Advertising Infrastructure Supporting Cross Selling Opportunity Management
A sales system supports sales between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers in a communication network. A sales server has a seller interface used by both a first seller and a second seller respectively via a first seller's computer and a second seller's computer to register availability for sale of a first product and a second product. The sales server, based upon received buyer input from an identified buyer via a buyer computer that includes buyer orders for the first product and the second product dispenses a first sales order to the first seller's computer for the first product and a second sales order to the second seller's computer for the second product. The sales server provides instructions to the first seller's computer for fulfillment of the first sales order and to the second sales computer for the fulfillment of the second sales order.
1 . An infrastructure that supports sales between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers in a communication network, the infrastructure comprising:
a server system having a seller interface, the seller interface being used by both a first seller and a second seller respectively via a first seller's computer and a second seller's computer to correspondingly register availability for online sale of a first product and a second product;
the server system, based upon received buyer input from an identified buyer via a buyer computer, initiates a first sales order for the first product;
the server system, based upon the received buyer input or information relating to the first product, identifies the second product, the second product being related to the first product; and
the server system sends to the buyer computer, information regarding the second product.
2 . The infrastructure of claim 1 , further comprising:
the server system, based upon received buyer input from the identified buyer via the buyer computer, accumulates a second sales order for the second product with the first sales order for the first product; and
the server system provides instructions to the first seller's computer for fulfillment of the first sales order by the first seller;
the server system, provides instructions to the second seller's computer for fulfillment of the second sales order by the second seller.
3 . The infrastructure of claim 1 , wherein in sending to the buyer computer information regarding the second product, the server system sends the information regarding the second product prior to processing of sale of the first product.
4 . The infrastructure of claim 1 , wherein in sending to the buyer computer information regarding the second product, the server system sends the information regarding the second product during processing of sale of the first product.
5 . The infrastructure of claim 1 , wherein in sending to the buyer computer information regarding the second product, the server system sends the information regarding the second product after completion of sale of the first product.
6 . The infrastructure of claim 1 , wherein the information regarding the second product is sent by the server system in an email to the buyer computer.
7 . The sales system of claim 1 , wherein the information regarding the second product is sent as directed advertising to the buyer computer.
8 . The sales system of claim 9 , wherein the directed advertising is provided along with the first product sales order.
9 . The sales system of claim 1 , wherein the information regarding the second product is sent as a coupon or rebate to the buyer computer.
10 . The infrastructure of claim 1 , further comprising:
the server system maintains a customer profile for each of the plurality of buyers;
the server system uses the customer profile, in conjunction with the received buyer input, to identify the second product.
11 . A method for supporting sales between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers in a communication network, the method comprising:
registering availability for online sale of a first product of a first seller and a second product of a second seller;
based upon received buyer input from an identified buyer via a buyer computer, initiating a first sales order for the first product;
identifying, based upon the received buyer input or information regarding the first product, the second product, the second product being related to the first product; and
sending to the buyer computer, information regarding the second product.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
accumulating a second sales order for the second product with the first sales order for the first product; and
providing instructions to a first seller's computer for fulfillment of the first sales order by the first seller;
providing instructions to a second seller's computer for fulfillment of the second sales order by the second seller.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein in sending to the buyer computer information regarding the second product, sending the information regarding the second product prior to processing of sale of the first product.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein in sending to the buyer computer information regarding the second product, sending the information regarding the second product during processing of sale of the first product.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein in sending to the buyer computer information regarding the second product, sending the information regarding the second product after completion of sale of the first product.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the information regarding the second product is sent by the sales server in an email to the buyer computer.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the information regarding the second product is sent as directed advertising to the buyer computer.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the directed advertising is provided along with the first product sales order.
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the information regarding the second product is sent as a coupon or rebate to the buyer computer.
20 . An infrastructure that supports sales between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers in a communication network, the infrastructure comprising:
a server system having a seller interface, the seller interface being used by both a first seller and a second seller respectively via a first seller's computer and a second seller's computer to correspondingly register availability for online sale of a first product and a second product;
the server system, based upon received buyer input from an identified buyer via a buyer computer, initiates a first sales order for the first product;
the server system, based upon the received buyer input or information regarding the first product, identifies the second product; and
the server system, sends to the buyer computer information regarding the second product.
21 . The infrastructure of claim 20 , further comprising:
the server system provides instructions to the first seller's computer for fulfillment of the first sales order by the first seller.
22 . The infrastructure of claim 20 , further comprising:
the server system, based upon received buyer input from the identified buyer via the buyer computer, accumulates a second sales order for the second product with the first sales order for the first product; and
the server system, provides instructions to the second seller's computer for fulfillment of the second sales order by the second seller.
23 . The infrastructure of claim 20 , wherein the server system tracks and manages inventory of the first product for the first seller and of the second product for the second seller.
24 . The infrastructure of claim 20 , wherein in sending to the buyer computer information regarding the second product, the server system sends the information regarding the second product prior to processing of sale of the first product.
25 . The infrastructure of claim 20 , wherein in sending to the buyer computer information regarding the second product, the server system sends the information regarding the second product during processing of sale of the first product.
26 . The infrastructure of claim 20 , wherein in sending to the buyer computer information regarding the second product, the server system sends the information regarding the second product after completion of sale of the first product.
27 . The infrastructure of claim 20 , wherein the information regarding the second product is sent by the server system in an email to the buyer computer.
28 . The infrastructure of claim 20 , wherein the information regarding the second product is sent as directed advertising to the buyer computer.
29 . The infrastructure of claim 20 , wherein the information regarding the second product is sent as a coupon or rebate to the buyer computer.
30 . An infrastructure that supports sales between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers in a communication network, the infrastructure comprising:
a server system having a seller interface, the seller interface being used by both a first seller and a second seller respectively via a first seller's computer and a second seller's computer to correspondingly register availability for online sale of a first product and a second product;
the server system, receives input from an identified buyer via a buyer computer, the received input corresponding to the first product;
the server system, based upon the received buyer input or information regarding the first product, identifies the second product; and
the server system sends to the buyer computer, information regarding the second product.
31 . The infrastructure of claim 30 wherein the server system at least assists in consummating a transaction involving purchase by the buyer via the buyer computer of the second product.