Abstract:
This invention relates to an online shopping system and method for use offline, and apparatuses applied to the same. More particularly, this invention relates to the integration of an online shopping system into offline stores through the conversion of online shopping to offline shopping, using communication networks such as the Internet, to create a new shopping concept based on using the combined advantages of online and offline environments such as that of online price competitiveness and offline customer relationships, while effectively providing users with freedom of detailed product knowledge and product purchases at online prices.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    This invention relates to an online shopping system and method for use offline, and apparatuses applied to the same and, more particularly the conversion of online shopping to offline shopping through a communications network such as the Internet to create a new shopping concept based on using the combined advantages of online and offline environments such as that of online price competitiveness and offline customer relationships. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    As a result of developments in information technology leading to diversified communications methods, offline shopping has transitioned from catalog sales to cable TV shopping and Internet-based online shopping, while the explosive growth of Internet users has marked the trend of extreme growth in online shopping where its foundation lay in electronic commerce systems and wired/wireless communications technologies. 
         [0005]    Particularly, online shopping, which provides diversified product information and contents to users, has shown rapid growth by changing the shape of shopping in offline environments. 
         [0006]    Generally, in an Internet-based shopping service, the provider of the service often films a video related to a product, then converts it to a file format to be uploaded to a database, and offers the video on the provider&#39;s web server for online users to watch. 
         [0007]    However, the aforesaid online shopping services can only be provided by the provider, and thus have the disadvantage of limiting users from browsing selected products in more detail, while users can only retrieve information posted by the provider. 
         [0008]    As a result of this practice, users tend to prefer offline purchases even despite paying higher prices. 
         [0009]    Therefore, a new shopping concept is necessary and crucial at this time in order to satisfy the needs of these users who are the consumers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    Problem to be Solved 
         [0011]    Consequently, this invention relates to solving the aforesaid problems. The objective of this invention relates to the conversion of online shopping to offline shopping through a communications network such as the Internet, more particularly to create a new shopping concept based on using the combined advantages of online and offline environments such as that of online price competitiveness and offline customer relationships by providing the online shopping system and method for use offline, and apparatuses applied to the same. 
         [0012]    Solution to Problem 
         [0013]    The first aspect of this invention includes various online shopping business components that sell products through online shopping; the Service Management component which provides authorizations to at least one of the various online shopping business components to sell their products in offline stores; and the Service User-Interface component that includes the display terminal for providing product information of authorized online shopping business components as well as the user-interface to accept user orders for the product. 
         [0014]    The second aspect of this invention relates to the Service User-Interface component, more particularly the Display component which includes the display terminal showing the product information for the authorized online shopping business components to sell their products at offline stores; the User-Input component to process user purchases for the product; the payment component for processing user payment transactions for the product; and the Order Formation component for the formation of product purchase information by combining the order and transaction information of the purchased product. 
         [0015]    The preferred additional feature for the aforesaid Service User-Interface component would be to include a network system for receiving and sending product information. 
         [0016]    The third aspect of this invention relates to the method of online shopping in offline stores, more particularly the Product Information Acceptance stage to receive product information from various online shopping business components that sell their products online; the Business Selection stage to provide authorization to at least one of the various online shopping business components to sell offline; the Product Information Guide stage for the authorized online shopping business components to display the selected products at the offline stores; the Product Purchase stage for the ordering and transaction processes of the selected products; and the Order Completion stage to deliver the completed order form gathered through the collection and formation of the order and transaction information to the authorized online shopping business components. 
         [0017]    The preferred additional feature for the aforesaid method of online shopping in offline stores would be to include a Product Delivery stage for the authorized online shopping business components to deliver directly to the users. 
         [0018]    Effectiveness 
         [0019]    Consequently, this invention, which is based on the conversion of online shopping which uses a communications network platform such as the Internet to offline shopping, more particularly to create a new shopping concept based on using the combined advantages of online and offline environments such as that of online price competitiveness and offline customer relationships, provides the advantages whereby users can visit offline stores to observe products in detail, while they can also purchase the products at online prices. 
         [0020]    Furthermore, this invention creates price competition amongst online shopping business components, and placing the product of the online shopping business with the better price competitiveness provides the advantage to the users of lower prices when purchasing. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The desirable functionality of the online shopping system in offline stores will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         [0022]    This invention relates to a new shopping concept based on the realization of online shopping in offline stores in which products from online stores using communications network platforms such as the Internet can be displayed in offline stores, which provides increase in user accessibility to products, while satisfying consumer purchase desires by allowing them to purchase at real-time online prices. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary organizational chart of the online shopping system in offline stores. As illustrated in  FIG. 1  as an example, the online shopping system in offline stores includes at least one or more sellers of products that make up at least one or more Online Shopping Business components  100 ; the connection to at least one or more Online Shopping Business components  100  through a communications network such as the Internet; Service Management component  200  for the selection of businesses with the selected products to be sold in offline stores after receiving the product information including price, stock quantity and product description from at least one or more Online Shopping Business components  100  under the established business selection criteria; and Service User-Interface component  300  for establishing the selected businesses with authority to sell in offline stores utilizing the given business selection information, and to display the product information on-screen from the selected businesses. 
         [0024]    Here, the Service User-Interface component  300  allows for users to place orders for purchases as well as complete their transactions. 
         [0025]    Once the Service Management component  200  receives the product purchase information (for example, information including a product order statement, transaction statement, and delivery address), the corresponding order form is sent to the Online Shopping Business components  100  with the relevant products, and thereupon, the Online Shopping Business components  100  use the received order form to deliver the corresponding products to the users. 
         [0026]    Furthermore, the Service Management component  200 , which provides a service to online businesses to sell in offline stores, is operated by a different business entity; hence, when delivering and paying the transaction amount of the order form to the relevant Online Shopping Business  100 , it is preferred to subtract a specific amount of commission from the total amount for providing the offline stores as a service. 
         [0027]    More particularly, the Service Management component  200  includes the Product Information Service for delivering the business selection information formed by the selection of at least one Online Shopping Business  100  to sell in offline stores established through the business selection criteria and delivering the business selection information through a network connection to the Service User-Interface component  300  that is placed adjacent to the product in offline stores; and Product Sales, which sends the order forms created upon receiving the product purchase information made by the users through the Service User-Interface component  300  to the relevant Online Shopping Business  100  so that they may directly deliver the product to the users. 
         [0028]    The aforementioned business selection criteria could include various standards with regards to the product; however, the preferred method is to establish the lowest price as the standard, as the application of online shopping&#39;s advantages in offline stores is the most important. Therefore, the lowest price is the business selection criteria used hereinafter. 
         [0029]    Furthermore, the selected business is a sole business with the lowest price, or multiple businesses nearest the lowest price. 
         [0030]    When the circumstances call for the selection of multiple businesses, the user can select from the multiple businesses through the display of each product information of the selected multiple businesses on the Service User-Interface component  300  positioned adjacent to the products in the offline stores. 
         [0031]    The Product Information Service provides the sales authorization in offline stores for the Online Shopping Business  100  with the lowest price bid as part of the real-time price competition between at least one online shopping business component of a certain product. This sales authorization between at least one Online Shopping Business component  100  in real-time price competition allows the Online Shopping Business components  100  to be changed. 
         [0032]    However, too frequent a change in the sales authorization may induce confusion to users, and thus, establishing a time limit or timeframe is preferred. 
         [0033]    Furthermore, apart from the change of sales authorizations in respect to price competition between businesses, if the Online Shopping Business  100  with the higher sales authority sells all of the specified products and no longer has it in stock, then the sales authorization is granted to the Online Shopping Business  100  with the next level of authority. 
         [0034]    If Product Sales receives the product purchase information with just the order statement from the Service User-Interface component  300 , Product Sales stands by until an additional payment for the product has been processed, upon which it then creates the order form and sends it to the Online Shopping Business  100 . 
         [0035]    Furthermore, online shopping in offline stores does not only refer to selling online shopping products in offline stores, but also the connection to at least one Offline Shopping Business component  400  that sells its products offline. This allows for price competition between products in online shopping versus offline shopping. 
         [0036]      FIG. 2  depicts an exemplary illustration of the various types of Service User-Interface components mentioned in  FIG. 1 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2  as an example, the Service User-Interface component  300  can be embodied in various ways in consideration of production costs or user-friendliness. 
         [0037]    First, the embodiment of the Service User-Interface component  300  as labeled in a) of  FIG. 2  can be wireless and easy to place next to a product, and can be an integrated unit with a display module for providing the user with product information and a card-reader module for transactions of products to the user. Here, the card-reader module is a functionality example, and this can be replaced with different payment methods. 
         [0038]    Furthermore, the display module uses a touch-screen in order to provide users with product purchase options or the use of buttons for users to provide users with product purchase options. 
         [0039]    Label b) of  FIG. 2  has a similar structure to a) with the difference being the detached display module and card-reader module, but while c) also has a detached display module and card-reader module, it uses a wired network connection. 
         [0040]    Unlike the aforesaid circumstances, label d) of  FIG. 2  has a display module that shows the product information of only the selected business, while the product information of other businesses can be shown or not shown as it is adhered below the product as a memo written on paper material. In addition, it has a detached display module and card-reader module. 
         [0041]    Furthermore, label e) of  FIG. 2  has a similar structure to d) with the difference being that it is wireless. 
         [0042]      FIG. 3  depicts an exemplary flow chart of the processes of the online shopping system in offline stores as mentioned in  FIG. 1 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3  as an example, the online shopping method in offline stores involves receiving product information from at least one Online Shopping Business  100  and selecting the Online Shopping Business  100  with the lowest price bid for granting authorization to sell in offline stores. 
         [0043]    Henceforth, the Service Management component  200  delivers the business selection information to the Service User-Interface component  300  which is placed adjacent to the appropriate product inside the offline stores. 
         [0044]    Hereupon, the Service User-Interface component  300  uses the received business selection information to display the product information of the selected business on the display screen as a guide to users S 108 . 
         [0045]    Henceforth, users can visit offline stores and use the display screen of the Service User-Interface component  300  to check the product information for the product they wish to purchase, and using the Service User-Interface component  300  to purchase and pay for the product, the Service User-Interface component  300  compiles S 110  the product purchase information (for example, information including a product order statement, payment statement and delivery address). 
         [0046]    The Service Management component  200  receives the product purchase information from the Service User-Interface component  300  and compiles the order form S 112 /S 114 , then sends the compiled order forms to the appropriate Online Shopping Business components  100  to deliver the relevant products to the users who purchased them. 
         [0047]      FIG. 4  depicts an exemplary diagram of a process of the online shopping system in offline stores as mentioned in  FIG. 1 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4  as an example, regarding the online shopping method in offline stores, more particularly, the process inside the offline stores while assuming that a cart-card is equipped for a user purchasing online products in an offline store, involves providing cart-cards to the visiting user S 200 /S 202 . 
         [0048]    Henceforth, the user with the cart-card may order a camera during the process of shopping in the offline store, in which time the user can have the card-reader module positioned next to the camera read the cart-card to form the first order statement S 204 /S 206 . This first order statement will be recorded onto the user&#39;s cart-card. 
         [0049]    Furthermore, if the user wishes to add a mobile phone to the cart, the user can then have the card-reader module next to the mobile phone read the cart-card to form the second order statement S 210 /S 212 , and the second order statement will be recorded onto the cart-card. 
         [0050]    Lastly, if the user wishes to add a portable MP3 player, the user can have the card-reader module next to the MP3 player read the cart-card to form a third order statement S 214 /S 216 , and the third order statement will be recorded onto the cart-card. 
         [0051]    Henceforth, the user can return the cart-card to the checkout to transmit the order statement S 218  when done shopping. The user can input the delivery address or cancel any of the items in the order statement during the aforementioned S 218  process. 
         [0052]    In addition, when the cart-card is not returned to the checkout counter (for example, if the user took the cart-card out of the offline store), the information pertaining to the cart-card gets deleted after a certain timeframe, and the orders created with the statements by using the cart-card are automatically cancelled, giving other users the opportunity to buy those products. 
         [0053]    Furthermore, the cart-card can be returned to the staff at the checkout counter, or the user can confirm the order by having the cart-card read using a touch-screen or button-input type monitor next to the checkout counter, whereby the user can then return the cart-card to the card return box. 
         [0054]    Afterwards, the user can make the payment for the purchased products S 220 , then the product purchase information which includes the payment statement is sent to the Service Management component  200 , which in turn is reported to the appropriate Online Shopping Business  100 , allowing the delivery of the relevant products to the user. 
         [0055]      FIG. 5  depicts an exemplary diagram of an additional process of the online shopping system in offline stores mentioned in  FIG. 1 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5  as an example, regarding the online shopping method in offline stores, more particularly, the process inside the offline stores while assuming that a membership card (for example, a card that also has payment functions) has been issued to the user purchasing online products in an offline store, involves the user being able to shop at the offline store with the membership card S 300 /S 302 . 
         [0056]    If the user wishes to order a camera while shopping, the user can have the card-reader module that is positioned adjacent to the camera read the membership card to create the first order statement S 304 /S 306 . The first order statement is stored in the database in response to the user membership card&#39;s unique identification number. 
         [0057]    During this process, when the membership card is read by the card-reader module, the display screen shows a message asking whether the user is willing to pay for the product now with the membership card, and the user can have the option of making the payment now or to create the first order statement to pay for it at a later time. 
         [0058]    Furthermore, if the user wishes to order a mobile phone, the user can have the card-reader module that is positioned adjacent to the mobile phone read the membership card to create a second order statement S 308 /S 310 , and the second statement will be stored in the database as mentioned above. 
         [0059]    Again, when the membership card is read by the card-reader module, the display screen shows a message asking whether the user is willing to pay for the product now with the membership card, and the user can have the option of making the payment now or to create the second order statement to pay for it at a later time. 
         [0060]    Lastly, if the user wishes to order a portable MP3 player, the user can have the card-reader module that is positioned adjacent to the MP3 player read the membership card to create a third order statement S 312 /S 314 , and after checking the message regarding paying for the product now S 312 /S 314 , if the user decides to pay for it at a later time and only add to the third order statement, the user can then go to the checkout counter and use the membership card to make the payment S 316 /S 318 . 
         [0061]    In the aforesaid S 314  stage, if the user decides to pay for the purchases with the purchase of the MP3 player, the payment for the MP3 player is completed at S 320 . Even though the transaction is complete, the user can visit the checkout counter and enter additional information such as the shipping address for the MP3 player to be delivered. 
         [0062]    Afterwards, the product purchase information which includes the payment statement is sent to Service Management component  200 , which is in turn reported to the appropriate Online Shopping Business  100 , allowing the delivery of the relevant products to the user. 
         [0063]      FIG. 6  depicts an exemplary diagram of an additional process of the online shopping system in offline stores as mentioned in  FIG. 1 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6  as an example, regarding the online shopping method in offline stores, more particularly, the process inside the offline stores while assuming that the user purchasing online products in an offline store holds a credit card, involves the user being able to shop at the offline store with the credit card S 400 /S 402 . 
         [0064]    If the user wishes to order a camera while shopping, the user can have the card-reader module that is positioned adjacent to the camera read the membership card to create the first order statement S 404 /S 406 . The first order statement is stored in the database in response to the user&#39;s credit card number. 
         [0065]    During this process, when the membership card is read by the card-reader module, the display screen shows a message asking whether the user is willing to pay for the product now with the credit card, and the user can have the option of making the payment now or to create the first order statement to pay for it at a later time. 
         [0066]    Furthermore, if the user wishes to order a portable MP3 player, the user can have the card-reader module that is positioned adjacent to the MP3 player read the credit card to create a second order statement, and after checking the message regarding paying for the product now S 408 /S 410 , if the user decides to pay for it at a later time and only add the second order statement, the user can then go to the checkout counter and use the membership card to make the payment S 412 /S 414 . 
         [0067]    In the aforesaid S 410  stage, if the user decides to pay for the purchases with the purchase of the MP3 player, the payment for the MP3 player is completed at S 416 . Even though the transaction is complete, the user can visit the checkout counter and enter additional information such as the shipping address for the MP3 player to be delivered. 
         [0068]    Afterwards, the product purchase information which includes the payment statement is sent to Service Management component  200 , which is in turn reported to the appropriate Online Shopping Business  100 , allowing the delivery of the relevant products to the user. 
         [0069]    The above describes this invention&#39;s preferred functional examples, but the business using this invention with ample experience in this field of technology may modify or change it, as long as the modifications or changes are confined within the perimeter and scope of this invention as noted in the claims below. 
         [0070]    Market Potential 
         [0071]    This invention, which relates to the offline usage of online shopping based on communications networks such as the Internet, by which it creates a new shopping concept by combining the advantages of online and offline shopping such as price competitiveness in online shopping and customer accessibility in offline shopping, and therefore, the realistic functionality or marketability of this invention is sufficient and clear, thus, this invention has the necessary market potential. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       [0072]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary organizational chart of the online shopping system in offline stores. 
         [0073]      FIG. 2  depicts an exemplary illustration of the various types of Service User-Interface components mentioned in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0074]      FIG. 3  depicts an exemplary flow chart of the processes of the online shopping system in offline stores as mentioned in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0075]      FIG. 4  depicts an exemplary diagram of a process of the online shopping system in offline stores as mentioned in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0076]      FIG. 5  depicts an exemplary diagram of an additional process of the online shopping system in offline stores mentioned in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0077]      FIG. 6  depicts an exemplary diagram of an additional process of the online shopping system in offline stores as mentioned in  FIG. 1 . 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       [0078]      100 : Online Shopping Business  200 : Service Management 
         [0079]      300 : Service User-Interface  400 : Offline Shopping Business