Patent ID: 8036948

Claim:
An article joint purchase system using a network, for managing, via the network, purchase application information on an article which is inputted by each of a plurality of applicants for purchase through a terminal device, the article being produced, transported, or purchased on a lot basis on the network, the system comprising: an accepting means for accepting the purchase application information inputted through the terminal device and reporting an application for purchase, an entry price (which is a price at which or under which purchase is desired) of the article, and a desired quantity; an order data table for storing the application for purchase, the entry price, and the desired quantity, in association with one another; a condition table for registering a resultant initial cost obtained by adding a profit to an initial production cost that includes a design cost and an artwork production cost, a fixed cost obtained by adding a material cost per one piece of the article to a production cost per one piece of the article, and a maximum sales quantity which corresponds to the quantity of the article in one lot; and a quantity and price determining means for: comparing a first value obtained, each time the purchase application information is accepted by the accepting means, by multiplying the entry price set in the purchase application information by the total of desired quantities entered at prices equal to or higher than the entry price at the time of acceptance, with a second value obtained by adding the resultant initial cost registered in the condition table to a value obtained by multiplying the fixed cost by the total of desired quantities entered at prices equal to or higher than the entry price at the time of acceptance, and determining the sales to be made with respect to the purchase application information and transmitting the entry price as a sales-determined price to the terminal device if the first value is equal to or larger than the second value, the quantity and price determining means declining to determine the sales to be made if the first value is less than the second value; wherein the quantity and price determining means calculates a current price by using the following formula: Current price=resultant initial cost÷(total of desired quantities×α+β)+fixed cost, where α and β are parameters that are set by a user with 1≧(α+β), and transmits the current price to the terminal device.