WO2008044853A2

WO2008044853A2 - Method and system for electronic commerce

Info

Publication number: WO2008044853A2
Application number: PCT/KR2007/004913
Authority: WO
Inventors: Won Il Lee
Original assignee: Won Il Lee
Priority date: 2006-10-09
Filing date: 2007-10-09
Publication date: 2008-04-17
Also published as: WO2008044853A3

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for an electronic commerce, in which a plurality of commodity end users and temporary users are divided into a commodity sales group (winner group) and a commodity user group (loser group) to transact with each other through a wired/wireless Internet game for obtaining shopping game points, thus making a distribution profit and purchasing a desired amount of commodities very cheaply. Accordingly, business consumers, individual consumers and small and medium sized distribution merchants can attempt to purchase commodities at low price through the electronic commerce, make profits and enjoy the electronic commerce itself.

Description

[DESCRIPTION]

[invention Title]

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

[Technical Field]

The present invention relates to an electronic commerce system capable of enabling an electronic commerce between consumers using a method of obtaining shopping game points on the wired/wireless Internet. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for an electronic commerce, in which a plurality of commodity end users and temporary users are divided into a commodity sales group (winner group) and a commodity user group (loser group) to transact with each other through a wired/wireless Internet game for obtaining shopping game points, thus making a distribution profit and purchasing a desired amount of commodities very cheaply. Accordingly, business consumers, individual consumers and small and medium sized distribution merchants can attempt to purchase commodities at low price through the electronic commerce, make profits and enjoy the electronic commerce itself.

[Background Art]

With the specialization of modern society, the structure of manufacturing, distributing and marketing commodities has been developed and systemized. Moreover, in the step of manufacturing commodities, a structure in which an assembly and manufacturing company manufactures consumer products by purchasing a variety of parts manufactured by a plurality of part companies is generalized.

We have experienced how much the power of consumers including business consumers, individual consumers, and small and medium sized distribution merchants is great and influences the commodity distribution through off-line markets, which are traditional consumer markets, such as department stores, discount superstores and the like, and on-line digital markets including business-to-business (B2B) market places and business-to-consumer (B2C) market places such as internet shopping malls. However, although the consumers are the most powerful end users in the relationship of manufacturers-distribution companies-consumers, which is a distribution chain, they have no market share. That is, although the consumers can actively participate in a commodity distribution system to make profits and purchase commodities more cheaply using the power of consumers, they have not tried to do like that. In other words, it is no exaggeration to say that the consumers have been treated as just those that purchase and consume commodities or as targets of consumption. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide an electronic commerce of a new paradigm, through which the consumers can transact directly with the manufacturers, and provide a market of the consumers, by the consumers, for the consumers on the wire/wireless Internet so that the consumers can lead the market, make distribution profits as digital merchants, and purchase commodity at low price.

[Disclosure] [Technical Problem] Accordingly, the present invention provides a method and system for electronic commerce, in which a commodity supplier can secure a production fund in advance by issuing sales vouchers prior to production of corresponding commodities and reflect the cost reduction obtained according to the planned production by the advance sales to an ex-factory price so that commodity users receive the benefits, and the commodity users can make premium profits by participating in a voucher sales transaction in the form of a game based on a method of obtaining game points.

[Technical Solution]

In a first aspect, the present invention provides an electronic commerce system comprising: a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users, wherein the service providing apparatus calculates a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, calculates a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price, calculates a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point and a second point calculated based on the previous voucher sales contract result, groups the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, performs a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups, and calculates and stores the second point for the commodity user based on the voucher sales contract result.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides an electronic commerce system comprising: a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users; and a plurality of affiliated stores connected to the service providing apparatus and providing use information of users to the service providing apparatus, wherein the service providing apparatus calculates a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, calculates a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price, calculates a third point based on use information of the commodity user provided from the affiliated stores, calculates a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point and the third point, groups the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, and performs a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups .

In a third aspect, the present invention provides an electronic commerce system comprising: a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users; and a plurality of affiliated stores connected to the service providing apparatus and providing use information of users to the service providing apparatus, wherein the service providing apparatus calculates a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, calculates a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price, calculates a third point based on use information of the users provided from the affiliated stores, calculates a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point, the third point, and a second point calculated based on the previous voucher sales contract result, groups the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, performs a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups, and calculates and stores the second point for the commodity user based on the voucher sales contract result.

In the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic commerce method using an electronic commerce system including a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users, the method comprising: a first step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, and calculating a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price; a second step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point obtained in the first step and a second point calculated based on the previous voucher sales contract result; a third step of grouping, at the service providing apparatus, the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, obtained in the second step, into at least one group; a fourth step of performing, at the service providing apparatus, a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups grouped in the third step; and a fifth step of calculating and storing, at the service providing apparatus, the second point for the commodity user based on the voucher sales contract result of the fourth step.

The second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic commerce method using an electronic commerce system including a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users, and a plurality of affiliated stores connected to the service providing apparatus and providing use information of users to the service providing apparatus, the method comprising: an eleventh step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a third point based on use information of the user provided from the affiliated stores; a twelfth step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, and calculating a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price; a thirteenth step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point and the third point calculated in the eleventh and twelfth steps, respectively; a fourteenth step of grouping, at the service providing apparatus, the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, obtained in the thirteenth step, into at least one group; and a fifteenth step of performing, at the service providing apparatus, a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups grouped in the fourteenth step. The third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic commerce method using an electronic commerce system including a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users, and a plurality of affiliated stores connected to the service providing apparatus and providing use information of users to the service providing apparatus, the method comprising: a twenty first step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a third point based on use information of the user provided from the affiliated stores; a twenty second step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, and calculating a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price; a twenty third step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point and the third point calculated in the twenty first and twenty second steps, respectively; a twenty fourth step of grouping, at the service providing apparatus, the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, obtained in the twenty third step, into at least one group; a twenty fifth step of performing, at the service providing apparatus, a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups grouped in the twenty fourth step; and a twenty sixth step of calculating and storing, at the service providing apparatus, the second point for the commodity user based on the voucher sales contract result of the twenty fifth step.

[Description of Drawings] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an electronic commerce system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a sales voucher in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of a service providing apparatus 10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure a database 14 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the detailed structure of a point information storing unit 144 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the electronic commerce system in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7 to 9 are diagrams showing examples of output screens provided during the operation of the electronic commerce;

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of an electronic commerce system in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a point calculation information table of a service providing apparatus 70 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the electronic commerce system in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the structure of an electronic commerce system in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the electronic commerce system in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention.

[Mode for Invention]

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The preferred embodiments are provided so that those skilled in the art can sufficiently understand the present invention, but can be modified in various forms and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments.

First, a "shopping game" in accordance with the present invention denotes a series of processes of transacting sales vouchers between commodity users . A "shopping game point" denotes a point used in the shopping game in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an electronic commerce system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of commodity providers 30 (3Oi to 3O_N) and a plurality of commodity users 40 (4Oi to 40_M) are connected to a service providing apparatus 10. The commodity provider 30 denotes a provider manufacturing and supplying a specific commodity and the commodity users 40 include a consumer actually purchasing the commodity manufactured by the commodity provider 30 and a temporary consumer for the purpose of the voucher sales only. The commodity user 40 and the commodity supplier 30 correspond to individuals or enterprises. That is, B2B, B2C and C2C businesses are available in the electronic commerce system. Moreover, the commodity supplier 30 may correspond to an enterprise that manufactures commodities as well as an export and import company that imports and sells a specific commodity. The commodities may be material and immaterial goods.

In FIG. 1, it is not necessary to connect the service providing apparatus 10 to the commodity users 40 on the Internet 20, and various communication networks such as gateway and mobile communication network may be used. Accordingly, the commodity users 40 may perform the voucher sales transaction through a personal digital assistant (PDA) or IMT-2000 terminal.

The service providing apparatus 10 is connected to a financial company 50 through a predetermined communication network such as the Internet and performs the transfer of payment according to the voucher sales. The commodity supplier 30 in the electronic commerce system determines the price, quantity and lead time of a specific commodity in advance in the step of commercializing the corresponding commodity before manufacturing and transmits information on the commodity to the service providing apparatus 10 on the Internet 20.

Meanwhile, the service providing apparatus 10 provides the commodity information provided from the commodity supplier 40 to the commodity users 40. Moreover, the service providing apparatus 10 sets the priority order of the voucher sales for the commodity users 40 based on the shopping game points that the commodity users 40 have obtained and performs the voucher sales in accordance with the priority order. At this time, the shopping game point corresponds to an accumulated point obtained by adding up a first point, calculated by a difference between a purchase average price of the commodity that the commodity users 40 offer in the current shopping game and a market average price, and a second point that the commodity user 40 has obtained as a result of the previous shopping game. The voucher sales transaction between the commodity supplier 30 and the commodity users 40 is made in a one-stop manner externally, and the service providing apparatus 10 internally adds a specific premium to the commodity price offered by the commodity supplier 30 and performs at least one sale. That is, an intermediate commodity user 40 (commodity temporary user) that earns a premium profit exists between the commodity supplier 30 and the final commodity user 40 (commodity end user) .

The service providing apparatus 10 issues a sales voucher for a commodity when the sales transaction of the corresponding commodity is completed and provides the sales voucher to the final commodity user 40. As shown in FIG. 2, the sales voucher in accordance with the present invention is composed of information such as a transaction item code, an issue number, an issue date, a brand name, a commodity quantity, and a commodity specification.

Meanwhile, the service providing apparatus 10 receives a deposit from the commodity user 40 that has purchased the sales voucher to manage the electronic commerce system in accordance with the present invention. For example, the commodity user 40 that has purchased the sales voucher pays 20% of a purchase order price, i.e., a purchase order maximum price, as the deposit. The service providing apparatus 10 supports a portion of the deposit, e.g., about 8%, to the commodity supplier 30 as a commodity order deposit and uses the rest, i.e., about 12% as a sales commission, a sales tax and a subsidy for loss of the commodity user 40 that has purchased the sales voucher. At this time, the intermediate commodity user, i.e., the commodity user that has earned the premium profit according to the voucher sales transaction pays a sales commission and a sales tax to the service providing apparatus 10.

Moreover, the service providing apparatus 10 may use a portion of the deposit to compensate for a foreign exchange loss of the export and import company.

Furthermore, the service providing apparatus 10 may be insured for a billion won, for example, against a business accident during the sales process by an insurance company, not depicted, thus ensuring reliability of the sales voucher issued during the voucher sales transaction.

Meanwhile, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the service providing apparatus 10 of FIG. 1. The service providing apparatus 10 may comprise a network connection unit 11, a web server 12, a service control unit 13, a database 14 and an operator terminal 15. The respective elements may be provided in each server or connected to each other through a LAN 16. Moreover, the respective elements may be provided in a single server.

The network connection unit 11 provides a data interface with the financial company 50.

The web server 12 provides various screen information, used for membership subscription and login processes of the commodity supplier 30 and the commodity users 40, for a process of registering commodities provided from the commodity supplier 30, and for the voucher sales process between the commodity users 40, to the commodity supplier 30 and the commodity users 40. At the same time, the web server 12 updates the database 14 based on the registration information supplied from the commodity supplier 30 and the commodity users 40. Although not depicted, the web server 12 may communicate with a mobile communication network through gateway so as to provide the service in accordance with the present invention to the commodity users 40 through a mobile communication terminal or a PDA. The service control unit 13 issues the sales voucher for the commodity supplied from the commodity supplier 30 and performs a series of the voucher sales transactions between the commodity users 40. Moreover, the service control unit 13 calculates the shopping game points based on the previous sales results between the commodity users 40 and the commodity purchase price information of the current commodity users 40 and sets the priority order of the commodity users 40 based on the calculated shopping game points . The shopping game point is divided into a price betting strategy point and a shopping game operation strategy point. The total price betting strategy point is 60 points and the price betting strategy points are differently given according to a difference between the purchase average price that the commodity users 40 offer in the current shopping game and the market average price. The total shopping game operation strategy point is 40 points and the shopping game operation strategy points are differently given according to whether or not the commodity user 40 failed in the previous shopping game and whether or not he or she is an end user.

That is, the process of concluding the sales of the service control unit 13 is as follows. First, the service control unit 13 calculates a market price of a commodity based on purchase order prices of the commodity users 40 for the commodity supplied from the commodity supplier 30. The market price (SC) is determined by obtaining an average price (S = (U+D)/2) of the maximum price (U) and the minimum price (D) of the commodity users 40 and calculating an average price with respect to a purchase quantity (N) of the average prices (S) of the respective commodity users 40, as shown the following formula 1. [Formula 1] SC = { (S_x*Ni) + (S₂*N₂) +...(S_N*N_N) }/(Ni+N₂+...N_N) Subsequently, the service control unit 13 calculates shopping game points by adding up the price betting strategy points and the shopping game operation strategy points of the commodity users 40 and sets the priority order of the commodity users 40 based on the shopping game points. Next, the service control unit 13 classifies the commodity users 40 into specific groups based on the sales priority order according to the shopping game points so as to meet the total sales quantity, and carries out the process of the voucher sales transaction with respect to the respective commodity user groups according to the priority order. For example, if the total amount of purchases of the commodity users 40 is 100,000 and the total quantity of the commodities is 10,000, the commodity users 40 are classified into 10 groups. The service control unit 13 classifies the commodity user group from the first group to the Nth group in sequential order of the shopping game points. At this time, the service control unit 13 carries out the sales process so that the first group purchases the sales vouchers at the market price and the second group purchases the sales vouchers at a price obtained by adding up the premium, set by the commodity users 40 of the first group, and the market price. In this case, at least one group having the lowest shopping game point becomes the end users that will actually accept the commodities .

In the case where the purchase price of the commodity user 40 of the Nth group is set to lower than the purchase price required by the commodity user 40 of the previous group (N-lth group), i.e., the price obtained by adding up a premium and the purchase price of the commodity user of the N-2th group, the service control unit 13 does not perform the sales contract. That is, a sales contract processing unit 130 transacts the sales contact so that the commodity user 40 of the N-lth group becomes a successful bidder of the sales voucher.

Moreover, the service control unit 13 controls to sell the sales voucher of the successful bidder having no intent to accept the corresponding commodity to any other commodity user 40 or restore the commodity to the commodity supplier 30.

Meanwhile, the database 14 of FIG. 3 comprises a commodity supplier information storage unit 141 for storing various information on the registered commodity suppliers, a commodity user information storage unit 142 for storing various information on the registered commodity users, a sales voucher information storage unit 143 for storing various information on the sales vouchers, and a point information storage unit 144 for storing various information on the shopping game points of the respective commodity users 40.

As shown in FIG. 4, the commodity supplier information storage unit 141 stores information on the registered commodity suppliers 30 such as passwords of membership IDs, trade names, contact addresses, account numbers, sales voucher item codes, sales prices, sales quantities, and the like. The commodity user information storage unit 142 stores information on the registered commodity users 40 such as passwords of membership IDs, names, contact addresses, account numbers, sales voucher item codes, purchase prices, purchase quantities, sales premium unit prices, and the like, The sales voucher information storage unit 143 stores information on the sales vouchers such as issue numbers, brand names, issue date, commodity quantities, commodity information, and the like. The point information storage unit 144 stores information on the shopping game points of the respective commodity users 40 such as dates when the last points were used, dates when the points were generated, game numbers, point calculation information, and the like. As shown in FIG. 5, the point calculation information is broadly divided into a price betting strategy point and a shopping game operation strategy point. The price betting strategy point is a market average purchase price point and, more particularly, divided into a market average purchase price approaching point, a market average price range approaching point, and a market average distribution profit approaching point. The shopping game operation strategy point is divided into a shopping game failure point and an end user point. The shopping game failure point is divided into a shopping game loser point and a shopping game winner point. The end user point is divided into a shopping game purchase result point, an end user report point, and an end user false point. Although not depicted, an available maximum point per one time and an acquired point per one time and maximum accumulate point information are stored in each of the above points. For example, as for the shopping game failure point, a specific point, e.g., 10 points are added to the shopping game loser in the shopping game of one time, and a specific point, e.g., 10 points are subtracted from the shopping game winner in the shopping game of one time. Moreover, as for the end user point, 10 points are added to the shopping game of one time according to the shopping game purchase result, 10 points are added to the end user for the shopping game of one time, and 10 points are subtracted from the false end user for the shopping game of one time.

The operator terminal 15 of FIG. 3 including a monitor and a keyboard is to interface with the electronic commerce system in accordance with the present invention.

Next, the operation of the electronic commerce system having the above structure will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

First, the service providing apparatus 10 carries out a membership subscription process for the commodity supplier 30 and the commodity users 40 that want to receive the present service through the web server 12 (STl) . At this time, the service providing apparatus 10 transmits specific initial screen information to the terminals of the commodity supplier 30 and the commodity user 40 on the Internet 20. An example of the initial screen information is shown in FIG. 7.

As shown in FIG. 7, the initial screen information includes a "membership subscription" item 210 for the membership subscription of the commodity supplier 30 and the commodity users 40, a "commodity registration" item 220 for the commodity registration of the commodity supplier 30, a "notice information" item 230 for noticing information on the voucher sales contract in accordance with the present invention, and a "sales transaction" item 240 for the voucher sales contract in accordance with the present invention. The "sales transaction" item 240 includes a "purchase order" item 241 for the purchase order of the sales voucher of the commodity user 40, a "sales order" item 242 for the sales order of the sales voucher of the commodity supplier 30, and a "result confirmation" item 243 for the confirmation of result information according to the voucher sales contract.

Meanwhile, when the registered commodity supplier 30 selects the "commodity registration" item 220 from the initial screen output through its own terminal and inputs information on the commodity, of which a sales voucher is to be issued, the service providing apparatus 10 assigns a specific transaction item code and an issue number with respect to the commodity information provided from the commodity supplier 30. Then, the commodity supplier 30 provides ex-factory price registration information on the corresponding commodity based on the transaction item code information to the service providing apparatus 10, thus carrying out the information registration process for the corresponding commodity (ST2) . That is, the commodity supplier 30 transmits the transaction item code, a maximum quantity 301, and ex-factory price information 302 corresponding to the maximum quantity to the service providing apparatus 10 through an "ex-factory price registration form" as shown in FIG. 8. For example, in the case where there are less than 5,000 purchase orders for the corresponding commodity, the commodity supplier 30 ships the corresponding commodities at 20,000 won and, in the case where there are more than 100,000 purchase orders, the commodity supplier 30 ships the corresponding commodities at 12,000 won.

Meanwhile, the service providing apparatus 10 notices information on the price and sales period for the corresponding commodity based on the ex-factory price registration information provided from the commodity supplier 30 (ST3) . At this time, the service providing apparatus 10 notices the maximum price offered by the commodity supplier 30, e.g., "20,000" won as shown in FIG. 8, and notices information on the sales closing date and time.

Then, the commodity user 40 selects the "notice information" item 230 from the initial screen information as shown in FIG. 7 output through its own terminal to confirm the information on the price and sales period based on the transaction item code for the commodity that he or she wants. At this time, the commodity information is classified by brand/model and supplied in the form of three-dimensional moving picture and/or catalog for the selected brand/model.

Next, the commodity user 40 selects the "purchase order" item 241 of the "sales transaction" item 240 from the initial screen information shown in FIG. 7 to input purchase information on the corresponding commodity. At this time, the commodity user 40 may ask a shopping game agent, not depicted, to carry out a portion or all of the purchase order .

That is, the commodity user 40 provides purchase order information including a transaction item code for the purchase, a transaction item name, a purchase order minimum price 401, a purchase order maximum price 402, a purchase order quantity, a transaction deposit, an account number, monopoly premium price information 403, and commodity acceptance information to the service providing apparatus 10 through a "purchase order form" as shown in FIG. 9. Here, it is desirable that the monopoly premium price be regulated not to exceed 15%, for example, of the commodity purchase price in order to prevent a specific commodity user 40 from monopolizing the commodities. Here, a credit card or cybercash of the commodity user 40 may be used with respect to the purchase payment.

The commodity user 40 that participates in the sales deposits an amount corresponding to 20%, for example, of the order quantity on the basis of the order maximum price to its own account as a deposit.

The service providing apparatus 10 temporarily stores the purchase order information provided from the commodity user 40 (ST4) . Meanwhile, the service providing apparatus 10 checks the sales closing time for the corresponding commodity (ST5) and, if the current time is the sales closing time, closes the purchase orders by the commodity users 40. That is, in the present invention, the service providing apparatus 10 carries out the purchase order process for the sales vouchers in a simultaneous bid-offer trading process. Subsequently, the service providing apparatus 10 calculates the market price based on the purchase order information stored in ST4 (ST6) . The market price is calculated in accordance with formula 1. Next, the service providing apparatus 10 calculates the first point of the corresponding commodity user 40 based on the market price calculated in STβ (ST7) .

Then, the service providing apparatus 10 calculates the shopping game points, i.e., the accumulated points obtained by adding up the second point according to the previous sales result and the first point calculated in ST7. Moreover, the service providing apparatus 10 calculates the sales priority order for the commodity users 40 based on the shopping game points and carries out a grouping process for the commodity users 40 based on the priority order information (ST8) .

That is, the service providing apparatus 10 aligns the commodity users 40 according to the priority order of the shopping game points and groups the commodity users 40 according to the total sales quantity set by the commodity supplier 30. For example, if the total sales quantity is 10,000 and the total purchase quantity is 100,000, the commodity users 40 are classified into ten groups of 10,000 sales vouchers. The service providing apparatus 10 may select specific groups, e.g., three groups of the higher priority order with respect to one commodity item and not carry out the sales process as for the other groups. Moreover, in the process of grouping the commodity users 40, the service providing apparatus 10 may group the commodity users 40 based on the end users that will accept the commodities. For example, if the end users with respect to one commodity item are less than 50%, the service providing apparatus 10 may set a commodity seller group (winner group) , a commodity purchaser group (loser group-1) and a dropout group (loser group-2) in the ratio of 10:50:40; if the end users are in the range from 50% to 60%, the service providing apparatus 10 may set the commodity seller group (winner group) , the commodity purchaser group (loser group- 1) and the dropout group (loser group-2) in the ratio of 12:60:28; and, if the end users are more than 60%, the service providing apparatus 10 may set the commodity seller group (winner group) , the commodity purchaser group (loser group-1) and the dropout group (loser group-2) in the ratio of 15:70:15.

Next, the service providing apparatus 10 performs a premium sales contract between the commodity user groups set in ST8 (ST9) .

That is, the service providing apparatus 10 carries out the sales voucher purchasing process based on the market price with respect to the first group, carries out the sales voucher purchasing process based on the premium price of the first group with respect to the second group, and carries out the purchasing process based on the premium price of the second group with respect to the third group. At this time, if the premium price of the previous group is higher than the purchase order maximum price of the current group, the service providing apparatus 10 processes not to make the purchase . Accordingly, the service providing apparatus 10 pays an amount corresponding to a specific premium profit for the commodity sales price of the commodity supplier 30 to the accounts of the commodity users 40 of the first group through the financial company 50, and pays an amount corresponding to a specific premium profit for the sales price to the accounts of the commodity users 40 of the second group. In this case, the service providing apparatus 10 may pay the amount except for the sales tax and the sales commission for the premium profit to the accounts of the commodity users 40.

Moreover, the service providing apparatus 10 issues the sales voucher as shown in FIG. 2 based on the sales information processed in ST9 (STlO) . Then, the service providing apparatus 10 updates the database 14 based on the issued sales vouchers.

Furthermore, the service providing apparatus 10 notices the sales process result information to the corresponding commodity users 40 (STIl) . For example, the service providing apparatus 10 provides the sales process result information to the commodity users 40 via e-mail. Moreover, the service providing apparatus 10 calculates the second point based on whether or not the corresponding commodity user 40 fails in the shopping game and whether or not he or she is an end user and updates the point information storage unit 144 of the database 14 (ST12) The second point obtained in ST12 will be used in the next shopping game .

Meanwhile, in the event that the commodity user 40 that has purchased the sales voucher does not want to receive the sales voucher, he or she may select the "sales order" item 242 of the "sales transaction" item 240 as shown in FIG. 7 and sell the sales voucher that he or she has purchases .

That is, according to the above embodiment, in carrying out the sales process of the sales vouchers issued based on the commodity information provided by the commodity supplier 30, the shopping game point is obtained by adding up the point obtained by an absolute difference between the point obtained by the previous sales contract result and the market price obtained based on the average order price of the commodity users 40 in the current sales transaction. The purchase priority order is set based on the shopping game points, the commodity users 40 in the priority order are grouped to correspond to the total commodity sales quantity provided by the commodity supplier 30, and the sales vouchers are traded between the grouped commodity users 40.

In this case, the voucher sales process between the commodity users 40 is carried out by a sequential premium sales contract between the groups such as from the commodity supplier 30 to the first group and from the first group to the second group.

Meanwhile, although the price betting strategy point according to the current betting result and the shopping game operation strategy point according to the previous sales contract result are accumulated to calculate the shopping game point in the above first embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to accumulate the price betting strategy point according to the current betting result and the point obtained from affiliated stores such as theaters, conventional stores and the like.

That is, as shown in FIG. 10, in the electronic commerce system in accordance with the present invention, a plurality of affiliated stores 60 is additionally connected to the service providing apparatus 70 on the Internet 20.

The affiliated stores 60 may include theaters, conventional stores and the like. The affiliated stores 60 provide consumption information of the commodity users 40 to the service providing apparatus 70. The service providing apparatus 70 calculates the shopping game point based on the accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point, calculated based on the difference between the purchase average price offered by the commodity users 40 in the current game and the market average price, and the third point obtained from the affiliated stores 60. Moreover, the service providing apparatus 70 performs the above-described voucher sales transaction based on the priority order information according to the shopping game points . FIG. 11 shows an example of a shopping game point calculation information table registered in the service providing apparatus 70 of FIG. 10. The point calculation information includes a price betting strategy point and a shopping game society associated point. The shopping game society associated point is divided into a cultural life point, a loyalty point, and a conventional store use point. For example, 5 points are added as the cultural life point and the conventional store use point for the use of affiliated stores, and 2.5 points are added as the loyalty point for the participation in inquiry concerning commodity, reply to question, and the like.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the electronic commerce system of FIG. 10.

First, the information input by the operator through the operator terminal 15 for the purpose of a business tie- up with the affiliated stores 60 is registered in the service providing apparatus 70 (ST31).

Moreover, the service providing apparatus 70 carries out a specific membership subscription process for the commodity supplier 30 and the commodity users 40 (ST32) .

In the above state, the service providing apparatus 70 calculates the third point for the commodity user 40 based on the consumption information provided from the affiliated stores 60 for a predetermined period of time, e.g., per day and updates the point information (ST33) . That is, the affiliated stores 60 provide purchase information such as a purchase cyber coupon issue number or a ticket number together with information on the purchase price and issue date for the corresponding purchase cyber coupon and ticket to the service providing apparatus 70. For this purpose, the service providing apparatus 70 communicates with the affiliated stores 60 to check the collected coupon purchase information and makes reference to the list of the membership IDs to update the loyalty point with respect to the society associated point.

Meanwhile, when the registered commodity supplier 30 inputs information on the commodity, of which the sales voucher is to be issued, the service providing apparatus 70 assigns a specific transaction item code and an issue serial number for the commodity information provided from the commodity supplier 30 and provides them to the commodity supplier 30 (ST34) .

The commodity supplier 30 transmits the ex-factory price registration information on the corresponding commodity based on the transaction item code to the service providing apparatus 70. The service providing device 70 notices the information on the price and sales period for the corresponding commodity based on the ex-factory price registration information provided from the commodity supplier 30 (ST35) .

Then, the commodity user 40 checks the information on the price and sales period based on the transaction item code for the commodity that he or she wants to purchase and inputs the purchase information on the corresponding commodity. The service providing device 70 temporarily stores the purchase order information provided from the commodity user 40 (ST36) .

Meanwhile, the service providing apparatus 70 checks the sales closing time for the corresponding commodity (ST37) and, if the current time is the sales closing time, closes the purchase orders from the commodity users 40.

Subsequently, the service providing apparatus 70 calculates the market price for the corresponding commodity based on the purchase order information stored in ST36 (ST38) and calculates the first point for the corresponding commodity user 40 based on the market price (ST39) .

The service providing apparatus 70 adds up the third point obtained in ST33 and the first point obtained in ST39 to calculate the accumulated point, i.e., the shopping game point of the commodity user 40. Moreover, the service providing apparatus 70 calculates the sales priority order for the commodity users 40 based on the shopping game points and carries out the grouping process for the commodity users 40 based on the priority order information (ST40) . Subsequently, the service providing apparatus 70 performs the premium sales contract between the commodity user groups generated in ST40 (ST41) .

Moreover, the service providing apparatus 70 issues the sales vouchers as shown in FIG. 2 based on the sales information processed in ST41 (ST42) .

Furthermore, the service providing apparatus 70 notices the sales process result information to the corresponding commodity users 40 (ST43) . For example, the service providing apparatus 70 provides the sales process result information to the commodity users 40 via e-mail.

Meanwhile, although the price betting strategy point according to the current betting result and the point obtained by the use of the affiliated stores such as theaters, conventional stores and the like are accumulated to calculate the shopping game point in the above second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to accumulate the price betting strategy point according to the current betting result, the shopping game operation strategy point according to the previous sales contract result, and the point obtained from the affiliated stores.

That is, the service providing apparatus 70 calculates the shopping game point based on the first point calculated based on the difference between the purchase average price offered by the commodity users 40 in the current game and the market average price, the second point obtained from the sales result of the previous shopping game, and the third point obtained from the affiliated stores 60. Then, the service providing apparatus 70 performs the voucher sales contract based on the priority order according to the shopping game points as described above.

FIG. 13 shows a shopping game point calculation information table registered in the service providing apparatus 70 in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. The point calculation information includes a price betting strategy point, a shopping game operation strategy point, and a shopping game society associated point.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the electronic commerce system in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention. The same steps having the same functions have the same reference numerals and their detailed description will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 14, in the electronic commerce system according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the service providing apparatus 70 carries out ST 31 to ST39, such as registering the affiliated stores 60, processing the membership subscription for the commodity supplier 30 and the commodity users 40, calculating the third point according to the use of the affiliated stores 60 with respect to the registered commodity users 40, noticing the information on the price and sales period for the commodity, and calculating the first point for the market price by calculating the market price for the corresponding commodity based on the purchase order information of the commodity users 40 by the closing time.

Subsequently, the service providing apparatus 70 calculates the shopping game point by adding up the second point for the previous sales result, the first point and the third point, calculates the sales priority order of the sales vouchers based on the shopping game points, and carries out the grouping process for the commodity users 40 according to the sale priority order (ST51) .

Then, the service providing apparatus 70 performs the premium sales contract between the commodity user groups generated in ST51 (ST41), issues the sales vouchers (ST42), and notices the sales process result information to the corresponding commodity users 40 (ST43) .

Next, the service providing apparatus 70 calculates the second point based on whether or not the corresponding commodity user 40 fails in the shopping game and whether or not he or she is an end user and stores the same in the database (ST52) . The second point obtained in ST52 will be used in the next shopping game.

The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims .

[industrial Applicability] As described above, according to the present invention, the commodity supplier can secure the cost for manufacturing commodities in advance and the commodity users can purchase the commodity at moderate prices without the intermediate distribution process. Moreover, with the sales contract in the one-stop manner, it is possible to utilize the electronic commerce system of the present invention in the form of a game as a financial technology.

Claims

[CLAIMS]

[Claim l]

An electronic commerce system comprising: a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users, wherein the service providing apparatus calculates a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, calculates a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price, calculates a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point and a second point calculated based on the previous voucher sales contract result, groups the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, performs a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups, and calculates and stores the second point for the commodity user based on the voucher sales contract result.

[Claim 2]

The electronic commerce system of claim 1, wherein the first point is calculated by an absolute difference between a purchase average price offered by the commodity users and a market average price, and the second point is calculated according to whether or not the commodity user fails in the previous sale contract and whether or not he or she is an end user.

[Claim 3]

The electronic commerce system of claim 1, wherein the commodity user sets a maximum price and a minimum price when making a purchase order of the sales voucher, and the service providing apparatus calculates the market price, which is an average price of a total purchase quantity, based on an average price between the maximum price and the minimum price of each of the respective commodity users .

[Claim 4]

The electronic commerce system of claim 3, wherein the commodity user sets a premium price when making a purchase order of the sales voucher, and the service providing apparatus carries out a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups so that a commodity user of an Nth group purchases the sales voucher at a sales premium price obtained by adding up a premium price and a purchase price of a commodity user of an N-lth group.

[Claim 5]

An electronic commerce system comprising: a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users; and a plurality of affiliated stores connected to the service providing apparatus and providing use information of users to the service providing apparatus, wherein the service providing apparatus calculates a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, calculates a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price, calculates a third point based on use information of the commodity user provided from the affiliated stores, calculates a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point and the third point, groups the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, and performs a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups .

[Claim 6] The electronic commerce system of claim 5, wherein the first point is calculated by an absolute difference between a purchase average price offered by the commodity users and a market average price, and the third point is calculated based on use information provided from the affiliated stores

[Claim 7]

The electronic commerce system of claim 5, wherein the commodity user sets a maximum price and a minimum price when making a purchase order of the sales voucher, and the service providing apparatus calculates the market price, which is an average price of a total purchase quantity, based on an average price between the maximum price and the minimum price of each of the respective commodity users .

[Claim 8]

The electronic commerce system of claim 7, wherein the commodity user sets a premium price when making a purchase order of the sales voucher, and the service providing apparatus carries out a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups so that a commodity user of an Nth group purchases the sales voucher at a sales premium price obtained by adding up a premium price and a purchase price of a commodity user of an N-lth group.

[Claim 9] An electronic commerce system comprising: a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users; and a plurality of affiliated stores connected to the service providing apparatus and providing use information of users to the service providing apparatus, wherein the service providing apparatus calculates a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, calculates a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price, calculates a third point based on use information of the users provided from the affiliated stores, calculates a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point, the third point, and a second point calculated based on the previous voucher sales contract result, groups the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, performs a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups, and calculates and stores the second point for the commodity user based on the voucher sales contract result.

[Claim 10]

The electronic commerce system of claim 9, wherein the first point is calculated by an absolute difference between a purchase average price offered by the commodity users and a market average price, the second point is calculated according to whether or not the commodity user fails in the previous sale contract and whether or not he or she is an end user, and the third point is calculated based on the use information provided from the affiliated stores.

[Claim 11]

The electronic commerce system of claim 9, wherein the commodity user sets a maximum price and a minimum price when making a purchase order of the sales voucher, and the service providing apparatus calculates the market price, which is an average price of a total purchase quantity, based on an average price between the maximum price and the minimum price of each of the respective commodity users .

[Claim 12]

The electronic commerce system of claim 11, wherein the commodity user sets a premium price when making a purchase order of the sales voucher, and the service providing apparatus carries out a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups so that a commodity user of an Nth group purchases the sales voucher at a sales premium price obtained by adding up a premium price and a purchase price of a commodity user of an N-lth group.

[Claim 13]

An electronic commerce method using an electronic commerce system including a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users, the method comprising: a first step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, and calculating a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price; a second step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point obtained in the first step and a second point calculated based on the previous voucher sales contract result; a third step of grouping, at the service providing apparatus, the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, obtained in the second step, into at least one group; a fourth step of performing, at the service providing apparatus, a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups grouped in the third step; and a fifth step of calculating and storing, at the service providing apparatus, the second point for the commodity user based on the voucher sales contract result of the fourth step.

[Claim 14]

The electronic commerce method of claim 13, wherein, in the first step, the service providing apparatus calculates the market price, which is an average price of a total purchase quantity, based on an average price between a maximum price and a minimum price of each of the respective commodity users .

[Claim 15] The electronic commerce method of claim 13, wherein, in the fourth step, the service providing apparatus carries out a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups so that a commodity user of an Nth group purchases the sales voucher at a sales premium price obtained by adding up a premium price and a purchase price of a commodity user of an N-lth group.

[Claim 16]

An electronic commerce method using an electronic commerce system including a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users, and a plurality of affiliated stores connected to the service providing apparatus and providing use information of users to the service providing apparatus, the method comprising: an eleventh step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a third point based on use information of the user provided from the affiliated stores; a twelfth step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, and calculating a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price; a thirteenth step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point and the third point calculated in the eleventh and twelfth steps, respectively; a fourteenth step of grouping, at the service providing apparatus, the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, obtained in the thirteenth step, into at least one group; and a fifteenth step of performing, at the service providing apparatus, a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups grouped in the fourteenth step.

[Claim 17]

The electronic commerce method of claim 16, wherein, in the twelfth step, the service providing apparatus calculates the market price, which is an average price of a total purchase quantity, based on an average price between the maximum price and the minimum price of each of the respective commodity users .

[Claim 18]

The electronic commerce method of claim 16, wherein, in the fifteenth step, the service providing apparatus carries out a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups so that a commodity user of an Nth group purchases the sales voucher at a sales premium price obtained by adding up a premium price and a purchase price of a commodity user of an N-lth group.

[Claim 19]

An electronic commerce method using an electronic commerce system including a service providing apparatus communicating with a commodity supplier and commodity users through a communication network to issue sales vouchers for commodities provided from the commodity supplier and perform a voucher sales contract between the commodity users, and a plurality of affiliated stores connected to the service providing apparatus and providing use information of users to the service providing apparatus, the method comprising: a twenty first step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a third point based on use information of the user provided from the affiliated stores; a twenty second step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a market price of the commodity based on an average price of purchase order prices offered by the commodity users in the current sales, and calculating a first point based on an absolute difference between the market price and the purchase order price; a twenty third step of calculating, at the service providing apparatus, a sales priority order based on an accumulated point obtained by adding up the first point and the third point calculated in the twenty first and twenty second steps, respectively; a twenty fourth step of grouping, at the service providing apparatus, the commodity users aligned according to the sales priority order, obtained in the twenty third step, into at least one group; a twenty fifth step of performing, at the service providing apparatus, a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups grouped in the twenty fourth step; and a twenty sixth step of calculating and storing, at the service providing apparatus, the second point for the commodity user based on the voucher sales contract result of the twenty fifth step.

[Claim 20]

The electronic commerce method of claim 19, wherein, in the twenty second step, the service providing apparatus calculates the market price, which is an average price of a total purchase quantity, based on an average price between the maximum price and the minimum price of each of the respective commodity users .

[Claim 2l]

The electronic commerce method of claim 19, wherein, in the twenty fifth step, the service providing apparatus carries out a voucher sales contract in the order of the groups so that a commodity user of an Nth group purchases the sales voucher at a sales premium price obtained by adding up a premium price and a purchase price of a commodity user of an N-lth group.