Method and system for hosting centralized online point-of-sale activities for a plurality of distributed customers and vendors

Abstract

One or more networked computers ( 18 ) receives input from a customer ( 12 ) specifying two or more vendors having vendor web sites ( 14 ) from which to purchase goods or services during an online shopping session, receives input from the two or more vendors indicating that the customer has purchased goods or services at the two or more vendor web sites during the online shopping session, and outputs a single online receipt ( 32 ) to the customer reflecting all goods or services purchased at the two or more vendor web sites during the online shopping session. Sales tax may be collected from the customer for goods or services purchased during the online shopping session and electronically disbursed tax to one or more tax authorities. Payment for the goods or services purchased during the online shopping session may be electronically collected and disbursed to vendors. Credits for one or more purchased goods or services may also be disbursed. Reports may be generated based on a plurality of data collected during POS transactions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for centrally hosting online point of sale activities, the method comprising: (i) receiving input from a customer specifying two or more vendors having vendor web sites from which to purchase goods or services during an online shopping session; (ii) receiving input from the two or more vendors indicating that the customer has purchased goods or services at the two or more vendor web sites during the online shopping session; and (iii) outputting a single online receipt to the customer reflecting all goods or services purchased at the two or more vendor web sites during the online shopping session.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  additionally comprising collecting tax from the customer for goods or services purchased during the online shopping session and disbursing the collected tax to one or more tax authorities.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  additionally comprising collecting and disbursing payment for the goods or services purchased during the online shopping session.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the payment is disbursed to the two or more vendors.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the payment is electronically disbursed to a vendor banking institution.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the payment includes a transactional fee.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  additionally comprising disbursing a credit for one or more purchased goods or services.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  additionally comprising electronically obtaining payment authorization from the customer's credit card company for goods or services to be purchased at the two or more vendor sites.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the customer or vendors are located in different countries.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  additionally comprising presenting the customer with an online table of contents including a plurality of hyperlinks to different vendor web sites.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  additionally comprising generating one or more reports based on a plurality of data collected during the transaction of the point-of-sale activities.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the vendor web sites are online auction sites.  
     
     
         13 . A system for centrally hosting online point of sale activities, the system comprising one or more networked computers operably programmed and configured to: (i) receive input from a customer specifying two or more vendors having vendor web sites from which to purchase goods or services during an online shopping session; (ii) receive input from the two or more vendors indicating that the customer has purchased goods or services at the two or more vendor web sites during the online shopping session; and (iii) output a single online receipt to the customer reflecting all goods or services purchased at the two or more vendor web sites during the online shopping session.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the one or more networked computers are additionally programmed and configured to collect sales tax from the customer for goods or services purchased during the online shopping session and electronically disburse the collected sales tax to one or more tax authorities.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the one or more networked computers are additionally programmed and configured to collect and electronically disburse payment for the goods or services purchased during the online shopping session.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the payment is electronically disbursed to the two or more vendors.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the payment is electronically disbursed to a vendor banking institution.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the payment includes a transactional fee.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the one or more networked computers are additionally programmed and configured disburse a credit for one or more purchased goods or services.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the one or more networked computers are additionally programmed and configured to electronically obtain payment authorization from the customer's credit card company for goods or services to be purchased at the two or more vendor sites.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the customer or vendors are located in different countries.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the one or more networked computers are additionally programmed and configured to present the customer with an online table of contents including a plurality of hyperlinks to different vendor web sites.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the one or more networked computers are additionally programmed and configured to generate one or more reports based on a plurality of data collected during the transaction of the point-of-sale activities.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 13  wherein one or more of the vendor web sites are online auction sites.