Patent Publication Number: US-2013254067-A1

Title: System and Method for Networking Independent Sellers of Items

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This disclosure relates to a system and method for networking independent sellers of items. 
     Today, there are many furniture merchants across the country. Furniture merchants typically have physical showrooms, but are now often creating an online presence so that customers can view 8 tejs and even purchase from their homes. Online presence has allowed merchants to advertise to customers outside traditional local delivery areas. However, capturing remote customers has been a problem for two reasons: high shipping cost, and long delivery times. Customers expect delivery on the same day the order has been completed. Regarding high cost, the cost of furniture includes not only materials and labor to build the furniture, but also the cost to ship the furniture to the store, and later to ship the furniture to the customer&#39;s location. One solution to the high cost of shipping is to drop shipping from a manufacturer or a centralized warehouse to the furniture store but instead ship directly from a manufacturer or a centralized warehouse directly to the end customer. However, such solution does not satisfy the long delivery wait-time. Another solution is to have many warehouses in various locations in the country. However, such solution requires keeping a lot of inventory, which is impossible for most small furniture stores. 
     As such it would be useful to have an improved system and method for networking independent sellers of items. 
     SUMMARY 
     A system and method for networking independent sellers of items is described herein. 
     In one embodiment, a system that networks independent sellers of items can comprise a merchant-linking server memory that stores a plurality of affiliated partner profiles each associated with an affiliated partner, said affiliated partner profiles comprising a merchant address and an inventory catalog comprising a plurality of item listings, each identifiable by an item identifier, and a member profile associated with a member, said member profile comprising an item list, said item list comprising one or more of said item identifiers. Moreover, the system that networks independent sellers of items can further comprise a server application, a merchant-linking server processor that, according to instructions from said server application, receives a requested item identifier and a customer address from one of said members, wherein said requested item identifier matches one of said item identifiers wherein said requested item identifier identifies a requested item said customer offers to purchase from said merchant, identifies each of said affiliated partner profiles that comprises said requested item identifies, determines distances between said customer address and said merchant address inside each of said affiliated partner profiles comprising said requested identifiers, and chooses one or more of said item listings based on said distances. 
     Additionally, a method for networking independent sellers of items is disclosed. The method can comprise storing in a memory a plurality of affiliated partner profiles each associated with an affiliated partner, said affiliated partner profiles comprising a merchant address and an inventory catalog comprising a plurality of item listings, each identifiable by an item identifier, storing in said memory a member profile associated with a member, said member profile comprising an item list, said item list comprising one or more of said item identifiers. Further, the method can also comprise receiving a requested item identifier and a customer address from one of said members, wherein said requested item identifier matches one of said item identifiers wherein said requested item identifier identifies a requested item said customer offers to purchase from said merchant, identifying each of said affiliated partner profiles that comprises said requested item identifier, determining distances between said customer address and said merchant address inside each of said affiliated partner profiles comprising said requested identifiers, and choosing one or more of said item listings based on said distances. 
     Lastly, in one embodiment, the system that networks independent sellers of items can comprise a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein. The said computer readable program code can be adapted to be executed to implement the above mentioned gunfire detection method. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a vast region showing merchants in multiple locations. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a merchant linking system comprising a plurality of merchant computers, one or more merchant servers, and a merchant-linking server connected by a network. 
         FIG. 3   a  illustrates a merchant server. 
         FIG. 3   b  illustrates a merchant-linking server. 
         FIG. 4   a  illustrates a merchant server memory. 
         FIG. 4   b  illustrates a merchant-linking server memory. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a customer profile. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an affiliated partner profile. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an inventory catalog. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a merchant access website. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a merchant website. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a payment flowchart for one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a payment flowchart for a second embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a payment flowchart for a third embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Described herein is a system and method for networking independent sellers of items. The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any development project), design decisions must be made to achieve the designers&#39; specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another. It will also be appreciated that such development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the field of the appropriate art having the benefit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments, but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a vast region  100  showing merchants  101  in multiple locations. In the example given in  FIG. 1 , merchant  101   a  resides in New York City, merchant  101   b  resides in Dallas, and merchant  101   c  resides in Los Angeles. In practice, there can be many merchants, across region  100 , some in the same local area as other merchants. Each merchant  101  can be an Affiliated Partner, member, or both, as discussed below. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a merchant linking system  200  comprising a plurality of merchant computers  201 , one or more merchant servers  202 , and a merchant-linking server  203  connected by a network  204 . Merchant-linking system  200  can communicate with a customer computer  205  via network  204 . Each merchant computer  201  can be associated with a unique merchant  101 . Each merchant computer  201  and customer computer  205  can include, but is not limited to, a laptop, desktop, server, workstation, or portable device. Merchant linking system  200  may also comprise a merchant server  202  and a merchant-linking server  203 . Merchant server  202  can be physically located or be remote from merchant. Further, merchant server  202  can belong to a remote merchant or to a third party server provider. In one embodiment, merchant server  202  and merchant-linking server  203  can be the same server. Network  204  can be a wide area network (WAN), or a combination of local area networks (LANs), WANs and/or piconets. Network  204  can be hard-wired, wireless, or a combination of both. One illustrative LAN is a network within a single business. One illustrative WAN is the Internet. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the internal hardware of merchant server  202  and merchant-linking server  203 .  FIG. 3   a  illustrates merchant server  202 . Merchant server  202  can comprise a merchant server processor  301 , and a merchant server memory  302 . Merchant server processor  301  can perform a set of instructions stored within merchant server memory  302 . Merchant server memory  302  can reside with the same structure as merchant server processor  301 , as is the case in a typical desktop or laptop computer. Merchant server memory  302  can be combinations of server-based memory, direct connect memory, network based memory, or in any other configuration known in the art. 
       FIG. 3   b  illustrates merchant-linking server  203 . Merchant-linking server  203  can comprise a merchant-linking server processor  303 , and a merchant-linking server memory  304 . Merchant-linking server processor  303  can perform a set of instructions stored within merchant-linking server memory  304 . Merchant-linking server memory  304  can reside with the same structure as a merchant-linking server processor  303 . Merchant server memory  304  can be combinations of server-based memory, direct connect memory, network based memory, or in any other configuration known in the art. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates server memory.  FIG. 4   a  illustrates merchant server memory  302 . Merchant memory  302  can comprise a merchant website  401 . For purposes of this disclosure, merchant website  401  can be a solely HTML site, or can comprise HTML and on or more applications used to transmit and receive information to and from customers and/or send information to server application. In one embodiment, merchant memory  302  can also comprise a one or more customer profiles  402  that can be created, edited and deleted by the customer through merchant website  401 . 
       FIG. 4   b  illustrates merchant-linking server memory  304 . Merchant-linking server memory  304  can comprise a server application  403 , one or more customer profiles  402 , and/or a one or more affiliated partner profiles  404 . Server application  403  can reside and execute within merchant-linking server memory  304 , and can receive and transmit instructions and data across network  204 . In an embodiment wherein merchant website  401  and server application  403  reside on the same server, i.e., merchant server  202  and merchant-linking server  203  are the same server, server application  403  can be programmed to transmit and receive information with merchant website  401  within the server. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a customer profile  402 . Customer profile  402  can comprise a name  501 , an address  502 , a telephone number  503 , an email  504  and/or an order record  505 . Name  501  can include a first name, a middle name, and/or last name. Address  502  can include but is not limited to, a work address, a residential address, or a residential address of a customer. In one embodiment wherein address  502  is a residential address, a furniture item, invoice, warranty card, and/or receipt can be delivered to a customer via postal mail. Email  504  can be used by server application  403  to send messages to a customer or to a group of customers. Order record  505  can be a record of past and/or present orders associated with a customer. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an affiliated partner profile  404 . Affiliated partner profile  404  can comprise a one or more contact details  601 , and/or a one or more inventory catalog  602 . Contact details can include a merchant name, a merchant address, a merchant telephone number, a merchant website, and a merchant location. Affiliated partner profile  404  can show up during a search by a remote merchant for another merchant that is local to a customer, as discussed further below. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates inventory catalog  602 . Inventory catalog  602  can comprise information related to individual 8 tejs, including a stock keeping unit  701 , an item identifier  702 , a retail price  703 , a merchant network price  704 , a stock availability  705 , a quantity available  706 , weight  707 , and/or a dimension set  708 . Stock keeping unit  701  can be a number or a code for identifying each unique furniture item available in the merchant&#39;s inventory catalog  602 . Item identifier  702  can be such as a 8 tej name, a model number or any other combination of numbers and string to identify an item model. Item identifier  702  is typically supplied by the manufacturer of the item An item can have a retail price  703  and a wholesale price  704  for customers. Stock availability  705  can be string characters “YES” and “NO” representing if a merchant have any stock available or not. Quantity available  706  can represent the number of items available in the merchant&#39;s inventory. Weight  707  can also be used to calculate shipping/delivery fees from the local merchant&#39;s warehouse to an end customer after a purchase. Dimension set  708  can represent the width, height, and/or depth of a furniture item. 
     Inventory catalog  602  will be in affiliated partner profile  404  for each merchant  101  that is an Affiliated Partner. An Affiliated Partner is any merchant  101  whose affiliated partner profile  404  comprises an inventory catalog  602  on or available through merchant-linking server  203 . Affiliated partner profile  404  is accessible over network  204 , but is not publicly available. Instead, affiliated partner profile  404  is only available to merchants  101  who are Members of the merchant-linking system. Stated another way. A Member is a merchant  101  who has authority to query all or a portion of affiliated partner profiles  404  for the purpose of finding 8 tejs available for sale in a particular geographic location. In one embodiment, a Member may be restricted by server application  403  to selling a particular brand of goods. In another embodiment, a Member may be restricted by server application  403  to selling items only in a particular location. In another embodiment, an Affiliated Partner may be restricted by server application  403  to selling a particular set of items. In another embodiment, an Affiliated Partner may be restricted by server application  403  to selling goods only in a particular location. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a merchant access website  800 . In one common furniture-buying scenario, a customer contacts a remote merchant, inquiring about an advertised item. In response, the remote merchant can check available inventory, and give a quote to the customer. In one embodiment of the disclosed invention, Members can advertise items. A customer interested in buying the item can notify the Member of his or her interest in the item. Then, the Member can, using computer  201 , sign into his account in server application  403 . Once in the account, the Member can query a database comprising affiliated partner profiles  404 . In the query field, the Member can input a delivery address associated with customer, along with an item identifier  702 . Server application  403  can find Affiliated Partners that have inventory with the item identifier. Server application  403  can also compare merchant addresses to the customer&#39;s deliver address, using systems and methods known in the art, to calculate a merchant distance for each merchant. Then server application  403  can determine the merchant or merchants closest to customer by comparing merchant distances. In one embodiment, server application  403  can further compare the merchant distance for each merchant to maximum deliver distance to determine whether it is within the maximum delivery distance parameter. Using systems and methods commonly known in the art, server application  403  to find local merchants close to customer having the item that customer wishes to buy. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates merchant website  401 . In another common furniture buying scenario, a customer visits merchant website  401 . There the customer is able to shop, choose items he or she likes, and make purchases that will be delivered to them. In another embodiment of the disclosed invention, merchant website  401  can exist on merchant server  202 . In such configuration, merchant website  401  one or more items offered for sale within a cart  901 . Cart  901  is software for selling items over the Internet, hosted and running on merchant server  202  or a host (third party) server. Cart  901  can comprise one or more descriptive texts  902  that provide a title to the selling item, and/or provide a description of the selling item. Cart  901  can further comprise one or more pictures  903  placed near descriptive text  902 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . Additionally, cart  901  can comprise input fields  904  such as text fields, check boxes, radio buttons, and/or dropdown menus to present the customer with options available such as colors, sizes, or quantities of items. Furthermore, cart  901  can includes system buttons  905  for navigation. System buttons  905  offer the user the possibility to interact with cart  901  by providing instructions. Examples of providing instructions are, but not limited to, add the relevant items to the cart basket, remove an item from the cart basket, and/or check out to finalize the purchase. 
     In one embodiment, merchant website  401  can auto-populate itself by signing into Merchant account in server application  403  and querying a database comprising all or a portion of affiliated partner profiles  404 . In another embodiment, the items for sale on merchant website  401  can be populated by the Member who owns merchant website  401 . In another embodiment, server application  403  can populate merchant website  401  according to a set of items the Member is allowed to sell using merchant linking system  200 . Then server application  403  can send the list of items to merchant website  401 . In one embodiment server application  403  can also send item identifier  702  for each type of item on the list. A unique identifier can be an alphanumeric string, or any combination of information from merchant profile that uniquely identifies an item in stock with a particular affiliated partner. In any of these embodiments, a Member can establish further parameters to further limit which item he or she will sell. When a customer makes an offer to buy an item, merchant website  401  can transfer to server application  403  the offer. The offer can include the unique identifier of the item, the customer&#39;s name, the customer&#39;s address, the customer&#39;s phone number, the price of the item, and/or payment information. 
     After receiving the offer, server application  403  can query affiliated partner profiles  404  using the unique identifier of the item. Server application  403  can find Affiliated Partners that have the item available for sale. Server application  403  can also compare merchant addresses to the customer&#39;s deliver address, using systems and methods known in the art, to calculate a merchant distance for each merchant. Then server application  403  can determine the Affiliated Partner closest to customer by comparing merchant distances. In one embodiment, server application  403  can further compare the merchant distance for each merchant to maximum deliver distance to determine whether it is within the maximum delivery distance parameter. Using systems and methods commonly known in the art, server application  403  to find local merchants close to customer having the item that customer wishes to buy. In one embodiment, server application  403  can calculate a delivery charge based on the location of the Affiliated Partner or the customer, the distance between the Affiliated Partner and the customer, and/or the item being delivered. Such shipping price can then be communicated to merchant website  401 , wherein merchant website  401  can complete the transaction with the customer. In another embodiment, all information relevant for calculating shipping cost can be transferred from server application  403  to merchant website  401 , wherein merchant website can calculate a delivery cost and complete the transaction with the customer. In another embodiment, shipping costs can be a flat rate. In such embodiment, calculation is unnecessary. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a payment flowchart for one embodiment of the disclosure. In one embodiment, customer can give payment information such as a credit card or bank account and routing number directly to Member. Member then can collect payment. In such embodiment, Member can make a separate order on behalf of customer on server application  403 , as described above. In such embodiment, merchant can tell server application  403  how much he sold the item for, and send a portion of that amount as a merchant payment. This amount can be communicated to customer when the order is shipped to prevent merchant from putting an incorrect value. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a payment flowchart for a second embodiment of the disclosure. In another embodiment, customer can give payment to merchant website  401 . Merchant website  401  can then collect payment. After collecting payment, merchant website  401  can send a Member payment to server application  403 . Server application can  403  can then distribute a payment to affiliated partner. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a payment flowchart for a third embodiment of the disclosure. In another embodiment, customer can give payment information to merchant website  401 . Merchant website  401  can then transfer payment information to server application  403 . Server application  403  can then take the payment. After taking payment, server application  403  can then cause a first payment to be distributed to Member and a second payment to be distributed to Affiliated Partner. 
     Payments can be calculated in a number of ways. In one embodiment, Affiliated Partners can establish a price, and pay a commission to merchant linking system  200  for each item sold over merchant-linking system  200 . Such commission can be split by merchant-linking system  200  with Member. In another embodiment, two prices can be set by merchant-linking system  200  on server application: a selling price to Member, and a buying price from Affiliated Partner. In another embodiment, price can be set by Member and communicated to server application  403 . A commission can be charged by server application  403  and split with Affiliated partner. In any embodiment involving a commission, commission can be charged based on the total amount of a sales transaction or can be charged based on net proceeds. 
     Various changes in the details of the illustrated operational methods are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims. Some embodiments may combine the activities described herein as being separate steps. Similarly, one or more of the described steps may be omitted, depending upon the specific operational environment the method is being implemented in. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.”