Patent ID: 8560399

Claim:
An article of manufacture comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein to autonomically purchase a resource from a plurality of vendors in accord with a specified delivery schedule, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect: receiving from a customer: data identifying a plurality of resources that the customer desires; a specified delivery schedule for each of the plurality of resources; a vendor selection criterion; and consent of the customer to conduct, on behalf of the customer, a plurality of purchases for the plurality of resources from a plurality of vendors; using the vendor selection criterion to select a first vendor from which to purchase each of the plurality of resources; purchasing, without receiving further consent of the customer to conduct the purchase from the first vendor, the plurality of resources from the first vendor, wherein each of the plurality of resources is to be delivered by a corresponding first specified date; using the vendor selection criterion to select a second vendor from which to purchase each of the plurality of resources; and purchasing, without receiving further consent of the customer to conduct the purchase from the second vendor, the plurality of resources from the second vendor, wherein: each of the plurality of resources purchased from the second vendor is to be delivered by a corresponding second specified date; each of the first specified dates is earlier than a corresponding second specified date; each of the first specified dates is recited in the specified delivery schedule; each of the second specified dates is determined from, at least, the specified delivery schedule; using the vendor selection criterion to select the first vendor or the second vendor includes determining for each said vendor an aggregate cost to purchase the plurality of resources from the one said vendor, the aggregate cost including an individual price for each of the resources less any applicable vendor discount; the applicable discount comprising at least one member of the group consisting of a bulk shipping discount, a discount for bulk purchases, and a rebate; and the first vendor differs from the second vendor.