Automated Method and System for Merchandize Transactions

Abstract

A method and system are provided for selling merchandise. The method includes receiving an order from a customer for a product desired to be picked up by the customer at a given location, readying the product for customer pickup at the given location after receiving the order, detecting the arrival of the customer, and moving the product to a loading station at the given location for customer pickup.

1 . A method of selling groceries, comprising: 
 receiving an order from a client device operated by a customer for grocery products the customer desires to purchase and pick up at one of a plurality of loading areas, said order being received from the customer while the customer is at a location remote from said loading areas;    electronically processing payment information for said order;    retrieving said grocery products ordered by said customer from a storage area containing such grocery products, associating said retrieved grocery products with said order, and maintaining said retrieved grocery products in generally similar temperature conditions as said products were kept in the storage area to inhibit spoilage of said products;    using a detection apparatus to automatically detect arrival, including a generally unique identifier, of said customer at a customer detection area a given distance from said plurality of loading areas after retrieving said grocery products;    selecting one of said plurality of loading areas and directing said customer to said selected loading area; and    responsive to detecting arrival of said customer at the customer detection area, identifying and moving said retrieved grocery products to said selected loading area to make said retrieved grocery products available to said customer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said client device comprises a wireless communications device located in a vehicle in which said customer is seated.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said client device comprises a computer connected to a network.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein using said detection apparatus comprises automatically detecting an identification device associated with said customer.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said identification device comprises a transponder.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said identification device comprises a card having customer identification information stored thereon.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein maintaining said retrieved grocery products in generally similar temperature conditions comprises separately storing frozen grocery products, refrigerated grocery products, and room temperature grocery products under appropriate respective temperature conditions.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting one of a plurality of loading areas comprises dynamically selecting said one of a plurality of loading areas based on availability.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein retrieving said grocery products ordered by said customer includes placing retrieved grocery products in one or more containers, and wherein moving said retrieved grocery products comprises moving said one or more containers to said selected loading area.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising charging the customer a fee based on when the customer wishes to pick up ordered grocery products.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising dynamically calculating a price for at least one of said grocery products and indicating said price to said customer.  
     
     
         12 . In a drive-through grocery facility, a method of transferring merchandize previously remotely ordered by customers to vehicles operated by said customers, the method comprising: 
 readying merchandize previously ordered by customers; and    for each customer arriving at said facility in a vehicle to pickup his or her ordered merchandize: 
 automatically detecting arrival of said customer, including a generally unique identifier of said customer, using a detection apparatus;  
 directing said customer to drive his or her vehicle one of a plurality of loading stations after detecting arrival of the customer; and  
 identifying merchandize ordered by said customer and moving said merchandize to said one of a plurality of loading station for customer pickup upon detecting the arrival of the customer.  
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein using said detection apparatus comprises automatically detecting an identification device associated with said customer.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said identification device comprises a transponder.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said identification device comprises a card having customer identification information stored thereon.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising maintaining readied merchandize in appropriate temperature conditions to avoid spoilage including separately storing frozen grocery products, refrigerated grocery products, and room temperature grocery products under appropriate respective temperature conditions.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising dynamically selecting said one of said plurality of loading stations based on availability prior to directing the customer to the loading station.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising charging the customer a fee based on when the customer desires to pick up ordered merchandise.  
     
     
         19 . A method of improving throughput in a drive-through grocery facility, comprising: 
 receiving orders from client devices operated by customers for grocery products the customers desire to purchase and pick up at one of a plurality of loading areas at the grocery facility, said orders being received from said customers while the customers are at a location remote from said grocery facility;    electronically processing payment information for said orders;    retrieving said grocery products ordered by said customers from a storage area containing such grocery products, associating retrieved grocery products with respective orders, and maintaining said retrieved grocery products in generally similar temperature conditions as said products were kept in the storage area to inhibit spoilage of said products; and    for each customer arriving at said facility in a vehicle to pickup his or her ordered grocery products: 
 after retrieving said grocery products, using a detection apparatus to automatically detect arrival, including a generally unique identifier, of said customer at a customer detection area a given distance from said plurality of loading areas;  
 selecting one of said plurality of loading areas for said customer based on availability and directing said customer to the selected loading area; and  
 identifying and moving said retrieved grocery products to said selected loading area in response to detecting arrival of said customer to make said retrieved grocery products available to said customer.  
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising charging the customers fees based on when they desire to pick up ordered grocery products.