WO2003054763A1

WO2003054763A1 - Business method of agreement on end-consumer price and quantity according to buyer's plural asking quantity operated

Info

Publication number: WO2003054763A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/002318
Authority: WO
Inventors: One-Cheol Park; Won-Guon Park
Original assignee: One-Cheol Park; Won-Guon Park
Priority date: 2001-12-08
Filing date: 2002-12-09
Publication date: 2003-07-03
Also published as: AU2002366930A1; CN1720544A

Abstract

Disclosed is a business method of agreement on end-consumer price and quantity through ellipse equation technique calculating a seller's flexible unit price of selling which fluctuates according to a buyer's plural asking quantity operated by a quick slider technique. The method comprises the steps of : inputting a BPAQ for a product, which the buyer searched at a seller's Internet shopping mall and desires to purchase, by a quick slider technique (QST); calculating the seller's flexible unit price of selling (SFUPS) fluctuating according to said BPAQ by an ellipse equation technique (EET); outputting the calculation results by QST and inputting the buyer's consent of the results; and making up a transaction.

Description

BUSINESS METHOD OF AGREEMENT ON END-CONSUMER PRICE AND QUANTITY ACCORDING TO BUYER'S PLURAL ASKING QUANTITY

OPERATED

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a business method which combines communication technology, such as computers and networks, with business ideas, and more particularly to a business method of agreement on end- consumer price and quantity through an ellipse equation technique calculating a seller' s flexible unit price of selling which fluctuates according to a buyer' s plural asking quantity operated by a quick slider technique.

Background Art

In general, business methods are divided into the following five types: an Internet shopping mall which moves the time and place of an off-line department store onto the Internet; an Internet discount shopping mall which moves the time and place of an off-line discount store onto the Internet; an Internet group buying shopping mall which moves the time and place of an offline group buying business onto the Internet; an Internet mileage service shopping mall which moves the time and place of an off-line mileage service business and an incentive providing method onto the Internet; and a business method disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 2001-0076808.

The inventors have recognized various problems in the business methods of the prior art, and made the present invention to solve those problems. The present invention provides a new business method overcoming the drawbacks of conventional Internet shopping mall business methods. Disclosure of the Invention

The terms used herein are defined below in connection with the construction of the present invention. In the definitions of the terms, the drawbacks of the prior art and the advantageous effects of the present invention will be explained together in order to clarify the construction and characteristics of the present invention.

The terms "manufacturer," "seller," "buyer," "consumer" and "unit price" (or "price apiece") have their general meanings which can be readily understood by those skilled and engaged in the relevant field.

Manufacturer price: Price when a manufacturer sells a product to a dealer or a broker. Manufacturer's recommended price (MRP): Consumer sale price recommended by a manufacturer.

End-consumer price: Manufacturer price plus profit and carriage, i.e., end-consumer' s buying price.

Buyer's asking quantity (BSQ) : Quantity of a product desired by a buyer to purchase. BSQ is one of the basic concepts of the present invention. According to conventional Internet shopping mall business methods, a fixed price per one piece of each product (seller's unit price of selling: "SUPS") applies even when a buyer purchases a plurality (two or three or four pieces) of the same product. The present invention improves conventional business methods of Internet shopping malls which apply a fixed end-consumer price per one piece of each product. Since existing Internet shopping malls fix one piece of product based prices, their business methods cannot offer a discount to the buyers who buy a quantity of a particular product. The present invention solves this problem.

End-consumer buying quantity: Quantity of a product purchased by an end-consumer .

Quantity of selling: Quantity of a product sold by a seller according to the buyer's asking quantity (BAQ) .

Buyer's plural asking quantity (BPAQ): Quantity of a product desired by a buyer to purchase. BPAQ is one of the basic concepts of the present invention. One piece of product based end-consumer prices, which are adopted by existing Internet shopping malls, and improvements over conventional business methods will be explained below in detail. The present invention enables information exchanges with a seller concerning the buyer's plural asking quantity and the seller's flexible unit price of selling, which fluctuates according to the buyer's plural asking quantity, by a quick slider technique comprising just one click drag, thereby promoting transactions inducing mass sales and activating e-commerce of dot com businesses which lay a cornerstone of recessed IT industry.

Buyer's plural asking quantity operated by a quick slider technology (QST) : At existing Internet shopping malls, sellers (Internet shopping mall operators) randomly determine/database/publish the end-consumer prices of products and quantities. They fix a unit price of selling one piece of each product and offer a predetermined rate of discount when a buyer purchases a bundle (for example, ten pieces of a product) . Similarly, buyers visit an Internet shopping mall and buy products at prices and in quantities randomly determined/databased/published by the sellers. No method has been suggested as to how buyers can buy a product in a quantity of two to nine, not in a quantity of one or ten. If a buyer purchases five pieces of a product at fixed one-piece-based-price at an Internet shopping mall, there will be loss of money, because off-line markets generally offer a discount when a buyer purchases more than one. If he buys a bundle of ten at a discounted rate offered by the Internet shopping mall, he will still have a loss of money because the unnecessary five may be impulse buy. Buyers cannot be satisfied with the business methods of the existing Internet shopping malls, and sellers cannot embrace various classes of buyers through their current business methods. Thus, the existing Internet shopping malls are still inferior in sales to the off-line markets.

Therefore, it is requested to provide an on-line business method which can solve the above-mentioned problems, and which has improvements over off-line business methods. A solution is needed to apply differential unit prices of selling according to the buyer's plural asking quantity and determine/database/publish the differential unit prices of selling.

The present invention provides a business method of flexibly changing a seller's unit price of selling (SUPS) in real time according to each buyer's asking quantity, and thereby agreeing the end-consumer price and quantity. One of the techniques for implementing this business method at an Internet shopping mall is a quick slider technique (QST) of the present invention.

The business method of the present invention is implemented in the working condition that a buyer exchanges information with a computer under a graphic environment, using graphical user interface (GUI). In order to know the unit price when a product is purchased in a quantity of two to nine, the buyer should input a BPAQ and a command in a computer, through a keyboard input. Then, the computer server performs processes of calculating a SFUPS corresponding to the BPAQ and displaying the calculated SFUPS in characters and numbers on the computer monitor. A technique which can eliminate such difficult, cumbersome, costly and mechanically repeated processes is required. In a seller's position, a technique is required which can automatically determine/database/publish and output the unit prices when a product is purchased in a quantity of two to nine, if the seller inputs only the unit prices when the product is purchased in a quantity of one and in a bundle of ten.

In summary, the present invention can implement the above-mentioned processes by just one click drag. If a buyer inputs a BPAQ by just one click drag of a sliding bar or an icon bar displayed on the monitor, using a mouse, instead of a keyboard, the present invention commands calculation of a SFUPS corresponding to the BPAQ and outputs the results of calculation (i.e., the calculated SFUPS) in real time.

In the seller's position, the present invention can be implemented if only three variables (m, n and e in the following description) are inputted.

Seller's price of selling: Selling price which includes the manufacturer price plus profit, carriage, etc . Seller's unit price of selling (SUPS): Selling price per one piece of a product .

Seller's flexible unit price of selling technique ("SFUPS technique") : Technique applying a flexible unit price of selling which fluctuates according to the quantity of sales. The more the quantity purchased, the lower the unit price of selling. Existing Internet shopping malls (typical e-commerce, auction and inverse price computation) fix a SUPS per a piece of each product and apply the same SUPS even when a buyer purchases two or more pieces. In other words, the existing Internet shopping malls adopt business methods which do not give any advantages or discount to the buyers purchasing two or more pieces of a product. In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a technique ("SFUPS technique") which can implement a business method of flexible agreement on end-consumer price and quantity by flexibly changing a seller's unit price of selling (SUPS) in real time according to a buyer's asking quantity (BAQ) .

Ellipse equation technique (EET) : Technique for calculating a SFUPS corresponding to each BPAQ using the equation y = f (x) .

SFUPS technique operated by EET: Most existing Internet shopping malls rigidly, not flexibly, apply SUPS. Although certain Internet shopping malls apply flexible SUPS (for example, through group buying) , they randomly apply flexible SUPS at each transaction with manual operations and in company with off-line markets (which are not e-commerce) . Thus, digitalized and databased fair transactions are impossible at those Internet shopping malls. The present invention can digitalize transactions by applying a SFUPS technique operated by an ellipse equation technique to existing database of an Internet shopping mall. The SFUPS technique is easily and effectively applicable to any Internet shopping mall database in a practical way. The effect produced by the SFUPS technique is satisfactory. The present invention establishes a digitalizing algorithm for flexibly changing the unit price of selling according to the buyer's asking quantity. No business method has been suggested which can input BAQ/order calculation/output results in real time by just one click drag according to the quick slider technique (QST) which utilizes graphical user interface (GUI), thereby enabling transactions.

Step of outputting a SFUPS (calculation results) by QST and inputting a buyer's consent of the results: At this step, a buyer inputs a BPAQ, confirms an outputted SFUPS and inputs a consent of the SFUPS. If the buyer does not input a consent, a transaction will not be made up. If the buyer inputs a consent, the quantity inputted and the corresponding price consented will be decided to be end-consumer quantity and price. Then, a transaction will be made up upon payment and delivery of products.

Step of agreeing the quantity inputted by a buyer and the corresponding price consented as end-consumer quantity and price: At this step, the quantity inputted by the buyer and the corresponding price consented by the buyer are decided to be end-consumer quantity and price, and delivery of products is made upon payment.

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the connection between three elements.

As shown in FIG. 2, the present invention comprises three elements, i.e., a business idea, a computer and a network.

A buyer searches products at a seller's Internet shopping mall and inputs a BPAQ for a product to be purchased. A business idea comprises the BPAQ operated by QST, a SFUPS technique for calculating a SFUPS which fluctuates according to the BPAQ, a EET calculating the SFUPS, and a SFUPS technique for outputting the calculation results (SFUPS) by QST in real time and agreeing the quantity inputted and the price consented by the buyer as end-consumer quantity and price.

A computer is composed of a client, a communication server (seller) , DB, DBMS and a network system for connecting them. QST on-line transaction processing ("QST O TP" ) processes a host's unit of work for searching SFUPS database in real time according to a message transmitted from the client's terminal concerning various BPAQs inputted by buyers in network, calculates a SFUPS corresponding to each BPAQ and outputs the calculation results. EET calculating SFUPS IDS calculates a SFUPS corresponding to each BPAQ by EET. EET calculating SFUPS IDS is a type of DBMS which searches gradually changing unit price of selling and effectuates the change of the unit price, and which can be used by every client under the same condition. A QST real time processing system ("QST RTPS") is a computer information processing system comprising an external memory linked to a computer mainframe, a terminal input/output device and a communication control device for connecting the terminal device to the computer mainframe. The QST RTPS immediately processes a required calculation (data) at the point of time when BPAQ input and SFUPS calculation are commanded. If a buyer inputs a consent of the calculation results (SFUPS) , the QST RTPS forwards the calculation results to the terminal which generated the data and to the next step for agreement on end-consumer price and quantity and payment. A network is a data transfer Internet protocol essentially comprising TCP/IP. The network has telnet, edi, ftp, web, gopher, smtp and http sites having separate protocols by services through kernel interface. Application softwares are an operating system (UNIX, DOS, etc.) of a system software, a compiler (C FORTRAN), an input/output control program, a basic software (an operating system, a utility program, a language processing program, etc.) and an application program. QST/EET/SFUPS subprograms, which are included in scientific programs among application programs, can be used to input BPAQ by QST/order calculation by EET/output SFUPS.

Through QST (quick slider technique) , a buyer can complete by just one click drag the processes of inputting the quantity to be purchased (BPAQ) using a keyboard, commanding calculation of a corresponding SFUPS, displaying the calculation results (SFUPS) in characters or numbers, and repeating the same input/calculation command/output until the buyer agrees the quantity and the corresponding price. More specifically, if a buyer inputs a BPAQ by just one click drag of a sliding bar or an icon bar displayed on the monitor, using a mouse, and commands calculation of a corresponding SFUPS, the calculation results are outputted in real time, thereby implementing the SFUPS technique which is one of the basic concepts of the present invention.

The ellipse equation technique (EET) is a technique for calculating a SFUPS corresponding to each BPAQ using the following equation y = f (x) :

(x-m)² . (y-n)² _ ₁ Wherein, x = Buyer's plural asking quantity (BPAQ) y = Seller's flexible unit price of selling (SFUPS) m = Maximum BAQ = Total stock of seller's product n = Highest SUPS = SUPS when selling one e = Lowest SUPS = SUPS when selling total stock a = Range of BPAQ = Max. BAQ - Min. BAQ = m-1 b = Range of SFUPS = High. SUPS - Low. SUPS = n-e 1 < x < m e < y < n

0<a, 0<b, 0<m, 0<n, 0<e, 0<x, 0<y

Instead of calculating and outputting a SFUPS corresponding to each BPAQ one by one using a keyboard, the seller can complete those repeating processes (SFUPS calculation and output) simply by inputting the total stock (m) , the highest SUPS (n) and the lowest SUPS (e) , and thereby implement the business method according to the present invention. As described above, the present invention comprises: QST enabling a buyer to input a BPAQ (x) by just one click drag, command calculation of a corresponding SFUPS and receive an output of the calculation results in real time; SLET calculating and outputting a SFUPS (y) corresponding to each BPAQ, if a seller inputs m, n and e just one time; a step of outputting the SFUPS in real time and inputting the buyer's consent of the SFUPS; and a step of agreeing the quantity inputted and the corresponding SFUPS consented by the buyer as end-consumer quantity and price.

The following preferred embodiment illustrates the invention without in any way limiting its scope.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The preferred embodiment compares the process of selling products on-line according to the present invention with the prior art, using graphics.

The following graphics show conventional one-line sales and price calculation method.

Specimen 1,2,3,4, Business Method Type - 1/2

Sorizoa Doubletec Sorizoa Voiceman Sorizoa Component

Recommended

Consumer Price (MRP) MRP MRP

W330,000 Wl50,000 W570,000

Special d/c price (SUPS) SUPS SUPS 280,000 l00,000 W520,000

Click Your Desired Products! (Product List)

Sorizoa MP3 Sorizoa Walkman Sorizoa Mini-Disc

MRP MRP MRP

W270,000 200,000 Wl70,000

SUPS SUPS SUPS

W220,000 l50,000 Wl20,000

^As shown in the above graphics and the following graph, a conventional business method applies the same prⁱce ⁽SUPS⁾ when a buyer purchases one or two or more of a product, and even when the buyer purchases the total stock (eleven) .

^τhe following graphics show another conventional business method for on-line sales and price calculation.

Specimen 2, Specimen 3, Business Method Type - 2/2

Sorizoa Doubletec Sorizoa Voiceman Sorizoa Component

Recommended

Consumer Price (MRP) MRP MRP

W33θ,000 Wl50,000 W570, 000

Special d/c price (SUPS) SUPS SUPS 280,000 Wl00,000 W520,000

Special Discount Group Buying Click!

Sorizoa MP3 Sorizoa Walkman Sorizoa Mini-Disc

Recommended

Consumer Price (MRP) MRP MRP

W270,000 200,000 Wl70,000

Special d/c price (SUPS) SUPS SUPS

W220,000 Wl50,000 l20,000

The improved business method in the prior art as shown in the above graphics lowers the price as the quantity purchased increases . The following graph shows the reduction of the price at a particular declination according to that business method .

price

BPAQ. ^stock

In contrast, as shown in the following graphics, the business method of the present invention reduces the price at a particular rate according to the quantity purchased, based on the ellipse equation technique.

New EC BM of Our Invention Ex 1

Product Name: Sorizoa Walkman

Product #: S7070

Manufacturer: Sorizoa Co., Ltd.

Performance: Stereo Sound Play time: 36 hours Microphone Record Function

Stock: 11

MRP: 200,000

SUPS: l50,000

Flexible Unit Price of Selling Decided by QST® EET® SFUPS® Tech iSUPS

You Purchase?

The business method of the present invention calculates the price according to the quantity purchased, using the ellipse equation technique, as shown below. EET is derived from EE

In contrast, conventional business methods calculate the price as follows.

The prices calculated according to the conventional methods are listed as follows.

The price calculation according to the present invention is as shown in the following graph .

EET Ex 1 calculating SFUPS which fluctuates according to BPAQ x = Buyer ' s plural asking quantity ( BPAQ)

The prices calculated according to the present invention are listed as follows.

As described above, the business method of the present invention lowers the price in inverse proportion to the quantity purchased. The following graph shows the variations of the price depending on the quantity purchased, for example, one or two or three of a product .

Industrial Applicability The present invention provides a business method which enables a buyer as a subject of transactions to agree and determine the price and quantity of a product to purchase. This business method satisfies both buyers and sellers ⁽dot com businesses) who have lost markets due to conglomerate sales networks and seek a new way of transactions other than the current passive and rigid transactions, and thereby activates e-commerce. The business method of the present invention can protect consumers (buyers) by preventing big sellers having a superior position of sales from making any price prearrangement which causes damage to small individual buyers. The business method of the present invention also enables buyers to purchase a quantity of products at lower prices on-line. The buyers can economically purchase products, without impulse buying of unnecessary products due to the competition between the buyers. Since the buyers, not the sellers, determine the price based on their cool and realistic judgement, expenses for display, interior design, ad, real estate, etc. can be used to reduce the cost of production. Any Internet shopping malls can be given an opportunity to reduce the time and cost for transactions, and the buyers can confirm the price of a product in real time without the need to wait the results concerning the price from the sellers.

Moreover, although the construction of the present invention is simple, the effect produced is definite and satisfactory. The business method of the present invention is effectively in concord and compatible with any Internet shopping mall in any country.

While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment and the drawings, but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and variations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims .

Claims

1. A business method of agreement on end-consumer price and quantity according to a buyer's plural asking quantity (BPAQ), the method comprising the steps of: inputting a BPAQ for a product, which the buyer searched at a seller's Internet shopping mall and desires to purchase, by a quick slider technique (QST) ; calculating the seller's flexible unit price of selling (SFUPS) fluctuating according to said BPAQ by an ellipse equation technique (EET) ; outputting the calculation results by QST so that the buyer can input a consent of the results; and deciding the quantity inputted and the price consented by the buyer as end-consumer quantity and price.

2. The business method according to claim 2, wherein said quick slider technique (QST) enables the buyer to complete by just one click drag the processes of inputting the quantity to be purchased (BPAQ) using a keyboard, commanding calculation of a corresponding SFUPS, displaying the calculation results (SFUPS) in characters or numbers, and repeating the same input/calculation command/output until the buyer agrees the quantity and the corresponding price, and more specifically, said quick slider technique (QST) outputs the calculation results in real time, if the buyer inputs a BPAQ by just one click drag of a sliding bar or an icon bar displayed on the monitor, using a mouse, and commands calculation of a corresponding SFUPS .

3. The business method according to claim 1, wherein said ellipse equation technique (EET) is a technique for calculating a SFUPS corresponding to each BPAQ using the following equation y = f (x) _:

(x-m)² , (y-n)² _ ₁ a² b² wherein, x = Buyer's plural asking quantity (BPAQ) y = Seller's flexible unit price of selling (SFUPS) m = Maximum BAQ = Total stock of seller's product n = Highest SUPS = SUPS when selling one e = Lowest SUPS = SUPS when selling total stock a = Range of BPAQ = Max. BAQ - Min. BAQ = m-1 b = Range of SFUPS = High. SUPS - Low. SUPS = n-e 1 < x < m e < y < n

0<a, 0<b, 0<m, 0<n, 0<e, 0<x, 0<y, said ellipse equation technique (EET) enabling the seller to complete repeating processes (SFUPS calculation and output) simply by inputting the total stock (m) , the highest SUPS (n) and the lowest SUPS (e) , instead of calculating and outputting a SFUPS corresponding to each BPAQ one by one using a keyboard.

4. The business method according to claim 1, wherein said seller's flexible unit price of selling (SFUPS) is calculated through: QST enabling the buyer to input a BPAQ (x) by just one click drag, command calculation of a corresponding SFUPS and receive an output of the calculation results in real time;

SLET calculating and outputting a SFUPS (y) corresponding to each BPAQ, if the seller inputs m, n and e just one time; a step of outputting the SFUPS in real time and inputting the buyer's consent of the SFUPS; and a step of agreeing the quantity inputted and the corresponding SFUPS consented by the buyer as end- consumer quantity and price.