Multi-vendor online marketplace

Abstract

A unified online marketplace storefront may be used to sell items from multiple vendors. Managing a multi-vendor online sales channel may involve receiving, from each of a number of sellers, information describing one or more items for sale. The items for sale may be presented to potential buyers through a unified storefront on an online marketplace. The unified storefront can mask identities of the sellers and present a consistent interface to the potential buyers. The managing of the online sales channel also may involve receiving an order from a buyer to purchase an item through the unified storefront, and taking flash title to the sold item prior to fulfilling the buyer's order.

1 . A method of managing a multi-vendor online sales channel, the method comprising: 
 receiving from each of a plurality of sellers information describing one or more items for sale;    presenting the items for sale to potential buyers through a unified storefront on an online marketplace, the unified storefront masking identities of the plurality of sellers and presenting a consistent interface to the potential buyers;    receiving through the unified storefront an order from a buyer to purchase an item; and    taking flash title to the purchased item prior to fulfilling the buyer's order.    
     
     
         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 a seller of the one or more items for sale is anonymous to the buyer.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the unified storefront comprises a web-based e-commerce storefront.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the unified storefront is configured to serve the plurality of sellers.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein, from the buyer's perspective, the unified storefront appears to be affiliated with a single seller.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein, from the buyer's perspective, the unified storefront becomes the seller of record when the unified storefront takes flash title at the point of sale.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the unified storefront is adapted for corporate asset recovery.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of sellers sell the one or more items under a representation of the unified storefront.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising sending a SKU to the unified storefront, wherein the SKU identifies the one or more items for sale.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising tracking the SKU for the one or more items for sale for one or more sellers.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein tracking the SKU comprises creating a new SKU based on the SKU of the one or more items for sale.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the new SKU comprises a seller identifier appended to the SKU, the seller identifier being defined by the unified storefront and being used for accounting purposes.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein in tracking the SKU the unified storefront (i) provides an accounting for the one or more items for sale, and (ii) reports to the one or more sellers about a sales performance of the one or more items for sale.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the unified storefront is adapted to take flash title to the item for sale at the point of sale.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein, by taking flash title, the unified storefront is adapted to determine one or more regulatory issues for the plurality of sellers.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein, by taking flash title, the unified storefront is adapted to determine one or more tax issues for the plurality of sellers.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising presenting through the uniform storefront a set of terms and conditions of service to each of the plurality of sellers.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein each of the plurality of sellers is required to agree to a set of terms and conditions of service before the unified storefront provides selling services to the seller, the set of terms and conditions being common for the plurality of sellers.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising arranging a distribution of payments through the unified storefront after a sale of one or more items.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising reporting to the seller through the uniform storefront a performance of sale of the one or more items for sale.  
     
     
         22 . A method comprising: 
 arranging a sale of items on an online sales channel from a plurality of sellers, the online sales channel comprising an e-commerce storefront configured to sell the items for a plurality of sellers, wherein an identity of the seller is anonymous to a buyer, and the arranging of the sale comprises: 
 providing a set of one or more conditions of service for the plurality of sellers;  
 receiving information related to the sale of the one or more items from a seller;  
 listing the received information on the online sales channel; and  
 assuming a legal title to the one or more items at a point of sale.  
   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the set of one or more conditions of service are common to each of the plurality of sellers.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the arranging of the sale further comprises accounting for the items for sale with a Stock Keeping Unit that is associated with each item.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the online sales channel is configured to provide liquidation services for a seller.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22  wherein online sales channel is configured to provide asset recovery services for the seller.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the online sales channel is configured to allow one or more sellers to leverage a customer feedback of the online sales channel to enhance sales performance.  
     
     
         28 . A multi-vendor online sales channel comprising: 
 a unified e-commerce storefront operated by a first entity and configured to present items for sale from a plurality of independent merchants, the unified e-commerce storefront representing the first entity and masking the merchants' respective identities from potential buyers; and    a transaction processor configured to vest flash title in the first entity at a point of sale of an item and to determine sales tax liability based at least in part on a residence of the first entity.    
     
     
         29 . The multi-vendor online sales channel of  claim 28  further comprising a set of conditions of service, wherein each of the plurality of independent merchants is required to agree to a common set of conditions of service from the unified e-commerce storefront.  
     
     
         30 . The multi-vendor online sales channel of  claim 28  wherein the transaction processor is further configured to track the items for sale by Stock Keeping Units.  
     
     
         31 . The multi-vendor online sales channel of  claim 30  wherein the transaction processor is further configured to provide one or more statistics to one or more merchants based on the items for sale.