Method and apparatus for facilitating electronic acquisition and maintenence of goods and services via the internet

Abstract

Internet acquisition of goods and services from multiple service providers is facilitated in a uniform, automated manner. Online service account facilitation systems and methods are contemplated that allow for intuitive, uniformly-structured representations of service offerings; straightforward, yet flexible, definition of service product markets; advantageous status designations for market offerings; flexible start date restriction rules; context sensitive information request forms, dynamic price determination on interactive comparison forms; flexible restriction rules for selection combinations of plans, packages, and features; creation of customized data elements; a powerfully advantageous ordering process; a discontinuation process; an inter-dependent order resolution feature; a hierarchical customization scheme; and/or centralized two-way communication between customers and service providers. In one embodiment, tenants of business or residential properties, may connect and disconnect utilities and/or purchase other goods and services electronically via the Internet from various service providers when moving into the property.

1 .- 152 . (canceled) 
     
     
         153 . A method for facilitating a user's selection of offerings provided to a property having a geographic location, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing access to one or more databases comprising said offerings in one or more offering categories, wherein each of said offerings may be classified in said one or more databases in one or more geographic markets, and wherein each of said markets associated with each said offering may be defined in different levels of detail in said one or more databases as specifically as a street address or a subdivision of a street address; and   (b) receiving from said user said geographic location of said property wherein said geographic location may be identified as specifically as a street address or a subdivision of a street address.   
     
     
         154 . The method of  claim 153 , further comprising the step of:
 (c) presenting a user with one or more of said offering categories, wherein each of said offering categories corresponds to a product or service type.   
     
     
         155 . The method of  claim 154 , further comprising the step of:
 (d) receiving from said user said selection of one or more offering categories.   
     
     
         156 . The method of  claim 155 , further comprising the step of:
 (e) determining product or service offerings maintained in said one or more databases that:
 (i) correspond to said offering categories selected by said user; and 
 (ii) are associated with markets that correspond to said geographic location provided by said user. 
   
     
     
         157 . The method of  claim 156 , further comprising the step of:
 (f) determining for each offering category selected by said user, each said offering associated with markets that correspond to said geographic location provided by said user.   
     
     
         158 . The method of  claim 157 , further comprising the step of:
 (g) transmitting said determined offerings to said user.   
     
     
         159 . The method of  claim 158 , further comprising the step of:
 (h) enabling said user to place an order for one or more offerings in one or more of said offering categories.   
     
     
         160 . The method of  claim 159 , further comprising the step of:
 (i) enabling said user to access to one or more user accounts, each said account corresponding to an offering ordered by said user.   
     
     
         161 . The method of  claim 160 , wherein said one or more user accounts are maintained by said providers of said offerings. 
     
     
         162 . The method of  claim 160 , wherein said user may manage said user account. 
     
     
         163 . The method of  claim 162 , wherein said management of said user account enables said user to perform one or more of the following functions: verify the status of the order related to said offering, update said user's profile related to said account, retrieve reports, pay for said offering, modify said offering, and terminate said offering. 
     
     
         164 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein an offering category comprises one or more of electric utility, natural gas, metered water, telephone, television, satellite, cable, internet, security system, change of address, post office, furniture, appliance, storage, moving, pet care, childcare, bottled water, periodical, newspaper, delivery, grocery, parking, club membership, motor vehicle, dry cleaning, prepared food delivery, insurance, housekeeping, driver's license, voter registration, financial, banking, wake-up/reminder, repair of products or services, and maintenance of products or services. 
     
     
         165 . The method of  claim 158 , further comprising the step of:
 (h) establishing one or more relationships with one or more providers of said offerings.   
     
     
         166 . The method of  claim 165 , wherein said one or more relationships are by agreement with one or more providers of said offerings. 
     
     
         167 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein said one or more databases have one or more of said offerings for each of said offering categories stored in a standardized data structure. 
     
     
         168 . The method of  claim 167 , wherein said data structure comprises a plan component, a package component, and a feature component, wherein said plan component indicates a base offering, said package component indicates collections of features purchasable as a unit, and said feature component indicates individually purchasable augmentations to the base offering. 
     
     
         169 . The method of  claim 158 , further comprising the step of:
 (h) providing brand partners with an account through which said brand partners may provide one or more customization elements or customer accounts.   
     
     
         170 . The method of  claim 158 , further comprising the step of:
 (h) providing brand partners with an account through which said brand partners may track usage of said automated method.   
     
     
         171 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein said offering categories may comprise one or more utilities, products, or services. 
     
     
         172 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein one or more offerings may comprise one or more product or service plans. 
     
     
         173 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein said geographic location may comprise one or more of a country, a region, a state, a county, a governmental subdivision, a street address, a 5-digit zip code, and a 9-digit zip code. 
     
     
         174 . The method of  claim 173 , wherein said governmental subdivision may comprise one or more of a city, town, township, borough and parish. 
     
     
         175 . The method of  claim 173 , wherein said street address may comprise one or more of a street name, post office box, rural route number, floor and unit. 
     
     
         176 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein said markets associated with each said offering may comprise one or more of a country, a region, a state, a county, a governmental subdivision, a street address, a 5-digit zip code, and a 9-digit zip code. 
     
     
         177 . The method of  claim 176 , wherein said governmental subdivision may comprise one or more of a city, town, township, borough and parish. 
     
     
         178 . The method of  claim 176 , wherein said street address may comprise one or more of a street name, post office box, rural route number, floor and unit. 
     
     
         179 . The method of  claim 153 , wherein said offering comprises one or more products and services. 
     
     
         180 . A method for facilitating a user's selection of offerings provided to a property having a geographic location, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing access to one or more databases comprising said offerings in one or more offering categories, wherein each of said offerings may be classified in said one or more databases in one or more geographic markets, and wherein each of said markets associated with each said offering may be defined in different levels of detail in said one or more databases as specifically as a street address or a subdivision of a street address;   (b) receiving from said user said geographic location of said property wherein said geographic location may be identified as specifically as a street address or a subdivision of a street address; and   (c) identifying each said offering associated with markets that correspond to said geographic location provided by said user.   
     
     
         181 . The method of  claim 180 , further comprising the step of:
 (d) transmitting to said user said identification of offerings.   
     
     
         182 . The method of  claim 180 , wherein said market of each offering may be identified as specifically as a street address or a subdivision of a street address. 
     
     
         183 . The method of  claim 180 , wherein said market of each offering may comprise a country, a region, a state, a county, a governmental subdivision, a street address, a 5-digit zip code, and a 9-digit zip code. 
     
     
         184 . The method of  claim 183 , wherein said governmental subdivision may comprise one or more of a city, town, township, borough and parish. 
     
     
         185 . The method of  claim 183 , wherein said street address may comprise one or more of a street name, post office box, rural route number, floor and unit. 
     
     
         186 . The method of  claim 180 , wherein said geographic location of said property may comprise a country, a region, a state, a county, a governmental subdivision, a street address, a 5-digit zip code, and a 9-digit zip code. 
     
     
         187 . The method of  claim 186 , wherein said governmental subdivision may comprise one or more of a city, town, township, borough and parish. 
     
     
         188 . The method of  claim 186 , wherein said street address may comprise one or more of a street name, post office box, rural route number, floor and unit. 
     
     
         189 . The method of  claim 180 , wherein said offerings are intended for residential or business use, or residential and business use. 
     
     
         190 . The method of  claim 180 , wherein said offerings may comprise products or services, or products and services. 
     
     
         191 . A system for facilitating a user's selection of offerings provided to a property having a geographic location comprising:
 (a) one or more databases comprising said offerings in one or more offering categories, wherein each of said offerings may be classified in said one or more databases in one or more geographic markets, and wherein each of said markets associated with each said offering may be defined in different levels of detail in said one or more databases as specifically as a street address or a subdivision of a street address;   (b) an interface in which said user may input said geographic location of said property wherein said geographic location may be identified as specifically as a street address or a subdivision of a street address; and   (c) a processor which correlates said markets of said offerings with said geographic location of said property.   
     
     
         192 . The system of  claim 191 , wherein said interface displays to said user said correlated offerings. 
     
     
         193 . The system of  claim 191 , wherein said market of each offering may be identified as specifically as a street address or a subdivision of a street address. 
     
     
         194 . The system of  claim 191 , wherein said market of each offering may comprise a country, a region, a state, a county, a governmental subdivision, a street address, a 5-digit zip code, and a 9-digit zip code. 
     
     
         195 . The method of  claim 194 , wherein said governmental subdivision may comprise one or more of a city, town, township, borough and parish. 
     
     
         196 . The method of  claim 194 , wherein said street address may comprise one or more of a street name, post office box, rural route number, floor and unit. 
     
     
         197 . The method of  claim 191 , wherein said geographic location of said property may comprise a country, a region, a state, a county, a governmental subdivision, a street address, a 5-digit zip code, and a 9-digit zip code. 
     
     
         198 . The method of  claim 197 , wherein said governmental subdivision may comprise one or more of a city, town, township, borough and parish. 
     
     
         199 . The method of  claim 197 , wherein said street address may comprise one or more of a street name, post office box, rural route number, floor and unit. 
     
     
         200 . The method of  claim 191 , wherein said offerings are intended for residential or business use, or residential and business use. 
     
     
         201 . The method of  claim 191 , wherein said offerings may comprise products or services, or products and services.