Virtual stock sales method and system equipment for implementing the same
The virtual stock sales method allows customers to purchase bulk products virtually stocked at retailers, enabling lower prices without home inventory, benefiting manufacturers with reduced transportation costs and streamlined production planning.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024220449
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-04-11
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-17
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-24
Smart Images
Figure 2025161724000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a novel virtual stock sales method and system equipment for implementing the method, in which, upon receiving a bulk purchase request from customer C, manufacturer and / or retailer B virtually registers product G in stock, and when retailer B receives individual take-out orders from customer members and sells them in-store, manufacturer A and / or retailer B updates the virtual stock record and sells the products individually to customers at the bulk purchase unit price. [Background technology]
[0002] Currently, the most common method of selling goods is for a supermarket or other retailer B to purchase a specified quantity of goods G from a manufacturer A, and for customers C to pay the individual take-out price at the supermarket or other retailer B and then either take the goods G home or have them delivered. While bulk orders are advantageous for customers C because they can purchase goods at a lower price per unit, it is difficult to keep bulk-purchased goods G in stock at an average household. On the other hand, knowing about bulk orders is advantageous for manufacturer A because it makes it easier to plan annual production and produce according to sales forecasts. However, receiving orders from individual customers C1 to Cn and selling directly to them requires higher transportation costs than selling through retailer B, making it difficult to reduce prices. Therefore, considering the issues of inventory at customers' homes and the direct shipping costs for individual orders, it is preferable for manufacturer A to continue as before by sending a specified quantity of goods G to retailer B, and for each customer C1 to Cn to purchase goods individually from retailer B. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0003] The inventor came to the conclusion that if customer C1 can purchase product G1 in bulk at a low purchase price through a bulk advance purchase contract, but the products are not kept in stock at the customer's home, but are instead purchased at retailer B at the bulk purchase price as needed and then taken home individually, this would be advantageous for both the customer, who can purchase the product at a low bulk purchase price, and manufacturer A, who can total up the customers' bulk purchases in advance and make production plans more easily. Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a virtual stock sales method and system equipment for implementing it, which allows customers to order from a manufacturer and, based on that order, maintain the normal sales route of manufacturer A → retailer B → customer C, rather than direct sales from the manufacturer, and allows bulk orders to be made to reduce the unit price of goods while utilizing the conventional sales route via retailers, but customer C does not have to take the goods home individually at the unit price of the bulk purchase from retailer B and stock them at home, while manufacturer A can manufacture according to an annual production plan based on a bulk purchase contract from the customer. [Means for solving the problem]
[0004] The present invention is a virtual stock sales method in which, based on a bulk purchase contract for a product G made by a customer C, a manufacturer A and / or a retailer B registers the product G and virtually stocks it, while the customer C can individually take home the bulk-purchased product G at the bulk purchase unit price from the retailer B, and the method comprises: 1) a member registration step; 2) a bulk purchase step for forming a virtual stock; 3) an individual purchase step for purchasing the virtually stocked product; and 4) a settlement step for settling the individually purchased product at the bulk purchase price. After registering as a member and signing a bulk purchase contract, retailer B is provided with a sales system 100 that uses a two-dimensional code to identify whether the member bulk purchase is for individual take-out or general purchase. After registering as a member, customer C enters into a bulk purchase contract, and then transmits an individual take-home signal S3 to the virtual stock via a mobile terminal such as a smartphone to purchase products at a bulk purchase unit price. Manufacturer A and / or retailer B prepare virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C based on a membership registration signal S1 from customer C, and record and stock the products as a bulk purchase when customer C sends a bulk purchase signal S2 via the customer C's membership registration app. When an individual take-home signal S3 is received from customer C, the management system 300 updates the inventory record of the virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303 and sends a purchased signal S4 for product G1 to the retailer B cash register. Retail store B furthermore has a settlement system 400 that, when it receives a purchased signal S4 from manufacturer A at the time of a customer's purchase settlement at the cash register, distinguishes the product for which the purchased signal S4 has been received from a general product and calculates and settles the product at the unit price for a lump sum purchase, and more specifically, is configured as follows: That is, as shown in Figure 1(b), after registering as a member (member registration process), manufacturer A and / or retailer B register and virtually stock (bulk purchase process) the bulk purchase contract for product G1 of customer C based on the product G1, while customer C individually purchases bulk purchase product G1 at retailer B at the bulk purchase unit price (individual purchase process), settles the payment at the bulk purchase unit price (settlement process), and then takes it home. This is a virtual stock sales method. To implement this, As shown in FIG. 1(a), the system comprises a purchasing system 200, a selling system 100, a management system 300, and a settlement system 400. The retail store B is equipped with a sales system 100 having a member registration code QR1, and a product bulk purchase code QR2 for bulk purchasing of products G1 to be consumed in a predetermined usage period, and an individual take-home code QR3 in the product corner (however, the member registration and bulk purchase contract can be made in advance, in which case only the individual take-home code QR3 is sufficient), A purchasing system 200 is provided in which a customer C (1) obtains a member app from a member registration code QR1 via a mobile terminal 201 such as a smartphone, (2) reads a bulk purchase member registration code QR2 via the member app 202 and enters into a bulk purchase contract, and (3) reads a member individual sales code QR3 at a retailer B via the member app and purchases a product, and then transmits an individual take-home signal S3 to a manufacturer A and / or a retailer B. Manufacturer A and / or retailer B (4) prepares virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C based on a membership registration signal S1 from customer C's membership registration app 202, and (5) stocks virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 by reading bulk purchase code QR2 using customer C's membership registration app and sending bulk purchase signal S2, and (6) when customer C reads individual take-out code QR3 using customer C's membership registration app and receives an individual take-out signal from customer C, (7) manufacturer A and / or retailer B updates the inventory record of virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303, and (8) sends a signal to retailer B that product G1 has been purchased. The store B cash register furthermore uses a virtual stock sales method that includes a settlement system 400 that, upon receiving a purchase completion signal S4 from manufacturer A or store B (9) when a customer pays for a product purchase, distinguishes between individual take-out products under a bulk purchase contract and other products and settles the purchase at the unit price for the bulk purchase. In the present invention, manufacturer A typically provides the management system 300 to implement the virtual stock sales method of the present invention. However, retailer B may provide the management system 300, instead of or together with manufacturer A, to create a virtual stock and record inventory based on the membership registration signal S1 and bulk purchase signal S2. Furthermore, retailer B may distinguish between general merchandise and virtual stock items based on a bulk purchase contract at its cash register in response to a checkout signal S5 from customer C, instead of the purchased signal S4 transmitted based on the customer's individual takeout signal S3, and simultaneously update the virtual stock inventory record. In short, the virtual stock sales method of the present invention is characterized in that manufacturer A and / or retailer B prepare a virtual stock of merchandise through membership registration, record a specified inventory based on the bulk purchase contract, and update the virtual stock inventory record based on the purchased signal S4 or checkout signal S5 when the customer individually takes out or delivers the merchandise. Furthermore, retailer B distinguishes between general merchandise and bulk purchase items at its cash register, allowing customer C to purchase at the bulk purchase unit price. [Effects of the Invention]
[0005] According to the present invention, after registering as a member, customer C can enter into a bulk purchase contract using bulk purchase code QR2 and then purchase individual products at retailer B using individual sales code QR3 at the bulk purchase unit price. Therefore, even if customer C purchases in bulk, he or she does not need to stock product G at home, and because customer C can carry the products individually from retailer B and take them home, there is no additional transportation cost associated with direct sales from manufacturer A. Moreover, customer C can purchase individual products at retailer B as usual, and can purchase and carry them home at the bulk purchase unit price. This allows manufacturer A and retailer B to sell products at lower unit prices without changing their current distribution routes, and creates a new sales route through which customer C can purchase these products. An important aspect of the present invention is that retailer B can provide individual takeaway of products as needed at the unit price of the bulk purchase, as in the past. Therefore, the present invention provides a method in which manufacturer A or retailer B stocks products in a virtual stockpile based on a bulk purchase contract with a customer after membership registration, while also enabling customer C who has signed a bulk purchase contract to have individual takeaways at retailer B at the unit price of the bulk purchase. Second, retailer B distinguishes at the register whether the product is purchased at the bulk purchase price or a non-bulk purchase, and updates the virtual stock records of manufacturer A and / or retailer B, thereby sharing the benefits of virtual stock sales. Therefore, retailer B assigns a member individual sales code QR3 to products displayed in its product section, sends an individual takeaway signal to the virtual stock of manufacturer A and / or retailer B, and manufacturer A and / or retailer B update their virtual stock records while sending a purchased signal to retailer B's register indicating that the product is a bulk purchase product to be taken away, allowing the product to be distinguished from a non-bulk purchase product at the register for payment. In such a virtual stock sales system, instead of the above-mentioned "purchased" signal, a settlement signal can be received from customer C's membership app, which distinguishes the product from other products and excludes them from the settlement. Upon receiving the settlement signal S5, manufacturer A and / or retailer B update their virtual stock records. In essence, the virtual stock sales system of the present invention allows customer C to purchase product G at the bulk purchase price at retailer B through the combination of the membership registration signal S1 → bulk purchase signal S2 → individual takeaway signal S3 → "purchased" signal S4 or settlement signal S5. Manufacturer A can then create an annual production plan based on customer C's bulk purchase contract, providing a new virtual stock sales channel. Furthermore, if customer C registers as a member using their own computer instead of their smartphone, downloads the app, enters into a bulk purchase contract, and downloads the membership app on their smartphone, they can scan the individual purchase code QR3 at retailer B to purchase individual products at the bulk purchase price. Furthermore, the settlement signal S5 allows them to distinguish the purchase of individual products from general products at the retailer's cash register and purchase the individual products at the bulk purchase price.The method of the present invention is not limited to take-out from retailer B, but if retailer B is a product delivery company, customer C can send an individual purchase signal S3 to have individually purchased products delivered at the unit price for a bulk purchase. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing each process system (a) and each process procedure that constitutes the virtual stock sales method according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between each system and process when virtual stocks are managed by a manufacturer in a virtual stock sales method according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between each system and process when virtual stock is managed by a sales store in a virtual stock sales method according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between each system and process when virtual stock is managed by a retail store and the retail store headquarters in a virtual stock sales method according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between each system and process when virtual stock is managed by the sales headquarters and the manufacturer in the virtual stock sales method according to the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a first example of a system that implements the virtual stock sales method of Figure 1, and is an overview diagram showing a method in which manufacturer A creates a virtual stock for customer C, and when customer C takes home some of the products purchased in bulk at retailer B, the products are identified as regular products and paid for at the unit price for the bulk purchase at the cash register. [Figure 7] This is a second example of the member virtual stock sales method of the present invention implemented with the configuration of Figure 1, in which retailer B creates virtual stock, manufacturer A consolidates the virtual stocks of multiple retailers B1 to Bn, and when customer C takes home some of the products purchased in bulk at retailer B, the products are identified as general products and paid for at the cash register at the unit price for the bulk purchase. [Figure 8]This is a third example of the member virtual stock sales method of the present invention implemented with the configuration of Figure 1, in which retailer B creates virtual stock, manufacturer A and retailer B headquarters consolidate the virtual stocks of multiple retailers B1 to Bn, and when customer C takes home some of the products purchased in bulk at retailer B, the products are identified as general products and paid for at the cash register at the unit price for the bulk purchase. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The virtual stock sales method according to the present invention comprises 1) a member registration process, 2) a bulk purchase process, 3) an individual purchase process, and 4) a checkout process, as shown in FIG. 1(b). In the member registration process, a QR code (registered trademark) QR1 is read, the app receives the purchase, and a member registration signal S1 is sent to register the member. Next, in the bulk purchase process, a QR code QR2 is read, and a bulk purchase signal S2 is sent to create a virtual stock and record the inventory. In the individual purchase process, a QR code QR3 is read, and an individual takeout signal S3 is sent, updating the inventory record of the virtual stock. In the checkout process, upon receiving the individual takeout signal S3, manufacturer A or retailer B sends a purchased signal S4 to the retailer's cash register, distinguishing the purchased items from general products and performing checkout at the bulk purchase unit price. This process is carried out by a sales system 100 consisting of a product QR code 100A shown in Figure 1(a), a purchasing system 200 consisting of customer C's mobile terminal 200A, a management system 300 consisting of servers 300A and 300B of manufacturer A and retailer B, and a checkout system 400 equipped with a retailer cash register 400A placed at the retailer cash register. The first mode is when the virtual stock is managed by the manufacturer. As shown in FIG. 2, member C1 uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display QR1 in the sales system 100 and sends signal S1 to the manufacturer A server 300A in the management system 300 to register as a member. Next, customer C1 uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display QR2, purchases in bulk, and when payment is made, signal S2 is sent and the manufacturer A server 300A records the stock in the virtual stock holder 301. When customer C1 uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display QR3 in the sales system 100 and purchases individually, signal S3 is sent to the manufacturer A server 300A in the management system 300, updating the record in the virtual stock holder 301. At the same time, a purchased signal S4 is sent to the retailer's cash register in the payment system 400, and the items are paid for at the bulk purchase price in the payment process. In the second embodiment, when multiple retailers B1, B2, etc. are managed by manufacturer A, as shown in FIG. 3, customer C1 uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display QR1 in sales system 100 and sends signal S1 to retailer B's server 300B in management system 300 to register as a member. Next, customer C1 uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display QR2, purchases in bulk, and upon payment, signal S2 is sent, and retailer B's server 300B records the stock in virtual stock holder 301. When customer C1 uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display QR3 in sales system 100 and purchases individually, signal S3 is sent to retailer B's server 300B in management system 300, updating the record in virtual stock holder 301, and a purchased signal S4 is sent to the retailer's cash register in payment system 400, and the purchase is settled at the bulk purchase price in the payment process. Here, if retailer B is not a chain store, manufacturer A also has a server 300A that manages data for each retailer, and manufacturer A preferably shares and manages the data for retailers B1 and B2. In a third example, if retailer B is a chain store, it is preferable to manage the virtual stock not only at each retailer but also at the retailer headquarters. As shown in Figure 4, member C1 uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display object QR1 in the sales system 100 and send a signal S1 to the retailer B server 300B in the management system 300 to register as a member. Next, customer C1 uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display object QR2, purchase in bulk, and pay. Signal S2 is sent, and the retailer B server 300B records the stock in the virtual stock holder 301. When customer C1 uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display object QR3 in the sales system 100 to purchase individual items, signal S3 is sent to the retailer B server 300B in the management system 300, updating the record in the virtual stock holder 301. At the same time, a purchase completion signal S4 is sent to the retailer's cash register in the checkout system 400, and the items are checked out at the bulk purchase price in the checkout process. Here, each store B and its headquarters are equipped with a server B, and data from each store is shared with the headquarters. In the fourth embodiment, when the store headquarters and the manufacturer are provided with the servers 300B and 300A together with each store, the embodiment of FIG. 3 and the embodiment of FIG. 4 are integrated as shown in FIG. In short, the system is configured so that at least one of retailer B (or the retailer headquarters in the case of a chain) and manufacturer A has management system 300 to manage virtual stock sales. In other words, the present invention provides a virtual stock sales system in which, 1) after customer C registers a product G after membership registration, manufacturer A and / or retailer B registers and virtually stocks the product G based on a 2) bulk purchase contract for the product G, while customer C 3) individually purchases the bulk purchase product G at retailer B and 4) settles the payment at the bulk purchase unit price and takes it home. To implement sales system 100, product purchase system 200, product management system 300, and product settlement system 400, the system is comprised of a QR code display object 100A, a mobile terminal 200A such as a smartphone owned by customer C, and servers 300A and 300B owned by manufacturer A and retailer B. While this specification describes an example of taking one product home, it goes without saying that multiple products may also be taken home.
[0008] The QR code display 100A is a configuration for implementing the sales system 100 and includes three types of QR code display items. The first QR code display 101 consists of a first QR code display item QR1 that displays a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration, and the second QR code display item 102 consists of a second QR code display item QR2 that displays a bulk purchase code for transmitting a signal S2 for the member to purchase products in bulk, and a third QR code display item QR3 that displays an individual product take-out code for transmitting a signal S3 for the member to take away individual products.
[0009] The mobile terminal 200A, such as a smartphone, owned by the customer is configured to implement the customer's product purchasing system 200, and is equipped with a means for transmitting a signal of a QR code read by a QR code reader 201, and is equipped with a communication function 203 consisting of (1) a screen that displays a member app icon 202 obtained by reading the member registration code QR1 and transmitting the read member registration signal S1, (2) a device that reads the member product bulk purchase code QR2 and transmits a product bulk purchase signal S2, and (3) a device that reads the member individual sales code QR3 and transmits a separate takeaway signal S3.
[0010] The manufacturer A's server 300A and the retailer's server 300B are configured to implement the management system 300, and include (4) a device for receiving the membership registration signal S1 from customer C, a virtual stock device that receives the signal S1 and forms virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C, (5) a recording device that receives customer C's bulk purchase signal S2 and records inventory in virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303, (6) a device for receiving individual take-out signal S3 from customer C, (7) a device for updating the inventory record of virtual stock 301, 302, or 303 using the individual take-out signal S3, and (8) a device for sending a signal that product G1 has been purchased to retailer B, and manages the virtual stock record.
[0011] The server 300B of the retail store B not only manages the virtual stock records, but also has a configuration for implementing the checkout system 400 when a customer pays for a product purchase at the cash register, and (9) has a receiving device that receives a purchase signal S4 from the customer C or the manufacturer A, and a checkout device that receives the purchase signal S4, distinguishes between purchased products and other general products, and excludes the purchased products from the product checkout items when calculating the total.
[0012] If the retailer is a chain store, it is preferable for each chain store and retailer headquarters to manage the data for management system 300. Based on a bulk purchase contract for product G with customer C, the retailer and headquarters B register it and virtually stock it, while customer C can individually take home the bulk-purchased product G at retailer B for the bulk purchase price. This is a virtual stock sales system, and is configured to combine QR code displays 101 and 102 to implement sales system 100, product purchase system 200, product management system 300, and product settlement system 400, a mobile terminal 200 such as a smartphone owned by customer C, and server 300B owned by the retailer and retailer headquarters B, but the manufacturer may also have server 300A to share data.
[0013] The QR code display is a component for implementing the sales system 100, and includes three types of QR code display: a first QR code display 101 displaying a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration; and a second QR code display 102 comprising a bulk purchase code QR2 for transmitting a signal S2 for a member to purchase products in bulk, and an individual product take-out code QR3 for transmitting a signal S3 for a member to take away individual products. Since member registration and bulk purchase can be performed separately outside the store, if a customer registers as a member and registers for bulk purchase outside the store via the Internet, has a member registration app, and keeps inventory records on a mobile device such as a smartphone, they can scan the individual purchase code QR3 to take away individual products at the bulk purchase unit price.
[0014] The mobile terminal 200A, such as a smartphone, owned by the customer is configured to implement the customer's product purchasing system 200, and is equipped with a means for transmitting a signal of a QR code read by a code reader 201, and is equipped with (1) a screen that displays a member app icon 202 obtained by reading the member registration code QR1 and transmitting the read member registration signal S1, (2) a device that reads the member product bulk purchase code QR2 and transmits the product bulk purchase signal S2, and (3) a device 203 that reads the member individual sales code QR3 and transmits an individual takeaway signal S3.
[0015] The server 300B of the retail store and retail store headquarters B is configured to implement the retail store management system 300 and includes: (4) a device for receiving the membership registration signal S1 from customer C, a virtual stock device that receives the signal S1 and forms virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C, (5) a recording device that receives customer C's bulk purchase signal S2 and records inventory in the virtual stock, (6) a device for receiving individual take-out signal S2 from customer C, (7) a device for updating the inventory record of virtual stock 301, 302, or 303 using individual take-out signal S3, and (8) a device for sending a signal that product G1 has been purchased to retail store B.
[0016] Furthermore, the server of the retail store B is configured to implement the checkout system 400 when a customer pays for a product purchase at the cash register, and (8) executes a virtual stock sales system that includes a receiving device that receives a purchased signal S4 from the manufacturer A, and a checkout device that receives the purchased signal S, distinguishes between purchased products and other general products, and excludes the purchased products from the product checkout items before making the payment.
[0017] It is preferable that the server 300B of the retail store B is a combined facility that executes a virtual stock sales system having a settlement device that receives a settlement signal S5 from customer C (9) instead of or in addition to the purchased signal S4 and distinguishes between bulk purchase items and other general items and settles the account.
[0018] Furthermore, it is preferable that the server 300A of the manufacturer A is a combined facility that executes a virtual stock sales system that receives bulk purchase signals S2 for the product G1 from the retail stores B1 to Bn and receives orders from the retail stores B1 to Bn, because this makes it easier to make an annual production plan.
[0019] Example 1 Figure 6 shows a first example of the present invention, in which customer C registers as a member and obtains a member app, and based on the bulk purchase registration of product G, manufacturer A registers it and virtually stocks it, while customer C takes home the bulk purchased product G from retailer B at the bulk purchase unit price. This is a system that implements a virtual stock sales method.
[0020] Retailer B is equipped with QR code displays 101 and 102 and implements the following sales system 100. Specifically, a bulk purchase membership registration code QR1 is provided in the product section, and a bulk purchase code QR2 is provided nearby. Individual take-home codes QR3 are attached to or placed on the products. Therefore, customer C (1) can obtain the membership app via the membership registration code QR1. Then, customer C (2) enters into a bulk purchase contract (including payment) via the membership app via the bulk purchase code QR2. Virtual stock is then created at manufacturer A, and the bulk-purchased products are kept in virtual inventory (virtual stock may also be created at retailer B at the same time). Finally, (3) retailer B can sell products to customer C at the bulk purchase price via the individual take-home code QR3.
[0021] Customer C uses a mobile device 200A, such as a smartphone, equipped with a QR code reader 201 to implement the following purchasing system 200. Specifically, (1) at retailer B, the customer scans member registration code QR1 via mobile device 201, downloads the member app, and transmits member registration signal S1 to register as a member. Member registration can also be achieved by searching for apps and web methods on the Internet, downloading the member app, or displaying the web method on a PC. Next, customer C registers for a bulk purchase via the member app using bulk purchase code QR2. A bulk purchase signal S2 is then sent to manufacturer A, separate from the member registration signal S1. Individual virtual stocks 301 (B1-C1) and 303 (B1-C3) are then created for customers C1 to C3 at retailer B1. After that, customer C views product G1 and initiates the individual takeaway action via individual sales code QR3. An individual takeaway signal S3 is then sent to manufacturer A.
[0022] Manufacturer A is equipped with a server 300A and implements the following management system 300. As described above, when a bulk purchase signal S2 is received from customer C and a bulk purchase registration is made, virtual inventory is stored in virtual stocks 301 to 303 prepared for each customer C based on that. Next, (3) when customer C reads the member individual sales code QR3 using the membership registration app to begin the individual take-home operation, (6) an individual take-home signal S3 is received from customer C, and (7) manufacturer A updates the record of the virtual stock and (8) sends a purchased signal S4 for product G1 to retailer B.
[0023] Retailer B also implements the following checkout system 400 at retailer 300B. That is, (8) a purchased signal S4 from manufacturer A is received and used to exclude purchased items from the checkout items when calculating the product checkout. Here, the purchased signal S4 from manufacturer A is a signal sent from manufacturer A (8) to retailer B when updating the virtual stock inventory in response to customer C's individual takeaway signal S3, and is a signal that marks the product as purchased and should be excluded from the checkout items at the register. This checkout may be performed, for example, by requesting the transmission of a checkout signal S5 from customer C's membership app in the case of a QR code QR3 attached to the product at the register of retailer B, to exclude the product from the checkout items. In this virtual stock sales, whether it is the manufacturer's virtual stock or the retailer's virtual stock, upon member registration, a bulk purchase signal S2 is received to create virtual stock in virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303, and an individual take-home signal S3 is sent to update the inventory record of the virtual stock. At the same time, the virtual stock sends a purchased signal S4 to exclude the stock from payment at retailer B's register, or a settlement signal S5 from customer C excludes the stock from payment at retailer B's register.
[0024] Example 2 In the second example of the present invention, as shown in Figure 7, retailer B creates a virtual stockpile based on customer C's membership registration and bulk purchase registration for product G. Furthermore, manufacturer A compiles the bulk purchase records of customers C1 to Cn at each retailer B1 to Bn and registers them for each retailer B1 to Bn, creating a virtual stockpile system. In this case, customer C can take home bulk purchase product G from retailer B at the bulk purchase price, just like in the first example, but virtual stockpile can be created at each retailer B1 to Bn. Manufacturer A only needs to compile the virtual stock amounts of customers C1 to Cn for each retailer and supply them upon receiving notification from retailer B. Furthermore, updating each customer C's virtual stockpile for each retailer is sufficient, simplifying system construction. The sales system 100, purchasing system 200, and checkout system 400 are the same as in the first example, except that management system 300 can be implemented not only at retailer B but also at manufacturer A.
[0025] Example 3 In a third example of the present invention, as shown in Figure 8, not only does retailer B create a virtual stock based on customer C's membership registration and bulk purchase registration of product G, but retailer headquarters B, such as a major supermarket chain with multiple chain retailers B, and manufacturer A compile the bulk purchase records of customers C1 to Cn at each of retailers B1 to Bn and register these for each retailer B1 to Bn to create a virtual stock system. In this case, as in the first and second examples, customer C can take home bulk-purchased product G at retailer B at the bulk purchase price. However, since retailer B headquarters and manufacturer A also implement management system 300, retailer B headquarters is equipped with server 300B and performs integrated sales management for each retailer B1, B2, etc., and manufacturer A is also equipped with server 300A that manages the same data as retailer B headquarters and performs integrated manufacturing management for each retailer B1, B2, etc. Since the headquarters of retail store B and manufacturer A can receive information on the virtual stock amounts of customers C1 to Cn from the headquarters of retail store B, they can carry out integrated sales management and integrated manufacturing management. The rest of the sales system 100, purchasing system 200, and settlement system 400 are the same as in the first and second examples, so their explanations will be omitted.
[0026] As is clear from the above explanation, we have explained the cases where manufacturer A manages multiple retailers B, where a sales headquarters manages a chain of retailers, and where a chain of retailers is managed by the sales headquarters and manufacturer, with each retailer, sales headquarters, and manufacturer having their own management servers. However, it is also possible for the sales headquarters or manufacturer to manage the entire system using a management server. In either case, customer C typically purchases through retailer B, such as a supermarket. However, in the system of the present invention, retailer B acts as an intermediary between manufacturer A and customer C as in the past, and customer C purchases in bulk but does not take all of the products home. This is a virtual stock sales method that realizes a sales method. Since integrated management is performed at manufacturer A and retailer B, which are the purchasing sources, actual inventory is not required; only a minimum amount of bulk-purchased products is required, and the total number managed can be virtual.
[0027] To explain the sales function (retailer B → consumer C) using a product example, there is manufacturer A, retailer B, and customer C. Customer C first decides to buy detergent on sale at retailer B's storefront. He picks up a bottle of detergent for 1,000 yen, but next to it is a display of the same detergent for 500 yen, labeled a VSS (Virtuality-Stock-Selling) product with a QR code. After reading the instructions, he learns that if he downloads the app, scans the QR code QR2 attached to the display stand, and purchases 30 bottles online in a lump sum, the unit price per bottle will drop to 500 yen. Thinking that this is an online sale, he briefly thinks it would be impossible to have 30 bottles delivered to his house, as he has no place to store them. However, upon reading the instructions carefully, it appears that even if I buy 30 bottles, I only need to take one home, and the remaining 29 bottles will be kept by manufacturer A or retailer B. I can then come to retailer B and take home as many as I need. Without hesitation, I decide to buy 30 bottles in bulk. I add one bottle of the detergent labeled VSS displayed in front of me to my shopping cart and proceed to the checkout. The cashier then asks for my QR code (member app). When I scan the checkout signal 5 displayed by the app with the cashier's reader, the virtual inventory of the detergent in the app is reduced from 30 to 29. Since the item has already been paid for, I can take it home without it being added to the purchase price of other items. If the purchased signal 4 described above is used instead of the checkout signal S5, the member's individual takeout signal S3 updates the virtual stock of manufacturer A or retailer B, and the virtual stock sends a purchased signal S4 to retailer B's register, allowing the item to be distinguished from general merchandise and checked out.
[0028] To be more specific, here is an example of a purchasing function (manufacturer A → retailer B): Retailer B's sales, which previously were only one per consumer per month, will now increase 30-fold, although not monthly. Of course, there are still consumers who continue to buy the individual bottles as before, but the number of consumers using VSS is increasing, and since the sales from VSS are already sold and payment has already been received, there is no procurement risk and retailer B can place orders with manufacturer A. However, even retailer B will find it difficult to store 30 times the amount of inventory in its store and warehouse, so although retailer B will place orders and make payments, it will have manufacturer A manage the inventory data as virtual inventory.
[0029] Manufacturer A Manufacturer A has already paid for VSS orders, so there is no risk of purchasing raw materials, and they only need to produce the amount of virtual inventory they need to ship per month, not the amount they sell. Essentially, introducing the VSS method does not increase detergent consumption, and all logistics operations are shifted to prepayment. The volume of logistics will not increase, and since the volume will remain roughly the same as before, there is no need to set up a new distribution division. The benefit is that prepayment eliminates the product purchasing risk, raw material purchasing risk, and manufacturing risk (excess inventory) for retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers.
[0030] As the above explanation makes clear, conventional ordering methods involve predicting sales volumes and mass-producing goods. However, if sales fall short of forecasts, warehouses pile up with inventory. To reduce inventory, manufacturers are forced to sell goods at lower prices, which leads to a deflationary economy. This traditional ordering method relies heavily on forecasts and often results in a high-risk business model. The VSS method of the present invention reduces wasteful production and mitigates or even eliminates this risk. The VSS virtual stock sales method is likely to be a revolutionary approach that can compete with online retailers and support the future of brick-and-mortar retail. While direct sales by manufacturer A can be effectively used in Internet retail businesses, it has the drawback of requiring shipping costs to deliver the goods directly to the consumer. The VSS of the present invention can also help retailer B develop repeat customers by designing products so that they can only be picked up at the original retailer where they were originally purchased. Having a large number of VSS products on hand can also promote sales by encouraging customers to shop after picking up their goods. Furthermore, VSS can be designed to use the Internet to allow products to be picked up at any store in the group, making it extremely convenient for consumers and promoting sales throughout the group, as it allows customers to receive their products even when they are transferred, moving, or on a business trip. In other words, VSS is application software that connects three parties - B (business) to B (business) to C (consumer) and B to B to C - and provides benefits to all three parties. [Explanation of symbols]
[0031] 100 Sales System 200 Purchasing System 300 Management System 400 Payment System
Claims
1. A virtual stock sales method in which, based on a bulk purchase contract for a product G from a customer C, a manufacturer A and / or a retailer B registers the product G and virtually stocks it, and the customer C can individually take home the bulk-purchased product G from the retailer B at the bulk purchase unit price, the method comprising: 1) a member registration step; 2) a bulk purchase step; 3) an individual purchase step; and 4) a settlement step for settling at the bulk purchase unit price. The retail store B is provided with a two-dimensional code sales system 100 that, when a member registers and enters into a bulk purchase contract, identifies whether the member bulk purchase is for individual take-out or general purchase. After registering as a member, customer C enters into a bulk purchase contract, and then transmits an individual take-home signal S3 to the virtual stock via a mobile terminal such as a smartphone to purchase products at a bulk purchase unit price. Manufacturer A and / or retail store B prepare virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C based on a membership registration signal S1 from customer C, and record and stock the products as a bulk purchase when a bulk purchase signal S2 is sent by customer C's membership registration app. When an individual take-home signal S3 is received from customer C, manufacturer A and / or retail store B are provided with a management system 300 that updates the inventory record of virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303 and sends a purchased signal S4 for product G1 to retail store B's cash register. The virtual stock sales method is characterized in that the store B further comprises a settlement system 400 which distinguishes between products which have received a purchased signal S4 at the time of payment for the purchase of a product by a customer at a cash register and other general products, and settles the products which have received the purchased signal S4 at a lump-sum purchase unit price.
2. 10. The method of claim 1, The retail store B has a sales system 100 including a member registration code QR1, a member product bulk purchase code QR2, and a member product individual take-home code QR3. Customer C (1) acquires a member app via a mobile device such as a smartphone with a member registration code QR1 and a member registration signal S1, (2) reads a member product bulk purchase code QR2 and enters into a bulk purchase contract with a product bulk purchase signal S2, and (3) reads a member individual sales code QR3 at retail store B via the member app and transmits an individual take-home signal S3 to the virtual stock. A purchasing system 200 is provided. Manufacturer A (4) prepares virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C based on a membership registration signal S1 from customer C, (5) reads the bulk purchase code QR2 using customer C's membership registration app and sends a bulk purchase signal S2, thereby recording the bulk purchase of the products in the virtual stock and storing them in stock, and (6) upon receiving an individual takeaway signal S2 from customer C, (7) updates the inventory record of virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303, and (8) sends a signal to retailer B that product G1 has been purchased. The store B further includes a settlement system 400 (8) that distinguishes between products that have received a purchase signal S4 from the manufacturer A and other general products when the customer pays for the product at the cash register, and settles the products that have received the purchase signal S4 at the unit price for a lump sum purchase.
3. 10. The method of claim 1, First, the retail store B has a sales system 100 including a member registration code QR1, a member product bulk purchase code QR2, and a member product individual take-home code QR3. Customer C (1) obtains a member app using a member registration code QR1 via a mobile device such as a smartphone, (2) reads a member product bulk purchase code QR2 and enters into a bulk purchase contract, and (3) reads a member individual sales code QR3 at retailer B via the member app and is provided with a purchasing system 200 that transmits an individual take-home signal to the virtual stock. Store B (4) prepares virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C based on a membership registration signal from customer C, (5) purchases the products in bulk by reading bulk purchase code QR2 using customer C's membership registration app and transmitting a bulk purchase signal S2, (6) receives an individual takeaway signal S2 from customer C, (7) stores B updates the records of virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303, and (8) has a management system 300 that sends a signal indicating that product G1 has been purchased to store B's cash register. The virtual stock sales method is provided with a checkout system 400 in which (8) the store B distinguishes between the product for which a purchased signal S4 has been received from the store B and other products when the customer pays for the product at the cash register, and calculates the product by excluding the purchased product from the product payment items.
4. A virtual stock sales method as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the settlement system 400 receives a settlement signal S5 from customer C (9) instead of or in addition to the purchased signal S4, and distinguishes between bulk purchase items and other general items and settles the transaction.
5. The virtual stock sales method of claim 1, wherein manufacturer A receives the total amount of bulk purchases of product G1 from retailers B1 to Bn from customers C1 to Cn at each store, and supplies the required amount to the retailers upon receiving orders from retailers B1 to Bn.
6. 2. The virtual stock sales method according to claim 1, wherein the headquarters of the retail store B shares data of customers C1 to Cn for each store with the retail stores B1 to Bn and manages the chain retail stores.
7. 2. The virtual stock sales method according to claim 1, wherein the store B receives the individual purchase signal S3 from the customer C and receives delivery of the individually purchased items at the bulk purchase price.
8. The virtual stock sales system equipment comprises a sales system 100, a product purchase system 200, a product management system 300, and a product settlement system 400, and based on a bulk purchase contract for product G made by customer C after member registration, manufacturer A and / or retailer B register the product G and virtually stock it, while customer C individually purchases the bulk purchase product G at retailer B, settles the payment at the bulk purchase unit price, and can take it home. The system is comprised of a combination of QR code display objects 101 and 102, a mobile terminal 200A such as a smartphone owned by a customer C, servers 300A and 300B owned by a manufacturer A and a retail store B, and a retail store cash register that receives a signal from the server 300A or 300B, The sales system 100 includes three types of QR code displays: a first QR code display QR1 displaying a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration; a second QR code display QR2 displaying a bulk purchase code for transmitting a signal S2 for a member to purchase products in bulk; and a third QR code display QR3 displaying an individual product take-out code for transmitting a signal S3 for a member to take away individual products. The mobile terminal 200A, such as a smartphone, owned by the customer is configured to implement the customer's product purchasing system 200, and is equipped with a means for transmitting a signal of a QR code read by a QR code reader 201, and is equipped with: (1) a screen that reads the member registration code QR1 and displays a member application icon 202 obtained by transmitting the read member registration signal S1; (2) a device that reads the member product bulk purchase code QR2 and transmits a product bulk purchase signal S2; and (3) a device that reads the member individual sales code QR3 and transmits a separate takeaway signal S3. The manufacturer A and / or the retailer B includes a server 300A and / or 300B as a configuration for implementing the management system 300, (4) a device for receiving the member registration signal S1 from customer C, and a virtual stock device for receiving the signal S1 and forming virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C, (5) a recording device for receiving a bulk purchase signal S2 from customer C and recording inventory in the virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303, (6) a device for receiving an individual take-home signal S2 from customer C, (7) a device for updating the inventory record of the virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303 in response to the individual take-home signal S3, and (8) a device for transmitting a signal that product G1 has been purchased to retailer B. The server 300B of the retail store B is configured to implement the checkout system 400 when a customer pays for a product purchase at the cash register, and is characterized by (9) a virtual stock sales system facility that includes a receiving device that receives the purchased signal S4, and a checkout device that receives the purchased signal S4, distinguishes between purchased products and other general products, and calculates the product checkout items by excluding the purchased products.
9. A virtual stock sales system facility as described in claim 8, wherein the first QR code display QR1 of the sales system 100, which displays a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration, or the second QR code display QR2, which displays the first QR code display QR1 and a bulk purchase code for transmitting a signal S2 for the member to purchase products in bulk, is obtained via the Internet, and member registration or member registration and bulk purchase contract are performed.
10. The virtual stock sales system equipment of claim 8 is provided with a checkout device in which the server 300B of the aforementioned store B receives a checkout signal S5 from the customer instead of the purchase signal S4, distinguishes between purchased items and other general items, and excludes the purchased items from the checkout items before checking out.
11. The virtual stock sales system facility of claim 8, wherein the server 300B of the store B receives the individual purchase signal S3 from the customer C, receives the purchase and delivery of the individually purchased items at the bulk purchase unit price, and is equipped with a settlement device for processing the same.