JP2002189895A - Commodity sales system utilizing card and internet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a convenient and inexpensive commodity sales system utilizing the Internet for a user to be able to receive services such as discount information. SOLUTION: This commodity sales system comprises member cards for customers issued by stores, customer PCs for gaining an access to commodity and service information through the Internet, a commodity and service information control server presenting the commodity and service information through the Internet, a customer information control server of the stores controlling the access information from the customers, and store POS terminals installed in the stores. Only when a member number inputted by the customer PC and stored in the customer information control server and purchase-requesting commodity related information match the member number read by the store POS terminal and the information. the trade is verified to be justifiable, and the delivery and service of the commodity are performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a merchandise sales system using the Internet, and more particularly to a virtual store, an electronic flyer and the like using the Internet, and a merchandise sales method using a card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method of providing service information such as merchandise discount information to a customer who uses the Internet and a card, for example, an IC card such as a method introduced in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-187820 2. Description of the Related Art A method of recording service information therein, reading service information from an IC card when purchasing a product, and providing a service is widely known.

[0003] However, the above method has the following problems. One of the problems is that it is necessary for the customer to prepare an R / W for recording service information on the IC card possessed by the customer. The second problem is that if service information is recorded on the IC card, the data may be tampered with illegally. Further, when information is recorded in the IC card, it takes time to arrange information recorded in the IC card, for example, delete data whose expiration date has expired, which may impair user convenience. . Further, in recent years, paper media such as coupons have been widely known and used, but the processing work in the POS system at the store has become complicated. On the other hand, if the user cannot receive the service information, the user does not feel the necessity to use the Internet until the user pays the communication fee.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a highly convenient and inexpensive product sales system using the Internet, which can receive services such as discount information.

[0005]

Therefore, a merchandise sales system using a card and the Internet according to the present invention comprises a member card for a customer issued by a store, a customer PC for accessing merchandise and service information on the Internet, and the Internet. A merchandise / service information management server that provides merchandise and service information, a merchant customer information management server that manages customer access information, and a merchant POS terminal installed in the merchant. Member number, purchase desired product information, and service information added to the purchase desired product that are input by the PC and stored in the customer information management server, the member number of the member card read by the POS terminal of the store, and When the purchase desired product information entered at the POS terminal matches, it is determined that the transaction is legitimate for the first time. Is, delivery of goods, and,
The service is provided.

The merchandise / service information management server, the customer information management server, and the store POS terminal are connected by a LAN, the member card is an IC card, and the store POS terminal is compatible with an IC card. Is connected to the reader / writer (R / W).

[0007]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a merchandise sales system using the Internet and a card according to the present invention;

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a product sales system using the Internet and a card according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front plan view of an IC card as a membership card, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow of information in FIG.

In FIG. 1, a member who is a customer accesses a merchandise / service information management server 3 of a store that has established a homepage on the Internet 2 with an Internet-compatible customer PC 1 owned by the member, and introduces the member on the homepage. The user selects a desired product from among the existing products, and inputs the member number (8-digit member number 12 in FIG. 2) displayed in the application format on the homepage. Next, a product number of a desired product is input. Select the desired service item from the list of services. The contents of the service include merchandise discount information and points. Check the input contents on the screen, and click the confirmation mark to complete the product ordering work.

[0010] In order to obtain the above-mentioned membership card, an enrollment procedure is performed in advance on the homepage of the store on the Internet to enroll. When applying for membership, the application format will be the same as for credit card application,
For example, a name, gender, date of birth, current address, and the like are input.

[0011] A member card 10 is sent from the store to the address entered in the membership application form. The member card is an IC card, and the member code, the date of joining, the expiration date, and the like are recorded in a predetermined portion of the IC chip in advance. The member name and the member number are printed on the surface of the member card. The expiration date may be printed.

The customer's product purchase information and the service information added to the product input by the customer PC 1 are:
It is recorded and stored in the customer information management server 5 of the store via the Internet 2. The customer information management server 5 stores the order number of the member, the input date, service information,
The code of the product desired to be purchased and the service information added to the product are stored as one unit information. From this unit information, any one of the member number, the input date, the service information, and the code of the product desired to be purchased is stored. Can also be pulled out.

[0013] The procedure for joining a member and the procedure for purchasing commodities have been described above. Next, a description will be given of an order-acting authentication procedure for confirming that the information ordered is correct information.

[0014] The member brings the member card and goes to the store.
Reader / writer (R / W) 41 of POS terminal 4 of store
Then, the member card 10 is read via the store clerk, the product desired to be purchased is indicated in the catalog, and the store clerk is requested to confirm. The clerk scans the barcode printed below the product in the catalog and inputs the product code to the POS terminal 4.
Depending on the size of the store, several POS terminals 4 are installed. The POS terminal 4 is connected to the LAN 31 because the stores are distributed in regions. Further, the customer information management server 5 is installed in the headquarters of the store or the distribution center, and is also connected by the LAN 31.

An inquiry is made to the customer information management server 5 with the member number input from the IC card. The latest information of the member number-specific order information stored in the customer information management server 5 is displayed on the display unit of the POS terminal, and when it is confirmed that the order information matches the product code previously input from the catalog, the service information is displayed. Will be displayed and payment will be processed.

In this embodiment, the membership card has an electronic wallet function, and small-sized products can be paid from the electronic wallet. For example, there is a coffee shop inside the shop where you can drink coffee or buy cigarettes, present your card and pay without signing, and purchase cheap drinks by self-service at the installed vending machine You can also. Services for members can also be received in stores. Of course, some people carry high amounts of cash into their cards.

If there is a desire to guard the member card 10 with a security code for security, the member can register the security code on an IC chip by himself using an input device external to the POS terminal. Since the personal identification number is not stored in the POS terminal or servers, it is printed on the back of the member card 10 so that the personal identification number is not forgotten.

On the shop side, the customer data in the customer information server is periodically analyzed to investigate product trends and utilize it to determine future product selection. Based on customer purchase information,
Create an information group for each member, create gender-specific, age-specific, and occupational product sales information from personal information obtained from customers at the time of enrollment.
(Direct mail) flow is determined. further,
From the analysis result, what age group and what to sell is determined.

The membership card will be described with reference to FIG. The membership card issued by the store determines what kind of card is to be used depending on the expected number of members and the size of the store. For example, a magnetic recording card may be used when the amount of information is small, when the importance of security is low, or when the unit price of goods is low. However, in the case where the contents of the product desired to be purchased are recorded in the recording unit or cash is stored as electronic money, the magnetic card is not suitable in terms of recording capacity and security. In addition, it is safer for members to carry important data, and in such a case, it is preferable to use an IC card.

IC cards include a memory card (also called a chip card) and a so-called IC card with a CPU (also called a smart card). The latter is desirable even if security is emphasized. In terms of storage capacity, it is sufficient for the memory unit to have 1 Kbyte, and since rewriting is possible, it is sufficient to leave some new data and overwrite old data. The surface of the card may be designed with the image of a store, and the nickname of the member card may be printed. As described above, the simple agreement is printed on the back side, and the name and member number 12 of the member are printed on the front side or displayed in embossed characters.

The example of the IC card 10 introduced in FIG. 2 is a so-called contact type IC card in which the external device connection terminals 11 are exposed on the card surface, but a non-contact type IC card having a built-in antenna in the card base is also available. Yes, you can choose either one depending on your purpose. There is no significant difference in the setting method of the storage unit.

Referring to FIG. 3, the flow of information of the commodity sales system using the Internet and a card according to the present invention will be described. The member accesses the homepage of the store via the Internet by the customer PC 1 and browses the product / service information supplied from the product / service information management server 3 of the store (step 101). The purchase desired product and service information are input by the customer PC 1 and recorded and stored in the customer information management server 5 via the Internet 2 (step 102). After ordering a product on the Internet, the member goes to the location of the store and inserts the membership card 10 into the R / W 41 of the POS terminal 4 of the store via a store clerk. After reading the member number, the POS terminal accesses the customer information management server 5 (step 10).
3) Then, product information and service information are extracted from the customer information management server 5 (step 104).

Information from the customer information management server 5 (member number of the membership card and the product code of the product desired to be purchased), the membership number of the membership card read by the POS terminal 4 of the store, and the purchase request input to the POS terminal Product code is P
The matching is performed on the OS terminal, and the matching is confirmed, and then the selected service is applied and the purchase procedure is started.

Once the legitimacy of the transaction has been verified, payment is made. In this step, from the POS terminal 4,
The electronic money information and point information recorded and stored in the customer information management server 5 are read (steps 105 and 1).
06), collate with the data recorded on the IC card. Payment is made at the POS terminal, and the new electronic money information and point information input to the IC card are recorded and stored in the customer information management server 5 (steps 107 and 1).
08).

[0025]

According to the merchandise sales system using the Internet and cards according to the present invention, the following effects are produced. (1) It is not necessary to connect a reader / writer for reading an IC card to a customer PC. (2) The product can be returned to the member as a service so that the person can confirm the actual product at the store, and there is no return fee due to damage to the product due to transportation, and there is no transportation cost associated with the return. (3) Benefits ordered on the Internet (here described as services) must be available. (4) Both the store side and the customer side who is a member
There is no fear of abuse, so it can be used with peace of mind and can be returned as a service to members who are customers. (5) It is possible to confirm a product that could not be determined on the Internet, which leads to a new purchase.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a product sales system using the Internet and a card according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front plan view of an IC card as a membership card.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of information in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Customer PC 2 Internet 3 Product / Service Information Management Server 4 POS Terminal 5 Customer Information Management Server 10 IC Card 11 IC Module (External Device Connection Terminal) 12 Visual Information (Member Name, Member Number) 31 LAN 41 IC Card Reader / Writer (R / W)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06K 17/00 G06K 17/00 L 19/00 ZEC G07G 1/12 321L G07G 1/12 321 1/14 1 / 14 G06K 19/00 ZECQ

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A membership card for a customer issued by a store, a customer PC for accessing product and service information on the Internet, a product / service information management server of a store for providing product and service information on the Internet, A customer information management server of a store that manages customer access information, and a store POS terminal installed in the store, a member number input by the customer PC and stored in the customer information management server; When the information and the service information added to the desired product, the member number of the member card read at the POS terminal of the store, and the desired product information input at the POS terminal match, the first valid A transaction with a card that has been proven to be a transaction, Product sales system using the Internet. 2. The product / service information management server, the customer information management server, and the store POS terminal are LA
The merchandise sales system using the card and the Internet according to claim 1, wherein the merchandise sales system is connected by N. 3. The member card is an IC card, and the store POS terminal is a reader / writer (R / R) compatible with the IC card.
W) is connected.
A merchandise sales system using any of the cards described above and the Internet.