System and method for constructing and marketing a modular bird feeder

Abstract

A modular system and method is provided that enables the consumer to design/build his or her own bird feeder based on interchangeable modular components that include multiple bases of different styles, multiple nutrient reservoirs of different styles, and one or more additional components, each having different styles. The system and method provides an on-line store that allows consumers to view the various styles for each component and to select their own base, reservoir, etc. Once the desired components have been selected on-line, a bill of materials listing the components is printed at a manufacturing facility where the selected components are pulled from a common inventory, assembled into a custom feeder and shipped to the consumer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . 11. A method of building and marketing modular bird feeders comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a consumer with a web site having a build-a-feeder program;   b) presenting the consumer with a plurality of feeder components available for customization;   c) in response to consumer selection of a first component type, presenting the consumer with a plurality of styles available for the first component;   d) in response to the consumer's selection of a style, determining whether the consumer has selected an additional component for customization;   e) if the consumer has selected an additional component for customization, presenting the consumer with a plurality of styles available for the additional component;   f) repeating steps d) and e) until no further components are to be customized;   g) preparing a bill of materials containing the components selected by the consumer;   h) pulling the components listed in the bill of materials, building a custom feeder with said components and shipping the custom feeder to the consumer.   
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 i) determining whether the consumer has selected an accessory option available at the web site and, if the consumer has selected the accessory option, displaying a plurality of accessory options; and   j) adding any accessories chosen by the consumer to the bill of materials for shipment to the consumer with the custom feeder.   
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising displaying an enlarged image of the feeder that is being built and, in response to the consumer's selection of a particular component style different from that shown in the image, modifying the enlarged feeder image to display the feeder with the consumer selected component style. 
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising an initial step of providing the consumer with a choice between building a hummingbird feeder or a seed feeder. 
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein in response to the consumer selecting a hummingbird feeder, the method includes the steps of:
 presenting the consumer with a plurality of base components as the first component type, said base components each having at least one feed port;   determining, by the build-a-feeder web program, whether the base that was selected has pre-mounted feeder port flowers or other enhancements for the feed port; and   upon determining that the base selected does not have pre-mounted feeder port flowers, presenting the consumer with a plurality of feeder port flower enhancement types.   
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of:
 presenting the consumer with a plurality of reservoir styles as the additional component to be customized; and   determining, by the build-a-feeder web program, which of a plurality of cap designs is appropriate for a given reservoir as selected by the consumer.   
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein said step of presenting the consumer with a plurality of base component styles includes displaying at least two base components, each having a different appearance and at least one feed port, all of said bases having an upper opening with an inner diameter of a same size and configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said step of presenting the consumer with a plurality of reservoir styles includes:
 displaying at least two reservoir component styles, each having a different appearance, all of said reservoirs having a lower end with an extension and an opening, all of said extensions having an outer diameter of a same size and configuration, each of said extensions being configured to be inserted into a respective base opening to connect a respective reservoir to a respective base so that any of said bases are connectable to any of said reservoirs.   
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said step of presenting the consumer with a plurality of feeder port flower enhancement types includes displaying at least two feeder port flower enhancement types, each type having an ornamental part and a connecting part, each of said ornamental parts of a given type having a different appearance from the other types, all of said connecting parts having a same size and configuration, said connecting parts being configured to be inserted into a respective base feed port to connect said feed port enhancement to said base, any of said feed port enhancement types being connectable to the feed port of any of said bases. 
     
     
         100 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein in response to the consumer selecting a seed feeder, the method includes the steps of:
 presenting the consumer with a plurality of seed reservoirs as the first component type, said seed reservoirs each having at least one reservoir side wall opening:   presenting the consumer with a plurality of base components;   presenting the consumer with a plurality of tray components;   presenting the consumer with a plurality of feed port and perch assemblies;   presenting the consumer with a plurality of cap components.