Patent ID: 7546257

Claim:
A method for managing an independent supply chain, comprising: in a supply chain comprising at least independent suppliers, independent stores, and an independent supply chain manager with an independent supply chain manager computer connected together by a network, the independent supply chain manager negotiating supplier master contracts with the independent suppliers, wherein each different supplier master contract is to supply at least one item directly or indirectly to at least one of the independent stores, wherein each of a plurality of the supplier master contracts includes a term assigning directly or indirectly at least one independent distributors to the independent supplier to which to supply directly or indirectly the at least one item, and further wherein each of a plurality of the supplier master contracts establishes a contract price for one of the items and an invoice price for that item and requires the independent supplier to bill at the invoice price, wherein the contract price for the item and the invoice price for the item are different, storing a plurality of terms of the supplier master contracts in a supply chain electronic database accessible via the network; registering at least each of a plurality of the independent suppliers and the independent stores and maintaining a list of registered users in the independent supply chain manager computer; receiving store sales data from a plurality of the independent stores utilizing the network, the store sales data comprising sales of goods by the independent stores, wherein the sales of the goods are made over a counter or otherwise at a store location; receiving data from the independent suppliers and/or the independent stores utilizing the network, the data relating to the sales of the items from the independent suppliers directly or indirectly to the independent stores and including a number of items sold; for the sales of items, electronically calculating by computer an amount to be transferred from or to the independent supplier based on a number of items sold by the independent supplier directly or indirectly to at least one of the independent stores and a difference between the contract price and invoice price for the items; generating a communication or providing electronic access via the network to data relating to the amount to be transferred; automatically comparing by computer at least one contract term in one of the supplier master contracts for the at least one item to received data relating to the sales of the at least one item; automatically generating a communication if there is a discrepancy between the at least one contract term and the received data; and, providing an interface on the network to allow access by a registered user to the supply chain electronic database, wherein each of a plurality of the registered users that are independent suppliers has access to the store sales data for the stores that they supply either directly or indirectly.