System for facilitating the ordering of supplies using a translated native supply list
A system for facilitating the creation, dissemination and fulfillment of supply lists includes a central controller that receives native supply lists from supply requestors. The controller uses intelligent matching to classify and translate individual items from each native supply list into an electronic supply list on a standardized platform, the electronic supply list including a UPC for each requested item as well as any personalized content. The electronic supply list is then rendered accessible not only to purchasers responsible for ordering the supplies but also retailers designated to sell the supply items. The use of UPCs allows for direct list fulfillment by a purchaser in communication with the central controller. Through a one-click initiation process, the purchasing party is redirected to the e-commerce site for the retailer, with the UPCs for the items in the electronic class list automatically extracted by the controller and loaded into a virtual shopping cart.
1. A system for facilitating the ordering of supplies, the system comprising:
(a) a supply ordering facilitator, the supply ordering facilitator comprising a central controller;
(b) a supply requestor, the supply requestor comprising a first compute device in electrical communication with the central controller, the supply requestor creating a native supply list with one or more items, the native supply list being received by the supply ordering facilitator, the central controller translating the native supply list into an electronic supply list on a standardized electronic platform, the electronic supply list being stored by the supply ordering facilitator;
(c) a supply purchaser, the supply purchaser comprising a second compute device in electrical communication with the central controller, the supply purchaser retrieving the electronic supply list from the central controller using the second compute device; and
(d) a retailer, the retailer comprising a server in electrical communication with each of the central controller and the second compute device, the server supporting an e-commerce shopping platform;
(e) wherein the supply ordering facilitator maintains an item registry table for translating the native supply list into an electronic supply list, the item registry table assigning at least one Universal Product Code (UPC) for each item, the supply ordering facilitator assigning multiple UPCs in the electronic supply list for each of the one or more items in the native supply list using the item registry table, the multiple UPCs being ranked in order in the item registry table;
(f) wherein the central controller is adapted to directly integrate the electronic supply list into a virtual shopping cart in the e-commerce shopping platform.
2. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the item registry table categorizes and hierarchically associates items.
3. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the item registry table associates items using a nested set model.
4. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ranked order of the multiple UPCs in the item registry table is modifiable by the retailer.
5. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the supply requestor creates the native supply list through a designated application on the first compute device.
6. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the application on the first compute device allows for the incorporation of personalized content in the native supply list.
7. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 6 wherein personalized content in the native supply list is preserved in the electronic supply list.
8. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 1 wherein integration of the electronic supply list into the virtual shopping cart is initiated by the supply purchaser.
9. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 8 wherein integration of the electronic supply list into the virtual shopping cart is initiated through a one-click process.
10. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 9 wherein order placement is fulfilled by the supply purchaser using the second compute device.
11. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 1 wherein modifications to the electronic supply list are reflected in real time.
12. The supply ordering system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronic supply list is retrievable from the central controller by the retailer.