Patent ID: 8417589

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of conducting business for selling to a purchaser an article of apparel having at least one base unit and interchangeable components, the method comprising: offering for sale to said purchaser through a computer workstation operable by said purchaser a multiplicity of base units and a multiplicity of interchangeable components for assembling the article of apparel, the computer workstation comprising a database, a computer display, a user interface, and a processor, images of said multiplicity of base units and said multiplicity of interchangeable components being saved in said database for viewing on the computer display; displaying on the computer display to said purchaser before a purchase is made a virtual design of the article of apparel comprising at least one of said base units with one or more of said multiplicity of interchangeable components, the at least one base unit and the one or more interchangeable components for composing the virtual design being selected from the database by said purchaser; saving by the processor the virtual design of the article of apparel in the database for later access and viewing on the computer display by said purchaser and by other potential purchasers; creating by the processor an electronic purchaser user account in said database to allow said purchaser to select for purchase components from said multiplicity of base units and said interchangeable components; electronically tracking delivery of said selected components upon purchase to said purchaser associated with said electronic purchaser user account; and updating by said processor said purchaser's user account in said database to reflect delivery of said selected components, wherein said purchase to said purchaser is made within a retail store, the computer workstation being located at the retail store, and wherein said retail store includes a special location within said store only accessible to purchasers having a specified membership status.