JP2001265975A - Server for article stocking system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a retail trader to purchase the merchandises of various makers simultaneously. SOLUTION: An access is performed to a server 2 from the computers 4a, 4b and 4c of retail stores A, B and C, the computers 8α, 8βand 8γ of the makers α, β and γ and the computer 10 of a delivery center. The server 2 generates an order reception file based on order data from the computers 4a, 4b and 4c. The order reception file comprizes names of ordered merchandises and the number of ordered merchandises to the respective makers from each retail store. An ordering file is generated by the server 2 from the order reception file. The ordering file comprises the names and the number of ordered merchandises for each maker and is accessed from the computer of the corresponding maker. A delivery center file is generated based on the ordering file and the order reception file, is constituted of an arrival file consisting of arrival merchandises and arrival numbers from the respective makers and of a shipping file expressing shipping merchandises to the retail stores and comprising names and the number of the shipped merchandises and is accessed from the computer of the delivery center.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a server used in a system for purchasing articles via the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when a buyer, for example, a retailer purchases merchandise directly from various suppliers, for example, manufacturers, it is necessary to place an order according to an ordering method defined by each manufacturer.

[0003]

In this case, each retail store needs to learn the ordering method specified by each manufacturer, which is troublesome. For this reason, there is a tendency that purchases are made only from specific manufacturers. In addition, when ordering goods from each manufacturer, the manufacturer often bears the shipping cost of the product, so the manufacturer may request the retailer to pay the shipping fee unless the order is over a certain amount. Many. Therefore, a retailer who orders only a small amount has to pay a shipping fee every time a product arrives from a different manufacturer, which is a considerable burden. Therefore, there is a tendency that purchases are made only from manufacturers of products that sell relatively frequently. On the other hand, even if each manufacturer receives a small order from various retailers, it must send a small number of products to each of many retailers, so the burden of managing product delivery is large and profitability is sufficient. Can not be removes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a server for an article purchasing system in which buyers can purchase products of various suppliers at the same time in a unified ordering method, and reduce the burden on the product delivery management of the suppliers. With the goal. In addition, the present invention provides a server for an article purchasing system that can unify the delivery dates of buyers and reduce the burden of shipping cost, even if the buyer places orders from different suppliers. Aim.

[0005]

A server for an article purchasing system according to the present invention is accessed from a computer provided for each of a plurality of buyers via the Internet, and is accessed from a computer provided for each of a plurality of suppliers via the Internet. It is accessed from a computer provided at the distribution center. The distribution center receives goods from each supplier, journals the received goods for each buyer, and ships them. This server has an order file created for each buyer based on order data transmitted from the computer of each buyer via the Internet. The order data is created using the same ordering method, regardless of the buyer ordering from any supplier. This order file has order product data and order quantity data representing the products ordered to each supplier and the order quantity. An order file is created from the order file. This order file includes data on each product name for each supplier and data on the number of orders for each product, and is accessible from the computer of the corresponding supplier via the Internet. Therefore, each supplier can know which product has how many orders by accessing this order file. Then, based on the order file, the product is sent to a predetermined distribution center. The server creates a delivery center file created based on the order file and the order file. This file is accessible by the distribution center computer. This file includes data on the goods received from each supplier, data on the number of goods received, data on the goods shipped to each of the buyers, and data on the number of shipments indicating the number of goods shipped. Therefore, at the distribution center,
By accessing this file by the computer provided therein, it is possible to know what kind of merchandise is received from which supplier, how many pieces are received, how to journal the goods, and how to deliver them to each buyer.

[0006] In such a server, a buyer can order various products from various suppliers in a unified manner with respect to this server. Therefore, each buyer can place an order in a unified manner despite the fact that the buyer has ordered products from various suppliers, so that the order can be made easily. Moreover, from the viewpoint of each supplier, even if many buyers place a small number of orders, the total number of items shipped by each supplier increases. In addition, since the product only needs to be shipped to the distribution center, the delivery management can be simplified and the fare can be saved.

A server according to another embodiment of the present invention is also accessed via a computer provided for each buyer via the Internet, accessed via a computer provided for each supplier via the Internet, and provided at a distribution center. It is accessed via the Internet by a computer. The distribution center receives goods from each supplier, journals the received goods to each buyer, and ships the goods. The server has an order file. The order file is created every time order data is transmitted from the buyer's computer, and the order item data and the number of the order items from the buyer to a plurality of suppliers and the number of the order items. And order quantity data. Based on this order file,
A delivery date file is created corresponding to the supplier who received the order. The delivery date file is accessible from the computer of the corresponding supplier, includes the product data of the ordered product, and the corresponding supplier writes delivery date data indicating the delivery date corresponding to the product data. An order file is created based on the delivery date file. This order file is created for each supplier and is accessible from the corresponding supplier's computer. The order file includes order product data, order quantity data, and delivery date data respectively representing the order products from the same buyer to each supplier and the number of orders. The delivery date data is unified to the date after the order with the latest delivery date from the same buyer. Therefore, each supplier can see when and how many products should be shipped to the distribution center by looking at the order file. A delivery center file is created based on the order file and the order file. This file is accessible from the distribution center computer. This file contains product data representing the product name, quantity, and delivery date received from each supplier, receipt data including quantity data and delivery date data, and buyers to be delivered, buyers to be delivered, and products and quantities to be delivered, respectively. It has shipping data including data, product data, and quantity data. Therefore, the delivery center knows when and how many commodities arrive from which supplier, and how to journal and ship the received commodities. Moreover, the delivery date of the products to be delivered to the same buyer is unified,
Delivery centers can also reduce the number of shipments. In addition, each buyer can collect all the ordered products on the same day, and if the products are packed in the same package, the shipping cost can be reduced compared to the case where each product arrives in separate packaging. . In addition, each receipt data can be configured based on a plurality of order files and a plurality of order files created corresponding to each buyer's order, and in each receipt data, for the same product with the same delivery date, The number can be counted.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment of an article purchasing system, a server computer 2 comprises:
It is connected via the Internet 6 to client computers 4a, 4b and 4c located at a plurality of buyers at remote locations, for example, retail stores, specifically retail stores A, B and C. . The server computer 2 also has this and the retail stores A, B and C
Client computers 8α, 8 respectively located at a plurality of suppliers, for example, manufacturers, specifically, manufacturers α, β, and γ, which are located apart from
β and 8γ are connected via the Internet 6. Further, the server computer 2 is connected via the Internet 6 to a client computer 10 of a distribution center located at a position remote from the retail stores A, B, and C, and the manufacturers α, β, and γ.

Each of the retail stores A, B and C has a CDROM 1
2 are distributed in advance. These CDROMs 12 include:
Information on various products manufactured by the manufacturers α, β, and γ is recorded. For example, the manufacturer α is the product “I”,
Manufactures “b” and “c”, and the manufacturer β sells “a”,
"I" and "U" are manufactured, and the manufacturer γ is the product "I",
Assume that "II" and "III" are manufactured.

The store owner or the person in charge of purchase at each of the retail stores A, B, and C looks at the contents of the CDROM 12 and determines the product to be purchased. Then, when the purchased goods and the number of the purchased goods are determined, the server computer 2 is accessed using a client computer in the shop to place an order. For example, at retail store A, one product “I” of manufacturer α,
When one product “A” of the manufacturer β is ordered, as shown in FIG. 2, in the server computer 2, the name of the retail store A, the name of the manufacturer of the product to be purchased, the name of the product to be purchased, Retail store A in which the order quantity is recorded
An order file with a specific date is created (step S2 in FIG. 5). The retail store may send the product code and the order quantity assigned to each product in advance to the server computer 2, for example, and the server computer 2 may convert the product code into a maker name and a product name. .
This ordering method is the same when ordering products from any manufacturer.

When the order file for the retail store A is created, the server computer creates a delivery date confirmation file to the manufacturer for the retail store A (step S).
4). The delivery date confirmation file includes a maker name and a product name, and is accessible by the corresponding maker. Each manufacturer α, β, and γ checks whether the delivery date has been confirmed to the company by its own client computers 8α, 8β, and 8γ, and if the delivery date has been confirmed, answers the delivery date of the product. With this answer,
The delivery date answer file for the retail store A is created by the server computer 2 (step S6). This delivery date answer file includes each manufacturer name, product name, and delivery date of the product. An order file for each manufacturer for retail store A is created based on the delivery date answer file (step S8). The order file for the retail store A includes each manufacturer name, product name, delivery date, and quantity. Here, the delivery date is unified to the latest delivery time among the delivery dates answered by each manufacturer. The manufacturer described in the order file can access the corresponding part of the order file, and the accessed manufacturer can reduce the number of products ordered by the delivery center at the specified delivery date (unified delivery date). The product is shipped as shown by a dashed line in FIG. This shipment is made in the same packaging. Therefore, the goods arrive at the distribution center in the same packing on the same day even though the goods for the retail store A are shipped from different manufacturers. Manufacturers ship to the distribution center in the same packaging, so the shipping burden is small.

Although not shown, an order confirmation file accessible by the ordering retailer is created based on the order file. This order confirmation file is composed of a maker name, a product name, a delivery date, and a quantity, similarly to the order file. When the retail store A accesses the order confirmation file, the retail store A can confirm that the order has been received and the delivery date.

Based on the order file and the previously created order file, a delivery center file, for example, a receipt / shipment file to the delivery center is created (step S10). The receipt data portion of the receipt / shipment file, that is, the receipt file, includes each maker name, product name, delivery date, and number of receipts, like the order file. Also,
The shipping data portion, that is, the shipping file includes a retail store name, a maker name, a product name, a quantity, and a delivery date. This receipt / shipment file is accessible from the delivery center. Therefore, by accessing the receipt / shipment file, the delivery center can know what kind of product and how many goods are received from which manufacturer and on which day, as indicated by the dashed-dotted arrow in FIG. It is possible to know to which retail store the received product should be delivered.
Then, these received commodities are actually sorted and delivered to the retail store in the same package as shown by the dashed line in FIG.

[0014] In this way, when an order is placed from a retail store,
Inquire the manufacturers of the ordered products for the delivery dates of the products. If the delivery dates are different, the delivery dates of the products are matched. Entry is easy.

The above description shows a case where an order is received from the retail store A without any existing order.
In practice, there are many cases where a new order is received from another retailer in a state where the order is already present. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when there is an order for each of the product “a” of the manufacturer α and the product “II” of the manufacturer γ from the retail store B, the retail store An order file from B, a delivery date confirmation file for retail store B, a delivery date answer file for retail store B, and an order file for retail store B are created. After this, the order file for retail store B and retail store B
The receipt / shipment file is updated on the basis of the order file from. That is, in the previous shipping file, the manufacturer is α,
Although there were only two companies β, there is an order from the store B to the manufacturer γ, so the manufacturer γ is added. Further, since the manufacturer α needs to ship the same product “A” with different delivery dates, the product name and the number are shown corresponding to each delivery date. The shipping file is obtained by adding a shipping file for the retail store B to a shipping file in the case where an order is received only for the retail store A.

Further, when there is an order from the retail stores A and B, the retail store C further sends the product “A” of the manufacturer β.
If there is one order each for the product “II” of γ and γ, an order file, delivery date confirmation file, delivery date answer file, and order file are created as shown in FIG.
Then, the receiving file and the shipping file are updated.
Here, the manufacturer γ needs to ship two identical products “II” at the same delivery date (March 10), so the delivery date (March 10) of the manufacturer γ of the product “II” in the receipt file is required. 2 is stored as the number. In this embodiment, the number of retail stores is set to three for the sake of simplicity, and the number of the same goods delivered on the same date is only two, which is a small example. However, since there are actually many retail stores, the number of arrivals of the same product with the same delivery date increases considerably. Therefore, there is a high possibility that each maker can receive an order of the minimum unit or more shipped by the maker.
The shipping file is obtained by adding the order receiving file for the retail store C to which the delivery date has been added to the shipping file shown in FIG. As is clear from this shipping file, although each retailer has placed only a small number of orders, since the orders of each retailer have been compiled, as described above, each manufacturer has Can be shipped. Moreover, each manufacturer only has to ship each product to the same distribution center.

In the above embodiment, the retail store has a CDR
Although the commodity is selected by the OM 12, the catalog file of each commodity may be provided in the server computer 2 and accessed by a client computer at each retail store to place an order. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the receiving file and the shipping file are respectively separate files, but may be configured as one file. In addition, the order file to each manufacturer was created for each order received from each retailer, but like the file received at the distribution center, it was created for each manufacturer and based on each delivery date. It is good also as what memorized the goods which should be delivered to and the number of them. In addition, the delivery date is unified to the product with the latest delivery date among the products ordered from the same retail store, but may be a date that is later than the date with the latest delivery date. In the above embodiment, the number of distribution centers is one. However, distribution centers are provided for different regions,
Each manufacturer sends the ordered product to the distribution center closest to the company, and then transfers the products between the distribution centers, so that the product is delivered from the distribution center closest to the retailer where the order was placed. You may make it. That is, a plurality of distribution centers can be used as one virtual distribution center. Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example of a transaction between a retail store and a manufacturer has been described. However, a wholesale company or the like may supply a product as a supplier instead of the manufacturer, or an individual may replace the retail store. Sometimes a buyer.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, ordered products are sent from each supplier to the distribution center, are journalized at the distribution center, and are collected by the ordered buyer from the distribution center. Will be delivered. Therefore, each supplier only needs to ship the product to a predetermined distribution center, which facilitates the delivery management work. Furthermore, even for small orders from each buyer, if they are put together, it will be a large number of orders, and each supplier will be fully profitable. Also, each buyer can purchase a desired product even if the order is small. In addition, according to the present invention, the order center receives goods ordered by the same buyer from each supplier at the same delivery date, so that the buyer can place an order despite the fact that the buyer has ordered goods from a different supplier. The same products can be obtained on the same day, and the same packaging will reduce shipping costs even if buyers or suppliers bear the shipping costs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an article purchasing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state of each file created in a server computer of FIG. 1 when an order is placed from a certain retail store.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state of each file created in the server computer of FIG. 1 when an order is received from another retail store in the state of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state of each file created in the server computer of FIG. 1 when an order is received from another retail store in the state of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the server computer of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Server computer 4a 4b 4c Retail store client computer 6 Internet 8α 8β 8γ Manufacturer client computer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A computer provided for each buyer is accessed via the Internet, a computer provided for each supplier is accessed via the Internet, and goods are received from the respective suppliers and the respective products are journalized. A server for an article purchasing system accessed from a computer provided at a distribution center for shipping to each of the buyers, the order data transmitted from the computer of each of the buyers via the Internet and created by the same order method. And an order file having order product data indicating order products to each supplier for each buyer and order quantity data indicating the number of orders. Each product name data for each An order file including order quantity data for each product and accessible from the corresponding supplier's computer via the Internet, and the received product data and the quantity data from each supplier created based on the order file. And a shipping center file including shipping item data representing shipping items to each of the buyers based on the order receiving file and shipping number data indicating the shipping number, and being accessible from the computer of the delivery center via the Internet. And a server for an article purchase system. 2. An article purchasing system connected to a computer provided for each buyer via the Internet, connected to a computer provided for each supplier via the Internet, and connected to a computer provided for a distribution center. An order file, which is created each time order data is transmitted from the buyer's computer, and has order product data and order quantity data indicating the order products from the buyer to a plurality of suppliers and the number thereof. Based on this order file, it is created corresponding to the supplier who received the order, is accessible from the computer of the corresponding supplier, contains the product data of the ordered product, and Delivery date data indicating the delivery date is written from the corresponding supplier Delivery date file, and based on the delivery date file, include order product data and order quantity data respectively representing ordered products from the same buyer to each supplier and their order quantity, and delivery date data, and include delivery date data. Is an order file that is unified after the order with the latest delivery among orders from the same buyer, and is accessible from the computer of the corresponding supplier; the product name, quantity, and delivery date received from each supplier based on the order file And arrival data having product data, quantity data, and delivery date data respectively representing
The delivery center, which is created based on the order receiving file and the order file, has buyer data to represent a buyer to be delivered, goods to be delivered, and quantity, and shipping data having commodity data and quantity data, respectively. And a distribution center file accessible from the computer.