System and Method for Processing Product Orders

Abstract

A method of processing a product order is disclosed. The method includes receiving a product order from a consumer and selecting a fulfiller to fulfill the product order. A system for processing a product order is also disclosed.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method performed by a computer system associated with a manufacturer, the method comprising:
 presenting to a customer an offer for the customer to purchase one or more products of the manufacturer at a specified price;   receiving a product order from the customer for the one or more products of the manufacturer at the specified price;   selecting a retailer from among a plurality of retailers to fulfill the received product order at the specified price; and   facilitating transfer of the ordered one or more products from the selected retailer to the customer.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein transfer of the ordered one or more products from the selected retailer to the customer is achieved via a traditional distribution mechanism. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein selecting the retailer to fulfill the product order is based on one or more criteria specified by the manufacturer of the ordered one or more products. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein selecting the retailer comprises identifying a retailer from among the plurality of retailers that is located closest to the customer. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the selecting a retailer comprises comparing costs associated with each of the plurality of retailers to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising electronically notifying the selected retailer that the selected retailer has been selected to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising:
 assigning a price that the customer will pay for the one or more ordered products; 
 completing the received order including a check-out process; 
 posting the completed product order at a location accessible to the plurality of retailers; 
 waiting a predetermined period of time to enable the plurality of retailers to view the posted product order; and 
 receiving from one or more of the plurality of retailers one or more offers to fulfill the received product order. 
 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein received offers to fulfill are independent of the assigned price. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein receiving the one or more offers to fulfill comprises:
 enabling the one or more retailers to access a website using a log-in process that includes validating a username and a password for each retailer; 
 in response to validating the user name and password, enabling the one or more retailers with validated user name and password to view the product order and one or more additional product orders available for fulfilling; and 
 enabling the one or more retailers with validated user name and password to offer to fulfill the product order or the one or more additional product orders. 
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21  wherein selecting the retailer to fulfill the product order comprises selecting a default retailer to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising:
 receiving the product order for more than one of the products; 
 selecting more than one of the retailers to fulfill the received product order for the more than one product, each selected retailer fulfilling at least one product from the product order; 
 identifying additional shipping costs associated with selecting more than one retailer to fulfill the received product order; 
 notifying the customer of the identified additional shipping costs; 
 enabling the customer to send a request to cancel the product order in response to receiving the notification; and 
 canceling the product order if the request to cancel the purchase order is received in response to the notification of the additional shipping costs. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21  wherein selecting the retailer from among the plurality of retailers is based at least in part on one or more qualifications of the customer. 
     
     
         33 . A method performed by a computer system associated with a shopping service, the method comprising:
 presenting to a customer an offer for the customer to purchase one or more products of the shopping service at a specified price;   receiving a product order from the customer for the one or more products of the shopping service at the specified price;   selecting a retailer from among a plurality of retailers to fulfill the received product order at the specified price; and   facilitating transfer of the ordered one or more products from the selected retailer to the customer.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein transfer of the ordered one or more products from the selected retailer to the customer is achieved via a traditional distribution mechanism. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein selecting the retailer to fulfill the product order is based on one or more criteria specified by a manufacturer of the ordered one or more products. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33  wherein selecting the retailer comprises identifying a retailer from among the plurality of retailers that is located closest to the customer. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the selecting a retailer comprises comparing costs associated with each of the plurality of retailers to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33  further comprising electronically notifying the selected retailer that the selected retailer has been selected to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33  further comprising:
 assigning a price that the customer will pay for the one or more ordered products; 
 completing the received order including a check-out process; 
 posting the completed product order at a location accessible to the plurality of retailers; 
 waiting a predetermined period of time to enable the plurality of retailers to view the posted product order; and 
 receiving from one or more of the plurality of retailers one or more offers to fulfill the received product order. 
 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  wherein received offers to fulfill are independent of the assigned price. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39  wherein receiving the one or more offers to fulfill comprises:
 enabling the one or more retailers to access a website using a log-in process that includes validating a username and a password for each retailer; 
 in response to validating the user name and password, enabling the one or more retailers with validated user name and password to view the product order and one or more additional product orders available for fulfilling; and 
 enabling the one or more retailers with validated user name and password to offer to fulfill the product order or the one or more additional product orders. 
 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 33  wherein selecting the retailer to fulfill the product order comprises selecting a default retailer to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 33  further comprising:
 receiving the product order for more than one of the products; 
 selecting more than one of the retailers to fulfill the received product order for the more than one product, each selected retailer fulfilling at least one product from the product order; 
 identifying additional shipping costs associated with selecting more than one retailer to fulfill the received product order; 
 notifying the customer of the identified additional shipping costs; 
 enabling the customer to send a request to cancel the product order in response to receiving the notification; and 
 canceling the product order if the request to cancel the purchase order is received in response to the notification of the additional shipping costs. 
 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 33  wherein selecting the retailer from among the plurality of retailers is based at least in part on one or more qualifications of the customer. 
     
     
         45 . A method performed by a computer system associated with a manufacturer, the method comprising:
 presenting to a customer an offer for the customer to purchase one or more products offered by the manufacturer at a specified price;   receiving a product order from the customer for the one or more products offered by the manufacturer at the specified price; and   selecting a retailer from among a plurality of retailers to fulfill the received product order at the specified price, the selection based at least in part on a geographical location of the retailer relative to a geographical location of the customer.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein selecting the retailer comprises selecting the retailer having a geographical location that is closest to the geographical location of the customer. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45  wherein selecting the retailer from among the plurality of retailers is based at least in part on one or more qualifications of the customer. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45  wherein selecting the retailer to fulfill the product order is based on one or more criteria specified by the manufacturer of the ordered one or more products. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 45  wherein selecting the retailer comprises identifying a retailer from among the plurality of retailers that is located closest to the customer. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the selecting a retailer further comprises comparing costs associated with each of the plurality of retailers to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 45  further comprising electronically notifying the selected retailer that the selected retailer has been selected to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 45  further comprising:
 assigning a price that the customer will pay for the one or more ordered products; 
 completing the received order including a check-out process; 
 posting the completed product order at a location accessible to the plurality of retailers; 
 waiting a predetermined period of time to enable the plurality of retailers to view the posted product order; and 
 receiving from one or more of the plurality of retailers one or more offers to fulfill the received product order. 
 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52  wherein received offers to fulfill are independent of the assigned price. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52  wherein receiving the one or more offers to fulfill comprises:
 enabling the one or more retailers to access a website using a log-in process that includes validating a username and a password for each retailer; 
 in response to validating the user name and password, enabling the one or more retailers with validated user name and password to view the product order and one or more additional product orders available for fulfilling; and 
 enabling the one or more retailers with validated user name and password to offer to fulfill the product order or the one or more additional product orders. 
 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 45  wherein selecting the retailer to fulfill the product order comprises selecting a default retailer to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 45  further comprising:
 receiving the product order for more than one of the products; 
 selecting more than one of the retailers to fulfill the received product order for the more than one product, each selected retailer fulfilling at least one product from the product order; 
 identifying additional shipping costs associated with selecting more than one retailer to fulfill the received product order; 
 notifying the customer of the identified additional shipping costs; 
 enabling the customer to send a request to cancel the product order in response to receiving the notification; and 
 canceling the product order if the request to cancel the purchase order is received in response to the notification of the additional shipping costs. 
 
     
     
         57 . A method performed by a computer system associated with a shopping service, the method comprising:
 presenting to a customer an offer for the customer to purchase one or more products offered by the shopping service at a specified price;   receiving a product order from the customer for the one or more products offered by the shopping service at the specified price; and   selecting a retailer from among a plurality of retailers to fulfill the received product order at the specified price, the selection based at least in part on a geographical location of the retailer relative to a geographical location of the customer.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57  wherein selecting the retailer comprises selecting the retailer having a geographical location that is closest to the geographical location of the customer. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 57  wherein selecting the retailer from among the plurality of retailers is based at least in part on one or more qualifications of the customer. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 57  wherein selecting the retailer to fulfill the product order is based on one or more criteria specified by a manufacturer of the ordered one or more products. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the selecting a retailer further comprises comparing costs associated with each of the plurality of retailers to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 57  further comprising electronically notifying the selected retailer that the selected retailer has been selected to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 57  further comprising:
 assigning a price that the customer will pay for the one or more ordered products; 
 completing the received order including a check-out process; 
 posting the completed product order at a location accessible to the plurality of retailers; 
 waiting a predetermined period of time to enable the plurality of retailers to view the posted product order; and 
 receiving from one or more of the plurality of retailers one or more offers to fulfill the received product order. 
 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63  wherein received offers to fulfill are independent of the assigned price. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63  wherein receiving the one or more offers to fulfill comprises:
 enabling the one or more retailers to access a website using a log-in process that includes validating a username and a password for each retailer; 
 in response to validating the user name and password, enabling the one or more retailers with validated user name and password to view the product order and one or more additional product orders available for fulfilling; and 
 enabling the one or more retailers with validated user name and password to offer to fulfill the product order or the one or more additional product orders. 
 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 57  wherein selecting the retailer to fulfill the product order comprises selecting a default retailer to fulfill the product order. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 57  further comprising:
 receiving the product order for more than one of the products; 
 selecting more than one of the retailers to fulfill the received product order for the more than one product, each selected retailer fulfilling at least one product from the product order; 
 identifying additional shipping costs associated with selecting more than one retailer to fulfill the received product order; 
 notifying the customer of the identified additional shipping costs; 
 enabling the customer to send a request to cancel the product order in response to receiving the notification; and 
 canceling the product order if the request to cancel the purchase order is received in response to the notification of the additional shipping costs. 
 
     
     
         68 . A method performed by a computer system associated with a manufacturer, the method comprising:
 presenting to a customer an offer for the customer to purchase one or more products offered by the manufacturer at a specified price;   receiving a product order from the customer for the one or more products offered by the manufacturer at the specified price; and   selecting a retailer to fulfill the received product order at the specified price, the selection based at least in part on input from the customer.   
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the customer input corresponds to a cost associated with the selected shop to be charged to the customer. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the cost associated with the selected shop to be charged to the customer comprises a shipping cost. 
     
     
         71 . A method performed by a computer system associated with a shopping service, the method comprising:
 presenting to a customer an offer for the customer to purchase one or more products offered by the shopping service at a specified price;   receiving a product order from the customer for the one or more products offered by the shopping service at the specified price; and   selecting a retailer to fulfill the received product order at the specified price, the selection based at least in part on input from the customer.   
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 71  wherein the customer input corresponds to a cost associated with the selected shop to be charged to the customer. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 71  wherein the cost associated with the selected shop to be charged to the customer comprises a shipping cost. 
     
     
         74 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 at a computer system associated with a manufacturer:
 displaying a presentation page depicting one or more products of a manufacturer that are available for purchase by a customer; 
 presenting a link to a shopping service computer system, operated independently of the computer system associated with the manufacturer, at which the one or more products of the manufacturer may be purchased; 
 receiving customer input relative to the presented link indicating that the customer desires to purchase the one or more products of the manufacturer; and 
 transferring the customer to the shopping service computer system to enable the customer to purchase the one or more products of the manufacturer. 
   
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74  further comprising:
 at the shopping service computer system:
 presenting to a customer an offer for the customer to purchase the one or more products offered by the manufacturer; 
 receiving a product order from the customer for the one or more products offered by the manufacturer; 
 completing the received order including a check-out process; and 
 causing the received order to be fulfilled.