WO2003063043A1

WO2003063043A1 - Service and method for self-directed marketing

Info

Publication number: WO2003063043A1
Application number: PCT/US2003/001550
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard A. Buendorf, Jr.
Original assignee: Patchmail
Priority date: 2002-01-17
Filing date: 2003-01-17
Publication date: 2003-07-31

Abstract

A system for self-directed marketing of the present invention generally includes an immediate access terminal, a request receiver, and an electronic message sender. The intermediate access terminal is a device that is generally thought of as being a non-traditional direct internet connector, such devices include telephone, televisions, cable boxes, pagers, personal communication devices, smart cards, and the like. The request receiver generally comprises a server that maintains a database of registered customers and registered vendors. The registered customers are each associated with an electronic message reception address, e.g., e-mail or SMS. The registered vendors are each associated with a link providing access to electronic product/service information of the vendors. The request receiver receives product/service information requests from registered customers. The electronic message sender responds to the customer requests obtained by the request receiver by sending the vendor link to the customer’s electronic message reception address.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELF-DIRECTED MARKETING

CLAIM TO PRIORITY The present invention claims priority to United States Provisional Patent Application No. 60/350,113, filed January 17, 2002, and entitled SERVICE AND METHOD FOR SELF- DIRECTED MARKETING. The contents of the identified provisional patent application is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to self-directed marketing and, more particularly, to a self-directed marketing system and method that enables links to vendor product/service information to customer information requesters, even though the customer requester may make the request through non-traditional electronic means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In order to entice a customer to purchase its products or services, a company engages in marketing. As a number of contact points for the customer has increased, the potential for marketing to the customer has also increased. For example, any given customer may have an e-mail address, postal address and multiple phone numbers and may receive marketing information at each. Generally, the marketing information received by the customer is unsolicited. Presently, a customer typically receives unsolicited information, such as mass mailings, mass marketed e-mails or cold calls. These types of contacts are generally disfavored by customers, as evidenced by the growing use of Caller ID and blocking services. Furthermore, these are not efficient forms of marketing for the company. The company spends considerable money and resources sending marketing information to the customers. The company must determine contact information for each customer to which they are sending the marketing information. Name lists are purchased for customers that they hope will be interested in their product. However, companies are not always able to direct mass mailings to customers interested in its products or services. As a general matter, the company is unable to precisely determine the success of its marketing or to identify or profile the customers interested in the marketing information. Similarly, a company does not always know how effective particular forms of advertising are at informing customers. Thus, the company wastes valuable resources marketing to customers uninterested in its products or services. Moreover, the company receives little or no data regarding the effectiveness of a particular marketing campaign educating or attracting customers.

On the customer's end, the customer may be overwhelmed with unsolicited mass marketing. The customer is burdened with sifting through the marketing and determining what may or may not be of interest. The customer is thus required to spend time on items that are of no interest to the customer if he desires to find that which is of interest to l im. The receipt of unsolicited marketing materials may become sufficiently irritating that the customer discards all of the marketing materials without reading or listening.

Further, if a customer is interested in receiving additional information on a specific product, service or company, it may be difficult for a customer to locate the relevant information. The customer may attempt to contact the respective company by first locating the company's general contact information and then determining the specific contact for the specific information. For example, a customer may have a company phone number and call the phone number and require direction to talk to the correct person for obtaining the information. Alternatively, if a customer desires to use the Internet to find the information, the customer must determine the web address for the company and then may have to navigate a virtual maze to locate the desired information within the company website. This may be time consuming and fail to produce the desired results. The customer may be required to provide to the company personal information in order to receive product and service information and may have no assurances that the personal information will not be sold or passed on to a third party.

Currently, the ways for a customer to locate or receive information about a product, company, or service are time consuming, labor intensive, and may require relinquishing personal information to each company from which information is requested. Similarly, it is labor intensive for a company to get information to customers, even when solicited. The company may need to provide personnel for receiving customer requests and/or directing them to other personnel. Further, the company must individually provide the information to each requesting customer.

The term "permission marketing" is generally considered the solution to the problems described above. Permission marketing occurs when a customer voluntarily requests information on a specific product. To be effective, permission marketing must require minimal customer input so as not to dissuade the customer from the request. The reply must specifically address the customer's question without having to decipher a complicated brochure or website directory. Furthermore, the reply must be unintrusive and available at the customer's convenience.

Some companies have attempted to ease the complication of accessing information by establishing Internet contact through the use of a phone number as a uniform resource locator (URL) address. For example, U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0065828 simply discloses a method for enabling Internet users to access a website by typing the phone number of the organization. The user still must hunt through a site from their computer to find specific information on a product or service.

A customizable web page targeting system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0123904. This system allows for access to a specified Internet site and related/alternate websites utilizing telephone numbers as primary search queries. This invention simply compiles from the proper original sources all websites and their corresponding telephone numbers. The customer is then presented access to a full directory of websites linked to the corresponding telephone number. Such a system does not directly link a customer to a specific product or service but instead provides a menu of sites related to a specific product or service. Furthermore, the request must be made from an Internet terminal.

In addition, it would be advantageous for a customer to be able to access marketing information when away from their computer such as by phone. Such a system would allow a customer to respond to external stimulus such as billboards or radio/television advertising. U.S. Patent Appliction No. 2002/0164000 discloses a system for using a phone to audibly browse an audio network. While such a system allows the customer to request information from virtually anywhere, the content is limited to sites with audible replies. Weather, time and phone number assistance are easily provided through a voice recognition system but general marketing information is not. Furthermore, audible browsing follows a flow chart question scheme to direct the customer to an area of interest. Such a scheme is frequently time consuming.

Another example utilizing wireless is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 2001/0041561, which describes a method of providing information to a user based on the proximity of a wireless device used to make the request to a stimulus at the time of the request. While providing marketing information only with permission, this method focuses on the use of a wireless device for the request and on the geographic location of the customer as compared to the stimulus. As such, it limits the convenience for the customer to request the information at a later date or from an alternate location. It also requires a locator system in the wireless device to be effective. A more general approach is disclosed by U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0049626 and U.S. Patent Application No. 2001/0037242, which describe tailored marketing information systems. However, they are too intrusive for the customer must first fill out a work sheet as to their interests.

Therefore, it is desirable for customers to have a method for requesting specific product, service or company information without extensive steps or requiring direct contact to the company. Similarly, it would be desirable for a company to send marketing information only to customers who have expressed specific interest in the company's products or services without requiring extensive dedication of company personnel or resources. Moreover, it would be desirable to determine the effectiveness of its marketing and to identify and/or profile customers interested in the marketing information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The system for self-directed marketing of the present invention generally includes an immediate access terminal, a request receiver, and an electronic message sender. The intermediate access terminal is a device that is generally thought of as being a non-traditional direct internet connector, such devices include telephone, televisions, cable boxes, pagers, personal communication devices, smart cards, and the like. The request receiver generally comprises a server that maintains a database of registered customers and registered vendors. The registered customers are each associated with an electronic message reception address, e.g., e-mail or SMS. The registered vendors are each associated with a link providing access to electronic product/service information of the vendors. The request receiver receives product/service information requests from registered customers. The electronic message sender responds to the customer requests obtained by the request receiver by sending the vendor link to the customer's electronic message reception address.

In a specific and preferred embodiment of the invention at this time, the system for self-directed marketing of the present invention generally includes an interactive customer and vendor registration website, a database, a telephonic product/service request receiver, and an e-mail sender. With reference to the customer, the interactive customer and vendor registration website of the system enables a customer to register with the system and, in doing so, establish a customer identification that is comprised of a customer-designated telephone number. In registering, the customer also establishes a customer-designated e-mail account that is associated customer identification. With reference to the vendor, the interactive customer and vendor website of the system enables a vendor to register with the system and, in doing so, establish a vendor identification that is comprised of a vendor-designated telephone number. In registering, the vendor also establishes product/service information that is associated with the vendor identification.

The database of the system is used to store each customer's and vendor's registration data in separate records that are identified with the customer and vendor identification. The telephonic product/service request receiver of the system receives calls from customers. The receiver utilizes the database to verify that the customer is a registered customer and then takes requests from the customer for product/service information from a registered vendor. The e-mail sender of the system accesses the requested product/service information in the database and sends that information to the customer via their customer-designated e-mail address. Additional features of the invention include: 1) the telephonic product/service request receiver being accessed by the customer by dialing a single, central access number; 2) the vendor establishing a URL that is associated with the vendor identification; 3) the vendor establishing a product identification associated with the vendor identification; 4) enabling the product/service information request to be submitted via touchtone telephone keypad or via a vocal request; 5) verifying the calling customer as registered by comparing the caller ID to the customer identifications within the database.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a system diagram of the system and method of self-directed marketing of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a system diagram of a specific and currently preferred embodiment of the system and method of self-directed marketing of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a customer registration flowchart relative to the system of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vendor registration flowchart relative to the system of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an operational flowchart relative to the system of Fig. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is a system and method for self-directed marketing that enables a customer to access electronic information about a vendor's product that they would normally not be able to access without a traditional internet comiection, e.g., a computer/modem connection. Fig. 1 depicts a general overview of the self-directed marketing system 1 of the present invention. As shown, the system, itself generally comprises an immediate access terminal 2, a request receiver 3, and a message sender 7. The immediate access terminal 2 is a device that is immediately available and quickly at hand for a customer but is also a device that is not traditionally thought of as a device for accessing the internet. Such devices include but are not limited to telephones, cell phones, television, cable boxes, pagers, personal communication devices, smart cards, etc. Rather, the immediate access terminal 2, as initiated by the customer, utilizes its standard mode of communication to access the request receiver.

The request receiver 3 may generally be thought of as a server that maintains a database 4 of registered customer information 5, including various types of customer information but specifically a customer electronic message reception address, as well as registered vendor information 6, including various types of vendor information but specifically an electronic link to the vendor's product/service information. The request receiver 3 accommodates each of the modes of communication of the various immediate access terminals 2 so that a registered customer may use the immediate access terminal 2 of their choice to make a vendor product/service information request to the request receiver 3.

Upon receiving the customer request, the request receiver 3 draws the requested product/service information from the database 4 and provides it to the message sender 7 for delivery of the product/service information electronic link to the customer's electronic message reception address. The message sender 7 may send the electronic link by any suitable mean that is appropriate to the established electronic message reception address, e.g., e-mail, SMS, etc.

Description of a Specific Embodiment

In the specific, and currently preferred, embodiment described herein below, the present invention comprises a system and method for self-directed marketing combining the widely used and available technologies of telephone communication, the World Wide Web, and e-mail service. The self-directed marketing system enables a customer to access desired product/service information, on any number of products/services, by accessing a single server, then entering a product identifier through their touchtone telephone keypad, then automatically receiving through their electronic message address the requested product/service information from the vendor who makes or supplies the product/service.

Fig. 2 depicts a general overview of the self-directed marketing system 10 of the currently preferred embodiment of present invention. The system 10 itself comprises a server 20 (operating as request receiver) utilizing software that enables it to provide interactive Internet registration for both customers, i.e., any party desirous of obtaining information about a product/service, and vendors, i.e., any party desirous of providing information about a product/service they make or supply. The server 20 additionally utilizes software that enables it to create a database 22 where both registered customer information 24 and registered vendor information 26 are stored. Further, the server 20 utilizes hardware/software that enables it to receive a telephone-initiated (the telephone comprises the immediate access terminal) request for product/service information and respond with an electronic message (the electronic message server is the message sender) to the customer's electronic message address with the requested information. The electronic message address may then be accessed by the customer through any available manner, e.g., computer access, PDA access, cell phone access, etc.

As indicated above, the self-directed marketing system 10 is based on both customer and vendor registrations. A customer registration, as diagrammed in the flowchart of Fig. 3, is effected by first accessing, via the Internet, the server's interactive website and registration pages contained therein, per operations block 102. Any type of interactive web page presentation may be used as long as the desired customer information is entered and stored to the database 22. In the preferred embodiment, the desired customer information includes: 1) a customer-designated phone number, e.g., the customer's home phone number, business phone number, or cell phone number, etc.; 2) a customer-designated PIN (personal identification number); and 3) a customer-designated electronic message address, e.g., e-mail, per input block 104. If desired, the system 10 may also request that the customer enter additional demographic information such as zip code, gender, month and year of birth, per input block 105. Of course, any other type of demographic information may be requested by the system 10 without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The customer information is then preferably stored to the database 22 wherein the identifier of the customer record within the database is the combination of the customer's phone number and PIN, per operations block 106. The system 10 then preferably sends a confirmation of the customer's registration information to the customer-designated electronic message address, per operations block 108, whereby the customer registration process is completed.

It should be noted that the customer-designated telephone number may be used by more than one entity by entering additional PIN numbers to be associated with that telephone number. In this manner, multiple users of the same telephone number, e.g., different members of a family, employees of a small business, etc., can make product/service information requests that are sent to their desired e-mail address that is associated with the telephone number and the unique PIN. Further, customer registration information is preferably capable of being modified at any time by once again accessing the system's interactive website and recalling the previously entered registration information.

The vendor registration process, as diagrammed in the flowchart of Fig. 4, is effected by first accessing, via the Internet, the server's interactive website and registration pages contained therein, per operations block 202. Any type of interactive web page presentation may be used as long as the desired vendor information is entered and stored to the database 22. In the preferred embodiment, the desired customer information includes: 1) a vendor- designated identification, e.g., telephone number; 2) a vendor-designated URL; 3) a vendor- designated electronic message address; 4) the vendor name; and 5) the vendor address, per input block 204. If desired, the system 10 may also request that the vendor enter additional information such as a business category/sub-category, contact name, and department name, per input block 205. Of course, any other type of vendor information may be requested by the system 10 without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

In continuing with vendor registration, the system 10 preferably prompts the vendor to enter product/service information for any number of products/services that it makes or supplies and wishes to market. The product/service information entered by the vendor preferably includes: 1. the product/service name; 2. a product/service identification code (e.g., sku, MLS, UPC, or other desired number); 3. a product/service description; and/or 4. a specific product/service URL, per input block 206. Both the vendor information and the vendor's product/service information are preferably stored to the database 22 wherein the identifier of the vendor record within the database 22 is the vendor's telephone number, per operations block 208. The system 10 then preferably sends a confirmation of the vendor's registration information to the vendor-designated electronic message address, per operations block 210, whereby the vendor registration process is completed. Nendor registration information is preferably capable of being modified at any time by once again accessing the system's interactive website and recalling the previously entered registration information.

In operation, the self-directed marketing system 10 provides connections between registered customers and registered vendors. An operational flow chart of the system 10 is presented in Fig. 5 and begins with a customer being presented with any type of visual/audio advertisement, e.g., billboards, television/radio commercials, etc., that includes a system reference and the vendor's identification, which is the vendor's telephone number. Notably the visual/audio advertisement is presented in a non-intrusive marketing form, i.e. marketing directed to a population, or subset thereof, but not to a specific individual or specific business. The system reference may be the provision of the manner of accessing the system's single server or the mere mention of an association of the vendor with the system 10; a registered customer can be presumed to aheady know how to access the system 10 through the single server.

Upon being presented with the advertisement, the customer makes the decision to access the server, by any telephonic means (PSTN, wireless, etc.), the single, central access telephone number of the system 10, per operations block 310. The system 10 receives the call and, utilizing caller ID, obtains the telephone number from which the call has been made, per operations block 312. Upon obtaining the incoming telephone number, the system 10 accesses its customer information 24 within its database 22 to determine if the incoming telephone number is a registered customer identification, per decision block 314. If the incoming telephone number is not a registered customer identification, the customer caller is prompted to enter a registered customer identification telephone number and PIN number, per operations block 316, whereby the system database 22 once again operates to determine if the entered telephone number is a registered customer identification, the PTN is also verified by the system database 22.

If the incoming telephone number is a registered customer identification, the system 10 prompts the customer to enter their PIN number, which is also verified by the system database 10 (an incorrect PIN results in the prompting to re-enter the PIN), per operations block 318. Alternatively, the customer may establish their registration with the system whereby their PIN need not be entered upon requesting product/service information from the system. Rather, while their PIN is still stored within the database, their registered telephone number operates as the sole form of identification and hastens the speed by which the registered customer can make a product/service information request.

Upon verifying that the incoming call is from a registered customer, the system 10 prompts the customer to enter the vendor identification for which they desire information, per input block 320. It should be noted that if the incoming call is not from a registered customer, the system 10 provides a message requesting that the caller register with the system at the system URL. Once the vendor identification has been entered, in the form of the vendor's advertised telephone number, the system 10 operates to verify that the vendor identification is indeed a number that is registered with the system 10, per decision block 322. If the vendor identification is not registered with the system 10, the caller is prompted to re-enter into their telephone keypad, the vendor identification, per operations block 324.

If the vendor identification is registered with the system 10, the system 10 operates to determine whether the vendor has products within the database 22. If the registered vendor has no products listed within the database 22, the system 22 operates to send the registered caller the vendor's URL, per operations block 328. The result is that the vendor's identification, i.e., their telephone number has ultimately acted as their website. The system 10 may additionally send other vendor contact information such as e-mail, street address, and/or any other information that has been entered by the vendor into the system 10. Upon the system sending the registered customer, the operation of the self-directed marketing system 10 is complete.

If the registered vendor does have products listed within the system database 22, the caller is prompted by the system 10 to enter the advertised product identification through their telephone keypad, per input block 330. The system 10 then operates to determine whether the product identification is within the database 22. If the product identification is not within the database 22, the customer is prompted to re-enter the product identification, per operations block 334.

If the product identification is within the database, the customer is advised by message over the telephone that their request for product/service information is complete. The system then operates to substantially simultaneously e-mail the registered customer the vendor-established product/service information associated with the entered product identification. In a preferred embodiment, the information sent is the product URL, wherein once again, the vendor's telephone number (in combination with a product identification) has ultimately acted as their website. Of course any other product/service information, e.g., coupons, brochures, literature, links to other URLs, etc., associated with the product identification may be electronically sent to the customer.

It should be noted that while the above-description has provided for the customer's entering vendor/product identification through their telephone keypad, the customer's spoken word into the telephone in combination with voice identification technology may be used as an alternative without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

In view of the above, the self-directed marketing system 10 of the present invention has operated to link the specific product/service interests of a customer with the specific information about the product/service that is provided by the vendor. The customer has obtained the benefit of having made their own decision as to what information they receive and the vendor has obtained the benefit of being able to submit marketing information to a customer that is truly interested in one or more of the vendor's product/services increasing the likelihood of that vendor's sales. The transaction has occurred through use of a simple registration scheme that simplifies by using telephone numbers as customer/vendor identifiers.

As described above, the system 10 maintains a substantial database of both customer and vendor information. The requests made by customers, and the vendors associated with the request, are preferably logged by the system database 22 enabling the system 10 to produce various reports, including but not limited to; 1) customer lists; 2) vendor lists; 3) transaction lists, e.g., transaction requests by week, requests per day, reports by product (indicating advertisement effectiveness),unregistered vendors requested (resulting in sales leads for system operators), etc. Any number and/or variations of reports utilizing the database 22 data may be generated by the self-directed marketing system without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the system 10 utilizes that benefits of global positioning system (GPS) technology so that not only does the system 10 know who is calling but also knows from where they are calling. A GPS transmitter that is contained in a cellular telephone can give both customer identification and location wherein the system can respond not only with product/service information requests but can also provide directions to the closest location where the product/service may be purchased. Numerous other type of location based information can be used by the system to enhance the operation provided by the system to both customers and vendors. Any other type of technology that provides location information may be used by the system of the present invention to provide enhanced operation.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the essential attributes thereof; therefore, the illustrated embodiment should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED:

1. A self-directed marketing system, comprising: an immediate access terminal, wherein said immediate access terminal is a non-traditional device for direct internet connection; a request receiver, wherein said request receiver includes a database of registered customers, each associated with an electronic message reception address, and of registered vendors, each associated with product/service information from said registered vendor, and wherein said request receiver receives product/service information requests from registered customers via said immediate access terminal; and an electronic message sender in communication with said request receiver, wherein said electronic message sender responds to said requests by sending said product/service information that is stored within said database to said electronic message reception address.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said immediate access terminal is selected from a group consisting of: a telephone, a cell phone, a television, a cable box, a pager, a personal communication device, and a smart card.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic message reception address comprises an e-mail address or an SMS address.

4. A method for self-directed marketing, the method comprising the steps of: registering a customer, wherein registering includes establishing a customer identification and a customer-designated electronic message address associated with said customer identification; registering a vendor, wherein registering includes establishing a vendor identification and a product/service information link associated with said vendor identification; storing the customer and vendor registrations in a database; receiving a request from a customer for product/service information of a registered vendor; verifying that the requesting customer is a registered customer by reviewing the database; retrieving the requested product/service information link from the database; and sending by electronic messaging the retrieved product/service information link to the registered customer at the customer-designated electronic message address.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the received request is received by a single server.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein registering a vendor further includes establishing a URL associated with the vendor identification.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein registering a vendor further includes establishing a product/service identification associated with the vendor identification.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said request is in the form of a touchtone telephone keypad entry or in the form of a vocal request made through a telephone.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of obtaining the requesting customers caller ID and wherein said step of reviewing the database comprises comparing the caller ID with the vendor identifications in the database.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein registering a customer further comprises establishing a customer PIN (personal identification number) associated with the vendor identification.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein registering a vendor comprises establishing a plurality of vendor identifications for a single vendor.

12. The method claim 6, wherein retrieved product/service information link is a URL link.

13. A self-directed marketing system, comprising: means for registering a customer, wherein the customer registration is identified by a customer-designated telephone number and wherein said customer registration includes a customer-designated e-mail address; means for registering a vendor, wherein the vendor registration is identified by a vendor-designated telephone number and wherein said vendor registration includes a product/service information; means for receiving a registered-customer, telephonic request for registered vendor product/service information, wherein said request includes said vendor- designated telephone number; and means for sending said vendor product/service information to said customer- designated e-mail address in response to said request.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said vendor product/service information comprises a vendor-designated URL link

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the telephonic request is made via a single, central access telephone number.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said vendor product/service information includes a product identification.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said telephonic request is in the form of a touchtone telephone keypad entry or in the form of a vocal entry.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for verifying a registration status of a requester by comparing the requester's call H) with the stored customer identification.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein said customer is further identified by a PIN (personal identification number).

20. The system of claim 13, wherein said vendor is identified by a plurality of vendor- designated telephone numbers.

21. A self-directed marketing system including: an interactive customer and vendor registration website, wherein a customer registers with the system and establishes a customer identification comprising a customer-designated telephone number and establishes a customer-designated e-mail address that is associated with said customer identification, and wherein a vendor registers with the system and establishes a vendor identification comprising a vendor- designated telephone number and establishes a product/service information that is associated with said vendor identification; a database, wherein the customer and vendor registration data is stored in said database; a telephonic product/service request receiver, wherein the receiver utilizes said database to verify customer registration and wherein said receiver receives a product/service request from the registered customer for said established product/service information from the registered vendor by said registered customer entering said vendor identification; an e-mail sender, wherein the e-mail sender accesses the requested product/service information in said database and sends the requested product/service information to said registered customer at the established customer e-mail address.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said telephonic product/service request receiver is accessible by dialing a single, central access telephone number.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said vendor registers with the system and establishes a URL associated with said vendor identification.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said vendor registers with the system and establishes a product identification associated with said vendor identification.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said product/service request from the registered customer is in the form of a touchtone telephone keypad entry or in the form of a vocal request.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein said receiver identifies the registered customer through use of caller ID technology, wherein the caller ID number matches said customer identification.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein upon said caller ID number not matching said customer identification, said receiver identifies the registered customer through a customer entry of said customer identification.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said customer entry of said customer identification is in the form of a touchtone telephone keypad entry or in the form of a vocal request.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein said customer identification further includes a customer-designated PIN (personal identification number).

30. The system of claim 21, wherein said vendor establishes a plurality of vendor identifications, wherein each of said plurality of vendor identifications comprises a different vendor-designated phone number.

31. The system of claim 21, wherein said vendor establishes a vendor-designated URL associated with said vendor identification and wherein the sent product/service information comprises a link to said vendor-designated URL.