Abstract:
The present invention provides methods and systems for the purchase of furniture systems or products via a computer network such as the internet. In one aspect of the invention, a graphical user interface having a product matrix is provided to assist in the presentation and sale of furniture systems and products. In another aspect of the invention, a method and system for on-line purchase of a furniture system or furniture product is provided. Those skilled in the art will appreciate other aspects of the invention in view of the description below and with reference to the attached drawings.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of Provisional Application Serial No. 60/246,327, filed Nov. 6, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for the purchase of furniture systems or products via a computer network such as the internet. In particular, the present invention relates to a graphical user interface having a product matrix to assist in the presentation and sale of furniture systems and products.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The emergence of E-commerce has given businesses and consumers greater choice and flexibility in the marketplace. Web sites such as Priceline.com and Amazon.com have offered not only a greater variety of products and services, but have also offered the marketplace new methods of exchanging such products and services.  
           [0004]    While there have been many advances in offering customers a wide range of products, little has been done to expand a customer&#39;s ability to purchase furniture over the internet. Moreover, there has been little or no development of a strategy for the convenient presentation of furniture products at a Web site.  
           [0005]    In the past, small business or home office users have had generally limited options related to the purchase of office furniture. While many traditional retail stores carry office furniture, they are typically directed to the home user. In addition, these furniture products are typically of lower quality and functionality than some users may desire. While some higher end traditional designs are also available from other stores, many small business and home users seek a greater range of furniture selection options. Small businesses can also have problems because previously available furniture for such users could be unsuitable, both aesthetically and functional for particular office environments. In particular, many small businesses rely heavily on modern computer and phone technologies, such as many internet related businesses, thereby requiring more advanced furniture designs. Accordingly, while products having a higher level of functionality and quality are available, they were not readily available to many smaller businesses or home users.  
           [0006]    As a result, while E-commerce has provided many new choices for customers, there still remains a need to develop new strategies for providing even better opportunities for the sale of furniture systems and products.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention provides methods and systems for the purchase of furniture systems or products via a computer network such as the Internet. In one aspect of the invention, a graphical user interface having a product matrix is provided to assist in the presentation and sale of furniture systems and products. In another aspect of the invention, a method and system for on-line purchase of a furniture system or furniture product is provided. Those skilled in the art will appreciate other aspects of the invention in view of the description below and with reference to the attached drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of a preferred embodiment of a system operating in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a display of a home page according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a display of a product matrix page according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a display of a product category page according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a display of a product line page according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a display is of a particular product page according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a display of a product comparison page according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Referring initially to FIG. 1, a system for the selection and purchase of a furniture system is shown generally at  10 . The system  10  includes a conventional user/customer computer  12 , a communications network  14  such as the Internet, and a merchant computing system  16 . As used herein, the terms “user” and “customer” are intended to be interchangeable. The merchant computing system  16  includes a server capable of running software. The server is also connected to a database that stores, for example, customer information, product information and the like. Customers such as small businesses or home users may access the server from their respective browsers via the communications network  14 . The technical specifications generally concerning communications via the internet, as well as the software and formats used in client-server relationships, are now well known in the art, and therefore have not been included in the discussion that follows.  
         [0016]    When a customer accesses the merchant computing system  16 , he or she will typically first download the home page  30  which is illustrated in the preferred embodiment of FIG. 2. The home page  30  is an introduction to the products offered at the site. The lifestyle image  32  is an introduction to the character of the brand or products offered at the site. By selecting the “show all furniture products” button  34 , a user will be directed to the product matrix page as illustrated in FIG. 3. By selecting one of the specific furniture categories  36  identified beneath the “show all furniture products” button  34 , a user is directed to a product category page as illustrated in FIG. 4. The general information buttons  38  provide information about the brand  40 , a statement on privacy  42  and a link  44  to a related home page. The general information buttons  38  are also located on additional pages throughout the site.  
         [0017]    The search tool  50  allows a user to search for a particular product throughout the site, e.g., EAMES™ chairs. Adjacent the search tool  50 , a customer login  52  is provided. The customer login button  52  provides a user with saved account information such as payment information, e.g., credit card information, in order to speed order processing. A password may be implemented with each customer account for security purposes. A shopping cart  54  provides a cart to identify products that a user desires to purchase. The adjacent help button  56  provides a list of frequently asked questions to assist a user of the site. The customer login button  52 , the shopping cart  54  and the help button  56  are also located on additional pages in the site. A contest button  60  seeks customer demographic information in return for entry into a contest for a product such as the AERON™ chair.  
         [0018]    A promotional matrix  70  is illustrated on the right hand side of the home page  30 . The promotional matrix  70  illustrates the products sold the most according to the product categories  72 . The product categories  72  include, in the illustrated embodiment: (1) seating, (2) desks, (3) storage, (4) accessories, e.g., keyboard supports, (5) screens, and (6) lighting. However, as those of skill in the art will recognize, the addition or deletion of other categories could be implemented. The organization of the promotional matrix  70  is important because it allows a user to look for the particular type of product desired, e.g., a chair, without having to look through various product lines to find chairs. The promotional matrix  70  also allows for the promotion of the most popular products. Alternatively, a user&#39;s or customer&#39;s history of purchases at the site may be tracked with the promotional matrix  70  identifying those products that were most often purchased by a particular customer.  
         [0019]    Within the product categories  72 , thumbnail high resolution images of the particular products within the categories are illustrated. An enlarged image portion  76  provides an enlarged image of the particular products as the user scrolls the curser across the particular products. Accordingly, as a user scrolls down the seating product category  72 , an enlarged image of each product will appear in the enlarged image portion  76 . If a user desires to purchase a product or review additional information on a product, they simply click on the particular thumbnail image of the product in order to be directed to a product page as illustrated in FIG. 6. The above-identified products such the Herman Miller RED® products are all manufactured by Herman Miller, Inc. of Zeeland, Mich.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3. illustrates a preferred embodiment of a product matrix page  80 . By clicking on the “show all furniture products” button  34  of FIG. 2, a user is directed to the product matrix page  80 . A preferred embodiment of a product matrix  82  is illustrated in the center of the page. The product matrix  82  is a single graphic representation of the product vocabulary. The product matrix columns are arranged according to product categories  88  as previously identified. The product matrix  82  also includes rows arranged according to product lines  90  such as: (1) RED Spider, (2) RED rocket, (3) RED sail, (4) RED grasshopper, (5) RED snapper, (6) RED machine, (7) Select Herman Miller Products, (8) Select Herman Miller Classics, (8) Eames products, and (9) Other Products. The product lines  90  are arranged, in a preferred embodiment, according to purchase price. In particular, the product lines  90  are arranged generally from least expensive to most expensive. As shown on the page  80 , a thumbnail image of each particular product is arranged on the page according to the particular location defined by the above-identified parameters. Accordingly, a user or customer may view the entire product vocabulary on a single page.  
         [0021]    As operated on the home page  30 , as a user scrolls across a particular product category  88  or product line  90 , an enlarged representation of the product will appear on the page generally illustrated in FIG. 2. A user does not have to click on the image in order for the enlarged image to appear. As identified previously, if a user identifies a particular product they would like to purchase or gather more information on, they click on the thumbnail image of the desired product. Alternatively, a user may select a particular product category  88  in order to view a page, such as the embodiment of the product category page  100  illustrated in FIG. 4. A user may also select a product line  90  in order to view a product line page  106  such as that illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 5. Accordingly, a user may easily define their search for a product by locating: (1) a particular product, (2) a particular product category, e.g. desks and tables or (3) a particular product line, e.g., RED SPIDER™. Also, the product lines  90  are arranged by purchase price in order to further aid the review of the vocabulary by a user.  
         [0022]    The product matrix  82  generally requires the use of a limited product vocabulary. In particular, only a selected number of products may be identified in the product matrix, i.e., it cannot be continually expanded. The product matrix  82 , in a preferred embodiment, should only include those products that have been sold in relatively high quantities. In the preferred embodiment, additional product lines  90  or particular products will be continually developed in order to replace products identified as underselling. Alternatively, the placement of products on the site may be based on those that are most profitable. In addition, many of the new product lines  90  will be developed with only a relatively small capital expenditure in order to insure that a generally constant development of new products for the site are produced.  
         [0023]    Referring to FIG. 4, a preferred embodiment of a product category page  100  is illustrated. While the product category page  100  illustrates desks and tables, each product category will have a page. The main image and text at the central portion  110  identifies the particular product category, describes the category and includes an image of a representative product. The subcategories  112  further define the product categories into types of desks and tables, e.g., work desks, conference tables, and other tables such as EAMES™ or NOGUCHI™ tables. By clicking on a particular product identified in the subcategories, a user would be directed to a particular product page such as that illustrated in FIG. 6. A product category matrix  114  illustrates all the products in the particular product category, e.g., desks and tables. Again, by clicking on a particular product within the product category matrix  114 , a user would be directed to a particular product page such as that illustrated in FIG. 6.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a product line page  106 , e.g., RED SPIDER™. The product line page  106  illustrates a plurality of particular products according to a product line. The main image and text at the central portion of the page  120  identifies the particular product line, describes the product line and includes a representative image of the product. The product line is illustrates slightly enlarged product images  122 . By clicking on a particular product in the collection of product images  122 , a user would be directed to a product page  140  such as that illustrated in FIG. 6.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a product page  140 . While page  140  is illustrated for the Red ROCKET™ desk, each product will have an associated page. The main image and text at the central portion  142  identifies the particular product, describes the product with the text  144  and includes an image  146  of the product. The text  144  includes, in a preferred embodiment, a description of the product, the dimensions of the product, the price, the leasing terms, the delivery time and assembly time. The “add to cart” button  148  allows a user to purchase the product by adding it to a shopping cart. In addition, the quantity button  149  allows a user to select the number of particular products desired. A color button  150  allows a user to select the desired color of the product. The “checkout now” button  152  allows a user to then purchase all the items present in their shopping cart. Alternatively, the “add to wish list” button  154  allows a user to save a list of items that they may like to purchase in the future. Related products image collection  156  identifies products related to the one identified above. Accordingly, a canopy, cable pouch or trash bag are shown as additional items that a user may desire to purchase together with the desk shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0026]    A product category matrix  114  is again illustrated on the left hand side of the page as in FIG. 4. The product category matrix  114  keeps the related products in the same category readily accessible. Again, by clicking on a particular product within the product category matrix  114 , a user would be directed to a particular product page.  
         [0027]    The “tell a friend” button  162  allows for an email message to be created identifying the particular product and forwarding it to the friend. A link would then be presented in the email to allow the friend to quickly return to a particular product page, e.g., product page for the RED rocket desk as shown in FIG. 6. The “view collection” button  164  allows a user to switch to the product line page as illustrated in FIG. 5.  
         [0028]    The comparison shop button  170  allows a user to be directed to a comparison shop page such as the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a RED spider desk is being compared to a RED rocket desk. The menus  192  and  194  provide a quick listing of particular products than can be compared. A user may then easily adjust the particular products being compared, e.g., the wing table could also be compared to the RED rocket desk. The central portion of the screen, as illustrated in FIG. 7, is split into two categories  196  and  198 , one for each product. Each of the categories  196  and  198  will include an image of the product, the price, the dimensions, the assembly time, the size, and color options. Accordingly, a user may easily compare the characters of two particular products.  
         [0029]    Thus, those skilled in the art will recognize that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the claims that follow. It is therefore intended to include within the invention all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.