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.

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.