Patent ID: 8744919
Filing Date: 2014-06-03
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising receiving, at a computing system comprising a processor and memory, data representing an inquiry from a first member entity of a retail network, the inquiry identifying a product of interest; determining, by the computing system, if the product of interest is available for sale by the first member entity, wherein determining if the product is available for sale comprises determining if the product is available from a second member entity of the retail network by accessing a dataset indicating products made available by member entities of the retail network, wherein the first member entity and the second member entity are both separate, independent and competitor retail stores; and: if the product of interest is available from the second member entity: providing, by the computing system, data to the first member entity indicating that the product is available; receiving, at the computing system, data from the first member entity indicating that the product has been sold to a customer and including payment information; receiving, at the computing system, data for use in transferring funds from the customer; receiving the transferred funds from the customer; initiating, by the computing system, a distribution of at least a portion of the transferred funds to the first and second member entities; and accessing, by the computing system, tracking data associated with a shipment of the product of interest by the second member entity, wherein initiating the distribution of funds to the second member entity is based on determining a status of the shipment, wherein the computing system is configured to authenticate that a user is located in the first member entity and authorized to access data in the retail network associated with the first member entity before providing ordering information to the first member entity, and wherein the computing system is configured to restrict one member entity from viewing the complete inventory information of other member entities.