Patent ID: 7266511

Claim:
A method for operating a virtual shopping mall by using a computer system, the computer system being established on a plurality of chain stores which are chained in advance to one another to form a physical distribution system, each of said chain stores including a terminal base unit for registering virtual goods information including an image, said terminal base units being connectable to the virtual shopping mall by a communication line, said method comprising: registering virtual goods information, which corresponds to a seller's real goods, from one of said terminal base units provided in one of said chain stores to the virtual shopping mall after receiving said virtual goods information from said seller, said registering virtual goods information including the image of said real goods as a part of said virtual goods information; intermediating business between said seller and a buyer on said virtual shopping mall by presenting said virtual goods information to the buyer; setting a delivery path on the physical distribution system for delivering said real goods from said seller to said buyer in accordance with said buyer's selection of a terminal base from which said buyer receives said real goods; establishing trading between said buyer and said seller, which achieves business on said virtual shopping mall; and setting a maximum value of a number of categories of virtual goods, which can be displayed on said virtual shopping mall, according to a fee charged to said seller.