Patent ID: 7020623

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of inducing a purchaser to visit a retail outlet at a remote location upon the purchase of a product from a supplier to pick up the product, the method comprising the steps of: a) identifying to the purchaser, through a computer, at least one benefit to the purchaser offered by each of at least two retail outlets to induce the purchaser to visit one of those retail outlets, wherein the at least one benefit from each of the retail outlets is customized based upon information about the purchaser provided prior to pick up of the product, wherein the at least one benefit to the purchaser is one from the group consisting of a reduction in shipping cost for the product, in-store credit provided by the retail outlet and discount coupons provided by the retail outlet, wherein the product must be shipped pursuant to a purchase by the purchaser and wherein the product is supplied from a supplier unrelated by ownership to the retail outlet, and b) accepting from the purchaser a selection of one of those retail outlets for product pickup based upon the customized benefits offered by the retail outlet to that purchaser.