U.S. patent application number 11/836420 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-29 for method and apparatus for effective distribution and delivery of goods ordered on the world-wide-web.
This patent application is currently assigned to MARS INCORPORATED. Invention is credited to Mark J. Chimel, Thomas M. Collins, Henry V. Izzo, Kevin L. Rabinovitch, Robert W. Tuttrup, Neil A. Willcocks.
Application Number | 20070276741 11/836420 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26911225 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070276741 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tuttrup; Robert W. ; et
al. |
November 29, 2007 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EFFECTIVE DISTRIBUTION AND DELIVERY OF
GOODS ORDERED ON THE WORLD-WIDE-WEB
Abstract
An apparatus and method for delivering goods ordered by a
plurality of customers, in which a plurality of customers place
orders for goods from a vendor, the vendor fulfills its orders by
combining into a single shipping order the goods ordered by a
plurality of customers who are geographically close to a single
local pick-up point, and the vendor causes the single shipping
order to be sent to a local pick-up point.
Inventors: |
Tuttrup; Robert W.; (Sparta,
NJ) ; Willcocks; Neil A.; (Flanders, NJ) ;
Collins; Thomas M.; (Nazarath, PA) ; Chimel; Mark
J.; (Long Valley, NJ) ; Rabinovitch; Kevin L.;
(Hackettstown, NJ) ; Izzo; Henry V.; (Bridgewater,
NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITZPATRICK CELLA HARPER & SCINTO
30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
NEW YORK
NY
10112
US
|
Assignee: |
MARS INCORPORATED
McLean
VA
|
Family ID: |
26911225 |
Appl. No.: |
11/836420 |
Filed: |
August 9, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09855558 |
May 16, 2001 |
7272571 |
|
|
11836420 |
Aug 9, 2007 |
|
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|
60216661 |
Jul 7, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/26.2 ;
705/26.8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0633 20130101;
G06Q 30/0605 20130101; G06Q 30/0601 20130101; G06Q 10/087 20130101;
G06Q 20/203 20130101; G06Q 10/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/026 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20060101
G06Q030/00 |
Claims
1-34. (canceled)
35: A method for delivering goods ordered by a plurality of
customers, comprising: enabling a plurality of customers to place
orders for one or more goods from a vendor maintaining a server on
a network; and for each of the one or more goods in an order placed
by a given customer, the vendor server determining whether the good
is currently available at a local pick-up point geographically
close to the given customer, and treating each such good separately
depending on whether the good is currently available at the local
pick-up point, as follows: (i) in a case where the good is
currently available at the local pick-up point, the vendor server
ear-marking that good for the given customer, and (ii) in a case
where the good is not currently available at the local pick-up
point, the vendor server fulfilling the order of the given customer
by causing the good to be shipped to the local pick-up point in a
single shipping order in combination with one or more goods ordered
by others from among the plurality of customers who are also
geographically close to the local pick-up point.
36: A method according to claim 35, wherein the orders are placed
via the Internet.
37: A method according to claim 35, further comprising notifying a
customer when an order is available for pick-up.
38: A method for designating local receipt of items ordered from a
vendor at a remote location, comprising: enabling a customer to
place an order for one or more items via a sever maintained by a
vendor on a network; enabling the customer to provide to the vendor
a customer location via the vendor server; enabling the customer to
choose a local pick-up point from among local pick-up points
offered by the vendor; for each of the one or more items, the
vendor server determining whether the item is currently available
at the chosen local pick-up point, and treating each such item
separately depending on whether the item is currently available at
the chosen local pick-up point, as follows: (i) in a case where the
item is currently available at the chosen local pick-up point, the
vendor server ear-marking that item for the customer, and (ii) in a
case where the item is not currently available at the chosen local
pick-up point, the vendor server fulfilling the order by causing
the item to be shipped to the chosen local pick-up point; and upon
receipt of the multiple items at the local pick-up point, providing
notification to the customer that the order is available for
pick-up.
39: A method according to claim 38, wherein the network is the
Internet.
40: A method according to claim 38, further comprising enabling the
customer to select from among options relating to the local pick-up
point, customized based on at least one of: a type of item ordered
and a pick-up capability of the customer.
41: A method for delivering goods ordered by a plurality of
customers, comprising: enabling a plurality of customers to place
orders for one or more goods from a plurality of vendors via
servers maintained by the vendors on a network; for each of the one
or more goods in an order placed by a given customer, each vendor
fulfilling the order by determining via the respective vendor
server if the good is currently available at a local pick-up point
geographically close to the given customer, and, treating each such
good separately depending on whether the good is currently
available at the local pick-up point, as follows: (i) in a case
where the good is currently available at the local pick-up point,
the respective vendor server ear-marking that good for the given
customer, and (ii) in a case where the good is not currently
available at the local pick-up point, causing the good to be
shipped to the local pick-up point in a single shipping order in
combination with goods ordered by those from among the plurality of
customers who are geographically close to respective local pick-up
points.
42: A method according to claim 41, wherein the orders are placed
via the Internet.
43: A method according to claim 41, further comprising enabling a
customer to select from among options relating to a pick-up point,
customized based on at least one of: a type of good ordered and a
pick-up capability of the customer.
44: A computer-readable medium storing computer code that when
executed causes a computer to perform a method for controlling
delivery of goods, wherein the method comprises: receiving orders
for one or more goods from a plurality of customers; determining,
for each of the one or more goods, whether the good is currently
available at a local pick-up point geographically close to the
ordering customer, and treating each such good separately depending
on whether the good is currently available at the local pick-up
point, as follows: (i) in a case where the good is currently
available at the local pick-up point, ear-marking that good for the
ordering customer, and (ii) fulfilling the ordering customer's
order by, in a case where the good is not currently available at
the local pick-up point, causing the good to be shipped to the
local pick-up point in a single shipping order in combination with
goods ordered by those from among the plurality of customers who
are geographically close to respective local pick-up points.
45: A computer-readable medium according to claim 44, wherein the
network is the Internet.
46: A computer-readable medium according to claim 44, wherein the
method further comprises enabling a customer to select from among
options relating to a pick-up point, customized based on at least
one of: a type of good ordered and a pick-up capability of the
customer.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/216,661, filed Jul. 7, 2000, which is hereby
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods for
distribution and delivery of ordered goods, and in particular to
apparatuses and methods for distribution and delivery of goods
ordered on the World Wide Web. In a preferred embodiment of the
present invention, apparatuses and methods are provided for
delivering ordered goods to a local distribution center instead of
directly to customers' houses for the benefit of reduced shipping
costs, and better handling of perishables.
[0004] 2. Related Background
[0005] Internet shopping sites have abounded in recent years. In
these sites, shoppers generally peruse goods that are offered for
sale on-line, and can earmark goods for purchase by clicking
certain icons to place them in a virtual "shopping cart" for later
purchasing. The purchase can then be consummated by proceeding to a
"check-out" page or pages, in which certain information, such as
payment information (typically a credit card number) and delivery
information (typically the home address of the shopper), is
entered. In an alternative model, such as the model disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,411 to Hartman et al., no shopping cart is
used, and the purchase is consummated simply by clicking-on the
desired item, with the payment and delivery information having been
previously entered.
[0006] In either case, an Internet shopping site suffers from a
significant drawback in comparison with a conventional
brick-and-mortar store: because in most cases a purchased good
cannot be provided to the shopper via the Internet, it must be
provided via delivery or some other similar mechanism. By far, the
most common way of doing that is to ship the ordered goods to the
shopper's home, using a carrier such as United Parcel Service
(UPS), or the like. Such carriers, of course, must be paid for
their services, increasing the cost of selling and/or buying goods
over the Internet.
[0007] In addition to the added expense, both to the vendor and to
the recipient, of home delivery, carrier-based home delivery of
goods suffers from a further disadvantage in that it often occurs
at a time when no one is home to accept delivery. This problem is
exacerbated by the fact that generally recipients are not notified
by the carrier as to the time a package will be delivered. This
phenomenon can be quite inconvenient for people who are away from
their homes or apartments at work for the better part of each
day.
[0008] Attempts at providing "centralized shopping sites" have been
made to consolidate ordering activities. In a site maintained by
Lycos, for example, various Web-based vendors are made available by
clicking an icon from the central Lycos portal site. Clicking an
icon brings you to the associated vendor's site. However, when you
visit the site, your display is always framed by Lycos subject
matter. Thus, while the appearance of centralized shopping may be
given, the purchases are done at the individual sites, using their
individualized purchasing and shipping methodologies.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,454 to Harrington is directed to an
integrated interface for shopping Web sites as well as non-Internet
vendors. A database is provided that includes real Internet vendor
sites, corresponding to vendors having sites on the Internet, and
virtual Internet vendor sites, which correspond to vendors not
having a site on the Internet. A consumer can purchase goods from
either of these types of vendors from a common location, using a
universal "shopping trolley". Ordered items, however, are still
shipped by the individual vendors to the shipper's home.
[0010] While adding convenience for the consumer, these centralized
shopping sites do not address the problem of significant costs for
the shipment of the ordered goods.
[0011] Also known, are warehouse/member clubs which provide
discounted merchandise to consumers based upon volume discounts.
While allowing a shopper to purchase many items at a single
location, these outlets provide neither the convenience of "shop at
home" offered by the Internet, nor the almost unlimited
selection
[0012] A post office (P.O.) box allows a consumer to receive all of
his or her merchandise at a centralized location. However, shipment
of merchandise to a P.O. box provides limited benefit to consumers
and essentially no benefit to vendors. With regard to consumers,
maintenance of the P.O. box costs money. Therefore, any convenience
of central location for the consumer must be balanced against the
cost. Further, from the point of view of the vendor, the fact that
each customer maintains a central pick-up point results in no
consolidation of ordered goods, since goods are still sent to a
separate P.O. box for each consumer, resulting in no economies of
scale and leaving the vendor with significant shipping charges to
pass along to all of its customers.
[0013] Further, from the consumer's perspective, P.O. boxes provide
no notification of the arrival of ordered items, have predetermined
limits to the size of the delivered items, and provide limited
access times to pick-up the delivered items. In addition, the
consumer is not kept informed of the fact that a shipment may
contain perishable items and may delay picking up the package,
especially if he or she is used to making a once a week pickup.
[0014] Thus, there is a need to provide for an efficient way for
vendors to centralize the shipping process to allow vendors to gain
the benefit of consolidated shipping and to provide significant
cost and convenience advantages to consumers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The present invention addresses the above concerns and
presents new and novel apparatuses and processes for distribution
and delivery of orders, for example, where in a preferred
embodiment, orders are placed at a shopping site on the World Wide
Web (the "Web"). The invention provides local pickup to the extent
possible by transporting and delivering received orders to a local
pickup site to consolidate shipments from vendors. In an example
embodiment, locally available items are earmarked for the user at
the local pick-up site. Items not available locally are handled by
the system communicating with remote vendors and arranging delivery
either to the local pickup site or directly to the user.
[0016] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a method for delivering goods ordered by a
plurality of customers. The method includes the steps of a
plurality of customers placing orders for goods from a vendor; the
vendor fulfilling its orders by combining into a single shipping
order the goods ordered by a plurality of customers who are
geographically close to a single local pick-up; and the vendor
causing the single shipping order to be sent to a local pick-up
point.
[0017] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a method for designating local receipt of items
ordered from a vendor at a remote location. The method includes the
steps of: the customer providing to the vendor the customer's
location; the customer choosing from local pick-up points offered
by the vendor; and upon receipt of the ordered items at the local
pick-up point, receiving notification that the order is available
for pick-up.
[0018] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a method for delivering goods ordered by a
plurality of customers. The method includes the steps of: a
plurality of customers placing orders for goods from a plurality of
vendors; each vendor fulfilling their orders by combining into
individual shipping orders the goods ordered by those from among
the plurality of customers who are geographically close to
respective local pick-up points; and the vendors causing the
respective shipping orders to be sent to the respective local
pick-up points.
[0019] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided an apparatus for controlling delivery of goods to
a plurality of customers. The apparatus includes: means for
receiving orders from a plurality of customers; means for
fulfilling the customers' orders by combining into individual
shipping orders the goods ordered by those from among the plurality
of customers who are geographically close to respective local
pick-up points; and means for causing the respective shipping
orders to be sent to the respective local pick-up
[0020] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a system, having multiple vendors, for allowing
the multiple vendors to consolidate shipping of goods to customers.
Each vendor has an apparatus including: means for receiving orders
from a plurality of customers; means for fulfilling the customers'
orders by combining into individual shipping orders the goods
ordered by those from among the plurality of customers who are
geographically close to respective local pick-up points; and means
for causing the respective shipping orders to be sent to the
respective local pick-up points.
[0021] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a shopping server on a network
comprising a plurality of vendor servers, a plurality of customer
client terminals, and local pick-up points, the shopping server
being operable to: receive orders from a customer terminal for
purchase of a good; communicate with one of the local pick-up
points in proximity to the customer who ordered the good, to
determine if the ordered good is currently available at the local
pick-up point; and if the good is not currently available at the
local pick-up point, communicate with one of the vendor servers to
initiate delivery of the ordered good to the local pick-up
point.
[0022] In accordance with still another aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a system, having multiple vendors, for
allowing the multiple vendors to consolidate shipping of goods to
fulfill customer orders received over a network. Each vendor has a
network server operable to: receive orders from a plurality of
customers; fulfill the customers, orders by combining into
individual shipping orders the goods ordered by those from among
the plurality of customers who are geographically close to
respective local pick-up points; and cause the respective shipping
orders to be sent to the respective local pick-up points.
[0023] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided computer code executable on a network server. The
code includes: code for receiving orders from a plurality of
customers; code for fulfilling the customers' orders by combining
into individual shipping orders the goods ordered by those from
among the plurality of customers who are geographically close to
respective local pick-up points; and code for causing the
respective shipping orders to be sent to the respective local
pick-up points.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an Internet based
implementation of the goods distribution method and apparatus of
the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a server/host computer of the
Internet based implementation illustrated in FIG. 1A;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of method of improved goods
distribution in Accordance with A second embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0027] FIGS. 3 and 4 are product flow diagrams illustrating the
flow of information and goods in accordance with advantageous
aspects of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] FIGS. 1-4 illustrate preferred embodiments of the method and
apparatus for distribution and delivery of Web orders in accordance
with preferred embodiments of the present invention. In a first
preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system utilizes
a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, and even more
preferably, the World Wide Web ("the Web") to receive orders from
consumers at a Web shopping portal. The system preferably includes
an Internet (TCP/IP compliant) server that interacts with consumer
client computers using the client computer's graphical user
interface (GUI). The interface with the consumer preferably allows
the consumers to interactively peruse shopping and delivery
options, and more preferably, allows them to preview at any time
the present state of their order. The above functionality is
preferably achieved using a combination of server side
applications, such as common gateway interface programs (CGI), for
allowing the server to accept search terms and interface with
databases, and client side applets, such as Java applets, or the
like, which execute in client browser software. Additional
functionality will permit the server to communicate with individual
vendor sites and to coordinate and control a central database to
keep track of the user's order and chosen options.
[0029] A preferred implementation of the Web-based distribution and
delivery system of the present invention is illustrated in block
diagram form in FIG. 1A. In that figure, consumers operating client
computers 1 are connected to a wide area network (WAN) such as the
Internet. Such connection can be direct or via an Internet service
provider (not shown). The client computers 1 each preferably
include communications hardware and an operating system with
graphical user interface (GUI) functionality to allow for interface
with the Internet. Each client computer preferably has graphical
World Wide Web (Web) browser software, such as Netscape Navigator
or Microsoft Internet Explorer, loaded thereon operable to read and
send Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) forms from and to a Hypertext
Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server on the Web. The client computer 1
preferably is operable to act as a virtual machine to run Java
applets, or the like, downloaded by the browser from the
server.
[0030] Server/host computer system 2 receives information from
consumer client computers 1 over the Internet. The server/host
computer system 2 preferably includes hardware, HTTP compliant
software, an operating system and common gateway interface (CGI)
software for interfacing with input queries and sources of data.
communication over the Internet with local distribution servers 4,
and with vendor servers 3.
[0031] The term server as used in the present application is
intended to include, in addition to hardware and software for
implementing front-end Internet interfacing functions, also
hardware and software to implement back-end computing and
communications functions necessary to receive and process orders
and organize shipping and payment information, such hardware and
software techniques being well known in the art.
[0032] A preferred implementation of the host site is illustrated
in block diagram form in FIG. 1B. As shown in the figure,
server/host computer system 2 is controlled by software functions
of server processing 5. Among the constituent software components
within the server processing 5 is the consumer/vendor interface
processing 10. Consumer/vendor interface processing 10 functions to
interface with, among others in the preferred embodiment, vendor
servers 3, client computers 1 and local distributors 4. Interface
processing 10 executes functions in response to input from client
computers 1 and initiates communication with other servers, such as
servers 3 and 4. Dynamic page generator 20 responds to requests
from the client computers 1 for HTML pages 30, which themselves are
stored in the server. Transaction 40 stores information for the
present transaction and the transaction is completed by transaction
processing module 45. Database processing 50 interfaces the server
processing 5 with database 55.
[0033] In operation, in the Internet implementation, a consumer
typically would type in a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the
server/host computer system 2 and receive from the server/host
computer system 2 an interactive form, such as an HTML document, as
well as any Java applets, or the like, necessary to allow the
consumer to view and submit his or her options for visiting vendor
sites. The applets and CGI programs do verifications to ensure, for
example, the consumer does not exceed limits related to the
constituent Web vendors. Assuming the consumer request is within
appropriate limits, the server processes the order and redirects,
preferably with framing of the visual content, the user to the
vendor selected by the user for each particular item currently
being selected.
[0034] The server/host computer system 2 preferably communicates
with a financial computer of the system to utilize input customer
credit card information or the like for payment for a user's
order.
[0035] In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention,
the user of the present invention shops for items available through
on-line vendors and periodically clicks an icon labeled to send the
selected item to a central "shopping cart". Advantageously, the
user need not concern him or herself with multiple shopping carts
or the repeated submission of payment information, such as credit
card numbers or the like.
[0036] Another advantage of the present invention is the provision
of local pickup functionality. After the purchase of a filled
shopping cart is consummated, the portal site communicates with a
server at a local pick-up site, to earmark locally available
purchased items for the user. Such earmarking saves shipping costs
as to the locally available items, savings which can be passed
along to the consumer. In addition, because of the centralized Web
site, automatic restocking of the local pick-up sites can easily be
achieved.
[0037] The local pick-up site preferably has appropriate controls
for perishables and the like. For example, refrigeration facilities
for perishable goods.
[0038] Advantageously, in the case that the items are not available
at the local site, the portal site's server preferably may initiate
communication with the servers of the Web-sites offering items not
locally available, to arrange for delivery of those items to the
local pick-up site, and/or directly to the user. The user may
select a date and time for local pick-up, or may alternatively be
notified when pick-up is ready.
[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the order is customizable on the
basis of certain user parameters. Such parameters may include, for
example, the size of the user's vehicle, in which case the user
would be notified in real-time if the addition of an item would
exceed his or her vehicle's limits.
[0040] In another preferred embodiment, the purchaser would be
notified in real-time as to the impact of the addition of an item
will have on the delivery schedule. In a further refinement of this
technique, a user selecting an item that is not locally available
may be presented with optional items that are locally available. In
another alternative embodiment, a user selecting branded items may
be offered the option of selecting non-branded items, offered at a
lower price and/or a quicker availability, instead. It will be
appreciated after having read this specification that each of these
options may be implemented using standard programming techniques
used to interface between a server and client computer on the
Web.
[0041] Database 55, for example, may hold an account for each
customer which is updated whenever the customer places a new order
and whenever the customer takes a delivery. Thereby the customer
can interrogate the database to determine the current status of his
account.
[0042] In a second embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 2,
a consumer may order products directly over the Internet from an
individual participating vendor or vendors rather than through a
shopping portal as in the first embodiment. Once an order has been
placed with the participating vendor, the consumer is presented
with the option of selecting the local distribution site as the
delivery address rather than the individual's home address. The
choice of the local distribution preferably would be accompanied by
a concomitant discount in the shipping cost to the consumer. In
this embodiment, the customer's order and delivery information is
held on the respective vendor and local distributor servers. This
embodiment allows vendors to consolidate shipping, thereby reducing
costs, since all items for all customers in a particular area would
be shipped together to one location, instead to the individual
addresses or P.O. Boxes of the individual consumers. Items in bulk
shipment are preferably tagged to identify the customer via a
tagging mechanism such as a bar code.
[0043] In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of
the present invention, some or all participating vendors share
local pick-up centers. This feature has the further advantage that
all of a consumer's purchases, from multiple vendors, can be, with
appropriate notice given to the consumer, picked up at a single
site, at the same time, saving the consumer multiple trips. Notice
to consumers is preferably effected via e-mail, although in an
alternative implementation the customer could check the status of
the order at the Web site of the vendor or of the local pick-up
site, after having typed in security and identifying information,
or via telephone.
[0044] As will be appreciated, once the customer has initially
provided personal information to the server, cookies downloaded to
the customer's browser, to be stored on the customer's computer,
can be referenced by the web site in subsequent visits of that
customer to the Web site.
[0045] In a further preferred embodiment, the option of delivery
from the local pick-up site can be offered for an additional
charge. This option would still obtain the benefit to the vendor of
consolidated shipping to a single site, while allowing the consumer
to choose to pay a local delivery service to bring the goods to his
or her house or business. Once again, the local pick-up option may
preferably be chosen while at the vendor web site or the web site
of the local pick-up site itself.
[0046] A variation of the second embodiment would entail the local
pick-up site using its database of local consumers to help organize
a buddy network, which would allow consumers from among a group of
consumers located in the same area to assign a designated pick-up
person for a predetermined period of time, that person, for
example, picking up items for more than one neighbor. A further
advantageous variation provides a discount for the designated
pick-up person.
[0047] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the product and information paths
used by the illustrated shipping and distribution modalities of the
present invention. In the figures, dashed lines represent the flow
of information while solid lines represent the flow of goods.
[0048] FIG. 3 shows four possible variations for a multiple
customer, single vendor, single local distribution center model.
They are described as follows in conjunction with that figure.
[0049] In the first variation, customer 1 places an order with the
vendor 12 by exchanging information (product preference, quantity,
cost, credit card info, etc.) by an information exchange 10. The
vendor 12 communicates with a local distribution center (LDC) 14
via information exchange 20 to determine if any items are in stock,
inquire as to the delivery schedule, or the like. The vendor 12
then sends goods via shipping method 30. LDC 14 and customer 1 are
in contact via information exchange 40 so that customer 1 can query
about delivery status and the LDC 14 can notify of delivery. The
LDC 14 is also in communication with a local delivery service (LDS)
16 via information exchange 50 to arrange delivery schedules, and
other information related to delivery. The LDS 16 preferably is
operable to pass information back and forth with customer 1 via
information exchange 80. Goods flow via 60 from the LDC 14 to the
LDS 16, which then delivers the goods to customer 1 via goods path
70.
[0050] In the second variation, customer 2 is identical to customer
1 except there is no direct communication between customer 2 and
the LDC 14, as was the case for customer 1 and information exchange
40. Instead, in the second variation, all information to customer 2
is relayed from the LDC 14 to the LDS 16, through information
exchange 50, and then from the LDS 16 to customer 2, via
information exchange path 100. Goods are transferred through path
60 and then path Qn to customer 2.
[0051] In the third variation, customer 3 operates without making
use of either the LDS 16 or a means of communication with the LDC
14. After the ordering, via information exchange path 10, and
delivery from the vendor 12 to the LDS 16, utilizing paths 20 and
30, processing is complete, and customer 3 must physically go to
the LDC 14 to pick up his or her goods via goods flow path 130.
[0052] In the fourth variation, customer 4 is identical to customer
3 but makes use of additional information exchange path 110 between
the LDC 14 and customer 4 so that the customer can check on
delivery status, etc. Goods are then picked up by customer 4, by
means of goods flow path 120.
[0053] With knowledge of the orders of customers 1-4, the vendor 12
can consolidate the shipping of the orders and only schedule a
single delivery to the LDC 14 to reduce shipping costs. Similarly,
the LDS 16 can deliver, for example, both customer 1 and customer
2's orders on a single trip from the LDC 14.
[0054] FIG. 4 illustrates a multiple customer, multiple vendor,
single LDC scenario utilizing the present invention. Each of
customers 1 through 4 communicates with each of vendors A, B and C
via information exchanges 140, 150 and 160. Optionally, the various
orders could be placed via a single conduit, such as a common web
page or universal shopping cart, as described above in relation to
the first embodiment, that could be used by the customers to
communicate centrally with the vendors rather than working on a one
to one basis. After receiving the orders from the customers, the
vendors then send physical goods to the LDC 12, via goods flow path
180, either in conjunction with data flow exchange 170, or without
any information exchange capability between vendors and the LDC 12.
From the LDC 12, goods and information can flow to customers via
any of the methods described in FIG. 3.
[0055] While the communication methods used to implement the
present invention have been described in terms of the preferred
embodiment, namely via a WAN such as the Internet, and more
particularly the Web, the invention can also be implemented by
communication over telephone, facsimile, e-mail, or other methods
of communication and still attain many if not all of the advantages
discussed above.
[0056] Other variations and modifications of this invention will
be-apparent to those skilled in this art after careful study of
this application. This invention is not to be limited except as set
forth in the following claims.
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