JP2002007903A - Group discount method and group discount system in e-commerce system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] In an electronic commerce system for trading goods through a network, a group discount that collects users who want to purchase the goods at a group discount and allows the goods to be sold at a discount price. Provide a method and group discount system. SOLUTION: Sales and solicitation of discounted products is conducted through a network, information on users who have applied for the recruitment is managed, and when the products which the user has applied meet the recruiting conditions, the discount conditions are determined in advance. Therefore, the product price applied by the user is discounted, and the product is sold to the user at the discount price.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic commerce method and an electronic commerce system for trading goods via a network such as the Internet, and more particularly to a method for dealing with the number of applicants who wish to purchase goods. The present invention relates to a group discount method and a group discount system for discounting a selling price at a specified discount rate for each product.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of the Internet, e-commerce systems via networks have attracted attention.
The contents of products handled there are also diverse. This means that if you can connect to the Internet,
This is because not only is it possible for anyone to select and purchase various products as a purchaser, but also it is possible for the seller to guide the product to an unspecified number of people. Another reason is the establishment of a communication technology for securing the confidentiality of communication data for performing electronic commerce on the Internet, and the establishment of an authentication technology for confirming a purchaser.

[0003] It should be noted here that the conventional transaction method is reborn as an Internet business by obtaining the infrastructure of the Internet, and has led to the development of a new industry. That is, there remains a trading method that leads to the profit of the company. For example,
When a consumer (buyer) purchases a product, a discount is applied if the number of people is more than a certain number at a time, and the customer can purchase the product at a lower price than purchasing the product alone. Is being done. This commerce is generally referred to as group discount, but if the seller of the product can determine the number of buyers in advance, it can purchase the product according to the number of sales, and also reduce the purchase price and inventory. Is also possible. Also, for the purchaser of the product, the joint purchase of a large number of the specific product has an advantage that the seller can provide the product at a lower purchase price than purchasing the product alone.

[0004] However, products traded in the electronic commerce system are handled in a wide variety of products, but in electronic commerce, merchandise is traded one-on-one between a seller and a purchaser. At present, conventional commercial transactions such as applying group discounts according to the number of purchasers have not been realized on the electronic commerce system.

[0005]

In order to apply a group discount in an e-commerce system, a plurality of users who purchase the same product under certain conditions must be collected to a buyer who conducts e-commerce via a network. Must. In addition, there is a system problem in which information of a purchaser is managed, and a purchaser who purchases from a seller of a product at a group discount must be charged at an appropriate discount price.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing a mechanism for gathering purchasers satisfying the group discount, a mechanism for identifying users who purchase products with the group discount, and a method for purchasing the group discount. It is an object of the present invention to provide a user with a mechanism that can perform individual billing processing, thereby realizing a commercial transaction with a group discount in an electronic commerce system.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a group discount method according to the present invention is directed to a method for selling goods in an electronic commerce system for trading goods between a server and a client connected via a network. A group discount method for discounting a price, wherein the server registers the discount condition set for a product to be sold at a discount price and the application deadline for the purchase application of the product in a storage device of the server as product information, A product guidance step of guiding the product based on the product information; and the server registers the product information of the applied product and the personal information of the applicant in the storage device of the server as application information, and the application information Authentication information for identifying the applicant in accordance with the application information and storing the authentication information in the storage device of the server in association with the application information; A recruitment receiving step of notifying the authentication information based on the personal information included in the information, and the server confirming a recruitment deadline condition for each product sold at a discount price based on the product information, closing the recruitment, and closing the recruitment The application information including the product information of the purchased product is obtained from the storage device of the server, and if the recruitment deadline condition is satisfied, discount sale available information is added to the application information, and the recruitment deadline condition is not satisfied. In this case, a recruitment completion step of notifying the recruitment result corresponding to the application information based on the personal information included in the application information by deleting the product information and adding the discount sale prohibition information from the application information, When there is a sales request for a product that satisfies the recruitment deadline, the server sends application information of a product to be sold based on the authentication information to the server. In addition to obtaining from the storage device, the sales price is discounted based on the discount condition of the product included in the application information, and the discounted sales price is registered as charging information in the storage device of the server in association with the application information. According to the group discount method including the billing process step, the seller provides the user (applicant) with information on the products that are subject to the group discount by the e-commerce system performed through the communication network, and meets the predetermined recruitment deadline condition. It is characterized in that merchandise can be sold to applied users at a discounted price under predetermined discount conditions.

In the personal information registered in the storage device of the server in the recruitment receiving step, an applicant canceling condition for canceling the application can be set, and in the recruitment completion step, the server sets the personal information in the recruitment completion step. Confirm the applicant's cancellation condition, and if the applicant's cancellation condition is satisfied, by deleting the product information from the application information, the user can cancel the application of the product under his desired conditions it can.

In the recruitment accepting step, information of another applicant to be invited can be set in the personal information registered in the storage device of the server.
In the merchandise guidance step, the server performs merchandise guidance based on the personal information, so that the user can also introduce merchandise that is eligible for group discount to his or her acquaintance, and the seller can increase the sales opportunity. I can do it.

[0010] Further, in the recruitment accepting step, when the server receives a request for disclosure of a recruitment status of a product to be sold at a discount price, the server is registered in the storage device of the server by the time of receiving the disclosure request. By seeking and disclosing the recruitment status from the application information, the latest application status can be provided to a user who wants to purchase a product targeted for group discount, and this can be used for the decision making of a user who is applying.

The recruitment deadline condition is that when the number of applicants reaches a pre-specified number of applications, the recruitment of users can be performed by closing the applications.

[0012] The recruitment deadline condition can also recruit users by closing the application at a pre-specified deadline time.

[0013] Further, the recruitment deadline condition is such that when the applicant himself / herself can specify the number of applications as a deadline condition on the server of the seller, and when the specified number of applications has been reached in the previous term,
You can also recruit users by closing the application.

[0014] In addition, the discount condition realizes a group discount by applying a discount rate set according to the number of applicants applied when the application is closed under the recruitment deadline condition to a sale price of a product.

[0015] Further, the discount condition realizes a group discount by applying a discount rate set according to the order in which the applicant has applied to the sales price of the product.

The discount condition realizes a group discount by applying a discount rate set according to an application time slot applied by an applicant to a sale price of a product.

[0017] The discount conditions include a discount rate set in accordance with the number of new applicants introduced by the applicant who applied, and a discount rate of a product applied by the applicant who introduced the new applicant. Achieve group discounts by applying to.

The above discount conditions can be set in combination for each product.

The applicant cancellation condition is characterized in that the server cancels the applicant's application if the recruitment deadline condition is not satisfied within a predetermined time from when the applicant applied. .

The applicant cancellation condition allows the applicant to specify an upper limit of the purchase price, and the discount price calculated based on the discount condition when the recruitment deadline condition is satisfied is satisfied. If it exceeds the price,
The server may cancel the applicant's application.

In an electronic commerce system for trading goods between a server and a client connected via a network, there is provided a group discount system for discounting the selling price of goods, wherein the server sells goods at a discounted price. Register the discount conditions and the application deadline for purchasing the product in the storage device of the server as product information,
A merchandise information guiding device for guiding merchandise based on the merchandise information, and the server registers the merchandise information of the applied merchandise and the personal information of the applicant in the storage device of the server as application information; A request for generating authentication information for identifying the applicant according to the information, storing the authentication information in the storage device of the server in association with the application information, and notifying the authentication information based on personal information included in the application information. A receiving device, the server confirms an offer deadline condition for each product sold at a discount price based on the product information, closes the offer, and stores the application information including the product information of the product whose offer has been closed in the storage device of the server. If the recruitment deadline condition is satisfied, the discount offerable information is added to the application information, and the recruitment deadline condition is not satisfied. In such a case, a recruitment completion device for notifying the recruitment result corresponding to the application information based on the personal information included in the application information by deleting the product information and adding the discount sale prohibition information from the application information, When there is a sales request for a product that satisfies the recruitment deadline condition, the server obtains application information of a product to be sold based on the authentication information from the storage device of the server, and obtains the product information included in the application information. A group discount system can be constructed by a billing processing device that discounts the selling price based on the discount conditions and associates the discounted selling price as billing information with the application information and registers it in the storage device of the server.

Further, the group discount system can set an applicant cancellation condition for canceling an application in the personal information registered in the storage device of the server by the recruitment accepting device, and the recruitment completion device can provide the The server checks an applicant cancellation condition of the personal information, and deletes the product information from the application information when the applicant cancellation condition is satisfied.

In the group discount system, the recruitment accepting device can set information of another applicant to be invited to the personal information registered in the storage device of the server. The server provides a product guide based on the personal information.

Further, in the group discount system, in the recruitment accepting device, when the server receives a request to disclose the status of recruitment of commodities to be sold at a discount price, the server stores the request by the time of receiving the disclosure request. It is characterized in that the recruiting status is obtained from the application information registered in the device and disclosed.

[0025]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Products to which the group discount method of the present invention can be applied include pay contents (image distribution, music distribution, etc.) traded on the Internet, tangible products such as books, travel package tours and insurance products. And admission tickets for facilities and the like are conceivable. The embodiment of the group discount method of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned products, but covers various products handled in the electronic commerce system. Therefore, in the present embodiment, simply the products (or services) are used.
This will be described.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a group discount system to which the group discount method of the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, a group discount system 001 is connected via a network 002 such as the Internet to communication terminals 003 to 005 used by a purchaser of a product (hereinafter, a user). The communication terminal is a personal computer or a portable terminal device having an Internet browser function, and an Internet compatible T
V, a video game machine, a set-top box, or a mobile phone compatible with an Internet service. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any device capable of performing electronic commerce with the group discount system 001 via the network 002 may be used. The group discount system 001 includes a user information management unit 006, a use condition management unit 007, and a user authentication unit 00.
8, billing information management means 009, service management means 010
And a user information database 012, a usage condition database 013, an authentication information database 014, a charging information database 015, and a service information database 01.
6 is a computer system.

In the group discount system 001, the user information management means 006 is means for reflecting personal information of the user input by a user who desires to purchase a product in the user information database 012.

The use condition management means 007 sets the application deadline condition and discount condition of the product based on the use condition database 013, guides the product and accepts the offer, and inputs and inputs the personal information of the user who applied. This is a means for registering the personal information in the user information database 012 by the user information management means, and providing the user's authentication information including the ID and password issued by the user authentication means to the applied user via the network 002. . It is also a means for determining a discount price of a product based on discount conditions.

The user authentication means 008 stores the ID of the authentication information in the authentication information database based on the information of the user who applied for the product registered in the user information database.
D and a password are generated and registered and issued to the use condition management means. When the applied user can purchase the product and makes a purchase request, the authentication information of the user is authenticated based on the authentication information database. It is a means to do.

The billing information management means 009 is a means for recording and managing the price of the product purchased by the user in the billing information database 015 when the user is authenticated and the purchase is decided.

The service management means 010 accepts a product purchase request of a user having authentication information via the use condition management means 007, and issues an authentication request to the user via the use condition management means 007. At the same time, the authentication information input by the user is confirmed using the user authentication means 008, and if the user is authenticated, the product is sold and the product purchased by the user is recorded in the service information database. Means.

FIG. 2 shows each means of the group discount system to which the group discount method of the present invention is applied and each database as each server on the network, and shows the flow of information between the user terminal and each server. . The communication terminal 201 represents a terminal such as a computer used by a user. The user information management server 202 includes a user information management unit and a user information database. The use condition management server 203 includes a use condition management unit and a use condition database. The authentication management server 204 includes an authentication management unit and an authentication information database. The billing management server 205 includes a billing information management unit and a billing information database. Service management server 206
Is composed of a service management means and a service information database. Arrows indicate information exchanged between the communication terminal 201 and each server, and since this information also includes personal information of the user, the information can be encrypted. In FIG. 2, each unit constituting the group discount system of the present invention is implemented on a plurality of servers connected to a network. However, as shown in FIG. It is also possible to implement the means separately for a plurality of servers.

As described above, the group discount system to which the group discount method of the present invention is applied is a seller's group discount system 001.
Basically, between the user and the user's communication terminal, provision of product information, acceptance of a product application, and various processes associated with sale of the product are performed. Hereinafter, various processes will be described in detail.

FIG. 3 shows the group discount system of the present invention.
It shows the flow from guidance to sale of products to which group discounts are applied. First, the use condition management server provides a user with a product having an application deadline condition set in advance using a homepage on the Internet or the like, and recruits users who want to purchase the product (301). Next, a right certificate (service use right) for purchasing a product is issued to the applied user (302). The user who has acquired the rights certificate purchases (uses a service) a product managed by the service management server based on the rights certificate (303).

Next, the flow of processing in the use condition management server will be described with reference to FIG. The use condition management server receives an application of a user who wishes to purchase a group discount product, and performs user registration (401). The registered user performs the conditions for the user to cancel the application by the user registration, and performs a process of determining the registered user's cancellation conditions (402). Here, the user who has satisfied the cancellation condition is deleted from the registration of the application. Next, the application is closed based on preset recruitment deadline conditions, and it is determined whether the number of applications has been satisfied (403). The above is the group recruitment phase. If the number of applications is satisfied, the process proceeds to the service usage right sales phase, and the product is sold to the applied user at a preset group discount price (404). If the number of recruitment is not enough, recruitment will be continued based on preset recruitment deadline conditions.

Here, the receiving process of the desired user (401)
Will be described in detail. FIG. 5 shows a process until the use condition management server accepts a solicitation for purchase of a group discount product from a user. Upon receiving the offer status display request (501) from the user terminal, the use condition management server transmits the group discount product offer status to the user terminal (502). The recruitment status includes the content of the group discount product, the recruitment form, the selling price of the product, the closing time of the recruitment, the total number of recruiters and the remaining number of people, etc. at the time of the user's request for display. When the user confirms the recruitment status, selects a product and applies, the usage condition management server accepts a group discount application from the user's terminal (503).
The usage condition management server that has received the application requests the authentication management server to issue an ID for identifying the applied user (504). The authentication management server determines the I
D and password are issued to the usage condition management server (50
5). Next, the use condition management server informs the user that the application has been confirmed, and requests the user to set personal information (hereinafter referred to as a parameter) for using the group discount (5).
06). The user inputs the parameters to the user's terminal according to the instruction of the use condition management server and transmits the parameters to the use condition management server (507). The usage condition management server that has received the parameter transmitted from the user terminal registers the parameter and user information such as the time at which the application of the user was received, the order of reception, and the recruitment form with the user information management server (508). ). The user information management server informs the use condition management server that the registration has been completed (50).
9), the usage condition management server confirms the end of registration,
The terminal of the user is notified that the registration required for the application is completed, and the ID and password of the user issued from the authentication management server are transmitted (510).

Next, the contents of the group discount application request (503) received from the user by the use condition management server will be described with reference to FIG. The use condition management server recruits users under three kinds of recruitment deadline conditions (recruitment form). One is a recruitment by designating the number of users to be recruited and the product sale price at the recruited number in the use condition management server, and recruiting users until the set number is reached (601). When the user selects this recruitment mode, the application is registered in the use condition management server as an application by specifying the number of people (602). The other is to decide in advance the time for recruiting users, close the recruitment of users when the recruitment deadline comes, and recruit by specifying time to determine the product sales price according to the number of users gathered at the time of the deadline ( 603). When the user selects this recruitment mode, the application is registered in the use condition management server as an application with a designated time (604). The other is user specification, in which users who want to purchase merchandise with group discounts can specify the number of applicants to be set in the usage condition management server on the premise that a plurality of users who apply in advance are collected. (605). The merchandise sales price is determined by the number of recruiting persons specified by the user and presented to the user. When the user selects this recruitment form, it is registered in the usage condition management server as an application specified by the user (6).
06). In the case of the recruitment mode of the recruitment by specifying the number of people (601) and the recruitment by specifying the time (603), the user cannot purchase the product until the recruitment conditions are satisfied, but the recruitment of the recruitment by user specification (605) In the case of the form, if you collect a plurality of users who are recruited in advance by the contact user,
As soon as the plurality of users have completed the recruitment registration, they can purchase the product. Here, the recruitment mode specified by the user will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. Recruitment by user designation (60
A user who wants to purchase a product with the group discount according to 5) gathers other users who want to purchase the product in advance and decides on a common group name and password with the other users. Next, the user serving as a contact person makes an initial entry (701) as a representative, designates the number of users to apply (702), and designates a common password determined among the users to apply (70).
3) Specify the identification name of the specified organization (70)
Perform 4) and register. Thereafter, when the user of the registered organization applies in the recruitment form designated by the user, the user can select the name of the organization to which the user belongs (705). 706), and a recruitment acceptance (707) is performed for each user.

Next, the setting of personal information (parameters) of the applied user performed after accepting the application for the group discount will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. First, a provisional discount price is calculated based on the current number of product applications (80
1). This provisional discount calculation is calculated and updated each time an application is accepted, and when a user requests for presentation, the discount price is presented. Next, when the sales conditions of the product (such as reaching the prescribed number of applicants or at a designated time) are satisfied, or when the sales conditions are not satisfied, the application user is notified of the recruitment result. A notification method and a notification destination are set (802). As for the setting method of the notification method and the notification destination of the applied user, as shown in FIG. 9, the notification method and the notification destination for notifying the recruitment result of the product with the sales condition can be selected from a plurality of methods. When using an e-mail (901), a contact (e-mail address) of the e-mail is input (90).
2). When the user wants to receive the notification using the message notification service (903), he inputs the address of the message notification service. If you want to receive notification by phone (90
In 5), a telephone number is input (906). If the user wants to receive a notification using the Internet-connected mobile phone (907), he inputs the mail address of the Internet-connected mobile phone (908). The notification method and the notification destination are not limited to these, but may be any as long as the recruitment result can be transmitted to the user.

Next, the application user sets a condition for canceling the group discount application (803). As shown in FIG. 10, as the cancellation condition set by the application user, when applying for the recruitment mode (601) by specifying the number of people, the time that the application user waits until the number of people gathers can be specified (1001). When the time until another user's application gathers is specified (1002), the specified time is used in the process of determining the cancellation condition of the registered user described in FIG. 4 (402). For example, application user A is A
If you register at M10: 00 and the number of people does not gather by 18:00 8 hours later, it will be decided that the application will be canceled.
Suppose that the time of the cancellation condition is set. The use condition management server 203 checks the cancellation condition of the applied user A, and if the number of applied users does not reach the specified number at 18:00, the application of the applied user A is canceled and deleted from the registered users. You. If the user has applied in the recruiting mode with time designation (603), the selling price of the product is determined by the number of users who applied within the designated time. Therefore, the upper limit of the purchase price can be set (1003) as the cancellation condition of the applied user. When the purchase price is entered as the upper limit of the purchase price (1004), if the purchase of the product is closed at the designated time, the sales price at that time and the upper limit of the purchase price set as the cancellation condition by the applied user are set. In comparison, when the selling price is high, the application of the application user is canceled.

Next, when the sales conditions of the product are satisfied,
The payment method when the application user purchases the product to which the group discount is applied is set (804). As shown in FIG.
When the sales conditions are satisfied, the usage condition management server 20
In step 3, the payment method (1101) automatically processed by the payment method designated by the application user, and the application user receives the notice of the completion of the offer after the application user receives the notice of completion of the offer, and the usage condition management server 203
You can choose a method to process payment for. When a payment method to be automatically processed is selected, the user sets a desired payment method (1102). If the payment method that is automatically processed is not selected, the application user will perform payment processing to the usage condition management server 203 after receiving the notification of the completion of the product recruitment. If there is a user who wants to introduce the recruitment of the product (805), the user information to be introduced is set (8).
06), and the personal information setting of the applied user is ended.
The user information to be introduced can be set by setting a notification destination and a message from the introduced user as shown in FIG. First, the notification destination setting of the user to be introduced (1201) is the same as the notification destination setting (901 to 908) described with reference to FIG. Next, a message to the user to be introduced is set in a text format such as an invitation to purchase a product at a group discount (120).
2).

Next, the process (402) of determining an applied user cancel condition in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 13 shows a flow of the determination process performed by the usage condition management server 203 based on the cancellation condition set by the application user. FIG. 14 shows the usage condition management server 20.
3 shows a procedure until the registration of the applied user is deleted. First, the usage condition management server 203 acquires the application user information of the group discount application registered from the user information management server 202 (1301, 1401, 140).
2). Next, it is checked whether or not each application user has specified time or set the maximum usage cost in setting the group discount cancellation condition (130).
2). If the application is not restricted by specifying the time or setting the maximum usage cost, the judgment of the cancellation condition of the application user is finished, but if the restriction is made,
The group discount cancellation condition of the applied user is checked (1303). If the number does not exceed the limit, the determination of the group discount cancellation condition of the applied user ends. If the number exceeds the limit, a provisional discount price is calculated based on the number obtained by subtracting the number of users who exceed the limit from the current number of applied products (1304). Next, the application registration of the user's group discount is deleted from the list of the use condition management server 203 (1305). At the same time, application cancellation is recorded in the user information registered in the user information management server 202 (1403, 1404). Next, a message is created (1306) to the effect that the time limit set by the application user has expired and has been deleted from the application registration (1306), and the user is notified (1307). The provisional discount price calculated earlier may be added to this message for reference. Here, a method of notifying a user of a message will be described with reference to FIG. The usage condition management server 203 selects a notification destination and a notification method of the message based on the user information acquired from the user information management server 202, and the flow of performing the notification is when the user wants to be notified by e-mail ( 1501) is notified by e-mail (15
02). When the user wants to be notified by the message notification service (1503), the notification is made by using the message notification service (1504). If the user wants the notification by telephone (1505), the notification is made by telephone (1506). If the user wants to be notified by the mobile phone compatible with the Internet (1507), the notification is sent to the mail address of the mobile phone compatible with the Internet (1508). The notification method and the notification destination are not limited to these, but may be any as long as the recruitment result can be transmitted to the user.

Next, the service use right sale phase for purchasing a product satisfying the sale conditions of the group discount will be described. FIGS. 16 and 17 show the flow of processing when the use condition management server performs the service use right sale processing. 18 and 19 show a procedure when the use condition management server performs the service use right selling process. The use condition management server 203 acquires from the user information management server 202 the information of the user who applied for the product satisfying the sales conditions of the group discount (1601, 1801, 180).
2, 1901, 1902). Next, a discount price is calculated for each user who has applied (1602). Next, it is determined whether or not the user has set automatic purchase of the service use right (1603). If automatic purchase has not been set, a message for requesting completion of product recruitment and purchase of a service usage right is created (1604), and the user is notified (1608, 1903). Note that the notification method is the same as the method in FIG. 15, but is not limited thereto, and may be any method that can transmit a message to the user. If automatic purchase has been set, a service use right is granted to the user (1605), and the grant is registered in the user information management server 202 (1).
803, 1804). Next, the discount price calculated earlier is charged to the charging management server 205 (1606, 1805,
1806). Finally, a message is created (1607) to the effect that the service usage right has been issued and the selling price has been paid to the user, and the user is notified (1608,
1807).

Next, a description will be given of a process of selling a service usage right to a user who has not set the automatic purchase of the service usage right. The use condition management server creates (1604) a service use right purchase request message and notifies the user who has not set the automatic purchase, and then waits for a service use right issuance request (1904) from the user. Will be. When there is a request from the user, first, the user is authenticated with the user ID and password issued at the time of accepting the recruitment (1701, 1905, 190
6). Here, if the authentication processing fails, the service use right is not sold to the user. If the authentication processing is successful, the payment method is set (170).
2, 1907, 1908). Next, a service use right is granted to the user (1703), and the grant is registered in the user information management server (1909, 1910). Next, the sales price of the service usage right is charged (1704, 19).
(11, 1912), and finally, a message to the effect that the service usage right has been issued and the selling price has been paid is displayed to the user (1705, 1913), and the service usage right selling process ends. For a user who does not purchase a service usage right despite having created (1604) and notified (1608) a service usage right purchase request message, the use of the present system is restricted. It is also possible to impose a penalty.

Next, the service use process (303) described with reference to FIG. 3 will be described. Service management server 2
FIG. 20 shows a flow of a service providing process when service group 06 provides a service (product) to a user who uses the group discount. FIG. 21 shows a procedure in which the service management server 206 provides a service to a user. Service management server 206
Performs a user authentication process when there is a service provision request (2101) from the user (2001, 21).
02, 2103) If the authentication process is successful, the service management server 206 acquires user information from the user information management server (2104, 2105), and determines whether the user has a service use right (2002). . Here, if the user authentication process fails or the user does not have the service usage right, the service is not provided to the user. If the user has the service usage right, the service is provided to the user (200
3, 2106). Next, the service use right of the user who provided the service is deleted from the user information of the user information management server, and the fact that the user has used the service is recorded in the user information of the user information management server (200).
4, 2107, 2108).

Next, a method of calculating the group discount cost will be described with reference to FIG. The group discount cost can be obtained by Expression 2201. The discount rate used in the equation is represented by equation 2202. The formula 2202 is composed of several discount rates, and the group discount rate 2203 is a discount rate applied according to the number of users to use. For example, each time five people use a certain service, a discount of 1% is made, and a discount of up to 30% is made. Next, the time zone discount rate 2204 is a discount rate determined by the time zone in which the user has applied for the group discount service and registered. For example, AM 1:00 to AM
For a user registered in the time period until 6:00, a discount of 5% is given. Next, the registration rank discount rate 2205 is a discount rate determined by the order in which the user applied for the group discount service and registered. For example, a discount of 5% is given to users who have registered within 10 people from the beginning. Next, the introducer discount rate 2206 is a discount rate applied to the user who introduced the group discount service to another user when the user applied for the introduced user group discount service. For example, when another user introduced by a certain user applies for the group discount service, a discount of 5% is applied to the selling price of the introduced user and a maximum of 30% is discounted every time one user applies horizontally. is there. Each discount rate (from 2203 to 2204)
Can be applied in any combination. By setting a discount rate in the use condition management server 203 for each product targeted for the group discount service, group discounts can be made according to the conditions of the user who applies.

Next, the user invitation process of the group discount service will be described with reference to FIG. 23 showing the flow of the process and FIG. 24 showing the procedure when the usage condition management server 203 solicits a user. The usage condition management server 203
It is possible to not only wait for the recruitment of users by guiding the group use service, but also to invite users who are likely to use the group discount service. First, the use condition management server 203 requests and acquires user information registered in the user information management server 202 (2301, 240).
1, 2402). Next, it is determined whether there is a user who can transmit the invitation information from the user information (230).
2). Here, the user who is a candidate for sending the solicitation information is a user who has personal information registered when previously applying for the group discount service. It is also possible to select a user using information such as whether or not the user has applied to the user. Further, the user setting (80) shown in FIG.
It is also possible to invite a user who wants to invite to the group discount service set in 6). If there is a target person to send the invitation information, the invitation information is created (2303). Here, information such as the status of recruitment to the group discount service and the use cost of the service at the time of creating the invitation information can be used for the invitation message. User settings to be introduced here (806)
It is also possible to change the message for each user, for example, by attaching a message of the introducer who has input "." Next, a solicitation message is notified (2304, 2403). The notification method and the notification destination are selected by the notification method set in the input of the personal information. Finally, the fact that the invitation message has been transmitted is recorded in the user information registered in the user information management server 202.

The above is an embodiment of the group discount method and the group discount system of the present invention.

[0048]

By applying the group discount method and the group discount system of the present invention to an electronic commerce system, a seller collects, from an unspecified number of users, purchasers of goods sold on the electronic commerce system. It becomes possible.
In addition, by setting the solicitation deadline condition, the user's willingness to purchase is stimulated, and the discount price is applied to the user regardless of the relationship with other applicants, so it is possible to purchase products at attractive prices Becomes Further, the user himself can recruit joint buyers and apply as a group, so that a so-called group discount can be realized on electronic commerce. As a result, the seller can recruit the buyers and determine the number of the buyers, and by accurately determining the number of purchases and sales of the product, it is possible to reduce the purchase price and the stock. In addition, for the purchaser of the product, the joint purchase of a specific product by an unspecified number of users has an advantage that the product can be purchased at a lower purchase price than the seller alone.

According to the group discount method and the group discount system of the present invention, by registering contact information such as e-mail as purchaser's personal information, new merchandise can be provided continuously. Can keep customers. In addition, since the notification of the application result can be performed in a detailed manner, the satisfaction of the user is improved.

According to the group discount method and the group discount system of the present invention, the seller can set a plurality of application deadline conditions for each product. ) Can sell.

In the group discount method and the group discount system of the present invention, the seller can set a plurality of types of discount conditions for each product, so that the user is presented with conditions that stimulate the user's willingness to purchase and offer recruitment guidance. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a group discount system to which a group discount method of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of information in a group discount system to which the group discount method of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of a group discount process.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a use condition management server.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of a reception process of group discount use.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a group discount application receiving process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a group discount application specified by a user.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a user's personal information setting procedure.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating processing for setting a notification unit and a notification destination to a user.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating processing for setting group discount cancellation conditions on the user side.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a process of setting a method for paying for a commodity.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating information setting processing of a user who wants to solicit;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a group discount cancellation condition determination process.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a flow of a group discount canceling process.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a process of notifying a user of a message;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a service use right sale process 1;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a service use right sale process 2;

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a flow 1 of a service use right issuing process.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a flow 2 of a service use right issuing process.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart of a service providing process.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a flow of a service providing process.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a method of calculating a group discount price.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart of a user invitation process.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a flow of a user invitation process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 001 Group discount system 002 Network 003 Communication terminal 004 Communication terminal 005 Communication terminal 006 User information management means 007 Usage condition management means 008 User authentication means 009 Billing information management means 010 Service management means 011 Data management means 012 User information database 012 Usage condition database 014 Authentication information database 015 Billing information database 016 Service information database

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06F 17/60 516 G06F 17/60 516 (72) Inventor Kazuya Iwasaki 22nd Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka No. 22 F-term in Sharp Corporation (reference) 5B049 AA05 BB11 CC02 CC05 CC08 CC31 CC36 DD05 EE01 FF03 FF04 FF09 GG04 GG07 GG10 5B055 BB20 CB09 CB10 CC10 EE02 EE21 EE27 FA01 FB03 PA02 PA34

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. An electronic commerce system for trading goods between a server and a client connected via a network, comprising: a group discount method for discounting a selling price of the goods, wherein the server sells the goods at a discounted price. A product guidance step of registering the discount conditions and the application deadline for the purchase application of the product in the storage device of the server as product information, and guiding the product based on the product information; and The product information of the product and the personal information of the applicant are registered as application information in the storage device of the server, and authentication information for identifying the applicant is generated in accordance with the application information, and the authentication information is associated with the application information. A recruitment receiving step of storing the authentication information based on the personal information included in the application information while storing the information in the storage device of the server. The server checks the closing deadline condition for each product sold at a discount price based on the product information, closes the recruitment, and sends application information including product information of the closed product from the storage device of the server. In addition to the above, when the recruitment deadline condition is satisfied, discount sale available information is added to the application information. When the recruitment deadline condition is not satisfied, merchandise information is deleted from the application information and discount sale prohibition information is added. A recruitment completion step of notifying the recruitment result according to the application information based on the personal information included in the application information by performing the addition of, if there is a sales request for a product satisfying the recruitment deadline condition, The server obtains application information of a product to be sold based on the authentication information from the storage device of the server, and discounts the product included in the application information. A billing processing step of discounting a selling price based on a condition, and registering the discounted selling price as billing information in association with the application information in a storage device of the server. 2. In the personal information registered in the storage device of the server in the recruitment receiving step, an applicant cancellation condition for canceling an application can be set, and in the recruitment completion step, the server sets the personal information The group discount method according to claim 1, wherein the applicant cancellation condition is confirmed, and if the applicant cancellation condition is satisfied, the product information is deleted from the application information. 3. In the recruitment accepting step, the personal information registered in the storage device of the server can also set information of another applicant who wants to solicit. 2. A product guide is provided based on information.
Group discount method described in. 4. In the recruitment receiving step, when the server receives a request for disclosure of a requisition status of a product to be sold at a discount price, the server is registered in a storage device of the server by the time of receiving the disclosure request. 2. The group discount method according to claim 1, wherein the recruiting status is obtained from the application information and disclosed. 5. The group discount method according to claim 1, wherein the recruitment deadline condition is to close the application when the number of applicants reaches a predetermined number of applications. 6. The application deadline condition is that the application is closed at a deadline designated in advance.
Group discount method described in. 7. The recruitment deadline condition is characterized in that the applicant himself can specify the number of applications as a deadline condition on the server of the seller, and the application is closed when the specified number of applications has been reached in the previous term. 2. The group discount method according to claim 1, wherein 8. The discount method according to claim 1, wherein the discount condition is such that a discount rate set according to the number of applicants applied when the application is closed under the recruitment deadline condition is applied to a selling price of a product. Group discount method. 9. The group discount method according to claim 1, wherein the discount condition applies a discount rate set according to the order in which the applicant applied, to a selling price of the product. 10. The group discount method according to claim 1, wherein the discount condition is to apply a discount rate set according to an application time slot applied by an applicant to a selling price of a product. 11. The discount condition includes a discount rate set in accordance with the number of new applicants introduced by the applicant who applied, and a selling price of a product applied by the applicant who introduced the new applicant. 2. The group discount method according to claim 1, wherein the method is applied to a group discount. 12. The server according to claim 2, wherein the server cancels the applicant's application if the recruitment deadline condition is not satisfied within a predetermined time from the point of application of the applicant. 3. The group discount method according to claim 1, wherein: 13. The applicant cancellation condition according to claim 2, the applicant can specify an upper limit of the purchase price,
If the discount price calculated based on the discount condition exceeds the designated purchase price when the recruitment deadline condition is satisfied, the server cancels the application of the applicant. Group discount method described in 1 and 2. 14. An electronic commerce system for trading goods between a server and a client connected via a network, wherein the group discounts the sales price of the goods, wherein the server sells the goods at a discount price. The discount condition and the application deadline for purchasing the product are registered in the storage device of the server as product information, and a product guide device that guides the product based on the product information, and the server is applied. The product information of the product and the personal information of the applicant are registered as application information in the storage device of the server, and authentication information for identifying the applicant is generated in accordance with the application information, and the authentication information is associated with the application information. A recruitment reception unit that stores the authentication information based on the personal information included in the application information while storing the information in the storage device of the server. The server confirms an offer closing condition for each product to be sold at a discount price based on the product information, closes the offer, and obtains application information including product information of the product whose offer has been closed from the storage device of the server. At the same time, if the recruitment deadline condition is satisfied, discount sale available information is added to the application information, and if the recruitment deadline condition is not satisfied, product information is deleted from the application information and discount sale unavailable information is added. A recruitment completion device for notifying the recruitment result according to the application information based on the personal information included in the application information by performing the addition, and when there is a sales request for a product satisfying the recruitment deadline condition, The server obtains application information of a product to be sold based on the authentication information from the storage device of the server, and sets a discount condition for the product included in the application information. A group discount system that discounts the sales price based on the sales price and registers the discounted sales price as charging information in the storage device of the server in association with the application information. 15. The personal information registered in the storage device of the server by the recruitment accepting device can set an applicant canceling condition for canceling an application, and the server in the recruitment completion device can store the personal information. The group discount system according to claim 14, wherein the applicant cancellation condition is confirmed, and if the applicant cancellation condition is satisfied, the product information is deleted from the application information. 16. In the recruitment accepting device, the personal information registered in the storage device of the server can also set information of another applicant who wants to solicit, and in the merchandise guide device, the server is 15. The group discount system according to claim 14, wherein a product guide is provided based on the information. 17. In the recruitment accepting device, when the server receives a request for disclosure of a recruitment status of a product to be sold at a discount price, the server is registered in the storage device of the server by the time of receiving the disclosure request. 15. The group discount system according to claim 14, wherein the recruitment status is obtained from the application information and disclosed.