Patent ID: 7184973
Filing Date: 2007-02-27
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. An order entry and visibility system for communicating product orders and order information in a communications network, the system comprising: a central communications device having communications network access and being configured for receiving one or more product orders from one or more buyer communications devices via the communications network, each of the one or more product orders identifying at least one product, and wherein, for each of the one or more product orders, the central communications device is further configured for: identifying one or more particular suppliers from a plurality of suppliers to fulfill the respective product order; communicating, over the communications network, the respective product order to a supplier communications device associated with the respective identified particular supplier; receiving order processing status information from the supplier communications device, the order processing status information being selected from the group consisting of: an indication of whether the product order is received and not fulfilled, an indication of whether the product order is partially fulfilled, and an indication of whether the product order is fully fulfilled; in response to receiving the order processing status information for the product order indicating that the product order has been partially fulfilled or fully fulfilled, generating an electronic shipping label for the product order; communicating, over the communications network, the order processing status information for the product order to a respective buyer that placed the product order; and communicating, over the communications network, the electronic shipping label for the product order to the supplier communications device to allow thee supplier communications device to print a physical shipping label from the electronic shipping label, wherein the central communications device, the buyer communications devices, and the supplier communications devices are associated with different entities.