Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – Automated electrical financial or business practice or... – Electronic shopping
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-06
2001-11-20
Trammell, James P. (Department: 2161)
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
Automated electrical financial or business practice or...
Electronic shopping
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321211
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to systems for online gift exchanging and, more particularly, to systems for electronically accepting and exchanging an online gift prior to shipping the gift.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Gift giving is typically a very personal experience. In the conventional gift marketplace, a gift giver travels from store to store and finally selects a gift from a variety of gift items to match the recipient's own personal desires and needs. Once the gift is selected by the gift giver and purchased from the store vendor, the gift giver presents the selected gift to the recipient. Upon discovering what the gift is, the recipient may be overjoyed with delight or may be less than satisfied with the gift selection. In many cases, the less than satisfied situation is because the gift giver did not completely understand or perceive the recipient's desires and needs. Thus, the recipient is forced to physically return the gift to the vendor in exchange for another gift or a gift certificate.
In the electronic or online gift marketplace, the gift giver is no longer required to physically travel from store to store. As a result, the gift giving process has become a bit easier in that electronic commerce, commonly called “e-commerce”, takes place across large data communications networks, such as the global Internet, and can be accomplished from one location using a single network device, such as a computer. Accordingly, in the electronic or online gift marketplace, the gift giver can search for the recipient's gift by browsing information at particular network locations (e.g., websites) using a conventional piece of software called a browser running on the computer. Many websites offer the ability for the gift giver to electronically purchase a gift item online. Once the item is selected online, a list of items selected to be purchased is usually maintained in what is commonly known as an online shopping cart. In such a situation, the gift giver can shop for and select the gift in a more efficient way.
However, the gains in shopping efficiency when conducted online are still coupled with the same exchange problems when compared to conventional shopping and gift giving. In an online situation, the recipient still must receive the gift and physically return it when they are not satisfied with the gift. In other words, a gift exchange still requires the recipient to get the gift and physically return it, resulting in continued inefficiencies.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system that allows for efficient acceptance and exchange for an online gift that does not require the recipient to receive an undesired gift and physically exchange the gift.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Methods, systems and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention overcome the shortcomings of existing systems by permitting efficient online acceptance and customized exchanging of an online gift. The recipient of the online gift accepts or exchanges the online gift before the online gift is shipped from the gift's vendor. Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, include a method for electronically exchanging an online gift prior to an order for the fulfillment of the online gift. First, a notification (such as an electronic mail message) related to the online gift is generated and sent to the recipient. The notification identifies a recipient for the online gift. Next, order information related to the online gift is retrieved and displayed to the recipient. If the recipient wants to exchange the online gift for a replacement gift, the replacement gift is selected from a group of alternative gift items. These alternative gift items are typically supplied by multiple vendors. Once the replacement gift has been selected, an electronic order for the replacement gift is placed prior to physically receiving the online gift.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, methods, systems, and articles of manufacture, as embodied and broadly described herein, describe a computer system within a networked environment for electronically exchanging an online gift prior to ordering the online gift from a vendor of the online gift. The system has a memory storage device that maintains a description of possible gift items including the online gift and a replacement gift. The system also includes a processor, which is coupled to the memory storage device. The processor is operative to generate a notification related to the online gift. The notification identifies a recipient for the online gift. The processor is also operative to retrieve order information related to the online gift and display the order information to the recipient. The processor is further operative to determine whether the recipient wants to exchange the online gift for a replacement gift. If the recipient wants to exchange the online gift for the replacement gift, the processor is also operative to select the replacement gift from the alternative gift items and place an electronic order to a vendor node in the networked environment for the replacement gift prior to physically receiving the online gift.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, methods, systems, and articles of manufacture, as embodied and broadly described herein, describe a computer-readable medium, which contains instructions for electronically exchanging an online gift prior to ordering the online gift from a vendor of the online gift. When the instructions are executed, a notification (such as an electronic mail message) related to the online gift is generated and sent to the recipient. The notification identifies a recipient for the online gift. Next, order information related to the online gift is retrieved and displayed to the recipient. If the recipient wants to exchange the online gift for a replacement gift, the replacement gift is selected from a group of alternative gift items. These alternative gift items are typically supplied by multiple vendors. Once the replacement gift has been selected, an electronic order for the replacement gift is placed prior to physically receiving the online gift.
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The Wall Street Journal, Christmas Gift You Don't Want,D. Sessa, p. 1, Jan. 1998.*
GiftCertificates.com, Gift Certificates: Digital Super Certificate, pp. 1-8.
ZDNet E-Business Best Practices Evaluation: Eddie Bauer gets wish list right, pp. 1-3.
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Elisca Pierre E.
Finnegan, Henderson Farabow, Garrett and Dunner L.L.P.
RichFX, Inc.
Trammell James P.
LandOfFree
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