Spatial marketplace system

Abstract

A method of managing the delivery of offers via a spatial marketplace system involves registering potential customers as members of the system by recording their names and contact details in a database. A spatial identifier, sourced from the contact details supplied during a registration process, is assigned to each database record. Each member nominates one or more attributes corresponding to a commodity in relation to which the member is interested in receiving offers. Each supplier defines a geographic region in which the supplier wishes to do business and nominates one or more attributes corresponding to commodities, which the supplier wishes to sell. A spatial identifier location algorithm is used to identify the database records with spatial identifers located within the supplier defined geographical region. Delivery of offers from a supplier is restricted to members associated with the identified database records which have nominated attributes matching the supplier nominated attributes.

1 - 27 . (canceled)  
     
     
         28 . A method of managing the delivery of offers from suppliers to members via a spatial marketplace system including the steps of: 
 (a) registering potential customers as members of the spatial marketplace system by recording their names and contact details in a database;    (b) assigning a spatial identifier to each database record, the spatial identifier being sourced from the contact details supplied during a registration process;    (c) each member nominating one or more attributes corresponding to a commodity in relation to which the member is interested in receiving offers;    (d) each supplier defining a geographic region in which the supplier wishes to do business and nominating one or more attributes corresponding to commodities which the supplier wishes to sell;    (e) using a spatial identifier location algorithm to identify the database records with spatial identifiers located within the geographical region defined by the supplier;    wherein delivery of offers from a supplier is restricted to members associated with the identified database records which have nominated attributes matching the attributes nominated by the supplier.    
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28 , further including the step of advising each supplier of the number of identified database records associated with nominated attributes matching the attributes nominated by the supplier and the cost of delivering offers to members associated with each of those database records, wherein the supplier either agrees to deliver offers to each of the members thereby incurring the cost, or modifies the geographical region to increase or decrease the number of offers to be delivered.  
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 28 , further including the step of accompanying each database record by details of memberships to a third party organisation, wherein the third party organisation receives a percentage of revenue form the spatial marketplace system in return for introducing their members to the system.  
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 28 , further including the step of the supplier associating a numeric qualifier or range of numeric qualifiers with one or more attributes, wherein the delivery of offers is further restricted to members which have nominated a numeric qualifier for the relevant attribute which matches or falls within the range of the numeric qualifiers nominated by the supplier.  
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 28 , further including the step of the member nominating a preferred settlement or payment option selected from a menu provided by the system, wherein the delivery of offers is further restricted to members which have nominated a settlement or payment option which matches the settlement or payment options utilised by the supplier.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 28 , further including the step of the member nominating a point in time and a time interval when a request for offers will be presented to suppliers.  
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 28 , further including the step of the member nominating a mode via which the offers will be delivered from the supplier to the member.  
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein the mode via which the offers will be delivered from the supplier to the member is selected from one or more of the following: 
 (a) via a member's system control panel;    (b) via the member's email;    (c) via a nominated third party email;    (d) via telephone;    (e) via short message service (SMS); or    (f) via post.    
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the geographical region is an area within a distance from one or more geographical points nominated by the supplier.  
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the geographical region is an area displayed on a map presented to the supplier on an interface, whereby modification of the area displayed on the map results in a corresponding modification in the geographical region.  
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein each attribute is defined by at least four levels, each consecutive level providing a refinement to a description of the commodity.  
     
     
         39 . A spatial marketplace system for managing the delivery of offers from suppliers to members, including: 
 (a) a database recording the names of the members;    (b) means for assigning a spatial identifier to each database record, the spatial identifier being sourced from information supplied during a registration process;    (c) means for associating each record with one or more attributes corresponding to a commodity in relation to which the member is interested in receiving offers;    (d) geographical region selection means by which the supplier selects a geographical region in which the offers are to be delivered;    (e) a spatial identifier location algorithm for identifying the database records with spatial identifiers located within the selected geographical region; and    (f) delivery means for delivering the offers to members associated with the identified database records which have nominated attributes matching the attributes nominated by the supplier.    
     
     
         40 . A system according to  claim 39 , further including means for accompanying each database record by details of memberships to third party organisations, wherein the third party organisation receives a percentage of revenue form the spatial marketplace system in return for introducing their members to the system.  
     
     
         41 . A system according to  claim 39 , further including means for the supplier to associate a numeric qualifier or range of numeric qualifiers with one or more attributes, wherein the delivery of offers is further restricted to members which have nominated a numeric qualifier for the relevant attribute which matches or falls within the range of the numeric qualifiers nominated by the supplier.  
     
     
         42 . A system according to  claim 39 , further including means for nominating a preferred settlement or payment option selected from a menu provided by the system, wherein the delivery of offers is further restricted to members which have nominated a settlement or payment option which matches the settlement or payment options utilised by the supplier.  
     
     
         43 . A system according to  claim 39 , further including means for nominating a point in time and a time interval when a member's request for offers will be presented to suppliers.  
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 39 , further including means for nominating a mode via which the offers will be delivered from the supplier to the member.  
     
     
         45 . A system according to  claim 44 , wherein the mode via which the offers will be delivered from the supplier to the member is selected from one or more of the following: 
 (a) via a member's system control panel;    (b) via the member's email;    (c) via a nominated third party email;    (d) via telephone;    (e) via short message service (SMS); or    (f) via post.    
     
     
         46 . A system according to  claim 39 , wherein the geographical region selection means define an area within a distance from one or more geographical points nominated by the supplier.  
     
     
         47 . A system according to  claim 39 , wherein the geographical region selection means defines an area displayed on a map presented to the supplier on an interface, whereby modification of the area displayed on the map results in a corresponding modification in the geographical region.  
     
     
         48 . A system according to  claim 39 , further including means by which suppliers generate automated offers in response to requests for offers from members.  
     
     
         49 . A system according to  claim 39 , wherein each attribute is defined by at least four levels, each consecutive level providing a refinement to a description of the commodity.  
     
     
         50 . A system according to  claim 39 , further including an attribute database associated with the system, the attribute database including the commodities to be offered using the system and a corresponding unique attribute identifier which describes or relates to each of the goods or services.  
     
     
         51 . A method of establishing a database of potential customers for the delivery of offers, the method including the following steps: 
 (a) organisations maintaining a membership database introduce their members to a spatial marketplace system as members in return for a percentage of revenue;    (b) members are offered an incentive in exchange for registering, providing a spatial identifier, nominating attributes corresponding to commodities in relation to which the member consents to receiving offers; and    (c) suppliers are granted access to a register of members which are categorised according to their spatial identifiers and attribute profiles;    thereby enabling advertisers to target members whose spatial identifiers and attribute profiles correspond to criteria predetermined by the supplier.    
     
     
         52 . A method of establishing a database of potential customers according to  claim 51 , wherein the incentive offered to members is use of a personal website.