Abstract:
A computer implemented method is provided for facilitating the online selling and purchasing of items, comprising: receiving in a facilitator a post from a seller having an item to sell; providing the seller&#39;s post to a broker who is accessing the facilitator; receiving in the facilitator a first purchase request from a first buyer who learned about the item from the broker, the first purchase request including an identification code provided by the broker; receiving in the facilitator payment information, less any discount offered by the broker, from the first buyer; upon receipt in the facilitator of an indication that the first buyer has received the item from the seller, providing the seller with the purchase price, less any commission offered by the seller and less the discount; and providing the broker with the commission, less the discount.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention pertains generally to e-commerce and, in particular, to a web-based system and method for conducting and facilitating the sale and purchase of items. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    Numerous internet websites are available for people to post items for sale. Prospective buyers may review postings and, if they find an item that they want to purchase, purchase the item either directly from the seller (using Craig&#39;s List, for example) or through the website (eBay, for example). 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In one embodiment, the present invention provides a computer implemented method for facilitating the online selling and purchasing of items, comprising: receiving in a facilitator a post from a seller having an item to sell, the post including information about the item, a purchase price, and an amount of any sales commission; providing the seller&#39;s post to a broker who is accessing the facilitator; receiving in the facilitator a first purchase request from a first buyer who learned about the item from the broker, the first purchase request including a code provided by the broker, the code including an identification of the broker, the item, and an amount of any discount offered by the broker to the first buyer; receiving in the facilitator payment information, less the discount, from the first buyer; upon receipt in the facilitator of an indication that the first buyer has received the item from the seller, providing the seller with the purchase price, less the commission and discount; and providing the broker with the commission, less the discount. 
         [0004]    In another embodiment, the present invention provides a networked online marketplace facilitator, comprising: a processor; a plurality of network portals coupled to the processor and configured to interconnect sellers of items, prospective buyers of items, and brokers through the facilitator; and memory coupled to the processor. The memory is configured to store instructions for: receiving in the facilitator a post from a seller having an item to sell, the post including information about the item, a purchase price, and an amount of any sales commission; providing the seller&#39;s post to a broker who is accessing the facilitator; receiving in the facilitator a first purchase request from a first buyer who learned about the item from the broker, the first purchase request including a code provided by the broker, the code including an identification of the broker, the item, and an amount of any discount offered by the broker to the first buyer; receiving in the facilitator payment information, less the discount, from the first buyer; upon receipt in the facilitator of an indication that the first buyer has received the item from the seller, providing the seller with the purchase price, less the commission and discount; and providing the broker with the commission, less the discount. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a networked on-line marketplace facilitator of the present invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a facilitator of the facilitator of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a relationship of a seller, buyer and the facilitator of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating a relationship of a seller, broker, and the facilitator of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating a relationship of a seller, a broker, buyer, and the facilitator of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of one process implemented on the facilitator of  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0011]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are a flow chart of another process implemented on the facilitator of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0012]    The described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
         [0013]    Current e-commerce web-based marketplace services are designed to allow buyers and sellers to negotiate and transact the sale of items directly with each other, although payment of the purchase price of an item sold on eBay and other similar services is routed through eBay instead of directly to the seller. The present invention provides an online marketplace that facilitates the sale and purchase of items by accommodating individuals who may not wish to purchase an item but who are able to find those who do outside the sphere of the marketplace itself. These individuals, who are referred to herein as “brokers,” may be anyone and do not actually take possession of the item being sold (except when acting only as buyers) but, rather, provide an avenue to allow the buyer to obtain the item directly from the seller, with payment being routed through the facilitator. Moreover, the facilitator gives a seller the option to offer a commission to brokers as an incentive. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a networked on-line marketplace facilitator  10  of the present invention having a connection with the internet  1  or other network to allow sellers  102 ,  104 ,  106 , and  108  of items, buyers and prospective buyers  110 ,  112 ,  114  of items, and brokers  120 ,  124 ,  124 ,  126  to have two-way communication access the facilitator  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , sellers, buyers, and brokers, represented by the seller  104 , the buyer  110 , and the broker  122 , use the internet  1  to interconnect with the facilitator  10  through seller, buyer, and broker network portals  12 A,  12 B,  12 C, respectively. The facilitator  10  may include a memory  14  and a processor  16  coupled to the portals  12 A,  12 B,  12 C. The memory  14  is configured to store instructions to be executed by the processor  16 . The memory  14  is also configured to store a database containing seller, buyer, broker, and item information. It will be appreciated that the single memory  14  block illustrated in  FIG. 2  and described herein is merely representative; the instructions and database may be stored on separate physical memory devices. The facilitator  10  may also be configured to provide a website with a display  18  to users over the network  1  to permit sellers, buyers, and brokers, represented again by the seller  104 , the buyer  110 , and the broker  122 , to access the database and view items posted for sale, and log in to view commissions associated with items for sale, and sell, buyer, or broker items. Such access may be provided by selection options that are displayed, such as a seller log-in option  20 , a view-items option  22 , a buyer log-in option  24 , and a broker log-in option  26 . 
         [0015]    In a first scenario, referring to  FIG. 3  and the flowchart of  FIG. 5 , a seller, such as the seller  104 , wishing to offer an item  200  for sale may access the facilitator  10  using the internet  1  and select the seller log-in option  20 . The seller  104  posts a description of the item  200  (step  300 ), perhaps with a photo, indicates the price (step  302 ), and states the amount of any commission that he or she is will to give (step  304 ). Such information is stored in the database. If a commission is to be offered, the facilitator may require a minimum amount, such as 1% of the sale price. A typical commission may be up to 5%, or even higher. 
         [0016]    A buyer, such as the buyer  110 , may also access the facilitator  10  using the internet  1  and select the view-items option  22  to view information about items for sale, including the item  200  being sold by the seller  104  (step  306 ). If the buyer  110  decides (step  308 ) not to purchase the item  200 , he or she can view other items or exit (step  310 ). If, instead, the buyer  110  decides (step  308 ) to purchase the item  200 , the buyer  110  may select the buyer log-in option  24  and go through the process of paying for the item  200  (step  312 ) using any means offered by the facilitator, such as a credit card, PayPal, Braintree, the service&#39;s own payment system (“mobile wallet”), or the like. Before forwarding any money to the seller  104 , the facilitator retains the full commission (step  314 ) and waits until it receives confirmation that the buyer  110  has received the item  200  (step  316 ). The purchase price, less the commission, is then sent to the seller  104  (step  318 ) and the process ends (step  320 ). Alternatively, the facilitator may credit an account of the seller  104  with the purchase price, less the commission. 
         [0017]    In another scenario, referring to  FIG. 4  and the flowchart of  FIG. 7A , another seller, such as the seller  106 , wishing to offer an item  202  for sale may access the facilitator  10  using the internet  1  and select the seller log-in option  20 . As before, the seller  106  posts a description of the item  202  (step  402 ), perhaps with a photo, indicates the price (step  404 ), and states the amount of any commission that he or she is willing to give (step  406 ). 
         [0018]    A broker, such as the broker  120 , may also access the facilitator  10  using the internet  1  and select the view-items option  22  to view information about items for sale, including the item  202  being sold by the seller  106  (step  408 ). If the broker  120  decides (step  304 ) to purchase the item  202  for him/herself, he or she may select the broker log-in option  26 , view the commission offered with the item  202 , and go through the process of paying for the item  202 , paying the purchase price less a predetermined percentage of the commission, such as 50% (step  412 ). The seller  106  may then send the item  202  to the broker  120  (step  414 ). Before forwarding any money to the seller  106 , the facilitator retains the balance of the commission, such as the remaining 50%, (step  416 ) and waits until it receives confirmation that the broker  120  has received the item  202 . The purchase price, less the commission, is then sent to the seller  106  (step  418 ). Under a different arrangement, the broker  120  may pay the full purchase price to the facilitator which retains the predetermined percentage of the commission and credits an account of the broker with the balance of the commission. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 5  and the flowcharts of  FIG. 7A , continuing onto  FIG. 7B , a broker  122  may decide (step  410 ) that he or she can find a buyer for an item  204  offered by a seller  102  instead of purchasing the item  204  for him/herself. Thus, the broker  122  may seek a buyer (step  420 ) through channels outside of the sphere of the facilitator. In doing so, the broker  122  may be in contact with a number of prospective buyers, such as the representative prospective buyers  130 ,  132 ,  134  in  FIG. 5 . This may be word of mouth, special-interest clubs, conventional advertising, Craig&#39;s List, eBay, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, other social networks, among others, or by any other means. As an incentive for a buyer to purchase the item  204  through the broker  122 , the broker  122  may offer a discount off the listed sale price (step  422 ), thereby sharing the commission with the buyer. A prospective buyer, such as the prospective buyer  130 , may view information about the item  204  through the facilitator or through other channels (step  424 ). The prospective buyer  130  may decide (step  426 ,  FIG. 6B ) not to purchase the item  204  and the process ends (step  428 ). Alternatively, the prospective buyer  130  may decide (step  426 ) to purchase the item  204 . 
         [0020]    The broker  122  may then provide to the formerly prospective buyer  130 , now an actual buyer, (or may already have provided) a link (step  430 ) that enables the buyer  130  to directly access the facilitator server  10  and purchase the item  204  (step  432 ). The link may have a unique code embedded in it that was provided by the facilitator  10  and which identifies the broker  122  and the item  204 , and may also identify any discount offered by the broker  122 . Alternatively, the broker  122  may provide the broker&#39;s unique broker/item/discount code to the buyer  130  (step  434 ) which the buyer can enter during checkout (step  436 ) in order to take advantage of the discount offered by the broker  122 . 
         [0021]    In either event, as part of the check-out process, the buyer  130  pays the purchase price, less the discount, to the facilitator using whatever methods the facilitator makes available (step  438 ). As before, the facilitator withholds the commission, less the discount, from the purchase price (step  440 ). After the seller sends the item  204  to the buyer  130  (step  442 ) and the buyer  130  confirms receipt of the item  204 , the facilitator sends the commission, less the discount, to the broker  122  or credits his/her account (step  444 ) and sends the balance to the seller (step  446 ). The transaction is then complete (step  448 ). 
         [0022]    In contrast to conventional e-commerce websites, the facilitator of the present invention encourages more widespread dissemination of information about items for sale. By offering a commission, a seller can provide an incentive for brokers to find buyers for an item using avenues, such as personal contact, the broker&#39;s special interest clubs, and the broker&#39;s social networks, among others, that are unavailable to the seller. For example, an individual wanting to sell a box of old comic books could use the facilitator of the present invention to post information about the comics. Although any prospective buyer could view the information and purchase, a broker having expertise with comic books could also view the information. Such a broker may have contacts within a group of avid comic book collectors and thus may be able to find more knowledgeable prospective buyers who would better appreciate the value of the comics that the seller is selling. Prospective buyers thus have access to items that they might not otherwise know about. The broker can make money by serving as a middle-man in the transaction. And, by offering a discount to prospective buyers that a broker finds, the broker can provide his or her own incentive for a buyer to enter the broker&#39;s code during checkout rather than bypassing the broker as in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , thereby ensuring that the broker receives compensation for his/her efforts. 
         [0023]    The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.