Abstract:
This invention generally relates to a method for facilitating the purchase of goods and services through access to online websites that populate the World Wide Web. More particularly the method discloses the use of widely distributed resealable packets of liquid that bear website addresses to prompt or facilitate explicit access to websites without use of search engine interfaces. Further, website hosting by the manufacture of the packets coordinates website form and content with packet incentives and database supported website customization.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent application is related to another pending patent application Ser. No. 11/365,711 entitled “Resealable Packets of Liquid”, filed 1 Mar. 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 7,322,465 entitled “Method of Using Liquid Packets with Advertising Inserts”, issued 29 Jan. 2008, is incorporated by reference herein. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to a method for facilitating the purchase of goods and services through exposure to online websites that populate the World Wide. More particularly the method discloses the use of widely distributed resealable packets of liquid that bear website addresses to prompt or facilitate direct access to websites without use of search engine interfaces. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     By 2007 there were an estimated 110 million distinct websites and some 30 billion web pages on the World Wide Web (web) accessible through the Internet; these numbers continue to grow rapidly with each day. Every website has a unique web address technically known as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) which appears as a string of routing numbers (e.g., 42.141.58.103). But such strings are difficult to recall so Internet users quickly developed a more mnemonic device known as domain names (e.g., www.example.com); such catchy domain name website addresses have become the public face of the URL so as to ease e-mail correspondence and general access to websites. In the past decade entrepreneurs and other business-oriented individuals discovered and began development of the incredible commercial opportunities residing in Internet accessed websites where barriers to and costs for transacting business are virtually non-existent for the motivated buyer. Once connected, it often becomes only a matter of choice or travel as to what to buy online or at a referred place of business. Entering an e-commerce website has become the virtual equivalent of going into a hardware store or restaurant; rarely does the buyer leave with nothing. This is particularly true if the website engages the buyer on a personal level with incentive or reward offerings in the form of effective, albeit virtual, marketeering. The real challenge facing business owners who have embraced e-commerce is getting the buyer to and through their virtual doorway, to their place of business by way of their web address. Essentially, for the business owner, getting their needle of a website found in the haystack of the web. 
     Currently, there are two basic approaches used to attract and direct buyers to business websites. First, there are search engines that mine, parse, rank and display web page content by various techniques centered on the key words found therein. Additionally, the search engine helpfully attaches affiliated business sources that may also be of interest based on the nature of the search request. These popular tools employ increasing sophisticated techniques for searches that often return intriguing data and sometimes useful information—Google alone processes more than 200 million searches a day. Yet all too often these category searches miss the mark, particularly when the buyer is searching for small and local business sources. For example, quick and useful results are returned for a nation-wide search for a supplier of 22-gauge sterling silver metal stock and even though located six states away, package delivery negates the distance factor. But a search for a local small Mexican restaurant whose name can not be accurately recalled usually returns nothing of useful value. Often an ill-planned or poorly executed web search returns an overwhelming sea of information that simply swamps anything of value that might be contained within. Even experienced web surfers are becoming discouraged by the time required to shift through the ever expanding volume of misleads resulting from the web&#39;s rampant content growth. 
     A second approach for attracting and directing buyers to a website are the historic advertising techniques where the website replaces the telephone number or street address in conventional advertising media like newspaper ads or direct marketing examples like distributed novelties, package insert programs, and direct mail flyers. Here, in each of these methods, the basic approach is to rely on the proven advertising practice of placing an offering in the hands of a buyer repeatedly or in hopes of striking a timely chord of recency. In the first instance, concerning repeat exposures, it is a tenet of advertising that it takes a minimum of three to nine exposures to an effective message just to capture the attention of the buyer—and more exposures the better, finally limited only by the cost of advertising. In the second instance, recency, the factor of timeliness is paramount; the buyer ready to buy, when presented with an opportune advertising message, will buy the offered product or service. In contrast to search engines, the direct connect model is immediate and unencumbered by misleads, delays and simple obfuscations that often result from searches. Unfortunately, the media costs for direct advertising are rising well beyond affordability; most of advertising supported mediums are severely impacted by the well-known information delivery efficiencies inherent to the Internet and expanding use of the Internet has significant threatened the very existence of many. Local newspapers are but one example dying for a lack of advertising revenue. Direct advertising can be efficient and cost effective, but in an Internet world dominated by search engines providing website access, the current techniques of direct marketing are proving to be ineffectual for e-commerce. 
     Accordingly, a more effective method than inadequate web searches and relatively costly direct advertising is needed to facilitate e-commerce. The method should be based on an ultra low-cost, widely distributed, ubiquitous advertising tool providing website addresses to facilitate website e-commerce. To control costs the method must supply a separate, widely perceived beneficial need that can mitigate the costs of distribution, be sufficiently flexible in format to permit highly variable incentive marketing, and be sufficiently short-lived in purpose to require frequent replacement to satisfy both frequency and recency factors for effective advertising. Finally, the method must effectively prompt or facilitate access to a website by providing a clear web address whereby a buyer can purchase a product or service as advertised. There is a significant need for such a straightforward access method in the emerging world of small business e-commerce. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method for prompting or facilitating access to a commercial website by widely distributing packets of hand sanitizer that carry a website address to a population of potential buyers. Vendors, particularly small local shop owners, are continually faced with the problem of creating and maintaining interest in their offerings. Websites and e-commerce in general can be very affordable options for even their small advertising budgets but making these sites known to customers, both current and future, has proven to be an insurmountable problem. By distributing low-cost, multi-dose, resealable hand sanitizer packets, a device handled repeatedly in the course of every day, the vendor&#39;s name and website will come readily to mind because it has been so readily at hand. 
     Accessing the website affords the buyer an opportunity to see all offers, special and new, with all their inducements, presented with all the vibrant skill capable with today&#39;s websites. Even possession of the packet itself may provide further incentive by bearing, in addition to the website address, an identifier that can provide even additional discounts, awards, and other such persuasions. By combining the sanitizer packets in hand with exposure to the website&#39;s fuller dynamic offerings, the vendor has an efficient and effective tool to directly link with their buyers both online or in the shop. And the resealable liquid packages can be used for many other popular liquids commonly distributed. Such useful liquids include sun screen lotions, hand crèmes, beverage flavorings, and insect repellants to name a few. Whatever the liquid, the packet&#39;s advertising message directing the buyer explicitly to the vendor&#39;s engaging, well-maintained, and interactive website for transacting business is a constant, repetitive and timely presence which promotes packet facilitated e-commerce. 
     Another key feature of the present invention is an element of the method where the provider that manufactures the packets also creates the form and hosts the website to the vendor&#39;s specification as to content. With provider website hosting, coupled with database support derived from packet specifications and website performance data, a full range of marketing techniques are made available to the vendor. A provider furnished website, coupled with manufacturing and supplying resealable packets, offers an enhanced integrated service of significant value to the vendor whose principle goal is a focus on the sale of products and services. 
     Consequently, a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and significant advancement in the e-commerce art by utilizing resealable packets of hand sanitizing fluid distributed in a population, each bearing a website address to prompt or facilitate explicit access to this website, whereby a buyer may purchase a product or service advertised therein. 
     Another object of the present invention is disclosure of a method where the website and its address gain familiarizing recognition leading to access by being associated with a hand sanitizing packet that provides a beneficial use to the population in which it is distributed by reducing the transmission of infectious disease. 
     Another object of the present invention is disclosure of a method wherein the website is hosted by the provider of the packets so as to develop and maintain standards for website form and content through website transaction data collected by a database. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide pinpoint access to a website on the web without engaging a search engine and dealing with the subsequent voluminous response list of competing offers associated with such searches. 
     Another object of the present invention is to link packet borne incentive marks with website incentives in the form of discount or reward coupons and like marketing techniques. 
     Another object of the present invention is to record data from website access and associated activity in a database. 
     A final object of the present invention is to use such data and subsequent information recorded in the database to customize web page content for a buyer based on previous access and transaction behavior. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction where appropriate with the accompanying diagrams wherein are set forth, by way of illustrations and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The diagrams constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood and even other objects than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed diagrams showing the functional flow for the present invention as contrasted with the prior art: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing the flow of functions between key components wherein liquid packets are manufactured, distributed, and used to facilitate to access a hosted website by a buyer seeking products and services according to the teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram showing the prior art wherein a search engine provides buyer access to a website. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the invention will be described in connection with illustrations, descriptions, and an example of a preferred embodiment, it will be understood these are not intended to limit the present invention only to that embodiment. On the contrary, the present invention is to cover all structural and/or functional alternatives as generally described and defined by the appended claims. The following terms are defined to provide clarity to the subsequent discussions and claims 
     The term “hand sanitizing fluid” as used herein refers to any non-irritating, antimicrobial-containing composition in the form of a fluid, gel, spray, foam, cream, lotion, or tincture preparation designed for frequent use that can reduce the number of transient microorganisms, specifically pathogens, when applied to and dispersed over the hands and other skin areas. Such preparations have a broad antimicrobial spectrum, are fast-acting, and often persistent. Representative of such agents are alcohols (e.g. ethyl and isopropyl), iodines (e.g. hexachlorophene), bisbiquanides (e.g. Chlorhexidine digluconate), and quaternary ammonium salts (e.g. Benzalkonium chloride) which are formulated singularly or in combination. This term is specifically intended to include all such preparations, known and unknown, that are capable of achieving a substantial reduction of skin resident pathogens when applied to the hands or other areas of human skin where such pathogens are found. 
     The term “resealable packet” as used herein refers to a packet constructed with any polymer film capable of being constructed into a packet packaging form of two principle sidewalls joined at the edges for containment and preservation of a useful liquid. Such polymer films as may prove useful for this purpose have sufficient flexibility to yield to finger pressure, are sufficiently durable to withstand reasonable hydraulic pressure created by fingers, have good crack and puncture resistance, have very good chemical resistance and low gas permeability, and are capable of being sealed to self or other materials. Representatives of single formulation films are polypropylene and polyethylene. Numerous grades, gauges, clarities, colors, textures, manifold laminations of diverse films and foils, formed by many techniques, with numerous properties and qualities, resulting from an even greater numbers of formulations, provide a wide array of polymeric materials to select from, singularly or in combination, to satisfy the specific chemical, physical, and aesthetic attributes required for a specific packet&#39;s construction, its content&#39;s formulation, and the precise function for which it is intended. In any circumstance where food or drug contact with a polymer material occurs, U.S. FDA approved food grade polymeric material are recommended. The term “resealable packages” is used to describe a more general form of resealable liquid containers than packets but incorporate the same general characteristics not specifically dictated by the packet form. All known and yet unknown polymer materials functionally suited for use in constructing resealable packets and packages containing useful liquids are envisioned by use of these terms. 
     The term “useful liquid” as used herein refers to any substance with the capacity to demonstrate fluidity. Specifically, liquids are described by many forms that include but are not limited to mixtures of homogeneous and non-homogeneous substances, solutions, suspensions, colloids, sols, and similar terms. “Useful” connotes a utility aspect for employing the dispensed liquids characterized by common products, forms, and categories such as additives, adhesives, aftershaves, alcohol solutions, antibiotic ointments, antifungal cream, anti-itch creams, antimicrobial fluids, antiseptic creams, baby formulas, bandages, bath oils, beverages, bleaches, body oils, body washes, breath fresheners, butters, candies, cleaner oils, cleaners, coffee extracts, colognes, colorants, condiments, conditioners, creamers, creams, dairy products, decongestants, deodorants, disinfectants, drinks, edible oils, emulsions, essential oils, eye drops, eye lubricants, fabric conditioners, fabric softeners, fertilizers, flavorings, foods, fragrances, fruit jellies, fruit spreads, fuel treatments, gels, glass cleaners, gravies, greases, hair treatments, hairdressings, hand sanitizers, hand soaps, herbal extracts, honeys, insect repellants, jams, liniments, lip balms, lotions, makeup fluids, margarines, marmalades, medications, mineral solutions, moisturizers, mouthwashes, nectars, oils, ointments, paints, pastes, perfumes, petroleum jellies, polishes, preserves, salad dressings, salsas, sauces, seasonings, shampoos, skin crèmes, skin lotions, skin moisturizers, skin toners, soaps, soups, spices, spreads, stain removers, styling creams, styling gels, sugar solutions, sun screens, sweeteners, syrups, tea extracts, toothpaste, vegetable milks, vegetable oils, vinegars, vitamin solutions, waxes, and similar items, descriptions, and functions. This utility quality of the liquid distinguishes “useful liquids” as defined herein from liquids that are never intended for disbursement from their containers such as those found in gel filled mouse pads and like novelties. 
       FIG. 1  provides a diagram showing direct marketing access to a website, this schema is the subject of the present invention. To better understand this description it is useful to first review how it differs from the prior art. This can be accomplished by a quick walkthrough of  FIG. 2  where a diagram shows the steps followed when a search engine is involved in assisting a buyer in locating a vendor&#39;s website with the intent of conducting a transaction. In  FIG. 2  (Prior Art) the diagram shows the vendor  218  has no explicit or direct influence on anyone in the general population  227  to come to their specific website  220 . Website access  228  is typically through a categorical query  226 , such as restaurants in a city, given to a search engine  225  that in turn accesses  228  the World Wide Web  220  which is mined  222  for all relevant web page content on the web  220  and the results returned to the search engine  225  provider  223  which formats and enhances the results which are then furnished  224  to the search engine  225  to inform  229  the querying buyer  230 . The buyer  230 , in order to become a purchaser, must then further explore a lengthy list  229  of possibilities (essentially a display of the vendor&#39;s  218  competitors  233 ) from which to obtain  231  a product or service  232 . Not only is the vendor&#39;s advertising message, the placed  219  website  220 , lost in the proverbial haystack extracted  222  from the web  220  by the search engine  225 , the very haystack itself is made up of the competitor&#39;s  233  offerings  234  as well—each and every entry representing a lost sale. Further, the search engine  225  provider  223  adds to the furnished  224  list  229  prominently displayed affiliated  221  competitors  233  that pay for conspicuous display in the list  229  to compete with the vendor  218  for offered  231  sales. The deck is literally stacked against a given vendor  218  making a sale  231 . With the prior art, many vendors  218  have found that any portion of their advertising budget invested  219  in a website  220  simply provides too poor a return for the time and resources required. The present invention diagrammed in  FIG. 1  shows how direct marketing tied into specific access to a website markedly improves the vendor&#39;s probability of a sale by establishing a non-competitive environment in which to conduct e-commerce. Every advertising dollar spent is used to secure an interference-free sale. 
     In  FIG. 1  the diagram shows the vendor  101  ordering  102  from a manufacturing provider  103  a number of resealable packets  105  of hand sanitizing fluid. Once these packets are created  120  and shipped  104  they are distributed  106  by the vendor  101  in a population  107  containing at least one potential buyer  115 . Carried by the packets  105  is the website  110  address of the vendor  101 . The presence and use of the packets  105  displaying the vendor&#39;s  101  web address facilitates or prompts at least one member of the population  107  to access  109  the vendor&#39;s  101  web address which, when informed  114 , creates a buyer  115 . The access  109  has not returned a list of possible choices as would a category query to a search engine, but the specific website  110  that the vendor  101  ordered  102  from the provider  103  to host  108  on the web  110  when the packets  105  where ordered  102 . Additionally, at that time, the order  102  specifications  118  were also entered in a database  112  for use in interactive processing and maintenance updated  113  through hosting  108  by the provider  103  of the website  110 . This activity includes data gathering  111  from access  109  and transaction data  119  from any sales  117  activity, all of which is passed for inclusion in the database  112 . The buyer  115 , engaged with and informed  114  by advertisements on the website  110  is now able to obtain  116  through purchasing the product and services  117  of the vendor  101  online or at a referred shop facility without disruptive competitive distractions. By direct buyer access derived from the packet&#39;s web address, every e-commerce advertising dollar spent is used to secure an interference-free sale for the vendor. 
     A significant element for establishing and maintaining the relationship between the packets  105  and the website  110  is the database  112 . As noted the database  112  records are first established with the vendor  101  order  102  to the provider  103  where the specifications  118  are recorded. Additional data elements are created when select individuals from the general population  107 , prompted or facilitated by a packet  105  web address, access  109  the website  110  and provide a name, identification code, email address or similar means of contact as part of the accession  109  process which provides website  110  information  114  to the buyer  115 . Each buyer  115  accession  109  of the website  110  adds at least one data element to the database  112 . This gathered  111  data retrieved and manipulated as update  113  information for the provider  103  results, when combined with other data, in the ability of the provider  103  to evaluate aspects of buyer and enterprise behavior to enhance the buyer&#39;s website  110  experience. 
     Key to providing an enhanced buyer  115  experience when working with the vendor&#39;s  101  website  110  is the hosting  108  of that website  110  by the provider  103 . The provider&#39;s  103  hosting  108 , initiated by the vendor&#39;s  101  order  102  for packets  105 , may also create and furnish elements of the website&#39;s  110  form and content derived from that action. By hosting  108  the website  110  the provider  103  is able to coordinate any incentive offers carried by the distributed  106  packets  105  with the website  110  and maintain buyer  115  customized treatment within the website  110  based on previously recorded and evaluated aspects of buyer and enterprise behavior obtained from the database  112 . The provider  103  works closely and continuously with the vendor  101 , for example, in establishing and maintaining the hosted  108  website  110 . After the initial format of the website is selected by the vendor  101 , much of the responsibility for changing content flows to the vendor  101  who can best coordinate packet  105  distribution and website  110  changes; other basic techniques such as a personalized name salutation welcoming the returning buyer would be the responsibility of the provider  103  hosting  108  the website  110 . Provider  103  hosting  108  of the website  110  presents a seamless integrated experience for the buyer  115  and numerous operational marketing advantages for the vendor  101 . 
     Various incentives are also a part of the method of the present invention. They may be found incorporated with the distributed  106  packets  105  which can carry incentive marks. These marks may be unique serial numbers, group designations, the symbols of a poker hand, simply a word or phrase, or any number of such examples. These marks may be openly displayed on the packet  105 , borne inside on inserts, hidden by folded inserts, or even spread across several packets  105  which must be combined to be complete, but once whole can be used with the website  110  to obtain discounts, favorable scheduling, upgrades, coupons, or all and any such tools of incentive marketing the vendor  101  may chose to offer. Likewise, the incentive may be initiated by customized treatment of a buyer  115  based simply on access  109  of the website  110  typically flowing from previous encounters recorded in the database  112 . Incentive offers through the vendor&#39;s  101  website  110  provide an opportunity for obtaining  116  more sales of products and services  117 . 
     A useful liquid has been defined as a large number of fluid products and types capable of being placed in packets or packages. The intent is to identify any liquid that would find acceptance when distributed in a target population containing at least one buyer capable of purchasing a product or service. And while the packet form with hand sanitizing fluid, also both previously defined, is the preferred embodiment of the method, a more generalized form of packaging in packages is equally envisioned for any container capable of holding a liquid and resealable to permit multi-dose dispersal. 
     It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure, function, and employment of the invention, the disclosures are illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts together with content and materials and form utilized, within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms are expressed. In particular, the foregoing specification and embodiments are intended to be illustrative and are not to be taken as limiting. Thus, alternatives, such as functional equivalents, and other such modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.