U.S. patent application number 10/794769 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-08 for product data file for online marketplace sales channels.
Invention is credited to Corsi, John, Graham, Kelley, Klenske, Greg, Suzuki, Masami, Williams, Chris.
Application Number | 20050197946 10/794769 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34912347 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050197946 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Williams, Chris ; et
al. |
September 8, 2005 |
Product data file for online marketplace sales channels
Abstract
In an online marketplace environment, a seller of items can
provide information relating to items for sale on one or more
online sales channels to a connection provider. In one
implementation, a method describes receiving a product data file
(PDF) from a seller, in which the product data file includes
information relating to one or more items for sale by the seller.
The method also includes facilitating a sale of the one or more
items through one or more online sales channels, in which the
product data file further includes one or more data fields for
enhanced selling features. The enhanced selling features include
selling features in addition to baseline features. The baseline
features include providing online listing capabilities for the one
or more items being sold.
Inventors: |
Williams, Chris; (San Jose,
CA) ; Suzuki, Masami; (San Francisco, CA) ;
Klenske, Greg; (San Francisco, CA) ; Graham,
Kelley; (San Francisco, CA) ; Corsi, John;
(Charlotte, NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FISH & RICHARDSON P.C.
225 FRANKLIN STREET
BOSTON
MA
02110
US
|
Family ID: |
34912347 |
Appl. No.: |
10/794769 |
Filed: |
March 5, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/36R |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0247 20130101;
G06Q 40/04 20130101; G06Q 30/0613 20130101; G06Q 30/0641 20130101;
G06Q 10/06393 20130101; G06Q 30/0601 20130101; G06Q 40/06
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/036 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method comprising: receiving a product data file (PDF) from a
seller, the product data file comprising baseline information
describing one or more properties of one or more items for sale by
the seller and enhanced information corresponding to one or more
enhanced selling features associated with the items for sale;
facilitating a sale of the one or more items through one or more
online sales channels based on the baseline information in the
received PDF; and providing at least one enhanced selling feature
associated with the items for sale based on the enhanced
information in the received PDF.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein an item comprises a good or a
service or a combination of goods and services.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the product data file further
comprises information to specify item listing preferences on the
one or more online sales channels.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the item listing preferences
further comprise preferred images and text for the listed
items.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the product data file comprises
one or more data fields in a tabular format.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the enhanced data fields are
adapted to enable the seller to track a progress of the items being
sold.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the product data file is adapted
to delineate the one or more items at a SKU level.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the information describing the one
or more items for sale by the seller are included in one or more
reports to the seller, wherein the one or more reports enable the
seller to assess a progress of the one or more items for sale.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the enhanced data fields are
adapted to cross-merchandise items for sale and generate sales
activity from buyers.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the enhanced data fields further
comprise product reviews for presentation on the one or more online
sales channels.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the product data file further
comprises any of an anchor price of the one or more items,
information associated with the seller, and an anchor flag, wherein
the anchor flag indicates whether the anchor price represents any
of a price of a next best alternative (NBA) item, a cost of goods
sold (COGS), a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP), and a
jobber price.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the product data file further
comprises any of an average sales price (ASP), a percentage of a
target price, an anchor price goal, one or more groups of item
attributes, shipping and handling information, one or more
attributes to indicate previously-used items, and geographic
information on the seller.
13. A system comprising: a product data file (PDF) comprising data
that relates to one or more items for sale on an online sales
channel; one or more tools to receive the product data file from a
seller of the one or more items and format the received data to be
compatible with an online sales channel; and a list of items on the
online sales channel, wherein the online sales channel is
configured to list the one or more items for sale in a preferred
format.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the preferred format comprises a
format preferred by any of the seller, the online sales channel,
and a connection provider, wherein the connection provider is an
intermediary between the seller and the online sales channel
15. The system of claim 14 wherein the connection provider is
adapted to use the one or more tools to move any of the seller's
item data and auction information to the online sales channel.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the connection provider is
adapted to receive the product data file from the seller and
validate the data in the product data file.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the validation comprises
checking the product data file for errors and missing data, and
ensuring an amount of data to enable any of an item listing and an
item auctioning.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the one or more tools comprise a
converter tool, wherein the converter tool is adapted to receive
the product data file and validate data in the product data
file.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the converter tool is further
adapted to convert the data in the product data file into a text
format.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the one or more tools further
comprise an upload tool to upload the text file into a merchant
tool database.
21. The system of claim 20 wherein the one or more tools further
comprise a tool for creating item listings and auction profiles,
wherein the item listings and auction profiles comprise any of a
quantity, a pricing, and a scheduling strategy.
22. The system of claim 20 wherein the product data file is adapted
to be classified into one or more types, the one or more types
depending on one or more characteristics of the seller.
23. An article that enables a seller to provide information
describing an item for sale on an online marketplace, the article
being configured for a connection provider that interprets and
formats the information for sale on the online marketplace, the
article comprising: baseline information describing one or more
properties of the item for sale; enhanced information corresponding
to one or more selling features associated with the item for sale,
wherein the baseline information and enhanced information comprise
data in one or more data fields; and logic to constrain the one or
more data fields to ensure that data the associated with the data
fields conform to one or more specifications of the connection
provider.
24. An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing
instructions operable to cause a machine to perform operations
comprising: receiving a product data file (PDF) from a seller, the
product data file comprising baseline information describing one or
more properties of one or more items for sale by the seller and
enhanced information corresponding to one or more enhanced selling
features associated with the items for sale; facilitating a sale of
the one or more items through one or more online sales channels
based on the baseline information in the received PDF; and
providing at least one enhanced selling feature associated with the
items for sale based on the enhanced information in the received
PDF.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The following description relates to providing access to
online marketplace services, for example, to allow sellers of
property or merchandise to sell goods or items through an online
auction or fixed-priced sales channel. An online marketplace, such
as provided at www.ebay.com, can facilitate the sell of items and
host auctions via one or more web sites in which people and
organizations from all around the world can buy and sell goods and
services. Among other goods and services, collectibles, books,
jewelry, appliances, computers, tickets, sporting goods, furniture,
equipment, vehicles, and vacation packages are listed on the
marketplace web sites, and bought and sold online daily. The online
marketplace may facilitate the selling of items at fixed prices
(e.g., static prices) and/or at dynamic prices (e.g.,
auctions).
[0002] In the online selling process, a seller may desire
information on how well its goods are selling with respect to
expectations, forecasts, and/or targets. The seller may want to
know high-level business metrics for what was sold, when it was
sold, and the selling price (e.g., average selling price of
$52.00). For example, the seller may want to know top-line sales
information, such as the gross revenue of their sales. Other
top-line sales information may include an average sales price
(ASP), the number of units sold, the gross merchandise sales (GMS),
and the net merchandise sales (NMS) (e.g., actual sales revenue
collected from buyers). The seller may also want to know
bottom-line (e.g., final results) sales information, such as net
income or profits (e.g., gross revenue minus costs or net sales
minus fees). Sellers may need some guidance or recommendations on
selling, merchandising, pricing, or promoting their goods, as well
as some insight on their volume and margin expectations.
[0003] Participants in online marketplaces may include individuals,
small companies, large corporations, or other types of
organizations. In general, the term "organization" may refer to a
company, enterprise, business, government, educational institution,
or the like. The term "organization" can also refer to a group of
persons, such as an association or society.
[0004] Some participants in online marketplaces may have
business-to-business (B2B) relationships with other participants
that may tend to focus on a vertical market, such as healthcare or
automotive. Participants in a B2B marketplace can liquidate
unwanted capital assets, dispose of excess inventory, and buy or
sell equipment, goods, and services. Other participants in online
marketplaces may have business-to-consumer (B2C) relationships. A
business may sell goods and services to the consumer market in a
B2C online marketplace. Some other participants may have
consumer-to-consumer (C2C) relationships, in which individuals can
buy and sell goods and services with other individuals.
[0005] In one example of an online marketplace, eBay Inc. of San
Jose, Calif. provides online services in which buyers and sellers
can browse (e.g., navigate), list goods (e.g., post for sale), and
buy and sell various goods and services in a web-based marketplace.
eBay provides online auction and listing services, in which eBay
typically does not directly handle or own the goods. Instead, eBay
can facilitate the listing of the goods and services on its
website, like want-ads in a newspaper, and facilitate transactions
of trading activities between buyers and sellers. Among other
operations, eBay can provide listing features beyond what can be
offered in a newspaper, such as a dynamic pricing structure, a
presentation of items with digital photographs, a formatting of
listing information, and customer feedback.
[0006] Online marketplaces represent a sales channel--that is, an
avenue for selling goods or services--that has become popular only
recently. More traditional sales channels include
"brick-and-mortar" storefronts, for example, a department store in
which a good (e.g., a shirt) can be sold to buyers of the good.
Other sales channels include catalog sales, door-to-door sales, and
telemarketing sales. A seller may use multiple sales channels to
sell its goods or services--e.g., retail stores and an online sale
channel such as a web site with similar product offerings. In the
case of an online sales channel, a seller may either set-up and
maintain its own dedicated web-site that sells only its own
merchandise or the seller may use an online marketplace web-site
(e.g. eBay, Amazom.com or Buy.com) that sells merchandise owned by
several different sellers. As used herein, "online sales channel"
encompasses both dedicated, single-seller online sales channels as
well as multiple-seller online sales channels.
SUMMARY
[0007] In one implementation, the present disclosure relates to a
method that includes receiving a product data file (PDF) from a
seller. The product data file includes baseline information
describing one or more properties of one or more items for sale by
the seller and enhanced information corresponding to one or more
enhanced selling features associated with the items for sale. The
method also includes facilitating a sale of the items through one
or more online sales channels based on the baseline information in
the received PDF, and providing at least one enhanced selling
feature associated with the items for sale based on the enhanced
information in the received PDF.
[0008] The "item" can refer to a good and/or a service. The product
data file may include information to specify item listing
preferences on the online sales channels. The item listing
preferences may include preferred images and text for the listed
items. The product data file can have one or more data fields in a
tabular format. The enhanced data fields can enable the seller to
track a progress of the items being sold. The product data file may
also delineate the one or more items at a SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
level.
[0009] The information describing the items for sale by the seller
may be included in one or more reports to the seller, in which the
one or more reports can enable the seller to assess a sales
progress of the one or more items. The enhanced data fields can
help to cross-merchandise items for sale and generate sales
activity from buyers. The enhanced data fields may also include
product reviews for presentation on the online sales channels.
[0010] The product data file may include an anchor price of the one
or more items, information associated with the seller, and an
anchor flag. The anchor flag can indicate whether the anchor price
represents a price of a next best alternative (NBA) item, a cost of
goods sold (COGS), a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP),
or a jobber price. The product data file may also include an
average sales price (ASP), a percentage of a target price, an
anchor price goal, one or more groups of item attributes, shipping
and handling information, one or more attributes to indicate
previously-used items, and/or geographic information on the
seller.
[0011] The present disclosure also describes a system that includes
a product data file (PDF) with data that relates to one or more
items for sale on an online sales channel. The system has one or
more tools to receive the product data file from a seller of the
one or more items and format the received data to be compatible
with an online sales channel. The system also includes a list of
items on the online sales channel, in which the online sales
channel can list the items for sale in a preferred format.
[0012] The preferred format includes a format preferred by the
seller, the online sales channel, and/or a connection provider. The
connection provider is an intermediary between the seller and the
online sales channel that can use the one or more tools to move any
of the seller's item data and auction information to the online
sales channel.
[0013] The connection provider may receive the product data file
from the seller and validate the data in the product data file. The
validation can include checking the product data file for errors
and missing data, and ensuring an amount of data to enable an item
listing and/or an item auctioning. The one or more tools may
include a converter tool that receives the product data file and
validates the data in the product data file. The converter tool may
also convert the data in the product data file into a text format.
The one or more tools may also include an upload tool to upload the
text file into a merchant tool database. There may also be a tool
for creating item listings and auction profiles, in which the item
listings and auction profiles can include a quantity, a pricing,
and/or a scheduling strategy. The product data file may be
classified into one or more types depending on one or more
characteristics of the seller.
[0014] Also described is an article that enables a seller to
provide information describing an item for sale on an online
marketplace. The article is for a connection provider that
interprets and formats the information for sale on the online
marketplace. The article includes baseline information describing
one or more properties of the item for sale. The article also
includes enhanced information corresponding to one or more selling
features associated with the item for sale, in which the baseline
information and enhanced information include data in one or more
data fields. The article has logic to constrain the one or more
data fields to ensure that data the associated with the data fields
conform to one or more specifications of the connection
provider.
[0015] In another aspect, an article is described for a
machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause a
machine to perform operations that includes receiving a product
data file (PDF) from a seller, and facilitating a sale of one or
more items through one or more online sales channels in regards to
baseline information in the received PDF. The product data file
includes baseline information describing one or more properties of
one or more items for sale by the seller, and enhanced information
corresponding to one or more enhanced selling features associated
with the items for sale. The operations also include providing at
least one enhanced selling feature associated with the items for
sale based on the enhanced information in the received PDF.
[0016] The systems and techniques described here may provide one or
more of the following advantages. For example, a connection
provider (e.g., an intermediary entity that can provide services to
sell items on online marketplaces) may provide a seller with
insight and recommendations on merchandise to enhance the strategic
position of the seller. The seller can adapt sales strategies and
positioning in a dynamic sales environment. The connection provider
can also provide top-line sales information to help the seller to
realize how well sales are tracking against forecasts. The
bottom-line information provided by the connection provider to
sellers can help sellers to reduce their costs and expenses while
maximizing sales potential. One or more reports to the seller can
be automatically generated to reduce the amount of costs associated
with employing human labor. The reports can show interrelationships
in sales activities, as well as and cause-and-effect patterns in
the seller's selling strategy over time (e.g., the seller can lower
the target price to see if they can sell more units). The seller
can also have a greater level of control over how their goods are
sold than what is typically provided in an online marketplace
environment. The seller may provide the connection provider with
one or more standard files of information to provide enhanced value
of selling items over one or more online sales channels (e.g.,
enhanced product listings and descriptions). The seller may be able
to obtain information and guidance regarding selling their items on
the online sales channels where such information and guidance may
not normally be easily obtained, if obtained at all, in an online
auction environment.
[0017] The details of one or more implementations are set forth in
the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features
and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings,
and from the claims.
DRAWING DESCRIPTIONS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a connection between a
seller and an online sales channel.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a connection architecture.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a product data file (PDF).
[0021] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram for generating a product data
file.
[0022] FIGS. 5A and 5B are representations of a merchant
dashboard.
[0023] FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating contents of a
product data file.
[0024] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a computer system
architecture.
[0025] Like reference symbols in the various drawings may indicate
like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a connection 110 between a
seller 103 and an online marketplace 106. The seller 103 may offer
items to sell through the online marketplace sales channel 106. As
used herein, "items" can mean goods--whether new, used or
refurbished--services, or a combination of goods and services. In
one implementation, the seller 103 can employ a connection provider
120 who will facilitate the connection 110 to one or more online
marketplaces 106. The online marketplaces 106 may provide a primary
or alternative sales channel for the seller 103. The one or more
online marketplaces 106 may or may not be owned and/or controlled
by the connection provider 120. Typically, the connection provider
120 is a separate legal entity from the online marketplaces 106 to
which it provides a connection 110.
[0027] Examples of connection providers include Accenture Ltd.,
ChannelAdvisor Corp. and AuctionWorks, Inc. Examples of sellers
include manufacturers, distributors, retailers, corporations, and
government entities. In addition, enterprises not ordinarily in the
business of selling goods, a services provider, for example, may
nevertheless find it beneficial to establish an online sales
channel to sell items such as used computer equipment, office
furniture, excess supplies and the like. Examples of online sales
channels include eBay, Amazon, and Buy.com.
[0028] A seller 103 need not necessarily employ a connection
provider 120 to develop an alternative sales channel on the online
marketplace 106, but rather may develop the alternative sales
channel using its own personnel and resources, for example, by
accessing the online sales channel directly and listing its items
for sale. Typically, directly listing items for sale on an online
sales channel requires an investment of the seller's resources
including personnel time, technology, and capital. For example, an
automobile parts supplier may hire its own staff and purchase extra
computers and software to list, for example, new or refurbished
automobile parts on eBay.
[0029] Alternatively, the seller 103 may employ a third-party
connection provider 120 to develop an alternative sales channel on
the online marketplace 106. In that case, the seller 103 need not,
for example, hire extra staff, buy additional equipment, or develop
the in-house expertise for the alternative sales channel. Rather,
the seller 103 can hire the connection provider 120 to outsource
the development and maintenance of the alternative sales channel.
In hiring the connection provider 120, the seller 103 may form a
relationship or an account with the connection provider 120. The
connection provider may provide a multitude of services to the
seller, such as customer service, sales strategy, auction strategy,
logistics management, and checkout procedures.
[0030] When sellers provide information on the goods they are
selling, they may typically be limited to how much information they
can provide. The limited amount of information may reduce the
amount of control the seller has over the sale of their goods. For
example, the sellers may not be able to customize the sale of their
goods. In another case, the seller may not receive enough
information or feedback about the sale of their goods to maintain
or enhance sales performance. The seller may also not have
sufficient knowledge about the nuances (e.g., audience, promotion,
options, selling strategies) of the market place to sell
effectively. If the seller could track the progress of the sale of
certain goods on an online marketplace, for example, the seller
could dynamically adjust the type, quantity, and/or prices of goods
that are being sold.
[0031] The present disclosure describes systems, methods, and
techniques in which the connection provider 120 provides one or
more services to one or more sellers. The connection provider 120
can provide a report to show key metrics to the seller regarding
the sales of the seller goods. The report may be a dashboard that
can include, among other metrics, item sales information, top-line
highlights, bottom-line highlights, and an executive summary. The
dashboards can provide feedback to the seller for various reporting
periods (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually,
year-to-date, and/or user-definable date ranges). Information in
the dashboards can be provided automatically and may be
standardized to a defined format. The type and amount of
information provided may be scalable and based on the quantity of
goods sold. The dashboard can provide value and a competitive
advantage to sellers in strategically positioning their items in an
online marketplace.
[0032] The seller can supply information about the items being sold
to the connection provider--for example, in the form of an
electronic document such as a Product Data File (PDF)--and the
connection provider can use this information to arrange for the
items to be sold on an online marketplace. The connection provider
can supply various types of service to the seller. For example, the
connection provider can provide value to the seller greater than
what would be normally provided via one or more key metrics about
the goods being sold. With one or more key metrics, the seller can
be in a better position set one or more strategic goals in the sale
of their goods. Some of these strategic goals can allow the seller
to improve bottom-line and top-line sales metrics. Other strategic
goals may involve adjusting an amount and/or type of good that is
sold, responding more quickly in a dynamic sales environment, and
determining what benefits they can receive from their online sales
channel and/or connection provider.
[0033] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a connection architecture in
which a connection provider 244 facilitates the access (e.g.,
connection) of one or more merchants/sellers 212 to one or more
online sales channels 216. The connection provider 244 may receive
information from a seller 212, in which the information describes
one or more items for sale by the seller. The connection provider
244 may facilitate a sale of the item through one or more online
sales channels 214. The connection provider 244 may also facilitate
fulfillment of the item for sale with a fulfillment center 232. In
a typical implementation, the connection provider 244 can provide
services and a software infrastructure (e.g., data communications,
order management integration, checkout processes, and user
interface capabilities) that enables a merchant/seller 212 to
provide information describing one or more items to be sold on an
online sale channel. The connection provider 244 may then list the
items for sale on one or more online sales channels 216 and,
depending on the level of service selected by the seller/merchant
212, can fulfill an order (that is, a consummated sale) of an item
using a fulfillment center 232 that is appropriate to the nature of
the item sold.
[0034] The fulfillment centers 212 may have one or more parameters
tailored to characteristics, features and/or processing
requirements of the sold item. For example, FC1 may correspond to a
"new-in-box" fulfillment center that handles fulfillment of sales
of items that are sold as new in boxes as received from the item's
manufacturer (e.g., TV sets or laptop computers). FC2 may, for
example, correspond to a "refurbishment" fulfillment center that
receives used, and potentially damaged, items from a seller and
then refurbishes them as needed to place them in condition for
sale. Such refurbishment may include activities such as cleaning,
reformatting, replacing consumable components, re-labeling,
certifying and/or virtually anything else needed to place the items
in the desired condition for sale. Computer equipment that has been
used internally by a seller's employees, and which is being
upgraded or replaced, is an example of the types of items that may
be fulfilled through a refurbishment fulfillment center. Another
example may include a product that has been returned to a
manufacturer or retailer.
[0035] Further, FC3 may correspond to a "fragmented inventory"
fulfillment center. In this type of fulfillment center, a seller
typically has a collection of various odds and ends that it wants
to sell through an online sales channel. In many case, these odds
and ends may not be part of regular inventory and be in various
states of disorganization or disrepair. For example, following a
large sale or after taking inventory, a department store may
discover that it has many items that are close-outs, last of kind,
odd sizes, mis-marked on unlabeled, and so on. Because in many
cases such odds and ends are not adequately recorded in the
seller's inventory database, the seller may be unable to prepare or
send a PDF 250 that describes these items at a SKU (Stock Keeping
Unit) level--a unique identifier, usually alphanumeric, of a
particular item that allows it to be tracked for inventory
purposes.
[0036] To dispose of these odds and ends the department store can
load up the items and send them directly to a fragmented inventory
fulfillment center, which will then process the items, for example,
by organizing, labeling, pricing, inventorying, assigning SKUs,
re-conditioning, grouping, photographing (e.g., for display on the
online sales channel web-site) and so on. An end result of such
processing by a fragmented inventory fulfillment center typically
would include the creation of an electronic data file, such as the
PDF 250 and product photos describing each of the fragmented
inventory items at a SKU level, which could then be transmitted to
the connector provider's computer systems by the fulfillment
center. Note that such an implementation of a fragmented inventory
fulfillment center provides an additional level of service to the
seller--namely, the creation and maintenance of the PDF 250 for the
items to be sold by the connection provider.
[0037] Among the other functions described here, the fulfillment
center 232 also may serve as a warehouse, shipping, storage, or
distribution center for the items sold. The connection provider 244
may, at least at some level, control the fulfillment centers 232,
and at least one of the fulfillment centers 232 may be operated
according to one or more parameters tailored to the sold items.
Because a fulfillment center may provide one or more services,
and/or have one or more parameters relating to fulfilling orders
for items sold for multiple sellers, there may be at least one
fulfillment center to fulfill sales of items owned by multiple,
different sellers but which has at least some features,
characteristics and/or processing requirements in common. Hence,
multiple sellers may share a common fulfillment center due to a
commonality related to a particular fulfillment center's
parameters. Similarly, sales of a single merchant's items may be
fulfilled through multiple different fulfillment centers, each
fulfillment center selected depending on geography, features,
characteristics, or processing requirements of the various items
being sold by the seller through the online sales channel.
[0038] The connection provider 244 may be an intermediary that
facilitates access to one or more online sales channels 216 and
which neither takes title and/or possession of the items being
sold. The merchants 212 may include small businesses, large
companies, organizations, individuals, or other entities selling an
item. The fulfillment centers 232, which can be controlled but not
necessarily owned by the intermediary, can fulfill orders from
multiple merchants 212 having the same type or nature of items. The
fulfillment centers 232 may be owned, operated or dedicated to one
or more of the merchants 208. The fulfillment centers 232 may also
be owned and operated independently of the merchants 212, the
online sales channels 216, and/or the intermediary 244. The online
sales channels 216 may include multiple web sites or marketplaces
listing the items being sold. Alternatively, one or more of the
online sales channels may be operated or controlled by the
connection provider 244.
[0039] The merchants 212 may offer various items for sale with
different properties, characteristics or fulfillment requirements.
The connection provider 244 can identify and coordinate the
fulfillment of an item for sale with a fulfillment center 212 that
is tailored to a parameter to that item for sale. As described
above, a fulfillment center may be tailored according to a set of
one or more activities that are required for preparation of items
prior to delivery to the buyer. Moreover, the connection provider
244 can identify a fulfillment center 222 that has particular
environmental characteristics tailored to the items being sold,
such as refrigeration for chocolate or flowers sold from merchant
202, in which a key parameter for the item sold is the temperature
at which the inventory is stored. In another example, a key
parameter of identifying the fulfillment center 224 can be
geography--that is, the connection provider 244 can identify a
fulfillment center 224 that, e.g., is geographically located near a
certain agricultural facility for certain produce for a merchant
204. In general, one or more parameters may be associated with an
item being sold and one or more parameters may be associated with a
fulfillment center 226. An identified fulfillment center 226 may be
tailored for one or a combination of parameters or characteristics
for an item being sold.
[0040] As discussed in connection with FIG. 2, the merchant 206 can
send information to and receive information from the connection
provider 244. The sent information may include details and
descriptions on the items for sales and any relevant parameters
related to those items. After the merchant sends the information to
the connection provider, the merchant may elect to have the
connection provider coordinate all or part of the fulfillment
obligations of the order. The connection provider 244 may process
the information and select one or more fulfillment centers 232
based on one or more parameters from the item being sold. The
information for the fulfillment centers, including parameter
information, may reside on a database in the connection provider's
facilities.
[0041] In the implementation shown in FIG. 2, the information sent
from the merchant 212 to the connection provider 244 may be a PDF
250 delineating the items at the SKU level. The PDF 250 may be in a
tabular format, and may include data fields with detailed item
information. Alternatively, the information sent from a merchant
212 to the connection provider 244 may include metadata or an
extensible Markup Language (XML) object with one or more parameters
of the items being sold. Instead of, or in addition to an XML
object, the information sent from the merchant may include two or
more objects, with one object containing information for the items
being sold, and another object with information regarding one or
more parameters. The term "object" may refer to information sources
such as documents, reports, presentations, files and directories.
In another implementation, the connection provider 244 may also
provide a dedicated portal interface to merchants, in which a
merchant can transmit information through the portal to the
connection provider in a secure, pre-determined format.
[0042] The PDF 250 may also have information that enables the
content provider 244 to offer additional value to the seller. For
instance, the PDF 250 may have one or more enhanced data fields 255
that can enable a seller to track the progress of goods sold.
"Enhanced" data can refer to data that provides information other
than minimally-required baseline data (e.g., the name, type, or
quantity of good being sold).
[0043] The connection provider 244 can use the data in the enhanced
data fields 255 to generate one or more reports. The reports may be
sent to the seller to allow the seller to assess the progress of
one or more items for sale. The connection provider may
automatically generate the reports and permit them to be accessed
at the convenience of the seller. The reports can be emailed to the
seller, and/or the reports can be assessed in a graphical user
interface (e.g., a dashboard and/or summary). The connection
provider 244 can provide a level of security (e.g., passwords) to
the reports to allow on a particular seller to access their
reports.
[0044] The connection provider may also use data provided in the
enhanced data fields 255 to customize one or more items being sold
on one or more sales channels 216. For example, the PDF 250 may
include information that specifics which sales channels should be
utilized, and how a merchant's items should be displayed and sold
on those sales channels.
[0045] The enhanced data fields 255 may also allow the seller to
group items for sale, cross-merchandise items for sale, and
generate more sales activity from buyers. For example, the seller
may complete data fields to sell a shirt on one or more online
sales channels. The seller may specify in the PDF 250 in enhanced
data fields that matching pants and accessories should be displayed
for sale along with the shirt. In another implementation, the
enhanced data fields may specify for the online sales channel to
display positive customer feedback for the seller (e.g., "The item
was received in a week, and it was in excellent condition").
[0046] The PDF 250 may also include data to identify a particular
fulfillment center for a merchant 212. The identification of an
appropriate fulfillment center 232 typically is performed manually,
for example, by a human operator associated with the seller or the
connection provider. However, identification of a fulfillment
center could be performed, at least in part, by an automated
process, for example, based on information received from the
seller. The connection provider can determine the parameters for
the items being sold and can manually identify an appropriate
fulfillment center.
[0047] In another implementation, the merchant sends parameter
information to the connection provider only once during initial
setup of the merchant's account or relationship. If a merchant
intends to sell only one type of item then the merchant does not
need to resend parameter information along with information for
their items for sale.
[0048] The connection provider (e.g., Accenture) 244 may provide a
broad range of sales channel facilitation services, such as billing
services, collection services, advertisements, and customer
service. The customer service capabilities may include a tool to
interface with a buyer, in which the customer service tool may
present contact information and policies for the connection
provider and online sales channel.
[0049] Other sales channel facilitation services may include
inventory management, transportation management, order management,
store design, merchandising, and listing tools. The listing tools
can include providing descriptions, categories, keywords, titles,
and scheduling for the items being sold. The listing tools can
include pictures and descriptions of the items being sold. The
connection provider can provide information about the seller, which
can include a presentation of ratings of the seller from other
previous buyers to provide post-transaction feedback. Potential
buyers can examine the seller's feedback profile before bidding to
rate the seller's items and trustworthiness.
[0050] The connection provider 244 can monitor a progress of the
selling performance of the items. The connection provider 244 also
can provide online auction capabilities and the ability to monitor
auctions as they progress. The connection provider can help the
merchant to formulate auction strategies, selling strategies, and
pricing strategies based upon the merchant and/or the items being
sold. For example, the connection provider 244 can suggest an
auction duration period (e.g., 7 days), pricing (e.g., $10), and
start and end times (e.g., 1 pm EST from one Friday to the
following Friday) for the auction. The connection provider 244 also
can provide various types of auctions, such as Dutch, Chinese,
Buy-it-Now "BIN", Large Lot, and Fixed Price.
[0051] After an item has been purchased, the connection provider
244 can inform a merchant 210 that a particular item has been
purchased on a particular online sales channel 214 to be fulfilled
by one or more fulfillment centers 232. The connection provider 244
can also provide data and statistics to the merchant 210 on the
buyer and the sale of the item. The connection provider 244 may
have a financial tool to report transactions to the merchant 210.
The connection provider 244 may inform the merchant 210 (e.g., with
an electronic mailing) of purchases or the number of bids on their
items. The email to the merchant 210 may be automatically generated
by a program and sent from the connection provider 244.
[0052] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary block diagram of the PDF 300. The
PDF 300 may contain standard data, such as SKU data 310 and seller
information 320. The PDF 300 may contain other data fields for
enhanced data. For example, the PDF may include anchor prices
300--reference prices for SKUs that are supplied by the merchant.
The anchor prices may have an associated anchor price flag that is
stored in the seller's database. The anchor price flag can provide
insight to the reference price. For example, the anchor price flag
can signify if the anchor price represents the price of a Next Best
Channel Alternative item (NBA), a Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), a
Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), or a jobber price
(e.g., a small-scale wholesale value).
[0053] The PDF 300 may also include information for an Average
Sales Price (ASP) per SKU (block 340). Other information related to
the ASP can be the seller's goal for the ASP as a percentage of a
target price (block 350) and/or an anchor price goal (block 360).
The ASP as a percentage of the target price (block 350) can be
determined by an auction management services (AMS) of the
connection provider. The AMS is a service that can process the PDF
and is described further below. The ASP as a percentage of the
anchor price goal (block 360) can be set by the seller and stored
in the PDF. Goals may be set for an auction conversion rate (e.g.,
a percentage of listings divided by a number of units that are
converted into sales). Other data set by the AMS can include the
targets set for the units sold per fixed price listing (block
380).
[0054] The PDF may include other features, such as descriptions and
attributes (e.g., size 12, low-cut, sport socks, item number
12LCSS), groups of attributes in the PDF (e.g., sport socks, dress
socks), and shipping and handling information. Other attributes can
indicate of the goods have been previously used (e.g., refurbished,
used and in good condition, like new condition), and may have
pictures and images of the goods being sold. In addition to item
information, categories and listing information may be included in
the PDF, as well as geographic information on the seller.
[0055] FIG. 4 is an exemplary flow diagram for a PDF. The
connection provider can take the seller's item data and format it
in a way that is compatible with the online sales channel--so that
the seller's items can be listed on the online sales channel in a
seller-preferred format and/or an online sales channel-preferred
format. The connection provider may perform one or more operations
to move a seller's item and/or auction information to the online
sales channel. For example, the connection provider may receive the
PDF from the seller and validate the information in the PDF. The
validation may include checking the PDF for errors, missing data,
and/or ensuring that enough information is provided to enable an
item listing and/or an auctioning.
[0056] The collection and validation may be performed by a first
connection provider tool, referred to as a "converter tool." The
connection provider may then use the converter tool to convert the
information collected in the PDF into a text format (e.g., a format
that is compatible with the online sales channel). The connection
provider may use an upload tool that uploads the text file into a
merchant tool database (e.g., a database that feeds eBay's listing
format). The upload tool may be a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) tool
to upload the text file (e.g., a Product Upload Tool--PUT). The
connection provider may have a fourth tool for creating item
listings and auction profiles. The item listing and auction
profiles can detail the quantity, pricing, and scheduling strategy
developed by an auction strategist (associated with the connection
provider) for the use of the merchant. The fourth tool can also
facilitate the scheduling of item listings and auctions for one or
more online sales channels.
[0057] The PDF may also have built-in validation functionality. For
example, the PDF may be a file (e.g., an Excel file) that has
associated macros or logic to constrain the PDF's data input fields
to ensure that the input data conforms to the specifications of the
connection provider.
[0058] FIG. 4 shows the connection provider tools in conjunction
with a number of roles involved in the PDF upload and conversion
process. A merchant 440 can complete the PDF with its item and
target sales information. The merchant 440 may also validate some
of the data in the PDF. The merchant 440 may also specify a web
template or Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) template that is to be
used by the online sales channel when displaying items. After the
merchant enters their data, the merchant 440 can send (e.g., email)
the PDF (including images) to account management services (AMS) in
the connection provider.
[0059] The AMS may have one or more persons in one or more roles,
such as an account manager, an auction strategist, and an auction
administrator. The account manger can determine the tier, type, and
service offering of the seller. The connection provider may have
multiple tiers based on a level of expected volume of sales from
the seller (e.g., three tiers, with a third tier PDF having the
lowest expected volume). The higher the tier, the more responsive
the connection provider may be in providing services (e.g.,
periodic reporting) to the seller. For example, the second tier may
represent a medium sales volume level seller, based on an average
monthly sales value. Also, the connection provider can offer
different types of services. For example, the connection provider
may offer four levels of service, with service level one
representing the most basic service (e.g., providing basic listing
service), and service level four representing a total turnkey
solution for the seller (e.g., levels one to three and the services
of warehouse management, inventory reconciliation, item packaging
and shipping).
[0060] The PDF may also be classified into various types depending
on the seller (e.g., a type 1 client can be a self-sufficient
client that provides most all data in the PDF, a type 2 client may
want some service for PDF data entry, and a type 3 client may
require the connection provider to provide extended service for PDF
data entry and auction information). Some sellers may have the
ability to complete a PDF and other sellers do not. A type 1 PDF
may have little or no errors, whereas a type 2 PDF may be mostly
completed, but with some minor errors (e.g., missing SKU). The
connection provider can help the seller to complete the type 2 PDF.
For a type 3 PDF, the connection provider can complete the PDF data
entry, in which few, if any, PDFs are fully completed by the
seller. In general, the connection provider may offer any
combination of tiers, types, and services to the seller, and may
perform one or more operations on the PDF accordingly.
[0061] The AMS may also have an auction strategist that receives
the PDF from the account manager, reviews the PDF, and makes
quality checks before sending the PDF to an auction administrator.
The auction administrator can review the PDF and perform any
editing of the information. The auction administrator can also
perform a quality check, load the PDF into the text conversion tool
430, and use the product upload tool 470 to upload the text file
460 to the merchant tool 480. The merchant tool 480 may store
listings until they are ready to be presented on the online sales
channel.
[0062] The connection provider may also have one or more persons
410 (e.g., a graphic designer) to create an HTML template based on
the input received from the account manager and the seller. The
HTML template 420 may be shown on the one or more online sales
channels.
[0063] The HTML template 420 and the PDF may be sent to a web-based
application 430 that can merge item attributes with the HTML
template to automatically create item-specific descriptions. The
application 430 may have a web-based interface 433 and a database
436. The application 430 may include the PDF data to text
conversion tool and may allow a preview of item descriptions and
images.
[0064] The tools in FIG. 4 can allow the connection provider to
reduce the amount of time required in manually retrieving and
converting data for reports. The tools can include a web-based data
warehouse analytical processing tool to allow personnel from the
connection provider (e.g., business analysts, manages, executives)
to gain insight into sales and auction performance through
interactive access to organized views of sales and auction data.
Data analysis from several sources may be streamlined and
simplified. The tools may also reduce the amount of effort and time
required to create reports, and multiple sources of data may be
integrated into the data warehouse.
[0065] The data warehouse tool can enable information to be
presented in a way to show historical results, performance trends,
and auction strategy. The information may be presented in a
web-based format and may be updated regularly. The tool may help to
transform raw data to reflect critical business decisions based on
GMS, ASP, conversion rates, and recovery rates.
[0066] The data warehouse tool can provide an option for the user
to add additional areas of data and to organize those areas into
logical groups. For example, measurements for an auction's
performance can be grouped by country, merchant, and the date sold.
The data may be presented in a tabular format or in a chart (e.g.,
bar, pie, line, or column charts). The tool can allow dynamic
addition of new areas, such as "auction type," and the tool may
allow the data to be extracted into another file (e.g., an Excel
spreadsheet).
[0067] FIGS. 5A and 5B are exemplary diagrams for a merchant
dashboard. Dashboards can serve as an effective reporting tool to
address questions and issues for merchants. The dashboards can
provide key metrics, insights, and strategic recommendations on
sales activities. The dashboards can also show standard sales
metrics (e.g., ASP, GMS). The scope of the reporting can be
categorized and presented in various formats (e.g., by SKU, by
sales, by item category). The reporting can show interrelationships
of sales activities and cause-and-effect patterns (e.g., decrease a
number of units for sale for an item to increase the profit margin
for that category of items).
[0068] The reporting tool can help the connection provider and the
merchant to set one or more goals in regards to sales activities,
and can provide an integrated view from account planning to
customer satisfaction. The merchant can assess the performance of
various inventories of various types and assortment of items. The
data, analysis, and insights can be provided by the connection
provider, and the reporting tool can have self-servicing
functionality to allow the merchant to access key information at
their convenience. The reports can be delivered in a number of
methods (e.g., email, web page, portal, downloads), and can be
reported in various frequencies (e.g., monthly, weekly, annually,
and user-defined ranges).
[0069] FIG. 5A shows a weekly dashboard for a merchant. The
dashboard can be customized for the merchant 523 and include a
number of panels with various information. The dashboard can
include an executive summary 528 with qualitative subjective
information that provides value to the quantitative information in
the other panels in the dashboard. The information may be
benchmarked against the merchant's forecasts, performance targets,
and competitive benchmarks. The merchant may be able to ascertain
if the performance and sales are on target, and what items and
strategies are working well. The merchant can then devise a plan
for future sales growth and momentum. Based on the recommendations
in the executive summary 528, for instance, the merchant may prefer
to lower sales volume for a particular item, or lower a starting
price for a SKU.
[0070] The dashboard can include top line highlights 533 and bottom
line highlights 543. The top line highlights 533 can show how well
the merchant's sales perform when measured against forecasts. For
instance, the top line highlights 533 may show the NMS in
comparison to forecasts. The bottom-line highlights 543 can show
bottom line performance (e.g., NMS minus the sales channel fees,
including the connection provider fees, PayPal's fees, etc.) and
reveal insight to hidden and/or undiscovered costs.
[0071] The dashboard may also show item highlights such as slow
moving items 546 and best selling items 548. The dashboard may also
present a NMS for a specified time range and show a comparison 513
of the target NMS and the actual NMS.
[0072] Other dashboards (not shown) may also be presented to allow
the merchant to assess the performance of one or more sales,
inventory, pricing, and marketing parameters relative to a
specified target. For example, a dashboard can present a summary of
a merchant's inventory, in which an inventory value may be
presented that shows a forecast of inventories and potential GMS.
The dashboards permit the seller to track the progress of the sale
of certain goods on an online auction so that the seller can
dynamically adjust the type, quantity, and/or prices of goods that
are being sold.
[0073] FIG. 5B shows an exemplary sales dashboard. The dashboard
can include a chart 520 of weekly sales activity. The chart 520 can
include a legend 525 and a descriptive index 527 for the legend.
The dashboard can show "hot" or best-selling items 535 and key
statistics (e.g., GMS and NMS for various time periods). The
dashboard may show other noteworthy issues, alerts, and news 545 to
provide value to the merchant. The news 545 can show customer
feedback 547 from the items sold, and one or more recommendations
549 for improving the performance and velocity of sales and
inventory, as well as the growth of profits. In the news section
545, for example, the connection provider may recommend adjustments
to certain levels of inventory to better adjust to seasonal
promotions.
[0074] FIG. 6A shows some of the attributes of a PDF file. The
attributes in FIG. 6A are shown in a table 605 that is provided by
the connection provider to the seller. The seller may complete
information in various fields of the table and return the table 605
to the connection provider. In one instance, the amount of the
information completed by a seller depends on the client type of the
seller (e.g., type 1 client, type 2 client, or type 3 client). In
FIG. 6A, attributes can be entered in which the seller can complete
one or more attribute fields 600, 601 describing the item being
sold. For example, the table 605 can describe a pictorial
description 650 of the item being sold in various attribute fields
600, 601. These attributes provide a purchaser with additional item
information and provide the seller with the advantages of offering
detailed and specialized item information. Other competing items on
the online sales channels from other seller may not provide the
advantages of detailed and specialized item information. In one
case, when a seller is selling a large number of different and
related items (e.g., a number of a type of jackets of different
sizes and colors) through the connection provider, the additional
attribute information provided can allow the buyer to quickly and
easily browse (e.g., navigate) and sort through the various related
items (e.g., a rain jacket of a blue color and a large size).
[0075] FIG. 6B shows a PDF table with a variety of PDF data fields.
The PDF table can include columns 660 showing the various fields
(e.g., MSRP 667, COGS 670), the requirements 680 for data entries
(e.g., numeric, alphanumeric, or symbolic data entries), various
service level offerings (e.g., service levels 1 to 4), and
descriptions of row entries 686. The PDF table may also provide a
column showing examples 688 of proper data entries for each row.
The PDF table can include a "display" field column 684 to indicate
if the data entry in the row should be displayed when the item
being sold is being displayed, or if the row data entry is an
optional feature to display when the item is being sold.
[0076] In general, the PDF table may have one or more of the
following fields of information: item information (e.g., item name,
item SKU); categories and listing information (e.g., merchant
category, sales channel category); quantities and pricing
information (e.g., MSRP, COGS); geographic information (e.g., city,
state, region); images (e.g., photographs, drawings); image listing
information (e.g., item title, listing template); shipping and
handling information (e.g., shipping costs, delivery instructions,
item weight and size, item return information); and attributes
(e.g., item display attributes, online marketplace item
attributes). The PDF may also include product reviews from previous
customers or from product testing experts.
[0077] The PDF table in FIG. 6B may include the features shown in
FIG. 6A to provide user-defined features (pictures, diagrams and
corresponding descriptions) that can provide additional benefits
for the buyer to enhance their shopping experience (e.g., detailed
item information). The PDF may have a set of "standard data fields"
that are recommended fields to help the merchant to provide a
description of the item for sale on the online sales channels. The
standard data fields may also include fields for promotional
messages and campaigns, as well as data fields for the best
recommended practices for selling the goods (e.g., recommended
practices for shipping and handling of the item).
[0078] The PDF may also use metadata to permit the connection
provider to report back to merchants on specific attributes of the
items for sale. The metadata can also be used in forming an auction
profile to determine the attributes that promote the optimum sales.
For example, a merchant may sell deferent types of video recorders
an online marketplace. The connection provider can collect
information regarding the attributes of the video recorders, and
report back to the merchant of the attributes that sell the best
(e.g., digital video recorders of a certain form factor from a
particular manufacturer). The reporting may be specific as
reporting back a SKU of the best-selling item, or can be general to
report a generic description of the item (e.g., digital video
recorders sell better than analog or tape-based video
recorders).
[0079] The PDF table may be implemented in a spreadsheet program,
such as the Excel spreadsheet software by Microsoft Corporation of
Redmond, Wash. The sellers may return the completed or partially
completed PDF table to the connection provider. The spreadsheet may
be in a standardized format to permit the connection provider to
quickly assess and validate item information. The standardized
format may be a PDF table with pre-defined rows and columns with
some data entry fields completed with default values, and other
fields that that the seller may be required to complete.
[0080] FIG. 7 shows an exemplary architectural block diagram of a
connection system. The seller or merchant 736 may employ one or
more computer system users 762 to enter information for one or more
items for sale in a graphical user interface 761. The merchant's
computer system may have a repository or database 725 with files,
objects, and documents 727, 729 with information describing the
merchant's items, businesses, financial information, human resource
information, etc. Typically, the information describing the
merchant's items for sale is recorded and maintained at the level
of the SKU. The merchant's information may be accessed in a network
of computers 728. The merchant's system may also be on a physically
distributed system, in which information may reside on one or more
computers 728 and databases 725, and may be accessed by one or more
users 762. The merchant 736 may transmit a PDF with item and sales
information to a connection provider 703, which can use the
information to list the items for sale on one or more online
marketplaces 783. In general, the information transmitted to and
received from the connection provider 703 may include one or more
of the following: business-specific information, such as sales and
customer information; data within objects, spreadsheets, and text
files; and business-related applications and logic.
[0081] The information generated from the merchant 736 may be
generated by a program or an automated process that may not require
a user 762 or a corresponding graphical user interface 761. For
instance, the merchant 736 may have a program to automatically
generate results for certain data fields of the PDF table (e.g.,
quantities for sale, starting auction prices, merchant preferences
for a particular online sales channel). In some cases, the
automatically-generated data fields may relate more to the seller
rather than to the item being sold (e.g., shipping information and
policies, item return information, merchant contact information).
The automation and standardization features of the PDF can simplify
the merchant's task of submitting detailed item information for a
number of items.
[0082] On the connection provider's side, the connection provider
can use the standardized features of the PDF to automate validation
and processing of data entries. The amount of data entries provided
in the PDF may be scalable and based on the number of items sold
and/or the listing details of the items. Due to the nature of the
PDF's scalability, standardization, and automation in processing,
the connection provider can provide detailed and organized item
information from one or more merchants to one or more online sales
channels expeditiously.
[0083] At a basic level, the connection provider 703 offers
connection services between one or more merchants 736 and one or
more online marketplaces 783. The connection provider may have a
computer system architecture that includes objects, documents 704
and information residing on one or more repositories or databases
701. The information may be networked among multiple computers 702.
The connection provider 703 may or may not share hardware resources
with the online marketplaces 783.
[0084] The connection provider 703 may also receive information
from multiple sellers (not shown) regarding the items they are
selling. The connection provider 703 can facilitate a sale of the
items through one or more online sales channels 783. The items may
sell at different times and in different quantities and may sell to
different customers on several online sales channels. The
connection provider can then facilitate the fulfillment of sold
items through one or more fulfillment centers (232 shown in FIG.
2).
[0085] As used herein, the terms "electronic document" and
"document" mean a set of electronic data, including both electronic
data stored in a file and electronic data received over a network.
An electronic document does not necessarily, but may, correspond to
a file. A document may be stored in a portion of a file that holds
other documents, in a single file dedicated to the document in
question, or in a set of coordinated files. The term "object" may
refer to information sources such as documents, reports,
presentations, files and directories.
[0086] The disclosed software, techniques, and systems described
herein may use software and structures available from the
connection provider. Instead of or in addition to software and
systems supplied by the connection provider, the disclosed software
and systems may coexist or operate with software and systems
provided by third parties.
[0087] Various implementations of the systems and techniques
described here can be realized in digital electronic circuitry,
integrated circuitry, specially designed ASICs (application
specific integrated circuits), computer hardware, firmware,
software, and/or combinations thereof. These various
implementations can include one or more computer programs that are
executable and/or interpretable on a programmable system including
at least one programmable processor, which may be special or
general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from, and
to transmit data and instructions to, a storage system, at least
one input device, and at least one output device.
[0088] The software (also known as programs, software tools or
code) may include machine instructions for a programmable
processor, and can be implemented in a high-level procedural and/or
object-oriented programming language, and/or in assembly/machine
language. As used herein, the term "machine-readable medium" refers
to any computer program product, apparatus and/or device (e.g.,
magnetic discs, optical disks, memory, Programmable Logic Devices
(PLDs)) used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a
programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that
receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The
term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal used to provide
machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor.
[0089] The systems and techniques described here can be implemented
in a computing system that includes a back end component (e.g., as
a data server), or that includes a middleware component (e.g., an
application server), or that includes a front end component (e.g.,
a client computer having a graphical user interface, portal, or a
Web browser through which a user can interact with an
implementation of the systems and techniques described here), or
any combination of such back end, middleware, or front end
components. The components of the system can be interconnected by
any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a
communication network). Examples of communication networks include
a local area network ("LAN"), a wide area network ("WAN"), a
wireless local area network ("WLAN"), a personal area network
("PAN"), a mobile communication network using a multiple access
technology (e.g., a cellular phone network with Code Division
Multiple Access, "CDMA"), and the Internet.
[0090] The computing system can include clients (FIG. 7) and
servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other
and typically interact through a communication network. The
relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer
programs running on the respective computers and having a
client-server relationship to each other.
[0091] Although only a few implementations have been described in
detail above, other modifications are possible. Nevertheless, it
will be understood that various modifications may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the claims below. For
example, the parameters listed in FIG. 3 may include other
parameters for specific merchants and/or items. The user interfaces
described above may be referred to as panels, palettes, pages,
views, or portions of other interfaces. The logic flow depicted in
FIG. 4 does not require the particular order shown, or sequential
order, to achieve desirable results. Other implementations may be
described so that the connection provider can provide enhanced
value to sellers (e.g., via providing real-time reporting
information on the state of one or more sales channels). The
connection provider may send the PDF along with other information
(e.g., rules and regulations for selling items online, frequently
asked questions--FAQs, user guides and step-by-step instructions
for completing and returning the PDF). Accordingly, other
implementations are within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *
References