U.S. patent application number 10/697850 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-13 for system and method for providing logistics for a sale or transfer of goods with proceeds provided to a third party.
Invention is credited to Baker, Eric H., Fluhr, Jeff, Goldberg, Noah, Kernes, Shawn, Lawson, Jeff, Levenson, Matthew.
Application Number | 20040093302 10/697850 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25512399 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040093302 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Baker, Eric H. ; et
al. |
May 13, 2004 |
System and method for providing logistics for a sale or transfer of
goods with proceeds provided to a third party
Abstract
A system 10 for providing logistics for a sale of goods over a
computer network. The system 10 is effective to provide financial
logistics for a sale and transfer of goods between a seller and a
remote buyer, and may be implanted so that at least a portion of
the proceeds of the sale is transferred to a third party, such as a
charitable or nonprofit entity. The system 10 allows the sale and
transfer to occur in a manner that does not require interaction
between the seller and buyer. The system 10 may further conduct the
sale using an auction or raffle process.
Inventors: |
Baker, Eric H.; (Los
Angeles, CA) ; Fluhr, Jeff; (San Francisco, CA)
; Goldberg, Noah; (San Francisco, CA) ; Kernes,
Shawn; (San Mateo, CA) ; Levenson, Matthew;
(Santa Monica, CA) ; Lawson, Jeff; (Los Angeles,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GRAY CARY WARE & FREIDENRICH LLP
2000 UNIVERSITY AVENUE
E. PALO ALTO
CA
94303-2248
US
|
Family ID: |
25512399 |
Appl. No.: |
10/697850 |
Filed: |
October 30, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10697850 |
Oct 30, 2003 |
|
|
|
09967171 |
Sep 27, 2001 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0613 20130101;
G06Q 30/06 20130101; G06Q 40/04 20130101; G06Q 40/00 20130101; G06Q
40/025 20130101; G06Q 30/0615 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/037 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1) A system for providing logistics for a sale goods, the system
being adapted to receive information from at least one remote
seller and at least one remote buyer, and to provide financial
logistics and shipping logistics for completing the sale of goods,
wherein the financial logistics include collecting funds from the
buyer and transferring at least a portion of the funds to a third
party designated by the seller, without requiring interaction
between the buyer and seller.
2) The system of claim 1 wherein the third party comprises a
charitable or nonprofit entity.
3) The system of claim 1 wherein the third party comprises a
political action committee.
4) The system of claim 1 wherein the third party comprises a
fundraising entity.
5) The system of claim 2 wherein said financial logistics comprises
providing said entity with information regarding the seller
sufficient to allow the entity to generate an acknowledgement for
tax reporting purposes.
6) The system of claim 1 wherein the system is adapted to receive
the information over a computer network.
7) The system of claim 6 wherein the financial logistics comprises
conducting an auction over the computer network.
8) The system of claim 6 wherein the financial logistics comprises
conducting a raffle over the computer network.
9) The system of claim 1 wherein the system is adapted to provide
the shipping logistics by use of at least one geography-based and
time-based strategy.
10) The system of claim 9 wherein the goods are time-sensitive.
11) The system of claim 10 wherein the goods are event tickets.
12) The system of claim 1 wherein the financial logistics include
authorizing an amount of sale on a credit card of the buyer,
charging the credit card for the amount of sale, receiving the
amount of sale, and transferring at least a portion of the amount
of sale to the third party.
13) A method for providing logistics for a sale of goods comprising
the steps of: receiving information from a seller, including a
description of certain goods, a method of sale for the certain
goods, and an identity of a third party that will receive proceeds
from the sale; presenting the description of the certain goods to a
prospective buyer according to the method of sale; conducting the
sale over a computer network; providing financial logistics,
including collecting proceeds from the buyer and transferring at
least a portion of the proceeds to the third party; and providing
shipping logistics, including arranging for transfer of the goods
to the buyer.
14) The method of claim 13 wherein the goods comprise event
tickets.
15) The method of claim 14 wherein the third party comprises a
charitable or nonprofit entity.
16) The method of claim 14 wherein the third party is a political
action committee.
17) The method of claim 14 wherein the third party is a fundraising
entity.
18) The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:
providing the charitable or nonprofit entity with information
regarding the seller sufficient to allow the entity to generate an
acknowledgement for tax reporting purposes.
19) The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of: causing
an acknowledgement for tax reporting purposes to be provided to the
seller.
20) The method of claim 14 wherein said system is adapted to
provide said shipping logistics by use of at least one
geography-based and time-based strategy.
21) A computerized method for conducting a raffle, comprising the
steps of: receiving requests to purchase raffle tickets from a
plurality of buyers over a computer network; receiving
identification information from the plurality of buyers; creating a
record of the plurality of buyers weighted according to the number
of tickets purchased by each buyer; selecting a winner at random
from the record; and notifying the winner.
22) The method of claim 21 wherein the winner wins goods provided
by a first party.
23) The method of claim 22 wherein the goods comprise event
tickets.
24) The method of claim 22 further comprising the steps of:
receiving information from the first party, including the identity
of a third party that will receive the proceeds of the raffle; and
transferring proceeds from raffle tickets purchased to the third
party.
25) The method of claim 24 wherein the third party is a charitable
or nonprofit organization.
26) The method of claim 24 wherein the third party is a political
action committee.
27) The method of claim 24 wherein the third party is a fundraising
entity.
28) The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of: causing
an acknowledgement for tax reporting purposes to be provided to the
first party.
29) The method of claim 21 wherein the record is created by
entering the plurality of buyers into a spreadsheet.
30) The method of claim 29 wherein each buyer occupies a number of
rows in the spreadsheet corresponding to the number of tickets
purchased by that buyer.
31) The method of claim 30 wherein the step of selecting a winner
comprises generating a random number between one and the total
number of tickets sold, and wherein the winner is the buyer
occupying the row in the spreadsheet corresponding to the random
number.
32) The method of claim 21 wherein the record is created by
sequentially assigning numbers to the plurality of buyers based on
the number of tickets purchased by each buyer, wherein a winner is
selected by generating a random number between one and the total
number of tickets sold, and wherein the winner is the buyer
corresponding to the random number.
33) The method of claim 21 wherein the winner is notified over the
computer network.
34) The method of claim 33 wherein the winner is notified by
automatically generating an email to the winner.
35) The method of claim 33 wherein the winner is notified by
automatically generating an instant message to the winner.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the
benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/967,171, which was filed on
Sep. 27, 2001, and which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to a system and
method for providing logistics for a sale or transfer of goods and
more particularly, to a system and method that provides financial
logistics for a sale or transfer of goods between a seller or
provider and a remote buyer, and that allows the proceeds of the
transaction to be provided to a third party, such as a charitable
or nonprofit organization.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Computer systems and networks have facilitated the tasks of
buying, selling and transferring goods. For example, global
computer networks, such as the Internet, have allowed purchasers to
relatively quickly and efficiently seek and purchase goods online.
Similarly, global computer networks provide an efficient and
cost-effective medium for many companies to advertise, offer,
provide and sell their goods. These companies typically have an
infrastructure to accept orders of goods from remote purchasers, to
perform the financial transactions necessary to confirm and
complete the sale of goods, to ship or distribute the goods to
remote purchasers, and to perform other related logistics. For
these reasons, many companies actively use the Internet to offer,
sell and distribute a wide variety of goods. However, individuals
and small entities that lack the necessary infrastructure cannot
take advantage of the many benefits provided by the Internet and
electronic commerce.
[0004] For example and without limitation, individuals desiring to
offer or sell certain goods online often lack the ability to reach
potential buyers, ensure full and prompt payment from buyers, and
ship goods to buyers in diverse geographic locations in a timely
and efficient manner. Likewise, purchasers desiring to buy certain
goods online from individual seller often lack the ability to
promptly locate the goods that are being offered for sale, and
locate reliable seller of the certain goods, who will ship the
goods in a secure and timely manner.
[0005] One example of a market for goods that has not been
efficiently implemented within the realm of electronic commerce is
the secondary event ticket market. The secondary ticket market
encompasses all instances in which live event tickets trade after
the original point of purchase. This market exists for several
reasons. First, event tickets have an especially time-sensitive
nature. Numerous tickets expire unused each year because there is
no efficient mechanism to buy and/or sell secondary event tickets.
When a ticket expires after an event has passed, it loses 100% of
its intrinsic value. As a result, if the ticket holder cannot
attend the event, the only way to realize value for a ticket is to
sell it in the secondary market. Second, event venues have only a
fixed supply of seating. Therefore, the number of available tickets
for a particular event is limited, which means that high-demand
events can have significant volumes of secondary trading. Third,
many venues, universities and/or sports franchises offer "season
tickets," which have packaging dynamics that favor the secondary
market. For example, season tickets are often packaged in bulk so
that enthusiasts, who desire preferable seating and/or pricing for
sporting and entertainment events, are required to purchase a great
many (e.g., an entire season's worth) of tickets at once. As a
result, season ticket holders often possess a number of tickets for
events that they cannot attend, and therefore desire to sell on the
secondary market. Fourth, tickets are often intentionally
mis-priced in the primary market. For example, although the ticket
prices for certain football games (e.g., division rivalry games)
are generally the same as the ticket prices for other
"less-desirable" football games (e.g., certain non-division games)
in the same venue, the supply and demand for these similarly
priced-games may be substantially different, thereby favoring the
secondary market. Fifth, location-sensitive buyers, who would like
to sit only in certain seat locations, further create a supply and
demand imbalance. Particularly, each seat location in a venue is
totally unique, which means there could be demand for a specific
seat location that exceeds supply even when the venue is not sold
out in the primary market, thereby favoring the secondary market.
For all of these reasons, the secondary ticket market in the
entertainment and sports industries is large and growing.
[0006] Prior efforts that have been made to serve this secondary
market have suffered from many drawbacks. By way of example, ticket
brokers and "scalpers," who have traditionally serviced this
secondary market, typically operate within only a single
metropolitan area or specific geographic region. Furthermore, these
traditional brokers and "scalpers" lack the infrastructure and
logistics necessary to efficiently serve a wide base of consumers
and to earn consumers' business and trust.
[0007] The current providers and systems for secondary ticket
transactions do not provide appropriate benefits for fans, teams,
artists and venues. Fans who wish to buy, sell or otherwise
transfer secondary tickets do not have a legitimate, simple and
secure system through which to transact. Teams, venues and artists
not only miss out on the direct economic benefits of these
secondary market transactions, but also are unable to tap into the
invaluable marketing and pricing information that they provide.
Furthermore, the inefficiencies of the current secondary markets
result in many unused tickets, causing not only a loss to the
ticket-holder, but also a loss in revenue from concessions,
parking, and merchandise to the venue. Moreover, the current
secondary markets are inflexible with respect to how a transaction
may be structured. That is, most secondary market transactions are
cash-based transactions in which a provider receives cash from a
scalper or buyer. Many ticket holders avoid these types of cash
transactions, and may prefer donating the proceeds of their tickets
to a charity or nonprofit organization, rather than receiving a
reduced value for the tickets.
[0008] It is therefore desirable to provide a system and method for
providing logistics for transfer of goods, such as event tickets,
which overcomes the previously-delineated drawbacks and limitations
of prior systems and methods, which facilitates the transfer of
goods by performing all necessary payment and shipping logistics
without requiring interaction between the buyer and provider, and
which allows a provider to donate at least a portion of the
proceeds from a sale of goods to a charitable or nonprofit
organization.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention provides logistics for the sale and/or
transfer of goods, such as event tickets. By way of example and
without limitation, the present invention provides a system that
allows sellers or providers to effectively advertise and present
their goods to remote purchasers. Furthermore, the present
invention provides an infrastructure that allows sellers or
providers to accept orders of goods from remote purchasers, to
perform the necessary financial transactions to confirm and
complete the sale or transfer of goods, to ship or distribute the
goods to a purchaser, and to perform other sale and shipping
related logistics. The invention further provides a method and
system for holders of goods, such as event tickets, to transfer the
proceeds (provided by a buyer of the goods) to a third party, such
as a nonprofit or charitable institution (and potentially receive a
tax benefit in return), a political action committee or some other
fundraising cause or entity. Moreover, the present invention
provides an infrastructure that allows buyers to promptly locate
specific goods which they desire to purchase and which are
currently for sale, and that ensures the purchase and delivery of
goods will occur in a timely and secure manner.
[0010] One non-limiting advantage of the present invention is that
it provides a system and method that enables a third party (i.e.,
an operator of the system) to manage a transaction for the transfer
of goods between a remote seller or provider and a remote buyer,
including performing all necessary payment and shipping logistics,
in a manner that maintains the identity of both parties (i.e., the
buyer and seller) confidential from one another.
[0011] Another non-limiting advantage of the present invention is
that it executes a geography-based and time-based strategy that
provides the logistics for shipping time-sensitive goods, such as
event tickets, from a seller or provider to a remote buyer.
[0012] Another non-limiting advantage of the present invention is
that it allows a provider or seller of goods to donate the proceeds
received in exchange for the goods to a third party of the seller's
choice, such as a charitable or nonprofit entity. This allows
sellers to financially assist a third party entity of their
selection and to receive potential tax benefits in return.
[0013] Another non-limiting advantage of the present invention is
that it provides a method and system for conducting a raffle over a
computer network, whereby the proceeds of the raffle may be donated
to a third party, such as a charitable or nonprofit organization or
institution.
[0014] In the preferred embodiment, the system of the present
invention is adapted for use in the secondary event ticket market.
The invention provides a reliable, simple and secure system through
which desirous sellers and buyers may transact. The system may be
accessed through a computerized platform located on a global
computer network, and provides "double-blind" logistics (i.e., the
system does not require any direct interaction between the buyer
and seller, and may maintain the identity of each party in
confidence from the other). The logistics provided by the present
invention include secure payment confirmation, payment processing
and delivery of funds, flexible pricing options, full search
capabilities to locate events by keyword, genre, venue or
geographical location, and secure and timely shipping (e.g.,
pick-up and delivery) of the tickets, according to a
geography-based and time-based strategy. The present invention also
allows a ticket holder to structure a transaction so that the
proceeds of the transaction are provided directly to a charity or
nonprofit organization of the ticket holder's choice. The ticket
holder may be a venue, an individual, a sports team or a
performer.
[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system
is disclosed for providing logistics for a sale of goods. The
system is adapted to receive information from at least one remote
seller and at least one remote buyer, and to provide financial
logistics and shipping logistics for completing the sale of goods,
wherein the financial logistics include collecting funds from the
buyer and transferring at least a portion of the funds to a third
party designated by the seller, without requiring interaction
between the buyer and seller.
[0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a
method for providing logistics for a sale of goods is provided. The
method includes the steps of: receiving information from a seller,
including a description of certain goods, a method of sale for the
certain goods, and an identity of a charitable or nonprofit entity
that will receive proceeds from the sale; presenting the
description of the certain goods to a prospective buyer according
to the method of sale; conducting the sale over a computer network;
providing financial logistics, including collecting proceeds from
the buyer and transferring at least a portion of the proceeds to
the charitable or nonprofit entity; and providing shipping
logistics, including arranging for transfer of the goods to the
buyer.
[0017] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a
method for conducting a raffle is provided. The method includes the
steps of: receiving requests to purchase raffle tickets from a
plurality of buyers over a computer network; receiving
identification information from the plurality of buyers; creating a
record of the plurality of buyers weighted according to the number
of tickets purchased by each buyer; selecting a winner at random
from the record; and notifying the winner.
[0018] These and other features and advantages of the invention
will become apparent by reference to the following specification
and by reference to the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for
providing logistics for the sale of goods in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the methodology of a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 3 is block diagram illustrating a method of providing
financial logistics employed by a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a method of providing
shipping logistics employed by a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0023] FIG. 5 is an exemplary diagram illustrating the double-blind
logistics of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 6 is an example of an initial seller interface page
that may be utilized by the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 7 is an example of a page presenting various sports
categories that may be selected by a user of the present
invention.
[0026] FIG. 8 is an example of a page presenting various events
that may be selected by a user of the present invention. FIG. 9 is
an example of a login page that may be utilized by the present
invention.
[0027] FIG. 10 is an example of a registration page that may be
utilized by the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 11 is an example of a page that may be utilized by the
present invention for receiving general sales information.
[0029] FIG. 12 is an example of a page that may be utilized by the
present invention for receiving detailed sales information for a
fixed price sale.
[0030] FIG. 13 is an example of a page that may be utilized by the
present invention for receiving detailed sales information for an
auction sale.
[0031] FIG. 14 is an example of a page that may be utilized by the
present invention for receiving pickup information from a
seller.
[0032] FIG. 15 is an example of a page that may be utilized by the
present invention for displaying descriptions of event tickets for
sale.
[0033] FIG. 16 is an example of a buyer confirmation page that may
be utilized by the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 17 is an example of a page that may be utilized by the
present invention to receive season ticket information from a
seller.
[0035] FIG. 18 illustrates one non-limiting embodiment of a
geography and time-based strategy, which may be implemented by the
invention to determine a last sale time.
[0036] FIG. 19 illustrates one non-limiting embodiment of a
geography and time-based strategy, which may be implemented by the
invention to determine available shipping options.
[0037] FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating the methodology of
an embodiment of the present invention in which proceeds of a
transaction are donated to a third party.
[0038] FIG. 21 illustrates an example of a page listing available
charity transactions for a particular artist.
[0039] FIG. 22 illustrates an example of a page providing
information for a charity auction.
[0040] FIG. 23 illustrates an example of a page providing
information for a charity raffle.
[0041] FIG. 24 illustrates a method of conducting an online raffle,
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0042] The present invention provides a system and method for
providing logistics for the sale, purchase and transfer of goods,
such as event tickets. In the preferred embodiment, the system and
method are implemented on a global communications or computer
network. Particularly, the system and method may comprise a "Web
site," that may be implemented by at least one computer system or
network (e.g., a plurality of cooperatively linked computers) that
is operatively and communicatively coupled to a global computer
network (e.g., the Internet) and that may be selectively and
remotely accessed by users of the network. While the following
discussion includes a description of the present invention being
used for the purchase, sale, and transfer of event tickets on the
secondary market, it should be appreciated that the present
invention may be equally applicable to the purchase, sale, or
transfer of any type of goods. Furthermore, the use of the term
"goods" throughout this document will be understood to include both
tangible goods (e.g., physical tickets) and intangible goods (e.g.,
any rights and/or licenses that are afforded by the tickets).
Additionally, the term "sale" will refer to a conventional sale of
goods in exchange for cash as well as a transfer of goods where an
individual providing goods does not receive the proceeds from the
buyer, but rather allows the proceeds to be transferred directly to
a charitable institution. Likewise, the terms "seller" and
"provider" will refer to both: (i) a party who provides goods in a
conventional sale in exchange for money, and (ii) a party who
provides goods in exchange for money that is transferred directly
to a charity or nonprofit organization. Furthermore, the term
"sale" should be understood to include conventional sales as well
as auction and raffle type processes.
[0043] FIG. 1 shows a system 10 according to the present invention,
which is implemented on a global communications or computer network
20 (e.g., the Internet). System 10 may represent a conventional and
commercially available computer system or an independent
microprocessor-based system built specifically for use with the
present invention. System 10 comprises a control and memory unit
12, an input/output unit 14, a display unit 16, and a
communications unit 18.
[0044] Control and memory unit 12 may be a conventional and
commercially available processor-based system or network server
including a microprocessor or microcontroller and both volatile and
non-volatile memory. In the preferred embodiment, control and
memory unit 12 is adapted to and may store at least a portion of
the operating software which directs the operation of system 10.
Alternatively, the present invention may be partially or wholly
stored on a remote or disparate system, device or network, and may
be accessed and loaded into control and memory unit 12 by way of
input/output unit 14 or communications device 18.
[0045] Input/output unit 14 may include one or more conventional
and commercially available devices adapted to provide data to, and
access data from, control and memory unit 12, and may comprise
without limitation a keyboard, mouse, touch pad, and one or more
disk drives. Input/output unit 14 may further include other
conventional peripheral devices such as printers, scanners and the
like. Display unit 16 may be a conventional and commercially
available device for displaying data from system 10, such as and
without limitation a computer monitor, a flat panel display or
other conventional display device which is suitable to display
output generated by computer system 10. It should be appreciated
that input/output unit 14 and display unit 16 cooperatively permit
a system operator or administrator to enter and/or modify data and
settings within system 10, to access data from system 10, and to
perform system maintenance, management and modification.
[0046] Communications unit 18 may be a suitable and commercially
available device or a combination of devices for transferring data
over global communications or computer network 20. Users of system
10 (e.g., buyers and sellers of goods or event tickets) can
remotely access and communicate with system 10 by use of
conventional personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless phones,
portable computers, and personal computers 22 having conventional
browsing software that is adapted to receive and transmit data over
global computer network 20 in a known manner. To understand the
general operation and methodology of present invention, reference
is now made to operational flow diagram or "flow chart" 30 of FIG.
2, which illustrates the broad functionality of system 10. The
methodology 30 is briefly executed as follows: the system 10
receives information from sellers in functional block or step 32;
presents information regarding goods that are for sale to potential
buyers in functional block or step 34; receives purchase requests
and information from buyers in functional block or step 36;
provides financial logistics in functional block or step 38; and
provides shipping logistics in functional block or step 40. The
function and/or operation of each of the foregoing steps is
discussed below in more detail, along with non-limiting examples of
how each of these steps would be implemented in a ticket sale
transaction.
[0047] In functional block or step 32, system 10 receives
information from seller regarding the identity of the seller, and a
description and location of the goods that the seller desires to
sell or transfer. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the
data can be communicated over a global computer network 20 by
prospective seller who are selectively queried by system 10 (e.g.,
while visiting a Web site), and who transmit appropriate responses
by use of a computer 22.
[0048] FIGS. 6-14 illustrate some examples of queries and
interactive "pages" (i.e., Web pages where users may view and enter
data by use of conventional browsing software) that may be
presented by system 10 in order to gather information from
prospective seller of event tickets. FIG. 6 illustrates one
non-limiting example of an initial seller interface page 200 for
querying potential seller that desire to sell tickets to certain
events that can be located on the system 10. In the preferred
embodiment, system 10 allows a user to sell tickets to specified
events in certain geographical areas. In other embodiments, system
10 can be used to sell tickets in any geographic area for specific
types of events, such as sporting events. In one non-limiting
embodiment, system 10 may be operated, licensed or utilized by a
professional sports team, association or venue to allow users to
buy and sell tickets only for that team, association or venue. In
such an embodiment sports teams, associations and venues may access
the system 10 to receive information regarding ticket sale volumes,
purchasers of tickets, seller of tickets and other relevant
information regarding the transactions.
[0049] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a user can locate an
event by the type of event, the city in which the event is held, or
by the venue in which the event is to occur. When a user selects
the appropriate type of event, city or venue, system 10 will
further query the user to locate the event. For example, if a user
selects "Sports," system 10 will present an interactive page
illustrating a plurality of sports categories, such as baseball,
football, hockey, soccer, and others. FIG. 7 illustrates one
non-limiting example of such a page 210. A user may select any of
the choices, and may also suggest a new sports category that is not
listed by selecting a designated area of the page (e.g., the area
on page 210 entitled "Submit a new Sports category"). When a user
enters a new suggested category, it will be communicated to the
operator or administrator of system 10, who may then accordingly
modify system 10 to include the suggested category.
[0050] Once a user selects a certain sports category, system 10
will present an interactive page displaying a plurality of sports
sub-categories, such as professional, college, major league and/or
minor league. The page will also allow a user to suggest a new
sub-category that is not listed, in a substantially similar manner
as previously discussed with reference to sports categories. When a
user selects a sports sub-category, system 10 will present an
interactive page displaying a plurality of team categories, each
representing a particular team that a user may select. The page
will also allow a user to suggest a new team that is not listed, in
a substantially similar manner as previously discussed with
reference to sports categories.
[0051] When a user selects a particular team, system 10 will
display an interactive page containing all available events for
that team. FIG. 8 illustrates one non-limiting example of an
"events" page 220. As shown, the page 220 presents a plurality of
events or games, and also includes areas where users can suggest
new events that are not listed (e.g., the area "Submit a new event
in this category"). The user may then select the event for which
the user has tickets to sell. It should be appreciated that the
user may also locate events by navigating through system 10 in a
substantially similar manner by browsing by city, geographical
region or venue. System 10 may also include a conventional search
engine platform that allows seller to search for events by keyword,
team, artist, venue, date, and other genre. Once a user has
selected the appropriate event for which the user has tickets to
sell, system 10 will require the user to login.
[0052] In the preferred embodiment, system 10 presents an
interactive login page to the user, where a user may enter a user
name and password. A non-limiting example of a login page 230 is
shown in FIG. 9. It should be appreciated that in alternate
embodiments, the login page may be presented to the user at any
time that the user accesses the system 10, and in one non-limiting
embodiment, system 10 may prompt a user to login as soon as the
user enters a Web site employed by the system 10. If a user does
not have a user name and password, system 10 will require the user
to register by selecting the appropriate area of the login page
(e.g., the area of page 230 entitled "Register Now"). System 10
will then prompt the user for various information, describing
attributes of the user (e.g., name, address, city, state, zip code,
phone number, e-mail address and other user attribute data). In one
non-limiting embodiment, system 10 may present the user with the
registration page 240 of FIG. 10, which is adapted to accept user
attribute data. The information describing the user's location
(e.g., address, city, state and zip code) is stored within the
system 10 for use in a geography and time-based strategy for
determining a last sale time and for arranging shipping logistics,
which is described more fully and completely below.
[0053] Once the user has registered and logged in, system 10 will
query the user for general attributes of the tickets the user
desires to sell (e.g., the number of tickets, and the section
number, row, and face value of the tickets), and the method by
which the user would like to sell the tickets (e.g., fixed price or
auction). In one non-limiting embodiment, system 10 presents the
user with an interactive page, such as page 250 of FIG. 11, in
order to receive the foregoing information. The system 10 then
queries the user for further detailed information describing the
tickets, such as the seat numbers of the tickets, and personal
comments regarding the tickets. System 10 may use an interactive
page, such as page 260 of FIG. 12, to acquire this information. The
system 10 may also request further details regarding the sales
transaction, such as the price the user is asking for the tickets,
and whether the user is willing to sell fewer than all of the
tickets to a buyer, as shown in page 260 of FIG. 12.
[0054] If the user has selected the "fixed price" option, the
system 10 will prompt the user for a fixed sale price. In the
preferred embodiment, the system 10 may also provide a user with a
variable price option. In the variable price option, the system 10
will request a desired sale price and a minimum sale price from the
seller. The system 10 will begin by listing the asking price for
the tickets at the desired sale price, and then it will
automatically decrease the asking price for each predetermined time
period (e.g., each day) the tickets do not sell, until the asking
price equals the minimum sale price. In one non-limiting
embodiment, the system 10 decreases the asking price by a constant
predetermined amount each day for the entire time the tickets are
for sale. For example, system 10 may calculate the constant
predetermined amount as follows: predetermined amount=(desired sale
price-minimum sale price)/(number of days the tickets are offered
for sale-1). In alternate embodiments, the system 10 may decrease
the price of the tickets in any other suitable manner (e.g., the
ticket price may be decreased in an exponential, non-linear or
other variable manner). In other alternate embodiments, a user may
select to have the price of the tickets fluctuate with market
conditions. In such case, system 10 will selectively vary (i.e.,
increase and decrease) the asking price of the tickets based on
current market conditions. For example, system 10 may vary the
asking price based on the mean or median sale price of tickets for
the same event in similarly designated seating, which can be
calculated by system 10 in a known manner, and/or based upon other
parameters (e.g., the number of seats remaining for the event or
the number of other tickets for the event in the secondary market).
In such embodiments, a user may select maximum, minimum and opening
prices for the tickets. The tickets will begin selling at the
opening price and will fluctuate with market conditions, but the
asking price will never exceed the maximum price or fall below the
minimum price.
[0055] System 10 also prompts the seller to enter the day and time
that the sale will end. System 10 offers the seller several options
(i.e., different days/times) for an end day and time for the sale,
including a "last sale time" (i.e., the latest possible day and
time that the sale may end, in order to permit the goods to reach
their destination prior to expiration). In the auction embodiment,
when the time period expires, the tickets will automatically be
sold to the highest bidder at that time, provided that the reserve
price (if any) is met.
[0056] System 10 determines the "last sale time" by use of a
geography and time-based strategy adapted for use with the sale of
time-sensitive goods. FIG. 18 illustrates one non-limiting
embodiment of a geography and time-based method or strategy 320,
which may be implemented by system 10 to determine the last sale
time. In functional block or step 330, the system 10 receives
information regarding the location of the goods. In the foregoing
event ticket example, the system 10 utilizes the seller's address
(i.e., zip code) as a default setting for this location. In
alternate embodiments, the system 10 may query and accept other
locations (i.e., addresses or zip codes) that may represent the
location of the goods, such as in situations where the seller's
goods are not in the seller's possession. In functional block or
step 340, system 10 receives information regarding the date and
time that the goods will expire. For example, in the preferred
embodiment, the system 10 obtains this "expiration time" from the
description of the event, and more particularly, from the data
describing the day and time that the event will commence. System 10
assigns a first numeric value to the expiration time,
representative of the day and time the event will commence.
[0057] In functional block or step 350, system 10 receives
information regarding the point of last delivery, which represents
one or more locations to which the goods may be delivered at any
time before the expiration date/time. In the preferred embodiment,
system 10 may utilize the location of the venue as the point of
last delivery, since the tickets can be delivered to the venue's
will call on the day of the event, as a last resort. In alternate
embodiments, where the point of last delivery is unknown, system 10
will assign a default value or range of values based upon the
geographic area served by system 10, such as any location within a
fixed geographic area (e.g., anywhere within the continental United
States).
[0058] In functional block or step 360, system 10 reviews all
delivery options to determine a time required for delivery, based
upon the location of the goods and the point of last delivery. This
"time required for delivery" represents the maximum amount of time
required to deliver the goods from the location of the goods to the
point of last delivery. In the preferred embodiment, system 10 is
electronically integrated with and/or communicatively coupled to
the operating systems of a plurality of shipping couriers, such as
conventional air/land couriers, express couriers, and local
couriers or "runners." System 10 queries these systems to determine
which couriers can perform the delivery, and the maximum time that
each courier would require to perform the delivery, based on the
location of the goods and the point of last delivery. In the
preferred embodiment, system 10 also communicates the day of the
expiration (e.g., the day of the event) to the couriers, since
certain couriers are not in service on certain days (e.g.,
Sundays). System 10 then selects the shortest of the maximum
delivery times for the time required for delivery. For example, if
the location of the event tickets (e.g., the seller's location)
were within the same city as the venue, a local courier may respond
that it could guarantee pickup and delivery of the tickets in no
longer than six hours, while conventional and express couriers
might require longer. In such case, system 10 would set the time
required for delivery at six hours. By way of further example, if
the location of the goods were defined as anywhere in the
continental United States, the shortest maximum delivery time might
be provided by an express courier that could guarantee delivery
anywhere in the continental United States within twenty-four hours.
The system 10 assigns a second numeric value to time required for
delivery.
[0059] Finally, in functional block or step 370, system 10
determines the last sale time by use of the expiration time and the
time required for delivery. Particularly, the last sale time is
defined as the last date/time that the sale can occur, while still
providing enough time for a courier to complete shipment of the
goods to the point of last delivery before the goods "expire."
System 10 may also include an additional "cushion" or safety factor
in this calculation, in order to ensure completion of the delivery
no later than some predetermined time (e.g., several hours) before
the goods expire. System 10 may perform this calculation by
subtracting the second numeric value (along with any safety factor)
from the first numeric value, and converting the result into a date
and time in a known manner. System 10 may alternatively keep
relevant information regarding the various couriers' shipping
capabilities within one or more databases or tables, which may be
searched to determine the last sale day/time, based on the time and
location of the event. Once the last sale time is determined,
system 10 will allow the seller to choose between the "last sale
time" and a plurality of other "earlier" options, as shown in page
260 of FIG. 12.
[0060] If a user selects to sell/transfer the tickets by auction,
system 10 will query the user in a similar manner, and may request
a starting price, a bid increment amount, a reserve price (i.e., a
minimum price that will be accepted by the buyer), a buy now price
(i.e., a price at which the tickets can be acquired immediately),
and an auction closing date, which may be equal to the "last sale
time" or earlier. In one non-limiting embodiment, system 10
presents the user with a page 270 of FIG. 13 in order to receive
the foregoing auction sales information. System 10 receives the
foregoing information and will execute and monitor the auction in a
conventional manner (e.g., by use of a stored program).
[0061] In one non-limiting embodiment, the system 10 may further
offer the user a "donate to charity" option. According to this
option, if the last sale time passes and the tickets still have not
been sold, the system 10 will automatically have the tickets
donated to a charitable or nonprofit organization, without charge
to the seller. In the event that a seller selects this option,
system 10 will automatically arrange for a courier or
representative of a charitable or nonprofit organization to
retrieve the tickets and deliver them to the requisite location.
Alternatively, the seller may choose to have the proceeds of the
sale donated to a third party, such as a charity or nonprofit
entity. This "charity" option is described in greater detail in the
section entitled, "Transfers with Proceeds to a Third Party" that
follows.
[0062] After the system 10 receives all of the foregoing
information from a seller, it generates a confirmation page, which
displays all of the relevant sales information (e.g., the ticket
description and the sales transaction details), as well as any
amounts that may be charged to the seller for use of the system 10
(e.g., the owner or operator of system 10 may charge a seller a
fixed fee or a certain percentage of the sales price for use of
system 10). The seller may then review the information and, if the
information is accurate, confirm the transaction by selecting an
appropriate icon or area on the confirmation page.
[0063] Upon the occurrence of a triggering event, system 10 will
provide the seller with several courier "pickup" options,
representing dates, times and locations at which a system-selected
courier can retrieve the tickets from the seller when they are
sold. In the preferred embodiment, the triggering events include:
(i) the tickets being purchased; or (ii) the time remaining before
the event falling below a predetermined value, which would require
a local courier or "runner" to deliver the tickets once they are
sold. In the preferred embodiment, the system 10 will present the
user with several pickup days, up to and including the day of the
calculated last sale time. A user may then select one or more
dates, times and locations for courier pickup. FIG. 14 illustrates
one non-limiting example of a page 280 for acquiring the pickup
information.
[0064] In the preferred embodiment, a seller may also choose to
sell tickets to a plurality of events within a season ticket
package. Particularly, system 10 may be specially adapted to
facilitate the sale of tickets within a season ticket package.
Referring back to page 200 of FIG. 6, a user wishing to sell a
plurality of tickets within a season ticket package can enter the
name of the location (i.e., venue) or team providing the season
ticket package. Once a seller enters this data, system 10 requires
the user to register and login (e.g., by use of pages 230 and 240),
and retrieves the relevant information regarding the description
and location of the tickets (e.g., by use of pages 250, 260 and
270). System 10 then presents a page to the seller that displays a
list of all remaining games or events in the season ticket package.
System 10 determines the remaining games or events by searching a
database or table within its memory containing all season ticket
events, and selecting only those events which will occur after the
present day. Each item in the list may include a box for selecting
a particular game or event to sell, an area to enter the quantity
of tickets that are for sale for the particular game or event, and
a desired price per ticket for the particular game or event. FIG.
17 illustrates a non-limiting example of a page 310 for selling
tickets from a season ticket package. Once the data is entered, the
system 10 will query the seller for pickup information (e.g., by
use of page 280), and will confirm the proposed sales. In this
manner, the present invention allows holders of season tickets to
place some or all of their tickets for sale in a quick and simple
manner.
[0065] Referring back to FIG. 2, after receiving and processing all
of the seller information, the system 10 proceeds with the
methodology 30 by presenting information to prospective buyers, as
shown in functional block or step 34. Particularly, the system 10
presents information regarding goods that are for sale to
prospective buyers. In the preferred embodiment of the invention,
the information is communicated over a global computer network 20
to prospective buyers who are directed to or are visiting a Web
site utilized to implement system 10.
[0066] Returning to the event ticket example, buyers desiring to
purchase event tickets may be directed to or visit a Web site
utilized to implement system 10. A buyer may locate an event with
tickets for sale by navigating through system 10 in a manner
substantially similar to that described for the seller. That is, a
buyer may navigate through system 10 by browsing by event type,
city, geographical region or venue. System 10 may also include a
conventional search engine platform that allows buyers to search
for events by keyword, team, artist, venue, date, and other genre.
Once a user has located an appropriate event (e.g., an event
displayed on page 220), the user may select the event in order to
view the tickets being offered for sale for the event. System 10
will then present one or more pages containing descriptions of the
tickets being offered for sale.
[0067] FIG. 15 illustrates one non-limiting example of a "ticket
description" page 290. As shown, the page 290 presents a plurality
of listings for tickets for a desired game or event. Each listing
includes a description of the following ticket attributes: location
(e.g., section and row), sale method (e.g., fixed price or
auction), current price, ending date (e.g., the last sale time),
and quantity (e.g., number of tickets for sale). The page 290 also
includes a selectively enlargeable image of the venue so that users
can examine the location of the seats prior to purchase. Each
listing displayed on page 290 also includes a "buy tickets" action
button and a "details" action button. When selected, the "details"
action button will display another page to the user with further
details about the respective tickets, such as the seat numbers for
the tickets, the exact time remaining to purchase the tickets, the
date the tickets were first offered for sale, and ratings and
comments regarding the seller of the tickets (e.g., ratings and/or
comments from previous buyers that purchased from the seller). By
selecting the "buy tickets" button, a user will be queried for
information necessary to initiate a sales transaction.
[0068] Referring back to FIG. 2, the system 10 proceeds with the
methodology 30 by receiving a purchase request and information from
the buyer, as shown in functional block or step 36. Particularly,
when a buyer desires to purchase any of the presented goods, system
10 accepts the purchase request, and queries the buyer for
information (e.g., name, address, city, state, zip code, and other
buyer attribute data).
[0069] Returning to the event ticket example, when a buyer selects
the "buy tickets" button (shown in page 290 of FIG. 15), system 10
determines whether the buyer has registered with the system 10. In
the preferred embodiment, system 10 presents an interactive login
page (e.g., page 230 of FIG. 9), where the buyer may enter a user
name and password. It should be appreciated that in alternate
embodiments, the login page may be presented to the user at any
time that the user accesses the system 10. If a buyer does not have
a user name and password, system 10 will require the buyer to
register, in a substantially identical manner as that described
relative to a seller (e.g., system 10 may present a registration
page 240 in order to obtain user attribute data). Once a buyer has
registered and logged in, system 10 launches a multi-step procedure
to initiate the ticket purchase transaction. The multi-step
procedure is designed to obtain information regarding the specific
tickets the buyer desires to purchase, the location and method of
delivery, the method of payment, and a confirmation from the buyer.
In the preferred embodiment, the system 10 presents the buyer with
one or more interactive pages to obtain the necessary information.
In one non-limiting embodiment, the following series of pages may
be used: a seat selection page that allows a user to select which
of the seats the user desires to purchase; a delivery location
options page that allows a user to enter a desired location for
delivery (e.g., the user's home and/or work address, or will call);
a delivery method options page that allows a user to select between
various shipping options (e.g., conventional land/air courier,
express courier, local courier or runner, overnight delivery,
second day delivery, same day delivery); a payment options page
that displays the total cost (e.g., ticket and delivery cost) and
allows a user to select a method of payment (e.g., the type and
number of a credit or debit card); and a confirmation page that
allows a user to view a summary of the foregoing information,
including a description of the tickets, delivery method, delivery
location, payment amount, and method of payment.
[0070] In the preferred embodiment, system 10 determines the
available shipping options by use of a second geography and
time-based strategy adapted for use with the sale of time-sensitive
goods. FIG. 19 illustrates one non-limiting embodiment of a
geography and time-based method or strategy 400, which may be
implemented by system 10 to determine available courier and
shipping options. In functional block or step 410, the system 10
determines the time remaining before the goods expire (i.e., the
time between the requested purchase and the "expiration time" or
the day and time the goods will expire). For example, in the
preferred embodiment, the system 10 obtains the time remaining by
assigning a third numeric value to the present time (i.e., the time
of the buyer's purchase request), and subtracting this value from
the first numeric value, representing the expiration time of the
goods. The result may be converted into an amount of days and/or
hours in a conventional manner.
[0071] In functional block or step 420, system 10 receives the
location of the goods (e.g., the seller's address) from the data
entered by the seller. In functional block or step 430, the system
10 determines the point of last delivery (i.e., the location of the
venue), and the location of the buyer (e.g., the buyer's home
and/or work address) from the data entered by the buyer.
[0072] Finally, in functional block or step 440, system 10 obtains
all shipping options, based upon the day of the goods expire, time
remaining, the location of the goods, the location of the buyer,
and the point of last delivery. These represent shipping options
that will ensure that the goods can be delivered either to the
buyer or to the point of last delivery before the goods expire. In
the preferred embodiment, system 10 is electronically integrated
with and/or communicatively coupled to the operating systems of a
plurality of shipping couriers, such as conventional air/land
couriers, express couriers, and local couriers or "runners."
Alternatively, system 10 may include all relevant information,
concerning the couriers' respective shipping capabilities and
terms, in one or more databases or tables that can be selectively
queried in order to obtain the available shipping options. System
10 queries these systems/databases to determine which couriers can
execute the delivery within the time remaining before the goods
expire, at which locations the deliveries can be made (e.g., at the
buyer's location and/or at the point of last delivery), by which
methods the couriers can perform the deliveries (e.g., two day, one
day, overnight or same day delivery), and the cost of each shipping
option. System 10 then presents some or all of the shipping options
to the buyer. In the preferred embodiment, system 10 presents a
list containing the identity of the couriers, the available
shipping methods (e.g., two day, one day, overnight, same day) for
each courier, and the associated cost of each shipping option.
[0073] The buyer may then select a desired courier and shipping
method. After selection, system 10 presents the buyer with one or
more available delivery locations for the selected option (i.e.,
buyer's address or will call). Once the buyer selects the desired
delivery location, the system 10 will display the purchase amount
to the buyer, query the buyer for a method of payment (e.g., the
type and number of a credit or debit card), and present the buyer
with a confirmation page that allows the buyer to view a
description of the tickets, delivery method, delivery location,
payment amount, and method of payment. FIG. 16 illustrates one
non-limiting embodiment of a buyer confirmation page 300. When a
buyer selects the "finish" button on page 300, system 10 will issue
a confirmation statement or e-mail to the buyer, process the
request, and initiate the sales transaction.
[0074] If a buyer has chosen to purchase tickets that are being
sold by auction, the system 10 will require the buyer to provide
registration information and log into the system 10 (e.g., by use
of pages 230 and 240). Once the buyer has logged in, the system 10
will present the buyer with an interactive page that allows the
buyer to enter a bid in the auction and that provides the buyer
with additional information regarding the status of the auction
(e.g., time remaining in the auction, minimum bid increments,
number of bids, highest bid). The buyer may then enter a bid
accordingly. At the auction end date or time, the system 10 will
automatically inform the buyer (e.g., by e-mail) whether the bid
was accepted. If the bid was accepted, the system 10 will instruct
the buyer to return to the Web site and complete the previously
delineated multi-step procedure to initiate the ticket purchase
transaction.
[0075] It should be appreciated that the foregoing queries, pages
and methods for gathering information from prospective
sellers/providers and buyers of event tickets may be modified in a
suitable manner in order to conform with any other types of goods
that may be sold by use of system 10.
[0076] Referring once again to FIG. 2, once the transaction has
been confirmed by the buyer, system 10 proceeds with the
methodology 30 by providing financial logistics, as shown in
functional block or step 38, and by providing shipping logistics,
as shown in functional block or step 40. It should be appreciated
that while steps 38 and 40 are illustrated as occurring
sequentially in flow diagram 30, portions of the steps 38 and 40
may be interspersed over the course of the entire sales
transaction.
[0077] In step 38, the system 10 automatically arranges and/or
provides for all of the necessary financial logistics for the sale
of goods to the buyer. In the preferred embodiment of the
invention, the system 10 communicates and/or integrates with
financial or payment service providers by use of global computer
network 20 in order to provide the financial logistics for the
sales transaction. Flow diagram 50 of FIG. 3 illustrates an example
of a method of providing payment processing or financial logistics
in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Briefly, methodology 50 is executed as follows: the system 10
authorizes the sale amount on the buyer's credit card in functional
block or step 52; notifies the seller of the proposed purchase and
receives seller confirmation in functional block or step 54;
charges the buyer's credit card in functional block or step 56;
collects funds from the credit card transaction in functional block
or step 58; and deducts a fee and transfers the remaining amount of
the sale to the seller in functional block or step 60. The function
or operation of each of the foregoing steps is discussed below in
more detail.
[0078] Returning to the ticket-purchase example, once the buyer has
reviewed and confirmed the transaction, the system 10 authorizes
the total sale amount (e.g., sale price plus delivery cost) on the
buyer's credit card, as shown in step 52. The system 10 performs
this step automatically by communicating the total sale amount and
credit card number to an online credit card authorization provider,
which verifies the authenticity of the credit card and availability
of funds in a conventional manner and communicates an appropriate
response to system 10. In the preferred embodiment, the credit card
authorization provider's system is electronically integrated with
system 10, thereby simplifying the transaction.
[0079] Upon receipt of an affirmative authorization, system 10
proceeds to step 54, where it automatically and electronically
notifies the seller that the tickets have been sold (e.g., by
e-mail notification). At such time, system 10 requests the seller
to confirm (e.g., by return e-mail, or via a web page) that the
tickets are still available and that the seller will be able to
complete the transaction. Once the seller has confirmed the
transaction, the system 10 automatically and electronically charges
the buyer's credit card, as shown in step 56. In step 58, the
system 10 collects the funds by having them electronically
transferred into a conventional merchant account in a selected
bank. Finally, in step 60, system 10 automatically deducts any
transaction fees charged by the owner or operator of system 10, and
directs the remaining proceeds to the seller in a conventional
manner (e.g., by issuing a certified check to the seller, or by
wiring electronic funds to the seller). It should be appreciated
that each of the steps 56, 58 and 60 may be performed and/or
facilitated by use of one or more online payment processing
providers or companies that have relationships with the operator or
owner of system 10. In the preferred embodiment, the payment
providers' systems are electronically integrated with system 10,
thereby simplifying the transactions.
[0080] Referring back to FIG. 2, the system 10 proceeds to
automatically arrange and/or facilitate the logistics for the
delivery of goods to the buyer, as shown in step 40. In the
preferred embodiment of the invention, the system 10 communicates
with several couriers by use of global computer network 20 in order
to provide the shipping logistics for the sales transaction. Flow
diagram 70 of FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a method of
providing shipping logistics in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention. Briefly, the methodology 70 is
executed as follows: the system 10 reviews the shipping option
selected by the buyer and information from the seller (e.g., the
location of the seller or goods) in functional block or step 72;
provides the seller with one or more pickup and drop-off options in
functional block or step 74; and communicates information to the
selected courier and buyer in functional block or step 76. The
function or operation of each of the foregoing steps is discussed
below in more detail.
[0081] Once a purchase has been confirmed by the buyer or seller,
system 10 reviews the shipping option selected by the buyer (e.g.,
the identity of the courier and shipping method selected by the
buyer) and information from the seller, such as the location of the
seller or goods, in order to determine various options for pickup
or drop-off of the tickets, in step 72. In the preferred
embodiment, system 10 is electronically integrated with the
selected courier's system and automatically determines the closest
courier facility in the seller's area and whether the courier is
able to execute a pickup from the seller's pickup address, and if
so, the dates and times that such a pickup could be made. If the
courier is able to execute a pickup, system 10 will allow the
seller to select between either having the courier retrieve the
goods (i.e., tickets) on one of the available pickup days, or
dropping the tickets off at the nearest courier facility. If the
courier cannot service any of the selected locations at any of the
selected times, the system 10 will require the seller to dr op the
tickets off at the nearest courier facility.
[0082] While the "shipping logistics" methodology 70 begins with
step 72, it should be appreciated that the previously-described
geography and time-based algorithms, which assist in determining
the last sale time required for timely shipping of the goods and
which further determine the buyer's available shipping options, can
also be considered to be part of the methodology for providing
shipping logistics.
[0083] In step 74, the system 10 provides the seller with the
available options by way of an e-mail message. The seller may then
select either the most desirable pickup day/location (if any) for
the courier to retrieve the tickets, or the drop-off option. If the
seller selects the drop-off option, system 10, which is fully
integrated with the courier's system, automatically generates a
shipping label by communicating with such courier's system, which
the seller may print out on a personal computer. System 10 may also
provide the seller with the address and driving directions to the
nearest courier facility, and a date and time by which the seller
must drop-off the tickets at the facility. If the seller selects a
certain day for the courier to retrieve the tickets, the system 10
will communicate the relevant information to the courier in step
76, such as the seller's address, the delivery address, and the
selected pickup day and time frame, in order to schedule a pickup.
The courier will then pick up (or receive) the tickets, and deliver
the tickets to the buyer (or to will call) in a conventional
manner. In step 76, system 10 also communicates the delivery
tracking information or number to the buyer in a conventional
manner (e.g., by e-mail) upon seller confirmation. In one
non-limiting embodiment, the system 10 also sends the buyer a
request to rate the seller (e.g., by e-mail), in order to compile
seller feedback or ratings data.
[0084] In alternate embodiments, system 10 may further provide
logistics for an electronic transfer of the tickets instead of or
in addition to a physical transfer (i.e., physical shipping) of the
tickets. In such an embodiment, system 10 is communicatively
coupled to an electronic ticketing system (e.g., at the event
venue), and can instruct the ticketing system to activate new
"tickets" for the buyer, while deactivating the seller's original
"tickets." For example and without limitation, this electronic
transfer can be accomplished by instructing the ticketing system to
print new tickets for the buyer with new bar codes and to
deactivate the bar codes on the original tickets, or to activate a
"swipe card," password or pin code that may be used by the buyer
and deactivate the "swipe card," password or pin code of the
seller. It should be appreciated that such methods of electronic
transfer allow the system to "push back" the last sale time to a
time substantially contemporaneous with the start of the event.
[0085] It should be appreciated that the system and methods of the
present invention provide an efficient way for many disparate
sellers to effectively advertise and present their goods to many
prospective, remote purchasers. Furthermore, the present invention
provides an infrastructure that allows remote sellers to accept
orders of goods from remote purchasers, that performs the necessary
financial transactions to confirm and complete the sale of goods,
and to ship the goods to a purchaser in a timely manner. Moreover,
the present invention provides an infrastructure that allows buyers
to promptly locate specific goods that they desire to purchase and
that are currently for sale, and to ensure that the purchase and
delivery of goods will occur in a timely and secure manner.
[0086] The present invention provides a system and method that
performs all of the financial and shipping logistics without
requiring any interaction between the buyer and seller. The system
and method of the present invention may be implemented in a "double
blind" manner to enable a third party (i.e., the operator of the
system) to manage a transaction for the sale of goods between a
seller and a remote buyer, including performing all necessary
financial and shipping logistics, while maintaining the identity of
the transacting parties (i.e., buyer and seller) confidential from
one another.
[0087] Generally, the method employed by the present invention to
provide the "double blind" logistics may include the following
procedures: receiving information from a seller regarding certain
goods that the seller desires to sell; providing information to
prospective buyers regarding the certain goods that are for sale;
receiving a purchase request from a buyer for the certain goods;
confirming the buyer's financial ability to complete the sale or to
pay for the goods (e.g., authorizing the buyer's credit card);
confirming with the seller that the certain goods are still
available and that the sale can be completed; receiving payment
from the buyer (e.g., charging the buyer's credit card); arranging
for the certain goods to be transferred from the seller to the
buyer; confirming that the certain goods have been received by the
buyer; and providing payment to the seller, once receipt has been
confirmed.
[0088] The operational flow diagram 80 of FIG. 5 provides an
illustration of the "double blind" nature of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention. As shown in diagram 80, system
10 may provide logistics for a complete ticket-sale transaction,
without interaction between buyer and seller (i.e., system 10
facilitates the entire ticket-sale transaction without requiring
any interaction between a seller 82 and a buyer 84). Particularly,
system 10 effectively isolates the seller's participation in the
transaction (e.g., steps 86-92) from the buyer's participation in
the transaction (e.g., steps 94-100). A description of the steps of
diagram 80 follows.
[0089] In step 86, the seller accesses system 10 in a conventional
manner, such as through a Web site implementing system 10. The
seller navigates through the site and locates the event for which
the seller has tickets. After the seller selects the event, the
system 10 requires the seller to register and login, as shown in
step 88. The system 10 also receives a description of the tickets
from the seller and confirms the proposed sale. After a purchase is
made by a buyer, the system 10 notifies the seller, requests a
confirmation from the seller that the seller has the tickets and
can complete the transaction, and provides the seller with
available courier pickup and drop-off options, as shown in step 90.
Once the delivery of the tickets has been completed, system 10
provides payment to the seller (e.g., by check or electronic wire)
minus an operating fee, as shown in step 92.
[0090] The buyer's participation in the transaction commences when
the buyer accesses the system and browses (or searches) for tickets
to purchase, as shown in step 94. In step 96, the buyer selects
certain tickets to purchase, and the system 10 authorizes the
buyer's credit card for the amount of the tickets. Upon receiving
confirmation from the seller, the system notifies the buyer,
charges the buyer's credit card, and provides the buyer with
delivery tracking information, as shown in step 98. Finally, in
step 100 the buyer receives the tickets and is queried for feedback
regarding the seller.
[0091] As illustrated by block 102, system 10 controls and/or
facilitates the entire sale and purchase process, and serves as an
intermediary between the buyer and seller, such that the buyer and
seller have no direct interaction (e.g., the identity of the
parties can remain concealed from one another). In the preferred
embodiment, system 10 is electronically integrated with systems of
financial service providers and couriers, which operate in a
cooperative manner with system 10 to provide the previously
described financial and shipping logistics. Since system 10
manages, provides, and facilitates all of the financial and
shipping logistics, any issues that arise during the course of the
transaction are managed and resolved by a single entity (i.e., the
system and/or its operator). As such, the system 10 is desirable to
both sellers and buyers, since it removes the need for individual
sellers to provide and maintain their own logistics and customer
support, and instills confidence and trust in prospective buyers.
Moreover, since the entire transaction is managed by the system 10
(and/or its operator), the identity of the buyer need not be
disclosed to the seller, and the identity of the seller need not be
disclosed to the buyer.
[0092] Transfers with Proceeds to a Third Party
[0093] The present invention can also be implemented to facilitate
a sale or transfer of goods in order to benefit a third party, such
as a charity or nonprofit institution (e.g., a university), a
political action committee or some other fundraising cause or
entity. For example, the system 10 may be used to provide and
conduct charity or nonprofit fundraising activities, such as a
sale, auction or raffle. In this manner, the present invention
allows an owner or provider of goods, such as event tickets, to
present the goods for auction and allow the proceeds to flow
directly to a charity or nonprofit organization of the owner's
choice. As discussed below, this provides several benefits
including potential tax benefits to the parties. Furthermore, while
the example provided relates to the sale of event tickets to
benefit a charitable or nonprofit entity, it should be appreciated
that the present invention may be used in relation to the sale or
transfer of any type of goods for the benefit of any third
party.
[0094] FIG. 20 illustrates a method 500 that may be used with
system 10 in order to facilitate and provide logistics for a sale
or transfer of goods (e.g., event tickets) with the associated
proceeds being donated to a charitable or nonprofit entity. In the
first step 502, the operator of the system 10 establishes
relationships with various charitable and nonprofit entities. The
operator may contact the entities and reach agreements to provide
the entities with a portion of the proceeds from the sale of event
tickets. In exchange for the proceeds, the entities may agree to
submit appropriate paperwork to the relevant parties to a
transaction. For example, the entities may provide the seller of
the tickets with an acknowledgement in a proscribed form indicating
the value of the proceeds received from the sale so that the
provider can make a reporting for tax purposes. In alternative
embodiments, a charitable or nonprofit entity may itself operate
the system 10. In such case step 502 may be unnecessary.
Additionally, an operator of the system 10 might have no formal
relationship with the third party entity and may simply forward the
designated proceeds of the sale to the third party entity chosen by
the seller.
[0095] In step 504, system 10 receives information from the
provider (e.g., the ticket holder). The information may include:
(i) the identity of the provider, (ii) a description and/or
location of the tickets that the provider desires to sell, auction
or otherwise transfer, (iii) the method of selling the goods (e.g.,
conventional sale, auction or raffle), and (iv) the identity of the
charitable or nonprofit entity that will receive at least some of
the proceeds resulting from the transfer. In the preferred
embodiment of the invention, the data can be communicated over a
global computer network 20 by prospective providers who are
selectively queried by system 10 (e.g., while visiting a Web site),
and who transmit appropriate responses by use of a computer 22. The
interface screens for receiving this information from the provider
may be substantially similar to those shown in FIGS. 6-14 and
described above. In this step, the provider may also choose to
physically transfer the tickets to the operator of the system to
simplify shipping/delivery logistics once the tickets are sold.
[0096] In addition, the system 10 may present an interface or
screen that allows a user to select a charitable or nonprofit
entity to which a portion of the proceeds may be donated. In the
preferred embodiment, the system 10 will display all charitable and
nonprofit entities with which the operator of the system has
entered into a relationship, as discussed in step 502. The provider
may then select from the displayed entities. In one embodiment, the
system 10 may also allow the provider to select a certain
percentage or amount of the proceeds that will go to the charitable
or nonprofit entity. The provider may then choose one or more other
charitable or nonprofit entities to receive the remaining proceeds,
or alternatively, request the remaining proceeds to be returned to
the provider. For example, some providers might choose to keep the
face value of the tickets and donate any additional monies above
the face value of the tickets to the charitable entity.
[0097] All of the foregoing data may also be entered into the
system on behalf of the provider by the operator of the system
(e.g., through way telephone, written, electronic and/or in-person
communications). The provider may be an individual ticket holder, a
venue, a tour, a sports team or an artist. For example, an artist
may choose to sell, auction or raffle a certain number of tickets
along with various merchandise with all or a portion (e.g.,
anything above cost) of the proceeds to benefit a charitable or
nonprofit entity of his or her choice.
[0098] In the step 506, the system 10 presents information to
prospective buyers regarding goods that are being offered for sale,
auction and/or raffle and the third party entity that will receive
proceeds from the sale. In the preferred embodiment of the
invention, the information is communicated over a global computer
network 20 to prospective buyers who are directed to or are
visiting a Web site utilized to implement system 10.
[0099] In the event ticket example, the operator's Web site may
provide a list of events having tickets available for purchase by
way of charity sale, auction or raffle. Additionally and/or
alternatively, a buyer may navigate through system 10 by browsing
by event type, city, geographical region, charity or venue to
search for available charity sales, auctions or raffles. Once a
user has located a desired sale, auction or raffle for a particular
event, the user may select the event in order to view the tickets
being offered for sale for the event.
[0100] FIG. 21 illustrates one non-limiting example of a page 600
listing available charity transactions for a particular artist. As
shown, the page 600 presents a listing of events that have tickets
available for purchase by way of charity auction and raffle. Each
listing identifies the date, location and venue of the event. Each
listing may also include a "Bid Now" or "Buy Raffle Tickets" field.
When either field is selected, the system will display another page
that provides further details about the respective auction/raffle,
tickets (e.g., the number of seats and seat locations), the current
bid price or raffle ticket sale, the time remaining in the auction
or raffle, and information regarding the charity, artist and
associated prize/items that may be awarded to the winner, such as
"meet and greet" passes, signed memorabilia and the like. The page
may also include a selectively enlargeable image of the venue so
that users can examine the location of the seats prior to purchase.
FIG. 22 illustrates one example of such a page 610 for a charity
auction. As shown, page 610 provides specific information relating
to the event, charity and artist. Each listing displayed on page
610 includes a "Place Bid" field and a "Details" field. When
selected, the "Details" field may display another page to the user
with further details about the respective tickets, such as the seat
numbers for the tickets, descriptions of prizes/items that may be
awarded along with the tickets, and other information. By selecting
the "Place Bid" field, a user will be queried for information
necessary to place a bid.
[0101] FIG. 23 illustrates one example of a similar page 620 for a
charity raffle. As shown, page 620 provides specific information
relating to the raffle, event, charity and artist. Each listing
displayed on page 610 also includes a "Purchase" field and a
"Details" field. When selected, the "Details" field may display
another page to the user with further details about the tickets
being raffled, such as the seat numbers for the tickets,
descriptions of prizes that may be awarded along with the tickets,
and other information. By selecting the "Purchase" field, a user
will be queried for information necessary to purchase one or more
raffle tickets.
[0102] In step 508, the system 10 and/or operator of the system
conducts the sale, auction or raffle. The system 10 conducts sales
and auctions of goods in the manners previously described. The
method used to conduct an online raffle is described below.
[0103] FIG. 24 illustrates a method 700 that may be performed to
conduct an "online" or computerized raffle, according to the
present invention. It should be appreciated that in the present
embodiment, the method may be used to benefit charitable and
nonprofit entities. But in alternate embodiments, the method may be
used to benefit any individual, entity or third party. In the first
step 710, the operator of the system 10 receives information from
raffle ticket buyers over a computer network. In the preferred
embodiment, a buyer enters this information into one or more web
pages generated by the system 10. The information preferably
includes identification and contact information for the buyer
(e.g., name, address, telephone number, email address, and the
like), and the number of tickets purchased by the buyer.
[0104] In the next step 720, the names (or identities) of the
buyers are recorded (e.g., entered into a register or list) in a
manner that is weighted according to the number of tickets
purchased by each buyer. In one embodiment, each of the buyer names
is entered into a spreadsheet in alphabetical order with each name
having a number of entries equal to the number of tickets purchased
by that buyer. For example, assume Buyer A purchased 10 tickets,
Buyer B purchased 7 tickets, and Buyer C purchased 8 tickets. In
the resulting spreadsheet, Buyer A would reside in rows 1-10; Buyer
B would reside in rows 11-17; and Buyer C would reside in spots
17-25. In another embodiment, the buyers may simply be assigned
numbers in a similar (e.g., sequential) manner according to the
number of tickets they purchased.
[0105] In step 730, a winner is selected at random with appropriate
weighting given to each buyer based upon the number of tickets the
buyer purchased. For instance, a conventional Monte Carlo algorithm
may be used to generate a random or pseudorandom number between 1
and the total number of tickets sold (e.g., a number from 1 to 25
in the previous example). The buyer that is assigned to that number
(e.g., the row corresponding to that number in the spreadsheet
example) is declared the winner. It should be appreciated that
conducting the selection in this manner will ensure that a buyer's
chance of winning is proportionate to the number of tickets
purchased by that buyer.
[0106] In alternate embodiments, other methods of random selection
can be performed to select a winner. In some embodiments, steps 720
and 730 may be performed and/or certified by a third party such as
an accounting firm, and communicated back to the system 10 or
operator (e.g., by way of an electronic communication).
Furthermore, additional or alternate winners may be selected for
each raffle in a substantially similar manner. In step 740, the
system 10 automatically notifies the winner(s), using the contact
information received in step 710 (e.g., by automatically generating
an email, instant message or the like to the winner).
[0107] In step 510, the system 10 collects funds from the buyer and
provides them to the designated charitable or nonprofit entity. In
the case of a raffle, this step may occur prior to and/or
contemporaneous with step 508. In the case of a standard sale or an
auction, the system 10 performs step 510 after step 508. The system
10 may automatically charge the buyer's credit or electronic
account, collect the funds, deduct a commission or fee that is
provided to the operator of the system, and transfer the remaining
amount of the sale to the designated entity. The system may also
perform this step in a substantially similar manner to that
described in method 50 of FIG. 3, with the exception that at least
a portion of the funds are transferred to the charitable or
nonprofit entity rather than the seller.
[0108] In step 510, the system 10 or system operator also provides
information regarding the sale and the provider to the charitable
or nonprofit entity. This information allows the entity to generate
an acknowledgement of the donation in a form sufficient for tax
reporting purposes. This information may include the name, address
and contact information of the provider, the total amount of the
sale, relevant dates (e.g., the date of sale and date that funds
were received by the charity), the nature of the transaction, the
identity of the goods (e.g., tickets) that were sold, and the
amount of the proceeds that were provided to the entity.
[0109] In step 514, the system 10 automatically arranges and/or
facilitates the logistics for transfer the goods or tickets to the
buyer. This step may be performed in a substantially identical
manner as described in step 40 of FIG. 2 and/or method 70 of
diagram 70 of FIG. 4.
[0110] It should be understood that the inventions described herein
are provided by way of example only and that numerous changes,
alterations, modifications, and substitutions may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as delineated
within the following claims.
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