IP Library Granted Patent US 7,778,884
Granted Patent B2
US 7,778,884 · App. 11/453,624 · Granted Aug 17, 2010

Electronic commerce transactions within a marketing system that may contain a membership buying opportunity

Assignee: Amway Corp.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,778,884
App. No.
11/453,624
Granted
Aug 17, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing complete electronic commerce (“E-Commerce”) transactions and solutions for a marketing company's products via the World Wide Web, including facilities for signing up new customers and recruiting, training and supporting new Independent Business Owners through an interactive online process. In another aspect, the present invention relates to the combination of a marketing business with a membership buying opportunity using both electronic commerce and face-to-face transactions. The present invention is also directed to a system and method for combining a marketing business with a membership buying opportunity, so that Independent Business Owners participating in the marketing plan can introduce customers to a membership buying opportunity and earn bonuses or commissions based on the purchases by those members, while Members in the buying opportunity can consume products or, at their option, qualify to become Independent Business Owners.

Claims (16)

1. A system for facilitating electronic commerce transactions in a marketing system comprising:

a memory device having embodied therein information relating to a plurality of marketing system products or services; and

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor configured to:

establish an interactive online registration process so that an individual may register with the marketing system in a First Participation Category, a Second Participation Category or a Third Participation Category, wherein an individual registered in the First Participation Category is not eligible to earn compensation and is eligible to buy products or services at a First Participation Category price, wherein an individual registered in the Second Participation Category is eligible to earn compensation based on sales to other individuals registered in the First Participation Category and is eligible to buy products or services at a Second Participation Category price, and wherein an individual registered in the Third Participation Category is eligible to buy products or services at a Third Participation Category price and is eligible to earn compensation based on sales to other individuals registered in the First Participation Category and to other individuals registered in the Second Participation Category and wherein an individual registered in the Second Participation Category may be promoted to the Third Participation Category based on satisfaction of a goal, the goal comprising satisfaction of a sales qualification;

provide a plurality of web files operatively coupled to a web site associated with the marketing system; and

allow access to a plurality of marketing system products or services to the individual registered as a First Participation Category, Second Participation Category, or Third Participation Category via at least one of the plurality of web files.

2. A system according to claim 1 , the processor being further configured to:

supply a service page web file of the plurality of web files to a registered individual in the Second or Third Participation Categories;

allow the registered individual to enter personal information onto the service page web file;

store the personal information on the server computer; and

customize a layout of the plurality of web files based on the personal information.

3. A system according to claim 2 , the processor being further configured to:

establish a plurality of marketing system products or services based on the personal information supplied by the registered individual; and

present the plurality of marketing system products or services to the registered individual.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein an individual registered in the Second Participation Category is eligible to earn compensation based on sales to other individuals registered in the First Participation Category and an individual registered in the Third Participation Category is eligible to earn compensation based on sales to other individuals registered in the First Participation Category and to other individuals registered in the Second Participation Category and wherein an individual registered in the Second Participation Category may be promoted to the Third Participation Category based on satisfaction of a goal, the goal comprising satisfaction of a sales qualification.

5. The system of claim 1 , the processor being further configured to assign the individual registered as a First Participation Category or Second Participation Category to an individual registered as a Third Participation Category.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2009
From: ALTICOR INVESTMENTS INC.
To: AMWAY CORP.
Reel/Frame 022473/0552 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2008
From: BAMBOROUGH, DAVID L.; BLODGETT, JAMES G.; DANGL, WILLIAM R.; HORDER-KOOP, ROBIN A.; HUNKING, JAMES P.; MCDONALD, KENNETH J.; PARKER, JOHN P.; SAVAGE, KELLY K.; ZEVALKINK, CLAIRE E.; PAASCHE, THOMAS D.
To: ALTICOR INVESTMENTS INC.
Reel/Frame 020696/0388 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2006
From: BAMBOROUGH, DAVID L.; BLODGETT, JAMES G.; DANGL, WILLIAM R.; HORDER-KOOP, ROBIN A.; HUNKING, JAMES P.; MCDONALD, KENNETH J.; PARKER, JOHN P.; SAVAGE, KELLY K.; ZEVALKINK, CLAIRE E.; PAASCHE, THOMAS D.
To: ALTICOR INVESTMENTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 017977/0813 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2006
From: BAMBOROUGH, DAVID L.; BLODGETT, JAMES G.; DANGL, WILLIAM R.; HORDER-KOOP, ROBIN A.; HUNKING, JAMES P.; MCDONALD, KENNETH J.; PARKER, JOHN P.; PAASCHE, THOMAS D.; SAVAGE, KELLY K.; ZEVALKINK, CLAIRE E.
To: ALTICOR INVESTMENTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 018004/0782 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 0971473900 · Nov 16, 2000
Continuation 0951586000 · Feb 29, 2000
Provisional Application 6012649300 · Mar 25, 1999
Provisional Application 6012238500 · Mar 2, 1999
Related Publication 20060235764A1 · Oct 19, 2006