Patent Publication Number: US-2023162192-A1

Title: Service providing system, service providing method, and recording medium

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a service providing system and the like. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Shopping in a store requires labor. For example, upon shopping, a person creates a shopping list, goes to a store, selects products to buy, pays for the products, and carries the purchased products to home. It is convenient if an agent performs such labor-intensive shopping. In shopping by an agent, how to pay for products becomes a problem. 
     PTL 1 discloses that code information that is identification information of an agent who acts as a purchasing agent for a purchase desiring person is transmitted to a terminal of the agent, and the identification information of the agent is registered in association with payment means information of the purchase desiring person. According to PTL 1, when the agent holds a code based on code information over a code reader in a store, the purchase desiring person can make a payment for a product acquired by the agent. 
     PTL 2 discloses that a storage unit of an electronic payment card with personal authentication stores biometric information of a card holder himself or herself and a registrant who is delegated by the holder. According to PTL 2, it is possible to allow a delegate other than the holder himself or herself to use the electronic payment card. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     [PTL 1] JP 2018-156526 A 
     [PTL 2] JP 2010-152841 A 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     There is a case where the purchase desiring person desires to request a third party who is not an acquaintance for a shopping agent. However, in the techniques of PTL 1 and PTL 2, when the third party is requested for a shopping agent, there is a possibility that shopping not intended by the purchase desiring person is performed using the payment information of the purchase desiring person. Therefore, the client cannot request shopping with confidence. 
     An object of the present disclosure is to provide a service providing system, a service providing method, and a program that enable a client to request a third party for shopping with security. 
     Solution to Problem 
     A service providing system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes an agent instruction unit configured to transmit, to a terminal of an agent, a purchase instruction of a product specified by a client, a payment result acquisition unit configured to acquire a payment result related to the product purchased by the agent using payment information of a business operator, and a payment processing unit configured to process, when receiving a notice of receipt of the product from a terminal of the client, payment with payment information of the client from the client to the business operator based on the payment result. 
     A service providing method according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes transmitting, to a terminal of an agent, a purchase instruction of a product specified by a client, acquiring a payment result related to the product purchased by the agent using payment information of a business operator, and processing, when receiving a notice of receipt of the product from a terminal of the client, payment with payment information of the client from the client to the business operator based on the payment result. 
     A program according to an aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to execute transmitting, to a terminal of an agent, a purchase instruction of a product specified by a client, acquiring a payment result related to the product purchased by the agent using payment information of a business operator, and processing, when receiving a notice of receipt of the product from a terminal of the client, payment with payment information of the client from the client to the business operator based on the payment result. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the present disclosure, a client can request a third party for shopping with security. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a service providing system  1  according to a first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a service providing apparatus  100  according to the first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  3 A  is a diagram illustrating an example of client information according to the first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  3 B  is a diagram illustrating an example of agent information according to the first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram illustrating an example of request information according to the first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  5 A  is a sequence diagram illustrating an operation of the service providing system  1  according to the first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  5 B  is a sequence diagram illustrating an operation (continuation) of the service providing system  1  according to the first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a diagram illustrating an example of an instruction information display screen according to the first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    is a diagram illustrating an example of an identification information display screen according to the first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    is a diagram illustrating an example of a notice of receipt transmission screen according to the first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    is a view illustrating an example of a selection screen according to modification example 2 of the first example embodiment. 
         FIG.  10    is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a service providing system  1  according to a second example embodiment. 
         FIG.  11    is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the service providing system  1  according to the second example embodiment. 
         FIG.  12    is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a computer  500 . 
     
    
    
     EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, example embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present disclosure is not limited to the present example embodiments. In the drawings described below, components having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated description thereof may be omitted. 
     First Example Embodiment 
     Configuration 
       FIG.  1    is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a service providing system  1  according to a first example embodiment. The service providing system  1  includes a service providing apparatus  100 , a payment server  400 , a client terminal  10 , an agent terminal  20 , and a store terminal  30 . Devices included in the service providing system  1  are connected by at least one of wired connection or wireless connection via a network  40  such as a local area network or the Internet. The service providing system  1  may include other devices. 
     The service providing apparatus  100  is used by a business operator that provides a shopping agency service (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a business operator). The service providing apparatus  100  is achieved on a single computer or a plurality of computers. The service providing apparatus  100  may be achieved on a cloud that is a set of computer resources. 
     A store, a client who requests for a shopping agent, and an agent who acts as a shopping agent on the basis of request are registered in the agency service. The agent registered in the agency service is also referred to as a registered agent. Among the registered agents, a person selected as an agent who receives an instruction of agent from the business operator is referred to as a shopping agent. 
     The service providing apparatus  100  issues identification information of the shopping agent associated with the payment information of the business operator to the shopping agent. The identification information of the shopping agent is information for identifying the shopping agent, and may include an identifier for identifying the request and an identifier of the registered agent. Here, the payment information of the business operator is information of a payment means associated with a bank account used for payment by the business operator, and is, for example, a membership ID (identifier) of a code payment issued to the business operator, a membership ID of an electronic payment card, or a membership number of a credit card. The payment information may be a bank account of the business operator. 
     The identification information of the shopping agent is recorded in a storage medium  21  such as an integrated circuit (IC) card or a mobile terminal carried by the registered agent. In the first example embodiment, a case where the storage medium  21  is incorporated in the agent terminal  20  will be described. In the first example embodiment, the identification information of the shopping agent is represented by, for example, a code encoded by a freely-selected method such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code. Instead of the identification information, information for acquiring the identification information such as a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with the identification information may be recorded in the storage medium  21 . 
       FIG.  2    is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the service providing apparatus  100  according to the first example embodiment. The service providing apparatus  100  includes a request reception unit  110 , an agent selecting unit  130 , an identification information issuing unit  140 , an agent instruction unit  150 , a payment result acquisition unit  160 , a notice reception unit  170 , and a payment processing unit  180 . The service providing apparatus  100  includes a registration information storage unit  190  as a storage unit. 
     The registration information storage unit  190  stores client information and agent information. 
     The client information is information regarding a client registered in the agency service.  FIG.  3 A  is a diagram illustrating an example of the client information. As illustrated in  FIG.  3 A , the client information includes a client ID, payment information of the client, and an address of the client. The client ID is an identifier for identifying each client. The payment information of the client is, for example, a credit card number of the client, a bank account number, or the like. The address of the client can be used as a destination of a product purchased by the shopping agent. 
     The agent information is information regarding a registered agent registered in the agency service.  FIG.  3 B  is a diagram illustrating an example of the agent information. As illustrated in  FIG.  3 B , the agent information includes the registration ID of each registered agent and the terminal ID of the agent terminal  20  carried by the registered agent. The registration ID is an identifier for identifying each registered agent. The terminal ID is used to transmit instruction information to be described later to the agent terminal  20 . Further, in the first example embodiment, the terminal ID is used to transmit the identification information to the agent terminal  20  which is the storage medium  21 . 
     Further, the agent information may include a current location of the registered agent, a field of specialty in shopping, a profile image, user evaluation of the agent, and other information regarding an attribute of the agent. 
     The current location of the registered agent is position information of the registered agent received from the agent terminal  20 . Upon receiving the position information at regular time intervals, the service providing apparatus  100  updates the agent information stored in the registration information storage unit  190 . 
     The field of specialty in shopping is, for example, a category of product that the registered agent is good at or an area that the registered agent is good at. If the request content matches the field of specialty, the user can request a registered agent who is familiar with the category of the product or the area for shopping. The profile image is an image indicating the registered agent. The registered agent can appropriately set the field of specialty and the profile image. The user evaluation is, for example, an average of evaluations from clients who have made a shopping request to the registered agent in the past. 
     The registration information storage unit  190  further stores the position information of the store set by a freely-selected method. 
     The request reception unit  110  receives request information from the client terminal  10 . The request information indicates a condition related to shopping requested by the client.  FIG.  4    is a diagram illustrating an example of request information. As illustrated in  FIG.  4   , the request information includes a request number, a request date and time, a client ID, a destination, and a shopping condition. The request number is an identifier for identifying the request. The shopping condition is a condition for shopping that can be appropriately set by the client. The shopping condition may include, for example, a condition related to a product, a store where shopping is performed, a budget, and a delivery due date. The destination is a delivery place of the purchased product desired by the client. 
     The condition related to the product is used for selection of the shopping agent based on the field of specialty of the registered agent or selection of the product by the shopping agent. The condition related to the product may be a product name unique to the product that the client desires to purchase, or may be a type of the product or use of the product. The type of the product is, for example, a product name without specifying a brand, or vegetables, meat, miscellaneous goods, and the like, and the use of the product is, for example, an ingredient for dinner for four people for this evening. 
     The store where shopping is performed is, for example, a name of a store where the client desires to purchase the product, and the shopping agent performs shopping at the store. The store where shopping is performed is used for selection of the shopping agent based on the current location of the registered agent or selection of a product by the shopping agent. Instead of a store name, the client may specify an area name as the store where shopping is performed. The shopping agent performs shopping in the specified area. 
     The budget includes a lower limit and/or an upper limit of the purchase price. The shopping agent selects a product at the store so that shopping can be done within the budget. 
     The delivery due date is a date and time of a due date for delivering the purchased product to the destination. The delivery due date is used, for example, for selection of the shopping agent based on the current location of the registered agent. 
     In  FIG.  4   , the request information includes a destination, but the request reception unit  110  may specify the destination of the product on the basis of the client ID included in the request information and the address of the client included in the client information stored in the registration information storage unit  190 . 
     The agent selecting unit  130  selects a shopping agent who instructs shopping on the basis of the request information and the agent information. That is, the agent selecting unit  130  selects the shopping agent on the basis of the shopping condition requested by the client and the condition of the registered agent. For example, the agent selecting unit  130  may calculate the sum of the distance from the current location of the registered agent stored in the agent information to the store included in the request information, and the distance from the store to the destination, and select a registered agent having the smallest total moving distance. The agent selecting unit  130  may calculate required times for agents to shop using the total moving distance, and select a registered agent having the smallest required time. The agent selecting unit  130  may select a registered agent who can perform delivery within the delivery due date included in the request information. 
     The agent selecting unit  130  can select a shopping agent by any other method. For example, the agent selecting unit  130  may select a registered agent whose condition related to the product included in the request information is included in the field of specialty included in the agent information. When there is a time until the delivery due date, for example, the delivery due date is the next day or later, the agent selecting unit  130  may select the shopping agent on the basis of future position information in the future of the registered agent. In this case, a schedule related to the position information in the future of the registered agent is stored in the agent information. The agent selecting unit  130  refers to the request information and the agent information, and selects, for example, a registered agent whose future position is close to the address of the store where the specified shopping is performed and who can deliver the purchased product by the delivery due date. 
     The identification information issuing unit  140  issues identification information of the shopping agent associated with the payment information of the business operator to the shopping agent. The identification information issuing unit  140  transmits the issued identification information to the agent instruction unit  150  and the payment server  400 . Upon receiving the identification information, the payment server  400  stores the identification information. 
     The identification information issuing unit  140  may transmit an upper limit amount of use, the expiration date, or the shopping condition to the payment server  400  together with the identification information. The upper limit amount of use is, for example, the upper limit of the budget included in the request information. The expiration date may be the same as the delivery due date included in the request information. Further, the identification information issuing unit  140  may transmit an available store name, which is a store name included in the request information, to the payment server  400 . 
     The agent instruction unit  150  generates instruction information related to the shopping request on the basis of the request information, and transmits the instruction information to the agent terminal  20  of the shopping agent. The instruction information includes a shopping condition and a destination. The instruction information is also called a purchase instruction of a product specified by the client. Further, the agent instruction unit  150  transmits the identification information issued by the identification information issuing unit  140  to the agent terminal  20  of the shopping agent. 
     The payment result acquisition unit  160  receives, from the payment server  400 , a result of payment processing including a total payment amount to the store for products purchased by the shopping agent. The result of the payment processing received by the payment result acquisition unit  160  has a role of notifying the service providing apparatus  100  of the fact that the shopping agent performed shopping at the store and the payment amount to the store. The result of the payment processing is also referred to as a payment result. 
     The notice reception unit  170  receives a notice of receipt of a product from the client terminal  10 . The notice of receipt received by the notice reception unit  170  has a role of notifying the service providing apparatus  100  that the shopping agent has delivered the product to the client. 
     Upon receiving the notice of receipt, the payment processing unit  180  processes payment to the business operator using the payment information of the client. 
     The client terminal  10  is a terminal used by a client who requests for a shopping agent. The client terminal  10  generates the above-described request information and transmits the request information to the service providing apparatus  100 . Further, when the client receives the product related to the shopping request, the client terminal  10  transmits a notice of receipt to the service providing apparatus  100 . The notice of receipt may include an evaluation of shopping performed by the shopping agent. 
     The agent terminal  20  is a terminal used by the shopping agent. The agent terminal  20  receives instruction information regarding the shopping request from the service providing apparatus  100 . The shopping agent selects a product to be purchased at the store based on the instruction information. Further, in the first example embodiment, the identification information issued by the service providing apparatus  100  is written in the storage medium  21  incorporated in the agent terminal  20 . The agent terminal  20  displays a code representing the identification information. The shopping agent causes a reader  32  to read the code displayed on the agent terminal  20  in order to perform the checkout processing for the product selected in the store. 
     The agent terminal  20  may transmit position information detected by a global positioning system (GPS) to the service providing apparatus  100  at regular time intervals. 
     The store terminal  30  is a terminal that is installed in a store and communicates with the payment server  400  to perform checkout processing of a product. The store terminal  30  registers the total price of products selected by the shopping agent, and performs checkout processing using the payment information of the business operator on the basis of the identification information indicated in the agent terminal  20  (storage medium  21 ). The store terminal  30  may be either one used by a store clerk or one used by a shopping agent. 
     A reader  32  is connected to the store terminal  30  so as to be able to communicate therewith in a wired or wireless manner in order to read the identification information presented by the shopping agent on the agent terminal  20  (storage medium  21 ). The reader  32  transmits the identification information read from the agent terminal  20  (storage medium  21 ) to the store terminal  30 . The store terminal  30  transmits the identification information read by the reader  32  to the payment server  400 . 
     The payment server  400  is used for payment processing of the product selected by the shopping agent based on the identification information presented by the shopping agent. A payment business operator using the payment server  400  of the store and the business operator may be the same as or different from the business operator using the service providing apparatus  100 . 
     The payment server  400  determines whether the identification information received from the store terminal  30  is valid. Specifically, it is determined whether the identification information received from store terminal  30  matches the identification information received from identification information issuing unit  140 . When it is determined that they match, the payment server  400  determines that the identification information is valid. When the identification information is valid, the payment server  400  uses the payment information of the business operator associated with the identification information to process the payment related to the payment from the business operator to the store. The payment server  400  transmits a notice of completion of the payment processing to the store terminal  30 , and when the store terminal  30  receives the notice of completion, the checkout processing in the store terminal  30  ends. 
     After the completion of the payment processing, the payment server  400  transmits a result of the payment processing including the identification information of the shopping agent and the total payment amount to the store to the service providing apparatus  100 . 
     The payment server  400  may use the total price of products received from the store terminal  30 , the reading date and time of the identification information, or the store name to determine whether the identification information is valid. In this case, for example, when the total price does not exceed the upper limit amount of use and the reading date and time of the identification information does not exceed the expiration date, the payment server  400  determines that the identification information is valid. The payment server  400  may determine that the identification information is valid when the store name received from the store terminal  30  matches the available store name. 
     Further, the payment server  400  may determine whether the product selected by the shopping agent in the store matches the product name or the product type included in the shopping condition. In this case, the store terminal  30  acquires the identifier of the selected product on the basis of the barcode or the like of the product. Next, the store terminal  30  refers to the product database of the store on the basis of the identifier of the product, identifies the product name or the type of the product, and transmits the product name or the type of the product to the payment server  400 . The payment server  400  then compares the shopping condition with the product name or the product type received from the store terminal  30 , and transmits the fact that the identification information is valid to the store terminal  30  when the shopping condition and the product name or the product type are matched. 
     The determination of whether the identification information presented by the shopping agent is valid can also be executed by the store terminal  30 . At this time, information for determination by the store terminal  30  (upper limit amount of use, expiration date, shopping condition, and the like) may be stored in the agent terminal  20  (storage medium  21 ) presented by the shopping agent. 
     Operation 
     Hereinafter, an operation of the service providing system  1  according to the first example embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.  FIGS.  5 A and  5 B  are sequence diagrams illustrating an operation of the service providing system  1  according to the first example embodiment. 
     The client terminal  10  generates the request information illustrated in  FIG.  4    on the basis of the input of the request content from the client (step S 11 ) and transmits the request information to the service providing apparatus  100  (step S 12 ). 
     The request reception unit  110  receives the request information from the client terminal  10 . 
     The agent selecting unit  130  selects a shopping agent to whom the shopping is to be instructed on the basis of the request information received by the request reception unit  110  and the agent information illustrated in  FIG.  3 B  (step S 101 ). 
     The identification information issuing unit  140  issues the identification information (step S 102 ) and transmits the identification information to the payment server  400  (step S 103 ). 
     The payment server  400  stores the received identification information (step S 401 ). 
     The agent instruction unit  150  generates the instruction information (step S 104 ), and transmits the instruction information and the identification information to the agent terminal  20  of the shopping agent (step S 105 ).  FIG.  6    is a diagram illustrating an example of an instruction information display screen displayed on the agent terminal  20 . In  FIG.  6   , a shopping condition and a destination are displayed on the instruction information display screen, and the shopping condition includes a condition related to a product, a budget, and a delivery due date. 
     The shopping agent selects a product in the store on the basis of the shopping condition included in the instruction information. 
     Next, the store terminal  30  executes checkout processing. Specifically, the total price of the product selected by the shopping agent is registered (step S 31 ). The agent terminal  20  presents the identification information and causes the reader  32  to read the identification information (step S 21 ).  FIG.  7    is a diagram illustrating an example of an identification information display screen displayed on the agent terminal  20 . The store terminal  30  receives the identification information presented by the shopping agent from the reader  32  (step S 32 ). Next, the store terminal  30  transmits the total price and the identification information to the payment server  400  (step S 33 ). 
     The payment server  400  determines the validity of the identification information (step S 402 ). Specifically, the payment server  400  compares the identification information stored in step S 401  with the identification information received from the store terminal  30 , and determines that the identification information is valid when they match. When the identification information is valid, the payment server  400  processes the payment related to the payment from the business operator to the store using the payment information of the business operator associated with the identification information, and transmits a notice of completion of the payment processing to the store terminal  30  (step S 403 ). Upon receiving the notice of completion from the payment server  400 , the store terminal  30  ends the checkout processing. 
     The payment server  400  transmits a result of the payment processing to the service providing apparatus  100  (step S 404 ). When the payment result acquisition unit  160  acquires the result of the payment processing, the payment processing unit  180  transmits a notice of receipt transmission screen to the client terminal  10  (step S 106 ).  FIG.  8    is a diagram illustrating an example of a notice of receipt transmission screen. 
     The shopping agent delivers the purchased product to the client on the basis of the destination included in the instruction information. 
     When the client receives the product related to the shopping request, the client terminal  10  transmits a notice of receipt to the service providing apparatus  100 . For example, when “Yes” is selected on the transmission screen of  FIG.  8   , the client terminal  10  transmits the notice of receipt. 
     The notice reception unit  170  receives the notice of receipt from the client terminal  10 . 
     When the notice of receipt is received, the payment processing unit  180  processes the payment related to the payment to the business operator using the payment information of the client (step S 107 ). 
     Thus, the operation of the first example embodiment is completed. 
     For example, the client pays the business operator an amount obtained by adding the agency service usage fee to the total payment amount to the store. For example, after receiving the notice of receipt from the client, the business operator may pay a consideration for the shopping performed to the shopping agent. 
     When the client refuses the receipt, the shopping agent returns the returnable product to the store. If the product cannot be returned, the business operator may keep the product. The shopping agent may purchase the product whose receipt is rejected from the business operator at its own cost. 
     Effects 
     According to the first example embodiment, the client can request a third party for shopping with security. A reason for this is because the payment result acquisition unit  160  acquires the payment result with the payment information of the business operator from the business operator to the store regarding the purchase of the product in the store by the agent. Another reason for this is because, when receiving the notice of receipt of the product from the client terminal  10 , the payment processing unit  180  processes the payment with the payment information of the client from the client to the business operator on the basis of the payment result. 
     According to the first example embodiment, the client can request a third party for shopping under the condition of what the client desires to purchase. The reason for this is that a condition of what is desired to purchase is sent to the shopping agent. Thus, the shopping agent can select a store or a product that meets the condition of the client. 
     Modification Example 1 
     When the storage medium  21  is incorporated in the agent terminal  20 , the identification information does not have to be displayed on the agent terminal  20 . For example, the identification information may be stored in the agent terminal  20  and transmitted to the reader  32  by short-range wireless communication such as near field communication (NFC). 
     The business operator may allow the shopping agent to use, for example, an electronic payment card in an IC card format or a magnetic card format as the storage medium  21  that stores the identification information in advance. In this case, the identification information is, for example, a membership ID or a card number of an electronic payment card issued to a business operator. Hereinafter, an operation of the service providing system  1  in a case of using the electronic payment card will be described. 
     When the shopping agent is selected in step S 101 , the identification information issuing unit  140  transmits the identification information of the electronic payment card carried by the shopping agent to the payment server  400 . In step S 105 , the agent instruction unit  150  does not have to transmit the identification information to the agent terminal  20 . In step S 401 , the payment server  400  stores the identification information so that checkout processing in the store can be performed using the electronic payment card carried by the shopping agent. 
     In the store, the shopping agent presents the electronic payment card to the reader  32 . In step S 32 , the store terminal  30  receives the identification information included in the electronic payment card from the reader  32 . Thereafter, the service providing system  1  operates similarly to the operation described in the first example embodiment. 
     Modification Example 2 
     The agent selecting unit  130  may select a shopping agent candidate that can receive the request from the registered agent registered in the agent information. At this time, for example, the agent selecting unit  130  displays shopping agent candidates on the client terminal  10 , and outputs a selection screen for receiving a selection of the shopping agent.  FIG.  9    is a diagram illustrating an example of a selection screen according to modification example 2. As illustrated in  FIG.  9   , items such as a required time until delivery, a profile image, a field of specialty, and an evaluation value of the user on past shopping by the agent may be output on the selection screen for each shopping agent. The agent selecting unit  130  may appropriately rearrange or narrow down the shopping agent candidates according to an operation on the client terminal  10  from the client. 
     When a shopping agent is selected by the client, the client terminal  10  transmits request information including the registration ID of the selected shopping agent to the request reception unit  110 . The agent selecting unit  130  selects the registered agent of the registration ID included in the request information as the shopping agent. 
     After the request reception unit  110  receives the request information not including the selection of the shopping agent, the agent selecting unit  130  may calculate the score for each registered agent on the basis of the degree of coincidence of each item included in the agent information and the request information. For example, the agent selecting unit  130  may calculate a higher score as the required time for shopping is shorter or the user evaluation value is higher. The agent selecting unit  130  may set a candidate for the shopping agent having the highest score as the shopping agent on the basis of the calculated score. 
     The agent selecting unit  130  may output a selection screen in which shopping agent candidates are listed in descending order of scores. In this case, when a shopping agent is selected by the client, the client terminal  10  transmits the registration ID of the selected shopping agent to the request reception unit  110 . 
     Modification Example 3 
     In the checkout processing in the store terminal  30 , the biometric authentication of the shopping agent may be performed. In this case, in addition to the identification information, biometric information of the shopping agent is stored in the storage medium  21 . In modification example 3, an electronic payment card with personal authentication disclosed in PTL 2 may be used. 
     The biometric information may be a feature amount calculated from image data of a region including the face of the registered agent, or may be image data itself of a region including the face of the registered agent. Information other than the data of the face image may be used for authentication of the shopping agent in the store terminal  30 . For example, the store terminal  30  may use biometric information such as an iris, veins, and a fingerprint for authentication of the shopping agent. 
     A camera is connected to the store terminal  30  communicably in a wired or wireless manner in order to acquire the biometric information of the shopping agent who presents the storage medium  21 . 
     Processing of the service providing system  1  according to modification example  3  will be described. In the checkout processing, the store terminal  30  receives the image data from the camera and extracts the biometric information. Further, the store terminal  30  receives the biometric information stored in the storage medium  21  in addition to the identification information from the reader  32 . Next, the store terminal  30  checks the received biometric information against the biometric information acquired on the basis of the image data. In a case where the biometric information matches, the store terminal  30  authenticates the shopping agent, executes the processing in and after step S 33  similarly to the first example embodiment, and processes checkout based on the identification information indicated in the storage medium  21 . 
     According to modification example 3, it is possible to authenticate that the person who presents the storage medium  21  in the store terminal  30  is the shopping agent who has received the shopping request. 
     The biometric information stored in the storage medium  21  may be a URL associated with the biometric information of the shopping agent or an identifier for identifying information. 
     Modification Example 4 
     In modification example 3, the case where the store terminal  30  authenticates the shopping agent has been described, but the authentication of the shopping agent may be performed by the payment server  400  together with determination of the validity of the identification information. In addition, the biometric information is not necessary to be included in the storage medium  21 . In this case, the agent information stored in the registration information storage unit  190  includes the biometric information of the registered agent. 
     Processing of the service providing system  1  according to modification example 4 will be described. In step S 103 , in addition to the identification information, the identification information issuing unit  140  transmits the biometric information of the shopping agent stored in the registration information storage unit  190  to the payment server  400 . The payment server  400  stores the biometric information of the shopping agent in association with the registration ID. 
     In the checkout processing, the store terminal  30  transmits an authentication request of the shopping agent including the image data to the payment server  400 . The payment server  400  receives the authentication request from the store terminal  30 , and extracts the biometric information from the image data included in the authentication request. The payment server  400  compares the stored biometric information with the biometric information included in the authentication request. When the biometric information matches as a result of the comparison, the shopping agent is authenticated, and it is determined that the identification information is valid. 
     Modification Example 5 
     In the service providing system  1 , instead of using the storage medium  21  that stores the identification information, payment processing using the biometric information of the shopping agent may be executed. In this case, in step S 103 , the identification information issuing unit  140  transmits the biometric information of the shopping agent, the registration ID, and the payment information of the business operator to the payment server  400 . The payment server  400  stores the biometric information of the shopping agent, the registration ID, and the payment information of the business operator in association with each other. 
     In the checkout processing, the store terminal  30  receives the biometric information of the shopping agent from the camera with a configuration similar to that of modification example 3 without executing step S 32 . Next, in step S 33 , the store terminal  30  transmits an authentication request including the total price and the biometric information to the payment server  400 . 
     The payment server  400  compares the stored biometric information of the shopping agent with the biometric information included in the authentication request. When the biometric information matches as a result of the comparison, the shopping agent is authenticated, and the authentication result is transmitted to the store terminal  30 . When the shopping agent is authenticated, the store terminal  30  ends the checkout processing. 
     Modification Example 6 
     The agent terminal  20  or the store terminal  30  may acquire an image obtained by capturing a product or an identifier of the product, and transmit, to the client terminal  10 , data related to the product selected by the shopping agent in the store. Specifically, the data related to the product is, for example, an identifier of the product, a product name, a product image, and a web page introducing the product. 
     The client terminal  10  may display data related to the product to the client, receive an input of a purchase permission of the product selected by the agent, and transmit the purchase permission to the agent terminal  20 , the store terminal  30 , or the payment server  400 . For example, the shopping agent sees the purchase permission received by the agent terminal  20  and starts the checkout processing in the store. For example, upon receiving the purchase permission, the store terminal  30  executes checkout processing. For example, upon receiving the purchase permission, the payment server  400  determines that the identification information is valid. 
     Second Example Embodiment 
     Next, a service providing system  1  according to a second example embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The service providing system  1  is used for payment processing of an agent purchase service of a product. Hereinafter, an outline of the agent purchase service of the product will be described. 
     The client requests a business operator who intermediates agent purchase of a product to perform the agent purchase of the product. The business operator instructs the agent to purchase the product specified by the client. The agent purchases the product at the store with the payment information of the business operator, and delivers the purchased product to the client. The agent may request a delivery company to deliver the purchased product. After the client receives the product, the business operator performs payment processing with the payment information of the client of the agent purchase service of the product. 
     Configuration 
       FIG.  10    is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the service providing system  1  according to the second example embodiment. The service providing system  1  includes the agent instruction unit  150 , the payment result acquisition unit  160 , and the payment processing unit  180 . 
     The agent instruction unit  150  transmits the purchase instruction of the product specified by the client to the terminal of the agent. 
     The payment result acquisition unit  160  acquires a payment result related to the product purchased by the agent using the payment information of the business operator. The payment result is a result related to payment processing between the business operator and the store. The payment result includes, for example, the total amount of the purchased products. The payment result may include a date and time when the payment is completed, a store where the product is purchased, an identifier of the purchased product, and the like. 
     When receiving a notice of receipt of the product from the terminal of the client, the payment processing unit  180  processes payment with the payment information of the client from the client to the business operator on the basis of the payment result. 
     Operation 
     Hereinafter, an operation of the service providing system  1  according to the second example embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG.  11    is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the service providing system  1  according to the second example embodiment. 
     The agent instruction unit  150  transmits the purchase instruction of a product specified by the client to the terminal of the agent (step S 501 ). 
     The payment result acquisition unit  160  acquires a payment result related to the product purchased by the agent using the payment information of the business operator (step S 502 ). 
     When receiving a notice of receipt of the product from the terminal of the client, the payment processing unit  180  processes payment with the payment information of the client from the client to the business operator on the basis of the payment result (step S 503 ). 
     Effects 
     With the service providing system  1  according to the second example embodiment, the client can request a third party for shopping with security. A reason for this is because the payment result acquisition unit  160  acquires the payment result related to the product purchased by the agent using the payment information of the business operator. When the agent purchases the product at the store, the payment is made with the payment information of the business operator, and even if the agent purchases a product not intended by the client at the store, the payment is not directly made by the client. 
     Another reason for this is because, when receiving the notice of receipt of the product from the terminal of the client, the payment processing unit  180  processes the payment with the payment information of the client from the client to the business operator on the basis of the payment result. Since the payment processing is performed with the payment information of the client after the client receives the product requested for purchase, there is no possibility that the product will not arrive even if the payment processing is performed. 
     Hardware Configuration Example 
     In each of the above-described example embodiments, each component of the service providing apparatus  100  and the service providing system  1  indicates a block of a functional unit. Some or all of the components of each device may be achieved by any combination of a computer  500  and a program. 
       FIG.  12    is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the computer  500 . Referring to  FIG.  12   , the computer  500  includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU)  501 , a read only memory (ROM)  502 , a random access memory (RAM)  503 , a program  504 , a storage device  505 , a drive device  507 , a communication interface  508 , an input device  509 , an input-output interface  511 , and a bus  512 . 
     The program  504  includes instructions for achieving the functions of each device. The program  504  is stored in advance in the ROM  502 , the RAM  503 , and/or the storage device  505 . The CPU  501  achieves the functions of each device by executing instructions included in the program  504 . For example, when the CPU  501  of the service providing apparatus  100  executes instructions included in the program  504 , the service providing apparatus  100  implements the functions of the request reception unit  110 , the agent selecting unit  130 , the identification information issuing unit  140 , the agent instruction unit  150 , the payment result acquisition unit  160 , the notice reception unit  170 , and the payment processing unit  180 . The RAM  503  may store data to be processed in the functions of each device. For example, the RAM  503  of the service providing apparatus  100  may store the client information, the agent information, the request information, and the instruction information. 
     The drive device  507  reads and/or writes on the recording medium  506 . The communication interface  508  provides an interface with a communication network. The input device  509  includes, for example, a mouse, a keyboard, and/or the like, and receives an input of information from an administrator or the like. The output device  510  is, for example, a display and outputs (displays) information to an administrator or the like. The input-output interface  511  provides an interface with a peripheral device. The reader  32  described above is connected to the input-output interface  511 . The bus  512  connects these hardware components. The program  504  may be supplied to the CPU  501  via a communication network, or may be stored in the recording medium  506  in advance, read by the drive device  507 , and supplied to the CPU  501 . 
     The hardware configuration illustrated in  FIG.  12    is an example, and other components may be added or some of the components are not necessary to be included. 
     There are various modification examples of the implementation method of each device. For example, each device may be achieved by any combination of a computer and a program different for each component. A plurality of components included in each device may be achieved by any combination of one computer and a program. 
     Some or all of the components of each device may be achieved by general-purpose or dedicated circuitry including a processor or the like, or a combination thereof. These circuits may be configured by a single chip or may be configured by a plurality of chips connected via a bus. Some or all of the components of each device may be achieved by a combination of the above-described circuit or the like and a program. 
     When some or all of the components of each device is achieved by a plurality of computers, circuits, and the like, the plurality of computers, circuits, and the like may be arranged in a centralized manner or in a distributed manner. 
     At least a part of the service providing apparatus  100  may be provided in a software as a service (SaaS) format. That is, at least a part of the functions for achieving the service providing apparatus  100  may be executed by software executed via a network. 
     While the present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. The configurations according to the example embodiments can be combined with each other without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese patent application No. 2020-062854, filed on Mar. 31, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       1  service providing system 
       100  service providing apparatus 
       110  request reception unit 
       130  agent selecting unit 
       140  identification information issuing unit 
       150  agent instruction unit 
       160  payment result acquisition unit 
       170  notice reception unit 
       180  payment processing unit 
       190  registration information storage unit 
       10  client terminal 
       20  agent terminal 
       30  store terminal 
       400  payment server