WO2001097126A1

WO2001097126A1 - Goods selling method

Info

Publication number: WO2001097126A1
Application number: PCT/KR2001/000990
Authority: WO
Inventors: Young-Pil Seo
Original assignee: Able Communication Co. Ltd.
Priority date: 2000-06-12
Filing date: 2001-06-09
Publication date: 2001-12-20
Also published as: AU2001274630A1

Abstract

In a method for selling goods using a web site, after a web site user becomes of member of a web site, when the member participates in an event of the web site, a predetermined points are given to the member so that when the member selects a request goods, the member can purchase the goods with the given points.

Description

GOODS SELLING METHOD

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an Internet shopping mall, and in particular to a method for selling goods over the Internet.

BACKGROUND ART

According to differentiation and diversity of the modern society, conveniences of life are ceaselessly pursued, and the advancement of technology makes possible the requests. Particularly, lots of data are recorded on the Internet called as a mine of information, and the Internet is constructed with a plurality of virtual spaces called as web sites. The Internet has developed with the advancement of various communication networks. Particularly, according to desire of human pursuing conveniences and the advancement of technology and information communication, methods for using the Internet more efficiently have been researched, one of the methods is for selling goods over the Internet. At the present time, there are lots of shopping malls on the Internet. By using these shopping malls, a user can purchase a request goods on the Internet by using a PC installed a communication apparatus without personally going to a department store or a market place, etc.

However, in the shopping mall over the Internet in accordance with the prior art, when the user purchases a goods, a mileage is provided to the user and a free gift corresponded to the mileage is provided to the user, accordingly an useless goods may be provided to the user.

TECHNICAL GIST OF THE PESENT INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for selling goods which is capable of purchasing a request goods by a user becoming of member of a web site (shopping mall site) with points acquired by participating in events of the web site.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for selling goods which is capable of improving the purchasing will of consumers by accumulating (saving) the part of points according to purchase and giving a discount. benefit according to the accumulated points to consumers. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for selling goods which is capable of improving the event participation will of members of a shopping mall by making possible to sell acquired points of one member to another member.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for selling goods which is capable of purchasing a request goods by a member by using points provided by recommending a non-member.

It is further another object of the present invention to provide a method for selling goods which is capable of using e-coin (electronic-coin) points as cash by a member of a web site (shopping mall) by providing e-coin points to the member when the member purchases a goods and accumulating the provided e-coin points for a certain time.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, in a method for selling goods over a web site, a method for selling goods in accordance with the present invention includes registering a user of a web site as a member of the web site, providing a certain points to the member when the member participates in an event of the web site, and purchasing a request goods with the certain points when the member selects the request goods on the web site. In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, in a method for selling goods over a web site, a method for selling goods in accordance with the present invention includes registering a user of a web site as a first member, providing points according to each event to the first member when the first member participates in events of the web site, and accumulating sold points to points of a second member when the first member sells the points to the second member.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, in a method for selling goods over a web site, a method for selling goods in accordance with the present invention includes a first process for retrieving a recommender of a first non-member registering the web site, a second process for providing a certain recommendation points to the recommender as a member and registering the first non-member as a first level subordinate member of the recommender, a third process for providing respectively a certain recommendation points to the member and the first non-member when a second non-member becomes of member of the web site and a recommender of the second non-member is the first non-member, registering the second non-member as a second level subordinate member of the recommender and registering the second non-member as a first subordinate member of the first non-member, a fourth level for registering a certain level subordinate members by repeatedly performing the first ~ third processes, a fifth process for accumulating the acquired recommendation points and a certain points acquired by participating in the event, and a sixth process for selling a request goods to the member when the accumulated points are not less than predetermined points and delivering the sold goods to the member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for selling goods in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method for selling goods in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for recommending a member and providing points according to the recommendation of the member; and

Figure 4 illustrates a tree structure of member recommendation of Figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a method for selling goods in accordance with the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying Figures 1 ~ 4. Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for selling goods in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

As depicted in Figure 1 , an apparatus for selling goods in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a member information storing unit 102 storing member information such as personal data, acquired points, goods purchasing specifications, etc., a goods information storing unit 103 storing information of goods to sell, an event information storing unit 104 storing web page information, writings, a board, event information such as idea offers, etc. and member recommendation information, a communication unit 105 performing data transmission/reception over the Internet, an event information providing unit 106 providing information about the web page, event information and member recommendation information to a contacted web browser of a user over the Internet, a selling management unit 107 providing goods information to the web browser of the user when the user selects a goods on the web site, a delivery management unit 108 managing a delivery of the goods sold to the user, and a control unit 101 providing points to the user when the user becomes of member of the web site, participates in an event of the web site, recommends a member and processing a certification in purchasing of goods.

Hereinafter, the apparatus for selling goods in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method for selling goods in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. First, when a user contacts to the web site on the Internet, the communication unit 105 transmits a contact signal corresponded to it to the control unit 101.

The control unit 101 is inputted the contact signal from the communication unit 105 and controls the event information providing unit 106 so as to display web page information on the web site stored in the event information storing unit 104 to a web browser of the user. Herein, the web page information provided to the user includes an item asking to the user whether the user is a member or a non-member of the web site.

When the user is a non-member and wants to be a member of the web site (shopping mall), the event information providing unit 106 displays a member affiliation web page on the web browser of the user according to a control signal of the control unit 101.

When the user inputs information such as personal data, an ID (identifier), a password, etc., the control unit 101 databases the inputted information, stores it in the member information storing unit 102, registers the user inputting the information as a member and at the same time provides fundamental points to the user as shown at step S201.

After, when the user contacts to the web site (shopping mall) and inputs member information (ID and a password), the control unit 101 compares the inputted ID and the password with the ID and the password stored in the member information storing unit 102 and certifies (confirms) the member.

When the user is certified as the member, the control unit 101 displays information notifying the user as the legitimate member on the web browser of the user.

After, when the user certified as the legitimate member selects the event information, the event information providing unit 106 displays event page information having the board reading, writings, opinion presentation about the site, etc. on the web browser of the user according to a control signal of the control unit 101.

When the user registered as the member participates in the board reading, writings, opinion presentation about the site, etc., the control unit provides a certain activity points to the user as shown at step S202. In addition, the control unit 101 accumulates the provided points to the fundamental points stored in the member information storing unit 102 and displays the present acquired points and usable points for purchasing on the web browser of the user. On the contrary, when the user contacted to the web site is not a member, the user can participate in the event, however points according to the participant in the event do not be provided to the user. Herein, the user can acquire a certain activity points by purchasing a book published by a company operating the web site, writing answers about questions of the book on a postcard included in the book and posting it to the company. Herein, the user (non-member) writes down personal data and expresses his/her will to become of member of the web site, the company registers the non-member as a member and at the same time provides fundamental points.

After, when the user contacts to the web site and presses a point display menu, the control unit 101 orderly displays points of members from the highest points with IDs on the web browser of the user by retrieving the member information storing unit 102. In addition, when the user uses a retrieval function in order to watch only points of the user itself, the control unit 101 displays the user's points and purchasing availability on the web browser of the user as shown at step S203.

When the user contacts to the shopping mall, the purchasing management unit 107 is inputted the goods information from the goods information storing unit 103 according to a control signal of the control unit 101 and displays it on the web browser of the user. After, when the user retrieves and selects a request goods, the selling management unit 107 displays information asking whether the user purchases the selected goods with cash or acquired points on the web browser of the user as shown at step S204.

When the user wants to purchase the goods with cash, the selling management unit 107 displays a selling price of the selected goods on the web browser of the user and requests an input of a card number or a settlement account, when the user inputs the card number or settlement account, the selling management unit 107 sells the selected goods to the user. On the contrary, when the user wants to purchase the goods with the acquired points, the selling management unit 107 request a certification to the control unit 101. Herein, the control unit 101 requests an input of an ID and a password to the user and compares the inputted information with the information stored in the member information storing unit 102, when the user is judged as the legitimate user, the control unit 101 judges whether the user can purchase the selected goods with the acquired points as shown at step S205.

When the user can not purchase the selected goods with the acquired points, the control unit 101 displays information notifying the user that it is impossible to purchase the selected goods with the acquired points on the web browser of the user as shown at step S207. In addition, when the user can not purchase the selected goods with the acquired points, the control unit 101 returns to step S204 in order to make the user select a goods purchasable with the acquired points as shown at step S209.

On the contrary, when the user can purchase the selected goods with the acquired points, the control unit 101 displays information notifying the user that it is possible to purchase the selected goods with the acquired points on the web browser of the user as shown at step S206 and subtracts points used for the purchasing of the selected goods from the acquired points of the user stored in the member information storing unit 102. Herein, the control unit 101 accumulates the part of the points used for the purchasing of the goods and separately manages it apart from points acquired by participating in events, etc. Herein, the accumulated points can be used for discounting when the user purchases another goods. In addition, the accumulated points used for purchasing of goods have a certain term of validity, the certain term of validity is displayed on the web browser of the user. For example, points used for purchasing of goods are accumulated for three months, when the accumulated points are not less than a certain points, the user can have a 10 % discount in purchasing of another goods. On the contrary, when the accumulated points are not greater than a certain points, the user can not have a discount in purchasing of another goods, and when the user does not use the accumulated points for a certain time, the user can not use the accumulated points after a term of validity.

After, the control unit 101 accumulates the part of the points used for the purchasing of the another goods with the present remains of the points, and at the same time displays it on the web browser of the user. Herein, the term of validity about the part of the points used for the purchasing of the another goods can be freely set. Herein, the control unit 101 databases the part of the points used for the purchasing of goods and separately manages it apart from points acquired by participating in events.

And, the control unit 101 displays an account number for receiving a delivery charge from the user on the web browser of the user as shown at step S208. Herein, the delivery charge can be determined as a fixed amount of money regardless of a distance and a quantity of goods.

When receipts of the delivery charge is confirmed, the delivery management unit 108 delivers the goods to the user by using an express company as shown at step S210. In more detail, the delivery management unit 108 databases and manages information such as receipts of delivery charge, an express company, transportation of goods, etc.

In the meantime, when a user who purchases goods at least one time selects a goods and wants to pay with accumulated points, the control unit 101 retrieves the member information storing unit 102, yields a period from the previous purchasing time point to the present and judges whether the parts of points accumulated by the previous purchasing are still available.

When the parts of the points accumulated by the previous purchasing are not available, the control unit 101 display it on the web browser of the user, at the same time displays the present points usable for purchasing of goods in the web browser of the user, and displays whether it is possible to purchase the present selected item with the points on the web browser of the user.

After, when it is possible to purchase the present selected item with the points, the control unit 101 delivers the selected goods to the user by controlling the selling management unit 107. Herein, acquired points according to the present purchasing are accumulated to the remains of the points so as to be usable for a next purchasing, and it is checked whether the purchasing goods is delivered as shown as steps S211 and S212. In the meantime, in the present invention, by registering another web site providing points to a user when the user watches a banner advertisement or plays a game or purchases a goods as cooperation web sites, a user can purchase a goods in the shopping mall by using points acquired from the cooperation web site. Herein, the purchasing process and the points accumulating process are performed same as the above-mentioned explanations. Only, after purchasing the goods and paying the price with the acquired points, the shopping mall site notifies the another web site to subtract points used for the purchasing of the goods from the acquired points. In the meantime, when the user has points acquired by participating events, etc., however the user does not want to purchase any goods or wants to withdraw from the cite, the user can sell the acquired points to another member. In addition, the sellable points include not only points acquired from the shopping mall but also points acquired from a cooperation company (another web site). In this case, the user who wants to sell the acquired points contacts to the web site (shopping mall) and selects a selling method among an auction, a reverse auction and a method offering a certain amount of money.

Accordingly, the user who wants to purchase the acquired points of another user bids by the method offered by the user, when purchasing is determined, the user pays. In more detail, when a user purchases points of another user, the purchased points are accumulated to points of a pertinent user, and the acquired points are displayed on the web browser of the user. Hereinafter, a method for providing points according to recommendation of a member will be described with reference to accompanying Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for recommending a member and providing points according to the recommendation of the member, the method will be described in more detail with reference to accompanying Figure 4. First, when a user contacts to the shopping site on the Internet, the communication unit 105 outputs a contact signal corresponded to it to the control unit 101 , the control unit 110 is inputted the contact signal and controls the event information providing unit 106 so as to display web page information stored in advance in the event information storing unit 106 on the web browser of the user. Herein, the web page information provided to the user includes a recommendation item for writing an ID of a recommender besides an item for asking whether the user is a member. Herein, a non-member can not be provided points but participate in events. When the user selects the recommendation item, the control unit 101 displays the member affiliation page information on the web browser of a user. Herein, the member affiliation page information further includes an item for writing an ID of a recommender besides personal data, an ID, a password of the user. After, the control unit 101 databases the personal data, ID, password, stores it in the member information storing unit 102, registers the user as a member (A member) and provides fundamental points as shown at step S301. In addition, the control unit 101 retrieves information about the recommender and provides recommendation points to the recommender. For example, when the A member recommends an ordinary user as a member, the recommended ordinary user becomes of member of the shopping mall (B member), the B member inputs an ID of the A member as a recommender, when the B member recommends an ordinary user as a member and the recommended ordinary user becomes of member of the shopping mall (C member), the C member inputs an ID of the B member as a recommender, information about the recommender is retrieved by using the ID of the recommender, accordingly recommendation points are respectively provided to the recommender as shown at steps S302 ~ 305. The member information storing unit 102 accumulates the recommendation points to the acquired points of the recommender and stores it. In more detail, the member information storing unit 102 respectively accumulates the fundamental points provided to the user in joining of the shopping mall and the recommendation points provided in recommendation of the member.

In the meantime, the recommender (A member) has a first level subordinate member. For example, when the B member is recommended by the A member, the A member has the first level subordinate member (B member), the B member belongs to a subordinate member of a group of the A member.

In addition, when the A member recommends B1 , B2, B3 members, the A member has four members as the first subordinate member. Herein, there is no limitation in the number of first level members. For example, it does not matter to have one hundred or one thousand first level members, a certain points are provided to a recommender whenever a member recommends each person. In addition, when the C member is recommended by the B member, because the B member is the subordinate member of the A member, the A member as the superior member has the B member as the first level subordinate member and the C member as the second level subordinate member, the B member has the C member as the first level subordinate member. Herein, the A member respectively acquires points by recommending the first level subordinate member (B member) and points by recommending the second level subordinate member (C member), and the B member acquires points by recommending the first level subordinate member (C member). Herein, points according to recommendation can be different or same according to a first level subordinate member and a second level subordinate member. It will now be described in detail with reference to accompanying Figure 4. Figure 4 illustrates a tree structure of the member recommendation of

Figure 3.

As depicted in Figure 4, the member recommendation can be constructed with five levels. In addition, in the present invention, level for recommending member can be freely set in order to give a chance to users to accumulate e-coins (points). In more detail, the A member as the superior member has subordinate members of B, C, D, E, F as shown at step S307, and different points or same points by levels are provided to the A member. The provided recommendation points are accumulated with activity points as shown at steps S309 and S310. When the accumulated points are not less than a certain points, the A member can purchase a goods as shown at step S311. Herein, the A member can purchase the goods with cash as well as the accumulated points.

After, when the user selects a request goods, the selling management unit 107 retrieves whether there is the request goods of the user, asks whether the user buys the request goods with cash or points. Herein, when the user selects a cash settlement, the selling management unit 107 displays a selling price of the goods on the web browser of the user, asks to input a card number or a settlement account number of the user, compares the inputted information with member information stored in advance in the member information storing unit 102 and judges whether the user is a legitimate user.

After, when the user is judged as the legitimate user, the control unit 101 judges whether the user can purchase the request goods with the present acquired points.

When the user can not purchase the request goods with the acquired points, the control unit 101 displays information notifying the user that it is impossible to purchase the request goods with the present acquired points on the web browser of the user. On the contrary, when the user can purchase the request goods with the acquired points as shown at step S311 , the control unit 101 displays information notifying the user that the request goods is sold to the user on the web browser of the user. Herein, the control unit 101 subtracts points used for the request goods purchasing from the acquired points stored in the member information storing unit 102.

After, when a subordinate member (who becomes of member of the shopping mall by a certain recommender (the existing member)) purchases a goods, e-coins are accumulated in a certain ratio by levels of member as shown at step S306. For example, when the B member is recommended by the A member, the C member is recommended by the B member, the D member is recommended by the C member, the E member is recommended by the D member, the F member is recommended by the E member and the F member purchases a goods, 10 points are accumulated to acquired points of the A member, 8 points are accumulated to acquired points of the B member, 6 points are accumulated to acquired points of the C member, 4 points are accumulated to acquired points of the D member, 2 points are accumulated to acquired points of the E member or 2 points are evenly accumulated to acquired points of each member. In addition, when the C member purchases the goods, e-coins are accumulated to the C member itself, the A member and the B member as the superior members.

The control unit 101 checks e-coins every month or with a certain term, when the e-coin points are accumulated to a certain level, money corresponded to the e-coin points is given to the user as shown at step S308. For example, when the acquired points of the member reach to 1000 points, cash corresponded to the 100 points is transmitted to a bank account of a pertinent member. Herein, besides transmitting the cash to the bank account of the member, the acquired points of the user can be used as cash by providing a cash card to the member or using the points as cash in purchasing of goods of another company or reducing part of hand phone bill. In more detail, separating from the activity points and the recommendation points, e-coin points are introduced and used as cash.

In the meantime, when the user wants to check the e-coin points, when the user contacts to a pertinent web site and presses an e-coin point display, the control unit asks an input of an ID and a password, when the user inputs the ID and the password, the control unit 101 retrieves the member information storing unit 102 and displays all order conditions of subordinate members of the user besides e-coin points or the user on the web browser of the user. Herein, the control unit 101 displays an account number for inputting charge for delivering a user purchased goods to the user on the web browser of the user. Herein, the delivery charge can be determined as a fixed amount of money regardless of a distance and a quantity of goods.

After, when receipt of the delivery charge of the user purchased goods is confirmed, the delivery management unit 108 delivers the pertinent goods by using an express company as shown at step S312. In more detail, the delivery management unit 108 databases information such as an input of delivery charge, an express company, a delivery date and delivery of goods, etc. and manages the information as shown at step S313. As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, in the present invention, a user can purchase a goods with points acquired by contacting to a web site.

In addition, by providing points to a member according to purchasing of goods, selling of another goods can be promoted. In addition, when a member recommends a non-member, the member acquires recommendation points and can purchase a goods with the acquired points.

In addition, when a user purchases a goods with acquired points, e- coin points are accumulated and the accumulated e-coins points can be used as cash.

Claims

1. In a method for selling goods using a web site, the method for selling goods, comprising: registering a user of a web site as a member of the web site; providing a certain points to the member when the member participates in an event of the web site; and purchasing a request goods with the certain points by the member when the member selects the request goods on the web site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the certain points are differently provided according to kinds of event.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the certain points can be sold to another member or used as cash.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing process for providing the certain points to the member includes the steps of: a first step for retrieving a recommender of a first non-member becoming of member of the web site; a second step for providing a certain recommendation points to the recommender and registering the first non-member as a first level subordinate member of the recommender; a third step for providing respectively certain recommendation points to the recommender and the first non-member when a second non-member becomes of member of the web site and the first non-member is a recommender of the second non-member, registering the second non- member as a second level subordinate member of the recommender and registering the second non-member as a first subordinate member of the first non-member; a fourth step for registering a certain levels of subordinate members by performing repeatedly the first ~ third steps; and a fifth step for accumulating the recommendation points and the certain points acquired by participating in events.

5. In a method for selling goods using a web site, the method for selling goods, comprising: registering a user of a web site as a member of the web site; providing points to the member according to each event when the member participates in events; judging whether the member can purchase a request goods with the provided points when the member selects the request goods on the web site; selling the goods to the member when it is possible to purchase the request goods with the points; and delivering the sold goods to the member.

The method of claim 5, further comprising: having a discount when the member purchases another goods by using parts of the accumulated points acquired by purchasing the goods.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the accumulated points are managed by setting the available period.

8. In a method for selling goods using a web site, the method for selling goods, comprising: registering a user of a web site as a first member; providing points according to each event when the first member participates in an event of the web site; and accumulating sold points to points of a second member when the first member sells the points to the second member.

9. In a method for selling goods using a web site, the method for selling goods, comprising: a first process for retrieving a recommender of a first non-member becoming of member of a web site; a second process for providing a certain recommendation points to the recommender as the member and registering the first non-member as a first level subordinate member of the recommender; a third process for providing respectively a certain recommendation points to the recommender and the first non-member when a second non- member becomes of member of the web site and the first non-member recommends the second non-member, registering the second non-member as a second level subordinate member of the recommender and registering the second non-member as a first subordinate member of the first non- member; a fourth process for registering a certain levels of subordinate members by performing repeatedly the first ~ third processes; a fifth process for accumulating the provided recommendation points and a certain points provided when the member participates in the event; and a sixth process for selling a request goods to the member when the accumulated points are not less than predetermined points and delivering the sold goods to the member.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein there is no limitation in the number of members by each level.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the recommendation points are differently provided by each level.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising: providing respectively e-coin (electronic-coin) points to the superior members when the subordinate member purchases a goods.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the e-coin points are provided to the superior member uniformly or differently by each level.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the e-coin points can be used as cash when the e-coin points are not less than predetermined points in a regular checking.