUETTE, ROBERT R
• Application Number:
  US13/251,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 45
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A method and system for reserving future purchases of goods or services or events including plural electronic options with associated option fees for the goods or services or events. The plural electronic options include electronic option terms established by one or more suppliers who can supply the goods or services or events. The purchase of the electronic option is accepted according to electronic option terms established by the desired supplier. The option terms may vary greatly among the individual suppliers and no two suppliers may use the same option terms. Demographic information is collected from purchasers of electronic options and used to allow other suppliers of goods or services or events to target such purchasers. Various fees are generated for display, purchase, exercise or non-exercise of electronic options.

Claims

1. A method for using electronic options for goods or services or events, comprising:

reading a plurality of entries from a database accessible from a computer network from a server network device with one or more processors, wherein the plurality of entries include electronic option information, wherein the electronic option information includes a plurality of electronic options supplied and governed by one or more different suppliers, wherein the plurality of electronic options are not supplied or governed via a central government agency and are not supplied or governed via security laws and wherein the electronic option information further includes a plurality of different electronic option terms for the plurality of different suppliers, wherein the electronic option terms for a desired supplier are unique to the desired supplier;

creating on the server network device a plurality of new electronic offers based on desired goods or services or events associated with the electronic option information, wherein the plurality of new electronic offers include a plurality of reservation prices and a plurality of associated option fees, wherein an option fee is not part of a reservation price paid to purchase desired goods or services or events at a desired future time and wherein selected ones of the plurality of electronic options include electronic options for goods or services that do not currently exist and may never exist and other selected ones of the plurality of electronic options include electronic options for a sporting event or entertainment event that may or may never happen;

sending from the server network device one or more of the created plurality of new electronic offers to selected client network devices each with one or more processors via the computer network for viewing by selected potential purchasers of electronic options;

accepting purchases of electronic options for option fees for desired goods or services or events for one or more desired suppliers on the server network device from one or more selected client network devices, wherein the purchase of the electronic option is accepted according to electronic option terms established by the desired suppliers providing the electronic option and wherein the purchased electronic options are also used to manage inventory, risk, revenues or budgets of the one or more different suppliers;

sending periodic electronic reminders or additional electronic offers from the server network device to one or more selected client network devices, wherein the periodic electronic reminders include reminders to coax a purchaser to exercise a purchased electronic option to purchase the desired good or service or event at the reservation price or a price below the reservation price and wherein the additional electronic offers also include sale items that may be purchased instead of the desired goods or services or events reserved with the purchased electronic options; and

allowing a purchaser of an electronic option to exercise the electronic option on the server network device at any time before the desired future time to purchase the desired goods or services or event at the reservation price, at the desired future time to purchase the desired goods or services at the reservation price, at a price lower than the reservation price or at a price higher than the reservation price or to not exercise the electronic option at all and not purchase the desired goods or services at all.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

allowing the plurality of reservation prices for goods or service or events to be used from the selected client network devices to comparison shop purchases prices for goods or services or events at other brick and mortar suppliers of goods or services or events that do not provide electronic options via the server network device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying from the server network device via the computer network to selected client network devices an interface with a plurality of different buttons including;

(1) an, Option It button, for purchasing an electronic option for a desired good or service or event provided by a specific supplier;

(2) a, Buy It button, for buying a desired good or service or event provided by the specific supplier;

(3) an, Accept button, for accepting electronic option terms for a desired good or service or event provided by the specific supplier;

(4) a, Decline button, for declining electronic option terms for a desired good or service or event provided by the specific supplier; and

(5) an, Exercise button, for exercising at a reservation price an electronic option purchased for a desired good or service or event provided by the specific supplier; and

displaying on the interface a list of electronic options purchased by a specific purchaser via a specific client network device.

4. A method for using electronic options for goods or services or events, comprising:

reading a plurality of entries from a database accessible from a computer network from a server network device with one or more processors, wherein the plurality of entries include electronic option information, wherein the electronic option information includes a plurality of electronic options supplied and governed by one or more different suppliers, wherein the plurality of electronic options are not supplied or governed via a central government agency and are not supplied or governed via security laws and wherein the electronic option information further includes a plurality of different electronic option terms for the plurality of different suppliers, wherein the electronic option terms for a desired supplier are unique to the desired supplier;

creating on the server network device a plurality of new electronic offers based on desired goods or services or events associated with the electronic option information, wherein the plurality of new electronic offers include a plurality of reservation prices and a plurality of associated option fees, wherein an option fee is not part of a reservation price paid to purchase desired goods or services or events at a desired future time and wherein selected ones of the plurality of electronic options include electronic options for goods or services that do not currently exist and may never exist and other selected ones of the plurality of electronic options include electronic options for a sporting event or entertainment event that may or may never happen;

sending from the server network device one or more of the created plurality of new electronic offers to selected client network devices each with one or more processors via the computer network for viewing by selected potential purchasers of electronic options;

collecting demographic information from selected client network devices who view the plurality of new electronic offers, wherein the demographic information is used to present other electronic offers to attempt to cross-sell additional goods or services or events to the selected client network devices;

storing from the server network device the collected demographic information in the database associated with the sever network device;

accepting purchases of electronic options for option fees for desired goods or services or events for one or more desired suppliers on the server network device from one or more selected client network devices, wherein the purchase of the electronic option is accepted according to electronic option terms established by the desired suppliers providing the electronic option and wherein the purchased electronic options are also used to manage inventory, risk, revenues or budgets of the one or more different suppliers; and

allowing a purchaser of an electronic option to exercise the electronic option on the server network device at any time before the desired future time to purchase the desired goods or services at the reservation price, at the desired future time to purchase the desired goods or services at the reservation price, at a price lower than the reservation price or at a price higher than the reservation price or to not exercise the electronic option at all and not purchase the desired goods or services at all.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

providing access to the database from the server network device from the computer network for a pre-determined fee to additional suppliers of goods or services or events who desire to use the collected demographic information to offer similar or other goods or services or events to purchasers of electronic options; and

allowing the additional suppliers of goods or services or events to target purchasers of electronic options with information about similar goods or services or events or different types of goods or services and events offered by the additional suppliers using the collected demographic information in the database.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the additional suppliers include:

additional business-to-business (b2b), business-to-consumer (b2c), consumer-to-business (c2b) or consumer-to-consumer (c2c) suppliers of goods or services or events.

7. A method for using electronic options for goods or services or events, comprising:

reading a plurality of entries from a database accessible from a computer network from a server network device with one or more processors providing an electronic option service, wherein the plurality of entries include electronic option information, wherein the electronic option information includes a plurality of electronic options supplied and governed by one or more different suppliers, wherein the plurality of electronic options are not supplied or governed via a central government agency and are not supplied or governed via security laws and wherein the electronic option information further includes a plurality of different electronic option terms for the plurality of different suppliers, wherein the electronic option terms for a desired supplier are unique to the desired supplier;

creating on the server network device a plurality of new electronic offers based on desired goods or services or events associated with the electronic option information, wherein the plurality of new electronic offers include a plurality of reservation prices and a plurality of associated option fees, wherein an option fee is not part of a reservation price paid to purchase desired goods or services or events at a desired future time and wherein selected ones of the plurality of electronic options include electronic options for goods or services that do not currently exist and may never exist and other selected ones of the plurality of electronic options include electronic options for a sporting event or entertainment event that may or may never happen;

sending from the server network device one or more of the created plurality of new electronic offers to selected client network devices each with one or more processors via the computer network for viewing by selected potential purchasers of electronic options;

collecting demographic information from selected client network devices who view the plurality of new electronic offers, wherein the demographic information is used to present other electronic offers to attempt to cross-sell additional goods or services to the selected client network devices;

storing from the server network device the collected demographic information in the database associated with the sever network device;

providing access to the database from the server network device from the computer network for a pre-determined fee to other suppliers of goods or services or events who desire to use the electronic option information to offer similar or other goods or services or events to purchaser of electronic options;

accepting purchases of electronic options for option fees for desired goods or services or events for one or more desired suppliers on the server network device from one or more selected client network devices, wherein the purchase of the electronic option is accepted according to electronic option terms established by the desired suppliers providing the electronic option and wherein the purchased electronic options are also used to manage inventory, risk, revenues or budgets of the one or more different suppliers;

collecting on the server network device for the electronic option service a first set of fees from the one or more different suppliers for creating and sending the created plurality of new electronic offers including the plurality of electronic options offered by the one or more different suppliers to the selected client network devices;

collecting on the server network device for the electronic option service a second set of fees from a portion of the electronic option fees collected for electronic options purchased but not exercised by purchasers of the electronic options;

collecting on the server network device for the electronic option service a third set of fees from a portion of the electronic option fees collected for electronic options purchased and exercised by purchasers of the electronic options and from portion of a final purchase price of goods or services or events actually purchased by purchasers using the exercised electronic options; and

collecting on the server network device for the electronic option service a fourth set of fees including the pre-determined fees paid by selected ones of the other suppliers who access the database including the collected demographic information.

8. A system for using electronic options for goods or services or events, comprising in combination:

a non-transitory computer readable medium on a server network device with one or more processors including a plurality of instructions;

for reading a plurality of entries from a database accessible from a computer network from the server network device with one or more processors, wherein the plurality of entries include electronic option information, wherein the electronic option information includes a plurality of electronic options supplied and governed by one or more different suppliers, wherein the plurality of electronic options are not supplied or governed via a central government agency and are not supplied or governed via security laws and wherein the electronic option information further includes a plurality of different electronic option terms for the plurality of different suppliers, wherein the electronic option terms for a desired supplier are unique to the desired supplier;

for creating on the server network device a plurality of new electronic offers based on desired goods or services or events associated with the electronic option information, wherein the plurality of new electronic offers include a plurality of reservation prices and a plurality of associated option fees, wherein an option fee is not part of a reservation price paid to purchase desired goods or services or events at a desired future time and wherein selected ones of the plurality of electronic options include electronic options for goods or services that do not currently exist and may never exist and other selected ones of the plurality of electronic options include electronic options for a sporting event or entertainment event that may or may never happen;

for sending from the server network device one or more of the created plurality of new electronic offers to selected client network devices each with one or more processors via the computer network for viewing by selected potential purchasers of electronic options;

for accepting purchases of electronic options for option fees for desired goods or services or events for one or more desired suppliers on the server network device from one or more selected client network devices, wherein the purchase of the electronic option is accepted according to electronic option terms established by the desired suppliers providing the electronic option and wherein the purchased electronic options are also used to manage inventory, risk, revenues or budgets of the one or more different suppliers;

for sending periodic electronic reminders or additional electronic offers from the server network device to one or more selected client network devices, wherein the periodic electronic reminders include reminders to coax a purchaser to exercise a purchased electronic option to purchase the desired good or service or event at the reservation price or a price below the reservation price and wherein the additional electronic offers also include sale items that may be purchased instead of the desired goods or services or events reserved with the purchased electronic options;

for allowing a purchaser of an electronic option to exercise the electronic option on the server network device at any time before the desired future time to purchase the desired goods or services or event at the reservation price, at the desired future time to purchase the desired goods or services at the reservation price, at a price lower than the reservation price or at a price higher than the reservation price or to not exercise the electronic option at all and not purchase the desired goods or services at all;

for allowing the plurality of reservation prices for goods or service or events to be used from the selected client network devices to comparison shop purchases prices for goods or services or events at other brick and mortar suppliers of goods or services or events that do not provide electronic options via the server network device;

for providing access to the database from the server network device from the computer network for a pre-determined fee to additional suppliers of goods or services or events who desire to use the collected demographic information to offer similar or other goods or services or events to purchasers of electronic options;

for allowing the additional suppliers of goods or services or events to target purchasers of electronic options with information about similar goods or services or events or different types of goods or services and events offered by the additional suppliers using the collected demographic information in the database;

for collecting on the server network device for a first set of fees from the one or more different suppliers for creating and sending the created plurality of new electronic offers including the plurality of electronic options offered by the one or more different suppliers to the selected client network devices;

for collecting on the server network device a second set of fees from a portion of the electronic option fees collected for electronic options purchased but not exercised by purchasers of the electronic options;

for collecting on the server network device a third set of fees from a portion of the electronic option fees collected for electronic options purchased and exercised by purchasers of the electronic options and from portion of a final purchase price of goods or services or events actually purchased by purchasers using the exercised electronic options;

for collecting on the server network device a fourth set of fees including the pre-determined fees paid by selected ones of the other suppliers who access the database including the collected demographic information;

for displaying from the server network device via the computer network to selected client network devices an interface with a plurality of different buttons including;

(1) an Option It button, for purchasing an electronic option for a desired good or service or event provided by a specific supplier;

(2) a Buy It button, for buying a desired good or service or event provided by the specific supplier at an advertised purchased price;

(3) an Accept button, for accepting electronic option terms for a desired good or service or event provided by the specific supplier;

(4) a Decline button, for declining electronic option terms for a desired good or service or event provided by the specific supplier; and

(5) an Exercise button, for exercising an electronic option at a reservation price purchased for a desired good or service or event provided by the specific supplier; and

for displaying on the interface a list of electronic options purchased by a specific purchaser with a specific client network device.