Patent ID: 8787933

Claim:
A method of providing product location information within a first store, the method comprising: providing a plurality of devices including a mobile device, wherein the plurality of devices are in communication with one another, wherein at least one of the devices includes at least one user interface, and wherein at least one of the devices includes at least one information storage device, wherein the at least one information storage device includes both product location information and additional product-related information that includes information regarding at least one of information concerning a quantity of a first product within the store, information concerning a price of the product, information concerning a presence or absence of the product within the store, information concerning a time at which the product should be available at the store if the product is currently absent from the store, and information linking the product with another product in a cross-referential manner, and further information concerning at least one past location inquiry of a customer; receiving an input signal at least indirectly by way of the at least one user interface; querying the information storage device to obtain portions of the product location information and the additional product-related information in response to the input signal; and providing a product location information signal in response to the input signal, for receipt by the at least one user interface, whereby the at least one user interface is able to provide an output signal based upon the product location information signal, wherein the output signal provides at least one suggestion to the customer in accordance with one or more preferences of the customer, including location information concerning a location of at least one item of interest to the customer, the one or more preferences being obtained at least in part based upon the further information.