Patent ID: 7558743
Filing Date: 2009-07-07
Classification: G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
1. A system for selling goods having multiple purchase obtaining facilities for enabling customers to obtain pre-ordered purchases, comprising: a storage facility for storing the goods, an ordering device enabling a customer to place a purchase order, and a telecommunication system that in response to the purchase order placed by the customer requests an ordered purchase to be delivered from the storage facility to a selected purchase obtaining facility, the selected purchase obtaining facility comprising: multiple purchase pick-up points, a service area keeping purchases delivered from the storage facility, an identification station receiving identification (ID) data provided by the customer arriving at the selected purchase obtaining facility to obtain the ordered purchase, and a control system that: receives the ID data from the identification station, in response to the ID data received from the identification station, automatically assigns a purchase pick-up point of the multiple purchase pick-up points to the customer, determines purchase information on the purchase order placed by the customer based on the ID data provided by the customer, and based on the determined purchase information, issues a request for delivery of the ordered purchase from the service area to the purchase pick-up point assigned to the customer, wherein the control system automatically releases from assignment to the customer the purchase pick-up point in response to payment by the customer, and assigns the purchase pick-up point to another customer as soon as the purchase pick-up point is released.