Centralized, online multi-seller interface system
A sales portal system supports a plurality of buyer computers used by a corresponding plurality of buyers. The sales portal system supports a first seller's computer to support sales of a first plurality of products a second seller's computer to support sales of a second plurality of products. The sales portal accesses first product data from the first seller's computer and second product data from the second seller's computer and responds to a query received from one of the plurality of buyer computers by delivering selections from the associated first product data and the associated second product data. The sales portal manages a single sales transaction for a first product of a first seller and a second product of a second seller. The sales portal rates sellers. The sales portal apportions payment, fulfillment, delivery instructions, and other sales components to the first and second sellers.
1. A sales portal system supporting a plurality of buyer computers used by a corresponding plurality of buyers, the sales portal system comprising:
a server system communicatively coupled during operation to:
a first seller's computer used by a first seller to support sales of a product, the product having a first description and a first price, both the first description and the first price being stored in a first database on the first seller's computer having a first storage format;
a second seller's computer used by a second seller to support sales of the product having a second description and a second price, both the second description and the second price being stored in a second database on the second seller's computer having a second storage format that differs from the first storage format, and the first seller being a competitor of the second seller; and
one or more of the plurality of buyer computers, wherein:
the server system responds to a query received from one of the plurality of buyer computers by delivering a first seller rating and a second seller rating, the first description and the first price from the first database, and the second description and the second price from the second database, to the one of the plurality of buyer computers, including reformatting at least two of the first description, the first price, the second description, and the second price; and
the server system managing a sales transaction of the product from one of the first seller and the second seller as identified by the one of the plurality of buyer computers.
2. The sales portal system of claim 1 , further comprising storage that stores at least a portion of the first description and the first price and at least a portion of the second description and the second price correspondingly received from the first seller's computer and the second seller's computer.
3. The sales portal system of claim 1 , wherein the server system, based upon the query, accesses the first description and first price and the second description and second price from the first seller's computer and the second seller's computer, respectively.
4. The sales portal system of claim 1 , wherein the first seller rating differs from the second seller rating.
5. The sales portal system of claim 1 , wherein the server system is operable to:
process payment for the sales transaction; and
transmit the payment to a corresponding one of the first seller and the second seller.
6. The sales portal system of claim 5 , wherein the server system is further operable to assess a fee for facilitating the sales transaction.
7. The sales portal system of claim 6 , wherein the fee is based upon value of the payment.
8. The sales portal system of claim 5 , wherein the payment processed is a credit card payment.
9. The sales portal system of claim 8 , wherein the server system spreads the sales transaction over multiple credit cards.
10. The sales portal system of claim 1 , wherein the server system further facilitates warranty registration for the product.
11. The sales portal system of claim 1 , the server system further:
accesses at least one promotion corresponding to the product; and
applies the at least one promotion to the sales transaction.
12. The sales portal system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one promotion comprises one or both of an instant coupon and a rebate.
13. The sales portal system of claim 11 , wherein the server system accesses the at least one promotion by:
querying the buyer's computer; and
receiving the at least one promotion from the buyer's computer.
14. The sales portal system of claim 1 , where the server system further interacts with one or both of the first seller's computer and the second seller's computer to identify the buyer.
15. The sales portal system of claim 1 , where the server system further interacts with the buyer's computer to identify the buyer.
16. The sales portal system of claim 1 , where the server system:
identifies the buyer;
accesses user profile data based upon the identity of the buyer; and
selects the first seller and the second seller based upon the user profile data.
17. The sales portal system of claim 1 , where the server system identifies the buyer for subsequent presentation of promotions.
18. The sales portal system of claim 1 , wherein the server system presents a shopping cart to the buyer's computer having the product represented therein.
19. The sales portal system of claim 18 , wherein the server system uses customer profile data corresponding to the buyer to create the shopping cart.
20. The sales portal system of claim 18 , wherein the server system presents delivery options for the product with the shopping cart.
21. The sales portal system of claim 1 , wherein the server system:
receives a query relating to one or more desired products; and
selects the product based upon the query.
22. The sales portal system of claim 21 , wherein the selecting the product based upon the query is further based upon available inventory.
23. The sales portal system of claim 1 , wherein the server system further presents shipping costs to the buyer's computer respective to the first seller and the second seller.
24. The sales portal system of claim 1 , wherein the server system transmits an email to the buyer's computer confirming the sales transaction.
25. The sales portal system of claim 1 , wherein the server system uses a common interface to access both the first seller's computer and the second seller's computer.
26. The sales portal system of claim 25 , wherein the common interface to the first seller's computer and the second seller's computer resides on the server system.
27. The sales portal system of claim 25 , wherein the common interface comprises:
a first interface resident on the first seller's computer; and
a second interface resident on the second seller's computer.
28. A method of supporting a plurality of buyer computers used by a corresponding plurality of buyers by a server system, the method comprising:
communicatively coupling to a first seller's computer used by a first seller to support sales of a product, the product having a first description and a first price, both the first description and the first price being stored in a first database on the first seller's computer having a first storage format; and
communicatively coupling to a second seller's computer used by a second seller to support sales of the product having a second description and a second price, both the second description and the second price being stored in a second database on the second seller's computer having a second storage format that differs from the first storage format, and the first seller being a competitor of the second seller; and
responding to a query received from one of the plurality of buyer computers by delivering a first seller rating and a second seller rating, the first description and the first price from the first database, and the second description and the second price from the second database, to the one of the plurality of buyer computers, including reformatting at least two of the first description, the first price, the second description, and the second price; and
managing a sales transaction of the product from one of the first seller and the second seller as identified by the one of the plurality of buyer computers.
29. The method of claim 28 , further comprising storing at least a portion of the first description and the first price and at least a portion of the second description and the second price correspondingly received from the first seller's computer and the second seller's computer.
30. The method of claim 28 , further comprising, based upon the query, accessing the first description and first price and the second description and second price from the first seller's computer and the second seller's computer, respectively.
31. The method of claim 28 , wherein the first seller rating differs from the second seller rating.
32. The method of claim 28 , further comprising:
processing payment for the sales transaction; and
transmitting the payment to a corresponding one of the first seller and the second seller.
33. The method of claim 32 , further comprising assessing a fee for facilitating the sales transaction.
34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the fee is based upon value of the payment.
35. The method of claim 32 , wherein the payment processed is a credit card payment.
36. The method of claim 35 , further comprising spreading the sales transaction over multiple credit cards.
37. The method of claim 28 , further comprising facilitating warranty registration for the product.
38. The method of claim 28 , further comprising:
accessing at least one promotion corresponding to the product; and
applying the at least one promotion to the sales transaction.
39. The method of claim 38 , wherein the at least one promotion comprises one or both of an instant coupon and a rebate.
40. The method of claim 38 , wherein accessing the at least one promotion comprises:
querying the buyer's computer; and
receiving the at least one promotion from the buyer's computer.
41. The method of claim 28 , further comprising interacting with at least one of the first seller's computer and the second seller's computer to identify the buyer.
42. The method of claim 28 , further comprising interacting with the buyer's computer to identify the buyer.
43. The method of claim 28 , further comprising:
identifying the buyer;
accessing user profile data based upon the identity of the buyer; and
selecting the first seller and the second seller based upon the user profile data.
44. The method of claim 28 , further comprising identifying the buyer for subsequent presentation of promotions.
45. The method of claim 28 , comprising presenting a shopping cart to the buyer's computer having the product represented therein.
46. The method of claim 45 , further comprising using customer profile data corresponding to the buyer to create the shopping cart.
47. The method of claim 45 , further comprising presenting delivery options for the product with the shopping cart.
48. The method of claim 28 , further comprising:
receiving a query relating to one or more desired products; and
selecting the product based upon the query.
49. The method of claim 48 , wherein the selecting the product based upon the query is further based upon available inventory.
50. The method of claim 28 , further comprising presenting shipping costs to the buyer's computer respective to the first seller and the second seller.
51. The method of claim 28 , further comprising transmitting an email to the buyer's computer confirming the sales transaction.
52. The method of claim 28 , further comprising using a common interface to access both the first seller's computer and the second seller's computer.
53. The method of claim 52 , wherein the common interface to the first seller's computer and the second seller's computer is locally accessed.
54. The method of claim 52 , wherein using the common interface comprises:
using a first interface resident on the first seller's computer; and
using a second interface resident on the second seller's computer.