Product sales method and system for achieving product sales method

Abstract

To provide a product sales method that can reduce product delivery costs and product prices, and a system for achieving the product sales method.SOLUTION: This sales method includes: (1) receiving, from a user terminal of a user using at least one facility, an order / payment signal for ordering products placed in a storage unit at a server connected in communication with a storage unit placed in a space set up within the at least one facility where security against intrusion by unspecified persons is ensured; (2) after receiving the order / payment signal, transmitting an authentication code for unlocking the storage unit from the server to the user terminal; and (3) reading the authentication code with a reader provided in the storage unit or a reader connected in communication with the storage unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for selling products and a system for implementing this method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the development of e-commerce (e-commerce mass transit) has led to a dramatic increase in the volume of deliveries, and this volume is expected to continue to grow as the number of aging households increases. Under these circumstances, concerns are growing about increased delivery costs and a decline in delivery services due to stricter regulations on driver overtime work, known as the "2024 problem." For this reason, not only are there demands for more efficient delivery methods, but there is also a need to establish more efficient business models for e-commerce mass transit.

[0003] Delivery lockers are widely used as one way to achieve an efficient delivery method. Delivery lockers are installed, for example, in apartment complexes, train stations, and various commercial facilities, and are configured to temporarily store delivery items. The delivery person simply places the delivery item in the delivery locker according to the recipient's instructions or when the recipient is not at home, so there is no need for redelivery. Furthermore, the recipient can receive the delivery from the delivery locker at any time, so they are not forced to be at home to receive the delivery (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-81822 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-169478 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a new method for selling and delivering merchandise, or to provide a merchandise sales method that can reduce merchandise delivery costs and merchandise prices, and a system for realizing this method.

[0006] One embodiment of the present invention is a method for selling products, which includes (1) receiving, from a user terminal of a user using at least one facility, an order / payment signal for ordering products to be placed in the storehouse, at a server connected in communication with the storehouse located in a space set within at least one facility where security against intrusion by unspecified persons is ensured, (2) transmitting an authentication code for unlocking the storehouse from the server to the user terminal after receiving the order / payment signal, and (3) reading the authentication code with a reader provided in the storehouse or a reader connected in communication with the storehouse.

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention is a system for selling products. The system includes a server and a storage unit. The storage unit is located in a designated space within at least one facility that is secured against unauthorized intrusion and is communicatively connected to the server. The server is configured to receive, from a user terminal of a user using at least one facility, an order / payment signal for ordering and paying for products to be placed in the storage unit, and, after receiving the order / payment signal, transmit to the user terminal an authentication code for unlocking the storage unit. The storage unit has a reader for reading the authentication code or is communicatively connected to the reader. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional product sales method. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a product sales method according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic front view of a storage cabinet that can be used in a product sales method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic front view of a storage cabinet that can be used in a product sales method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic front view of a storage cabinet that can be used in a product sales method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic perspective view of an operation unit and a reader connected to a storage unit that can be used in a product sales method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic diagram of a product sales system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is an example of a flowchart of a product sales method according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, etc. However, the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and should not be construed as being limited to the description of the embodiments exemplified below.

[0010] In order to clarify the description, the drawings may show the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part schematically compared to the actual embodiment, but these are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention. In this specification and each drawing, elements having the same functions as those explained in the previous drawings may be assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations may be omitted.

[0011] First Embodiment Below, we will explain a product sales method (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as this sales method) according to one embodiment of the present invention and a system for realizing it (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the sales system).

[0012] 1. Overview In the conventional method of selling products on Ecomus, users, who are buyers of products, select a seller at will, then select and place an order for the products handled by the selected seller. The seller then delivers the products to the user according to the user's order, either directly or through a logistics company (Figure 1). This requires sellers to respond to each user's order and deliver products to users scattered over a wide area. This business model is one of the major causes of increased delivery costs and is an obstacle to selling products at lower costs.

[0013] In contrast, in this sales method, as shown in Figure 2, instead of individually shipping products to individual users, the seller stores products in a facility used by a large number of users, i.e., a facility with a high user density. Here, a facility refers to a facility used or lived in by many users and that has a certain level of security against intrusion by unspecified individuals. Examples of such a facility include apartment complexes, business buildings, and factories. It can also be amusement facilities, department stores, shopping malls, sports facilities, and other commercial facilities; educational facilities such as universities and vocational schools; medical institutions, nursing homes, and hotels. In this case, users include employees, students, teachers, patients, medical professionals, and guests at the facility. Furthermore, in this sales method, products are stored in a storage unit located within the facility in a space that ensures a certain level of security (hereinafter referred to as a secure space). Because entry to the facility is limited to users who use or reside in the facility, or to specific delivery personnel who place the products, a certain level of security against intrusion by unspecified individuals is also ensured for the storage unit. It is also possible to select one or more facilities where a larger volume of merchandise is expected to be sold, in which case the merchandise is preferentially placed in the storage of the selected facility.

[0014] Furthermore, in this sales method, the seller of the product is a business operator managing the storage and / or server described below, and this business operator has the authority to determine the products to be placed in the storage. Therefore, a user using this sales method does not arbitrarily select a seller and order or purchase products handled by the selected seller, but rather orders the desired products from among the products offered by the business operator managing the storage (or the server connected to the storage) that the user intends to use (see Figure 2). Furthermore, in this sales method, the seller predicts product demand prior to receiving an order from the user and determines one or more products based on the results. There are no restrictions on the types of products, and a wide range of products are available, including food, clothing, cosmetics, stationery, books, medicines, sporting goods, and disaster prevention supplies. Furthermore, food products are not limited to food produced in factories, but can also include harvested products such as seafood and agricultural products. Furthermore, food products may include alcoholic beverages such as beer, shochu, happoshu, wine, sake, whiskey, and brandy. Food products may be provided to users in a refrigerated or frozen state, or at room temperature.

[0015] Furthermore, in this sales method, the product may be placed in a storage unit before being ordered by the user. The user decides whether or not to actually purchase the product. If purchasing, the user places an order for the product using a terminal (user terminal) such as a computer, tablet, mobile phone, or smartphone, and then makes payment before the product is actually delivered to the user. In other words, the delivery of the product and the payment are not simultaneous; payment is made first, and then the product is delivered. Therefore, the transfer of ownership of the product is completed before the delivery of the product. The delivery of the product is carried out in a storage unit installed in the facility used by the user, and the delivery is completed by removing the product from the storage unit.

[0016] This sales method is described in detail below.

[0017] 2. Storage As described above, the delivery destination of goods is not the home or residence of an individual user, but a storage unit located in a secure space set up within a facility where a certain level of security is ensured. Users who use the facility can enter the secure space using, for example, a key or an IC tag. A delivery person who delivers goods can enter the secure space by temporarily or permanently obtaining access authority to the secure space from a user or a facility administrator. Therefore, the number of people who can access the secure space is limited; specifically, only users who are permitted to enter or reside in the facility and specific delivery people can access it. Therefore, access to the storage unit by unspecified persons is prohibited.

[0018] An example of a storage cabinet is shown in the schematic front views of Figures 3 and 4. As shown in Figure 3, storage cabinet 100 basically comprises a housing 102 for placing products 150 and a door 104, and further comprises a reader 112 and an external image capture device 120. Optionally, storage cabinet 100 may also include an operation unit 110, a speaker 114, an internal image capture device 122, a sensor (not shown), and the like.

[0019] The housing 102 provides a space for placing the products 150, and the door 104 is connected to the housing 102 via hinges. This allows the storage cabinet 100 to be opened and closed using the door 104 (see FIG. 4 ). The door 104 is lockable and is locked and unlocked by a control device (not shown) provided in the storage cabinet 100. Preferably, part or all of the door 104 is made of glass so that the products 150 inside can be seen. The storage cabinet 100 may have a refrigeration or freezing mechanism as a temperature control mechanism, or may not have these temperature control mechanisms. The number of doors 104 is also arbitrary, and as shown in FIG. 5 , the storage cabinet 100 may have multiple doors 104-1 and 104-2. In this case, the housing 102 may be divided into the same number of sections as the doors 104. By dividing the housing 102 into multiple sections, for example, products that need to be stored at different temperatures can be stored at appropriate temperatures. Although not shown, a lighting device may also be provided inside the housing 102. The lighting device may be connected to a human presence sensor (not shown) and configured to turn on for a certain period of time when the human presence sensor detects the approach of a person.

[0020] The operation unit 110 is an interface through which a user operates the storage cabinet 100. An example of the operation unit 110 is a display device equipped with a touch panel. The display device accepts input operations from the user and may be configured to display, for example, a method for operating the storage cabinet 100, the products 150 placed in the storage cabinet 100 and their quantity, and the products 150 owned by the user and their quantity. The reader 112 is provided to read authentication codes (described below) and information (product information) attached to the products 150. For example, an optical reader configured to read barcodes or two-dimensional codes can be used as the reader 112. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the operation unit 110 and the reader 112 are mounted on or incorporated into the housing 102. However, they may also be configured to be independent of the housing 102 and to be communicatively connected to the storage cabinet 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the operation unit 110 may be configured as a communication terminal such as a personal computer or tablet and connected to the storage cabinet 100 via a wired or wireless connection. The reader 112 may be connected to the operation unit 110 by wire or wirelessly.

[0021] The external image capturing device 120 is configured to promote proper delivery of the product 150, and is configured to capture images of the storage cabinet 100 and its surroundings at regular intervals (for example, at intervals of 1 / 60 seconds or more and 1 second or less). This makes it possible to capture images of the user's actions when removing the product 150, or of people attempting to access the storage cabinet 100, and to monitor inappropriate operations or fraudulent acts against the storage cabinet 100. Images captured by the external image capturing device 120 are transmitted from the storage cabinet 100 to a server, which will be described later. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the external image capturing device 120 is mounted on the housing 102, but the external image capturing device 120 may also be disposed at a location remote from the housing 102, and the storage cabinet 100 and the external image capturing device 120 may be connected via wire or wireless communication.

[0022] The speaker 114 is configured to output information required by the user as audio, such as instructions on how to operate the storage 100 and the details of the product order placed by the user. The speaker 114 may also be configured to output various warning sounds.

[0023] The internal imaging device 122 is configured to capture images of the inside of the housing 102 and is provided inside the storage cabinet 100. The internal imaging device 122 also captures images of the inside of the storage cabinet 100 at regular intervals (for example, at intervals of 1 / 60 seconds or more and 1 second or less) as information about the storage cabinet 100, and the captured images are transmitted from the storage cabinet 100 to a server, which will be described later. The images captured by the internal imaging device 122 can be used to monitor the products 150 in the storage cabinet 100 on the server, thereby making it possible to grasp the inventory amount of products in the storage cabinet 100 and the free space of the storage cabinet 100. Although not shown, a sensor may be provided inside the housing 102 in place of or together with the internal imaging device 122 to detect the inventory amount of the products 150 and the like as information about the storage cabinet 100. Information obtained from the sensor is also transmitted from the storage cabinet 100 to the server.

[0024] 3. Product sales system As described above, in this sales method, rather than a user arbitrarily selecting a seller and placing an order for a product handled by that seller, and then the product is delivered, the seller who manages the repository 100 (and / or server) selects one or more products in advance. The user selects the desired product from the products selected by the seller and places an order. The product is placed in the repository 100, and the user completes receipt of the product by removing the product from the repository 100. The seller may arbitrarily select the product and determine the quantity, but a sales system according to one embodiment of the present invention is used to enable more efficient and low-cost product sales.

[0025] A block diagram of the sales system is shown in Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, the sales system 130 comprises a server 132, a database 134, and multiple storage units 100 installed in multiple facilities. Each of the multiple storage units 100 is configured to be communicatively connected to the server 132 via a wide area network 142 such as the Internet. The wide area network 142 is communicatively connected to user terminals 140 of users who use this sales method, thereby establishing communication between the server 132 and the user terminals 140. A database 134 is connected to the server 132. The database 134 may be communicatively connected to the server 132 directly or via a local area network (not shown), or may be communicatively connected to the server 132 via the wide area network 142. Alternatively, the server 132 and the database 134 may be integrated into a single device.

[0026] The server 132 is a device equipped with computing and communication capabilities, and may be a personal computer, but is preferably an application server with greater computing capabilities. The database 134 is a device for storing data for implementing the present sales method, and various types of databases, such as a hierarchical database, a network database, or a relational database, may be employed. The database 134 stores various information (e.g., personal information and user order history) transmitted to the server 132 by the user via the user terminal 140, information on sellers' past product sales and product delivery histories for individual users input via the server 132, as well as various information affecting product demand trends (demand trend information). The user terminal 140 is a communication terminal managed by the user using the present sales method, and examples of the user terminal 140 include a smartphone, a tablet, and a personal computer.

[0027] 4. How to sell products An example of a flowchart of a method for selling products using sales system 130 is shown in Figure 8. This sales method will be described in detail below according to this flowchart, but this flowchart is merely an example, and for example, the order of the steps shown in this flowchart may be changed as appropriate, or one or more steps may be omitted.

[0028] (1) Product selection and quantity determination In this sales method, the seller first selects the product and determines the quantity. At this time, the seller may also determine the price of the product. As described above, the seller is a business entity that manages or operates the repository 100 and / or the server 132.

[0029] The selection of products and the determination of their quantities and prices are performed by server 132. At this time, demand trend information stored in database 134 connected to server 132 is used. The demand trend information includes external factor information, facility information, and user information. At least one of the external factor information, facility information, and user information is used in the selection of products and the determination of their quantities.

[0030] External information is information independent of users and facilities that affects overall consumer demand. Examples include weather, climate, calendars and related events, changes in product production and harvest yields (seasonal), the presence or absence of large-scale sporting or cultural events, and if so, their type and timing, information about campaigns on the Ecomas website (such as the timing, content, and scale of campaigns), the presence or absence of epidemics and their predicted end date, legal amendments, the demand situation and logistics environment for each product, and the fullness rate of logistics warehouses. Facility information is information related to facilities, such as the facility's name, site area, number of floors, layout, listed price, sales price, rent, the percentage of people at home, common area fees, shared facilities, the number of users and households using or residing in the facility, the number of people per household, the number of parking spaces, nearby traffic, the type and number of tenants in the facility, the services provided within the facility, and facility rules (e.g., whether delivery is permitted, whether carts can be used, etc.). Generally, different facility information will result in different user preferences as well as different grades and quantities of products purchased, making it possible to determine products that better suit the user's lifestyle. User information is information about users who use or reside in a facility, and examples include the user's age, gender, and household composition. Since the products desired by a user depend not only on the user but also on their household composition, using the user information in product determination makes it possible to determine products that better suit the user's preferences. Note that the user information may be, for example, information provided by the user at the time of registration.

[0031] Product sales records stored in database 134 are also used in product selection. Specifically, a supervised learning model is constructed using past demand trend information and product sales records as input data (feature data). The algorithm used in the supervised learning model can be selected arbitrarily, including linear regression models, random forests, decision trees, gradient boosting, and deep learning. Deep learning, which is expected to have particularly high accuracy, is preferable. When using deep learning, convolutional neural networks, recurrent neural networks, vision transformer models, and the like may be used as appropriate. Product demand forecasting using a supervised algorithm allows for timely determination of products and quantities that meet user desires. The difference between the selected product and the training data, which is past sales records, is the objective function, and the learning model can be trained and updated by minimizing this objective function.

[0032] The quantity of a product can also be determined using the above-described past demand trend information and product sales history. For example, the quantity of a product can be determined using a supervised learning model that uses past demand trend information and product sales history as feature data. More preferably, the sales history is determined based on the quantity of products actually delivered to users, rather than past product order history. Therefore, the quantity of a product determined by server 132 may be less than the total quantity of products actually ordered (or expected to be ordered) by users. This is because even if a user orders a product, they may not necessarily want the product delivered immediately and may store the product in storage 100, even if the user already owns it. Furthermore, some users prefer to obtain the appropriate amount of product as needed and dislike managing a large quantity of product themselves. Therefore, if the quantity of a product is predicted and determined based on order history (i.e., past order / payment signals or order signals (described below)) rather than past delivery history, the product's residence time in storage 100 will increase, product inventory will increase, and quality deterioration will become significant for some products. Therefore, by using the amount of merchandise actually delivered to users in the past as sales record and creating a so-called overbooking situation, not only can merchandise delivery costs be reduced and the space in storage 100 be used efficiently, but quality deterioration due to increased retention time can also be prevented.

[0033] The free space in the storage 100 may be taken into consideration when determining the quantity of the product. As described above, the free space in each storage 100 can be monitored on the server 132 at any time. Therefore, if the determined quantity of the product does not exceed the free space in the storage 100, the quantity may be left unchanged and the entire determined quantity of the product may be delivered. Conversely, if the determined quantity of the product exceeds the free space in the storage 100, the quantity of the product may be changed to an amount equal to or less than the free space. This prevents re-delivery due to insufficient free space in the storage 100, thereby reducing delivery costs.

[0034] (2) Facility selection Products may be stored in the storage units 100 installed in all of the facilities. However, to achieve more efficient product sales, one or more facilities where more product sales are expected, i.e., where a large number of users are expected to purchase products, may be selected, and products may be preferentially or selectively stored in those storage units 100. In this case, the facilities may be prioritized based on the expected sales amount of the products, the cost and time of delivery of the products, the cost of replenishing the products, the cost required for promotions at the facilities, and the like. The selection of facilities and the determination of their priority may also be performed using a supervised learning model that uses past demand trend information and product sales records (preferably delivery records) as feature data. This allows products to be preferentially stored in the storage units 100 of facilities where more product purchases are expected, thereby enabling more efficient product sales.

[0035] (3) Product placement After the product, its quantity, and the facility's storage 100 where the product will actually be placed are determined, the product is delivered to the facility and placed in the storage 100. At this time, the delivery person uses an authentication code to unlock the door 104. Unlocking using the authentication code is the same as unlocking by the user, which will be described later, so a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0036] (4) Promotion to users In order to promote more efficient product sales, after the products to be placed in the storage 100 have been decided, a promotion may be carried out for users by transmitting product information (product name, planned placement date and time, price, etc.) and advertisements from the server 132 to the user terminal 140. This allows the user to know the products that have been placed or are scheduled to be placed in the storage 100. This promotion may be carried out after the products have been placed in the storage 100, or may be carried out before the products are placed in the storage 100.

[0037] (5) User purchases and payments When a user wishes to purchase a product, the user accesses the seller's ECOMAS website via the user terminal 140. Although detailed explanations are omitted, the user has previously registered on the seller's ECOMAS website, and the information necessary for purchasing the product (such as name, age, gender, contact information, and the name of the facility to be used) has been provided to the seller. The user selects the desired product on the ECOMAS website, enters the appropriate quantity, places an order, and makes payment. An order and payment signal for ordering and paying for the product is then transmitted from the user terminal 140 to the server 132. Payment for the product may be made using a credit card or various electronic payment methods. Alternatively, transfer at a bank, post office, or convenience store may be selected as the payment method. However, because the product is not delivered in person, cash on delivery payment is not adopted. Note that the order and payment may be performed separately. In this case, an order signal for ordering the product and a payment signal for making payment are transmitted separately from the user terminal 140 to the server 132. At this stage, the product has not yet been delivered to the user and is either placed in the repository 100 or has not yet been placed in the repository 100. However, the transfer of ownership of the product from the seller to the user has been completed. However, if a user who does not meet the age limit orders a product with an age restriction for purchase (such as alcoholic beverages), the server 132 may automatically cancel the order. In this case, payment for the product is not made. In this case, a signal may be sent to the user terminal 140 to notify the user that the product cannot be ordered. Furthermore, for products such as alcoholic beverages and medicines that may be harmful to health if consumed in large quantities over a certain period of time, the server 132 may refer to past product delivery records for individual users and limit the amount of the product to be ordered over a certain period of time.

[0038] When the server 132 receives the order / payment signal, the server 132 determines whether the payment is valid. For example, the server 132 accesses a credit card company or a payment agency to grant credit and receives the credit result. If credit is granted, the payment is established.

[0039] (6) Delivery of Products Once the payment is successful, the server 132 transmits to the user terminal 140 an authentication code for unlocking the repository 100. The authentication code may be expressed, for example, as a barcode or a two-dimensional code, or may be a personal identification number or a password.

[0040] As long as the product is placed in the storage unit 100, the user can take over the product at any time. At this time, in order to unlock the storage unit 100, the user is first authenticated. Specifically, the user performs authentication using the reader 112. If the authentication code is a personal identification number or password, the user can enter the authentication code using the operation unit 110. When the authentication code is read, the storage unit 100 transmits the read authentication code together with an ID number that identifies the storage unit 100 to the server 132. The server 132 uses the received authentication code to query information associated with the authentication code stored in the database 134 (e.g., the user's name and contact information, product names and their order quantities, the name of the facility, the ID number of the storage unit 100, etc.) and performs the authentication process. The authentication result is then transmitted to the storage unit 100.

[0041] Alternatively, user authentication may be performed in storage 100 without going through server 132. In this case, an authentication code is transmitted in advance from server 132 to storage 100. At this time, information associated with the authentication code may also be transmitted to storage 100. Storage 100 is configured to compare the read authentication code with the authentication code transmitted from server 132, and if they match, determines that the user has been properly authenticated and unlocks door 104.

[0042] If the user is correctly authenticated, the storage cabinet 100 receives the authentication result and unlocks the door 104. On the other hand, if the user is not correctly authenticated, the storage cabinet 100 keeps the door 104 locked. At this time, the display device of the operation unit 110 may display a message that the user has not been authenticated, or the speaker 114 may output a sound to that effect. Alternatively, a warning sound may be emitted.

[0043] Once the user is properly authenticated and the door 104 is unlocked, the user removes the ordered items. This completes the delivery of the items. At this time, the user may remove all or only a portion of the ordered items. This allows the user to obtain the appropriate amount of items at the appropriate time. The door 104 is then closed and locked again in accordance with a command from the control device of the storage 100.

[0044] The sales system 130 may be configured to transmit product information to the server when a user removes a product. For example, after removing a product, the user may use the reader 112 to have the repository 100 read the product information, which may be represented by a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or the like, attached to the product. The repository 100 then transmits the read product information to the server 132. This allows the seller to constantly monitor the inventory status of products in each repository 100 on the server 132.

[0045] (7) Other In this sales method, it is not guaranteed that all of the products placed in each storage 100 will be purchased by users. For this reason, after a certain period of time has passed, unsold products may be transferred to another facility according to the priority of the delivery destination facility. The transfer destination facility may be selected according to the facility priority described above. By transferring products in this manner, it is possible to prevent product waste (such as food loss).

[0046] As described above, this sales method does not deliver products individually based on each user's order. Instead, it predicts which products users will want and stores those products in a storage unit 100 located in a facility with a high user density and extremely convenient for users. Users only need to purchase the stored product through this sales method if they wish to purchase it. Therefore, this sales method allows for pseudo-mass group purchasing, enabling product sales at lower prices. Furthermore, since individual deliveries to users are not required, delivery personnel resources can be saved and delivery costs can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, product selection is performed using past sales performance, various information about the facility and its users, and various external factors, allowing for the provision of products that more closely match user needs. Furthermore, users can obtain products at any time by accessing the storage unit 100 located in the facility they use. Therefore, applying the embodiments of the present invention can provide users with more convenient services.

[0047] The above-described embodiments of the present invention may be combined as appropriate as long as they are not mutually inconsistent. Furthermore, even if the business operator appropriately adds or deletes components or modifies the design based on each embodiment, or adds or omits processes or modifies conditions, the resulting product is included in the scope of the present invention as long as it contains the gist of the present invention.

[0048] Even if there are other effects and advantages different from those brought about by the aspects of each of the above-mentioned embodiments, if they are clear from the description in this specification or can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art, they will naturally be understood to be brought about by the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 100: storage, 102: housing, 104: door, 104-1: door, 104-2: door, 110: operation unit, 112: reader, 114: speaker, 120: external imaging device, 122: internal imaging device, 130: sales system, 132: on-demand server, 132: server, 134: database, 140: user terminal, 142: wide area network, 150: product

Claims

[Claim 1] a server connected to and communicating with a storage unit located in a space set in at least one facility where security against intrusion by unspecified persons is ensured, receiving an order / payment signal for ordering products to be placed in the storage unit from a user terminal of a user who uses the at least one facility; After receiving the order / payment signal, the server transmits an authentication code for unlocking the storage unit to the user terminal; and and reading the authentication code with a reader provided in the storage unit or a reader communicatively connected to the storage unit.

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