Information and communication systems that enable sales promotion or marketing.

Abstract

We provide an information and communication system, method, and program that enables sales promotion and marketing starting from product display shelves within stores that are linked to online shops. [Solution] The information and communication system includes store 901 and 902, each divided into sections 1001 to 1009 for displaying goods, product display shelves 201 to 203 each with an identifier to identify the section or the goods being displayed, a product display shelf management terminal at the main store for managing product display information, a product registration terminal at the exhibitor's office, customer terminals 501 and 502 and applications for customer terminals, and a customer action storage unit on a server that stores the number of installations of the applications and the number of follows for each product. Based on statistical information including the number of installations and / or follows for each product, the system calculates the attractiveness of the product to customers, proposes a method of rotating products to prioritize display according to the attractiveness level, and provides benefits to product exhibitors according to the attractiveness level.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information and communication system, an information processing method, and a program for arranging product display shelves installed in a store and linked to an online shop, enabling sales promotion or marketing starting from such product display shelves. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been growing interest in "non-selling stores" whose primary purpose is to drive traffic to online shops. The emergence of "stores that don't sell" is rooted in the fact that, with the spread of online shopping, there has been an increase in a purchasing behavior known as showrooming, where customers check out products in a retail store but then purchase them online instead.

[0003] To counter this type of showrooming, retailers have developed a system that allows them to independently establish websites for online shopping and attach image codes to product shelves in their stores. This system enables customers to scan these image codes with their mobile devices, select the products they wish to buy, and quickly purchase them on the online shopping website (Patent Document 1). Furthermore, a sales system has been developed in which products displayed in retail stores are assigned a product order code that includes a product order address for ordering the product from the manufacturer's server and retail store information that identifies the retail store displaying the product. When this product order code is read by a customer terminal such as a smartphone, the customer can place an order for the product with the manufacturer, and the manufacturer can identify the retail store that displayed the product using the retail store information contained in the product order code and process a reward payment to the retail store (Patent Document 2).

[0004] As online shopping has become widespread, methods and systems have been developed for retailers to generate profits without selling products in physical stores. Now, taking things a step further, a business model called "non-selling stores" that don't even engage in retail sales is emerging and attracting attention. Maintaining a physical store requires costs such as rent, inventory management, and personnel expenses. However, stores that don't sell products only display them in the store space without keeping any inventory, and encourage customers who wish to purchase items to do so through online shops. Customers can enter stores that don't sell anything without feeling pressured to buy anything, allowing them to casually drop in, browse products, and carefully consider which items they truly want.

[0005] The main source of income for stores that don't sell goods is exhibition fees paid by exhibitors (monthly, annual, etc., as compensation for displaying their products in the store). Because it cannot generate revenue through product sales, this business model is difficult to manage stably without a continuous stream of exhibition fees. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-048528 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-106249 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] This invention aims to ensure the stable operation of "non-selling stores" by securing a continuous number of visitors and maintaining continued participation in online stores, while compensating for the structural shortcomings of online shops (weak appeal due to product appeal being limited to photos and videos, and fewer triggers that induce accidental discoveries and unplanned purchases in physical stores). Unplanned purchases in physical stores (referring to the purchase of items not intended to be bought before entering the store) are said to account for 50% to 90% of in-store purchases, although this varies depending on the survey (https: / / www.rieb.kobe-u.ac.jp / research / publication / newsletter / column_back-issues / file / column196.pdf). This advantage is expected to remain a competitive advantage of physical stores that online shops lack.

[0008] In order to make a non-selling store business model viable, key metrics include (1) the number and frequency of store visits, (2) the number of product impressions, (3) customer feedback such as experiences and survey responses, and (4) the number of online shopping application installations. (1) Since there is no incentive to drive traffic to the online shop if there are no customers visiting the store, the number of customers visiting the store is one of the most important indicators. (2) Even if customers are present in the store, if they do not see the exhibited products, it will not benefit the exhibitor. (3) Unlike advertising on television or the internet, the product experience of customers in a physical store remains in their memory as a real experience, which encourages future purchases. Furthermore, feedback such as questionnaire responses from customers who have actually touched the products can provide hints for product development and improvement, as well as advertising strategies, and becomes valuable marketing data. This is the greatest value of paying the exhibition fee. (4) If visitors install the online shop application, it will serve as a starting point for future sales promotion and increased store visits. Whether or not visitors install the application is a very important indicator.

[0009] Among these, one measure considered to increase the value of (1) is to replace the exhibited products at an appropriate time. Based on the hypothesis that the novelty of products displayed in a certain store (novelty of products) fades over time, even if attractive exhibited products are displayed, the frequency of store visits will decrease over time. On the other hand, if product replacement is carried out at an appropriate time, it is possible to appeal to the customer's experience of products they have never touched before, and increase the repeat visit rate.

[0010] However, when replacing products, even if the exhibitor hopes for a long-term exhibition, they need to cancel the exhibition once and replace it with another exhibited product, resulting in the loss of exhibition opportunities and the occurrence of new exhibitor development costs. Therefore, in order to replace products without bearing this product development cost, for example, there is a method of replacing exhibited products at two geographically separated stores A and B. That is, if the displayed products of store A and store B are replaced at the timing when the novelty of the products in store A and store B decreases respectively, the effect of repeat visits can be further sustained in each of store A and store B. This effect can be maintained by increasing the number of stores to three stores, four stores,..., n stores.

[0011] On the other hand, when replacing exhibited products, the transfer of highly attractive products that can be the purpose of store visits for visitors may cause the replacement of exhibited products to result in a decrease in the number of visitors. Therefore, in order to stably operate a non-selling store, it is necessary to devise ways to prevent the number of visitors from decreasing due to the replacement of exhibited products while replacing the exhibited products.

[0012] Another measure considered to increase the value in (1) is to continuously have exhibitors display highly attractive products. The main source of income for stores that do not sell products is the exhibition fee, but since the exhibition fee is a burden for exhibitors, if they do not feel the merits commensurate with the exhibition fee, they will cancel the exhibition. Since highly attractive products have a low need for sales promotion, there is a tendency for exhibitors to cancel exhibitions at stores that do not sell products more for products with higher attractiveness. On the other hand, for stores that do not sell products, canceling the exhibition of highly attractive products not only results in a decrease in exhibition fee income but also leads to a decrease in the number of customers coming to the store, risking the stable operation of the store. Therefore, in order to stably operate stores that do not sell products, it is necessary to devise ways to continuously have exhibitors display highly attractive products.

[0013] As described above, as an issue for stably operating stores that do not sell products, while replacing the exhibited products, it is necessary to devise ways to prevent a decrease in the number of customers coming to the store due to the replacement of the exhibited products, and ways to continuously have exhibitors display highly attractive products.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0014] In order to solve such problems, as a result of intensive research by the present inventors, based on statistical information including the number of installations of applications for accessing products and the number of follows through applications for products, after calculating the attractiveness of products, a function that proposes a method of replacing products to preferentially display highly attractive products, or a function that proposes giving benefits to exhibitors of highly attractive products. By providing an information communication system having such functions, in stores that do not sell products, it is possible to effectively replace products for displaying attractive products while preventing a decrease in the number of customers coming to the store, or it is possible to continuously display highly attractive products. The inventors have found this and have completed the present invention. That is, the present invention provides the invention of the information communication system of the following [1]. [1] An information and communication system that enables sales promotion or marketing starting from product display shelves, A product display shelf is provided, which is divided into sections for displaying products and has an identifier attached to each section or to identify the products displayed in each section. A product display shelf management terminal that manages product display information including the location of one or more product display shelves, the location or type of the section, and information on what products are currently displayed in the section, A product registration terminal that accepts applications to display the aforementioned product on any of the aforementioned product display shelves, A customer terminal used by customers visiting a store where the aforementioned product display shelves are installed, An application for customer terminals, which is installed and used on the customer terminal, and which has the function of reading the identifier and the function of following specific products that the customer likes, A customer action storage unit stores customer action information including the product corresponding to the identifier that the customer first read after installing the customer terminal application when they visited the store, and / or the result of following up on the product after installation. Equipped with, An information and communication system characterized in that the product display shelf management terminal has a function to calculate the attractiveness of a product to customers based on statistical information including the number of installations and / or follows for each product measured based on the customer action information, and to propose a method of rotating products to prioritize displaying the product according to its attractiveness, and / or to propose to provide benefits to the exhibitor of the product according to its attractiveness.

[0015] In the information and communication system of the present invention, if products that contribute significantly to the store, specifically products that contribute significantly to the number of visitors and visit frequency as described in (1) above, and the number of application installations as described in (4), are visualized, and these contributions are converted into points, then exhibitors with high contribution points can be offered cashback or discounts on their exhibition fees or profit sharing, the contract period for exhibitors that contribute significantly to the store will gradually increase, resulting in the effect of stabilizing the store's operations. Profit sharing is a measure where, for example, if a third party other than the exhibitor pays advertising fees to send direct message advertisements to application users, a portion of the advertising revenue is distributed to the exhibitor of the product that prompted the user to install the application. Since the application would not have been installed without the exhibited product, and no advertising revenue would have been generated without the installation, such a measure is rational. Furthermore, this profit-sharing model allows exhibitors to earn more the earlier they participate and the longer they continue exhibiting. If the profit-sharing is limited to those who continue their exhibition contract, the incentive to continue exhibiting will be further enhanced. For stores, this allows them to build an ecosystem where highly attractive products are continuously exhibited, thereby increasing customer traffic and expanding the number of stores. In other words, the present invention provides the following [2] information communication system invention. [2] The information and communication system further includes an advertising notification terminal capable of sending advertising notifications to the customer terminal application, The information and communication system according to [1], characterized in that the aforementioned benefit is a benefit that provides the exhibitor with a portion of the revenue obtained from the advertising notice as a reward.

[0016] Furthermore, by extending this concept, by circulating and displaying products among multiple stores located in different market areas, it becomes possible to give products continuous opportunities to be exhibited and to rotate products to display something new to customers. For example, by setting up one store in each of the 47 prefectures and regularly rotating the products, it becomes possible to constantly encourage customers to visit with new products on display. For instance, by implementing a strategy of rotating products from a different prefecture every week, it becomes possible to promote exhibited products in all prefectures within a year (approximately 50 weeks), simultaneously creating value for customers by appealing to new products and for exhibitors by promoting their products in each region. In other words, the present invention provides the following [3] information communication system invention. [3] The aforementioned stores are located in multiple locations, The aforementioned product display information includes information on what products have been displayed in the area in the past. The information communication system according to [1] or [2], characterized in that the product shelf management terminal has a function to propose a method for rotating and displaying the products among multiple stores located in different actual trading areas, based on the product display information.

[0017] The present invention also provides the following [4] to [6] information processing methods. [4] An information processing method that enables sales promotion or marketing starting from product display shelves, A product display shelf is provided, which is divided into sections for displaying products and has an identifier attached to each section or to identify the products displayed in each section. A product display shelf management terminal that manages product display information including the location of one or more product display shelves, the location or type of the section, and information on what products are currently displayed in the section, A product registration terminal that accepts applications to display the aforementioned product on any of the aforementioned product display shelves, A customer terminal used by customers visiting a store where the aforementioned product display shelves are installed, An application for customer terminals that is installed and used on the customer terminal and has the function of reading the identifier and the function of following specific products that the customer likes. A customer action storage unit that stores customer actions regarding the aforementioned product and Using The steps include storing in the customer action storage unit the information of the product corresponding to the identifier that was first read by the customer after the customer installed the customer terminal application upon visiting the store, and / or the results of the customer following the product using the customer terminal application; The steps include generating statistical information, including the number of installations and / or followers for each product, based on the information stored in the customer action memory unit, A step of calculating the attractiveness of the product to customers based on the aforementioned statistical information, A step of generating a method for rotating products to prioritize displaying the products according to their attractiveness, and / or generating a proposal to offer benefits to exhibitors of the products according to their attractiveness. An information processing method characterized by including [5] Furthermore, using an advertising notification terminal that can send advertising notifications to the customer terminal application, The information processing method according to [4], characterized in that the aforementioned benefit is a benefit that provides the exhibitor with a portion of the revenue obtained from the advertising notice as a reward. [6] The aforementioned stores are located in multiple locations, The aforementioned product display information includes information on what products have been displayed in the area in the past. The information processing method according to [4] or [5], characterized in that the method for replacing the products is a method for replacing products in order to circulate and display the products among multiple stores located in different actual trading areas, based on the product display information.

[0018] The present invention further provides the following program inventions [7] to [9]. [7] A computer manages the display of goods in product display shelves, which are divided into sections for displaying goods and each section or the goods displayed in the section is marked with an identifier for identification of the goods. A step of reading product display information from a first storage unit, which includes information on the location of one or more product display shelves, the location or type of the section, and what products are currently displayed in the section. The steps include reading from the second storage unit the exhibited product information for the products to be displayed on the product display shelves, which has been received and stored by the product registration terminal, After a customer terminal application having the function of reading the identifier and the function of following a specific product that the customer likes is installed on a customer terminal used by a customer visiting the store where the product display shelves are installed, the customer action information, including information about the product corresponding to the identifier that was read first, and / or information as a result of the customer following the product using the customer terminal application, is read from the third storage unit. The steps include generating statistical information, including the number of installations and / or followers for each product, based on the customer action information read from the third storage unit, A step of calculating the attractiveness of each product to customers based on the aforementioned statistical information, The steps include generating a method for rotating products based on the product display information read from the first storage unit, the exhibited product information read from the second storage unit, and the attractiveness rating of each product, in which products are displayed preferentially according to their attractiveness rating, and / or generating a proposal to offer benefits to exhibitors of the products according to their attractiveness rating. A program characterized by performing information processing that includes information processing. [8] The program according to [7], characterized in that the benefit is a reward provided to the exhibitor with a portion of the revenue obtained from the advertising notice. [9] The aforementioned stores are located in multiple locations, The aforementioned product display information includes information on what products have been displayed in the area in the past. The program according to [7] or [8], characterized in that the method for replacing the products is a method for replacing products to circulate and display the products among multiple stores located in different actual trading areas, based on the product display information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The information communication system, information processing method, and program of the present invention enable effective product rotation to prioritize the display of highly attractive products, or enable the continuous display of highly attractive products, thereby securing the number of visitors, encouraging product exhibitors to continue exhibiting their products, and ultimately enabling the stable operation of the store. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an information communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a drawing showing a shelf label displaying an identifier used in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a table showing product display information used in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a table showing excerpts of product display information. Figure 4(A) is a table showing excerpts of information such as the location, position, size, and type of each section, and Figure 4(B) is a table showing excerpts of information about the products displayed in each section. [Figure 5] This is a table showing exhibited product information used in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a table showing customer action information used in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This diagram schematically shows a customer terminal application used in the first embodiment of the present invention, with product information and the like displayed on the customer terminal's touch panel display. [Figure 8] This chart shows the information processing flow of the proposed program used in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] In the first embodiment of the present invention, an example of a screen displaying the results of a product replacement suggestion is shown. Figure 9(A) shows the initial screen showing the product replacement suggestion, and Figure 9(B) shows the screen after the user has accepted the product replacement suggestion. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an information communication system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an information communication system according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] 1. Information and communication systems 1-1. Overview of Information and Communication Systems The information and communication system of the present invention is an information and communication system that enables sales promotion or marketing starting from product display shelves. In the information communication system of the present invention, product display shelves are provided with compartments for displaying products, and identifiers are attached to the compartments or the products displayed in the compartments. By reading this identifier with a customer terminal used by a customer, the products displayed in the compartment with the identifier can be identified through information processing via the information communication network. After identifying the products in this way, the information communication system of the present invention can collect information via the information communication network about what products the customer is interested in or concerned about. The information communication system of the present invention is a system that can promote or market products through these functions via the information communication network.

[0022] The information communication system of the present invention can also enable access to online shops operated by manufacturers or online retailers that sell products identified by an identifier, via an information communication network. In other words, the information communication system of the present invention can also link product display shelves with online shops, allowing customers to purchase their favorite products from the online shop on the spot through the identifier of a product display shelf installed in a store that does not sell the product.

[0023] In the present invention, "information communication" or "information communication network" refers to a system that connects multiple computers or information communication devices to enable them to communicate with each other, and is not limited to these, but includes, for example, the Internet, which connects various networks on a global scale; a Wide Area Network (WAN), which connects computers and networks in distant locations with dedicated lines, etc.; and a Local Area Network (LAN), which is a small-scale network connecting multiple computers.

[0024] In this invention, "system" means a collection of multiple components such as terminals, devices, and applications. However, multiple components may reside in the same housing, for example, one terminal may serve the functions of two terminals. Conversely, a single component may not reside in the same housing, but may be divided into two or more entities via communication cables or information and communication networks.

[0025] 1-2. First Embodiment Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. 1-2-1. Configuration of Information and Communication Systems Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an information communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the information communication system 1 of the present invention is a system that includes product display shelves 201, 202, 203, a product display shelf management terminal 3, a product registration terminal 4, customer terminals 501, 502, customer terminal applications (not shown) installed on the customer terminals, and a customer action storage unit 6.

[0026] In the information communication system of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, the product display shelf management terminal 3, the product registration terminal 4, the customer terminals 501 and 502, and the customer action storage unit 6 are each directly or indirectly connected to the Internet 7, which is an information communication network. As shown in Figure 1, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the product display shelf management terminal 3 and the product registration terminal 4 are directly connected to the Internet 7 via wired connections through communication units 301 and 401, respectively. The customer action storage unit 6 is installed in the server 8 and is indirectly connected to the Internet 7 via the server 8's communication unit 801. The customer terminals 501 and 502 are directly connected to the Internet 7 by wireless communication with a mobile phone base station (not shown) or a wireless LAN access point installed in the store.

[0027] The information communication system of the present invention is not limited to the first embodiment, and only requires that the product display shelf management terminal, product registration terminal, customer terminal, and customer action storage unit be directly or indirectly connected via an information communication network. For example, the product display shelf management terminal and the product registration terminal may be connected to the internet via wireless LAN, not limited to wired communication. Alternatively, the product display shelf management terminal may be indirectly connected to the internet by directly connecting to the internet-connected server via a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0028] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the main store 15, server 8, Tokyo store 901, and Osaka store 902 shown in Figure 1 are facilities and equipment belonging to the store operator. The exhibitor's office 16 is the facility of the exhibitor who exhibits goods in the store. The customer terminals 501 and 502 are the property of customers who visit the store.

[0029] 1-2-2. Product display shelves and identifiers In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, the Tokyo store 901 is equipped with product display shelves 201 and 202, and the Osaka store 902 is equipped with product display shelf 203. Product display shelves 201-203 are divided into sections 1001-1009 for displaying products. Each section can be further divided into several types, differing in shape, size, and location. For example, sections 1001, 1004, and 1007 are wide and horizontal, allowing for a large number of products to be displayed. They are also located at eye level and are classified as A-rank sections, which have a high appeal to customers and therefore command high exhibition fees. On the other hand, sections 1002, 1003, 1005, 1006, 1008, and 1009 are narrow and short in width, allowing for a small number of products to be displayed. They are also located at foot level and command low appeal to customers, thus being classified as B-rank sections with lower exhibition fees.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, each shelf in the vicinity of each section 1001 to 1009 is equipped with one shelf label per section, and these shelf labels display identifiers 1101 to 1109 to identify each section. Customers visiting stores 901 and 902 can use these identifiers 1101 to 1109 to identify the products displayed in sections 1001 to 1009 of product display shelves 201 to 203.

[0031] When a customer visits stores 901 and 902 and finds a product they like by picking it up from shelves 201-203, they need to install a customer terminal application on their customer terminal 501 or 502 to identify that product. To install the application, the customer scans the application download QR code (registered trademark) 1201 or 1202 posted on the wall of stores 901 and 902 using the camera function of their customer terminal 501 or 502. This launches the download app, allowing the customer terminal application to be downloaded and installed on the customer terminal 501 or 502. When installing the customer terminal application, the customer can also register their attributes by answering a short questionnaire including their prefecture of residence, gender, age, and the name of the store they use.

[0032] The customer terminal application has the function of reading identifiers 1101 to 1109. By reading identifiers 1101 to 1109 with the cameras of customer terminals 501 and 502, it is possible to identify the products displayed in sections 1001 to 1009 that are assigned identifiers 1101 to 1109. For identified products, detailed information such as the product name, seller, size, material, and price can be displayed on customer terminals 501 and 502, although this is not limited to these examples. Customers can obtain information about products they are interested in at stores that do not sell them, and then purchase those products at retail stores or online shops after leaving the store. Customer terminal applications may have the functionality to access online shops and purchase specific products, in which case customers can purchase items they like within the store that does not sell them, and can also purchase them after leaving the store.

[0033] The customer terminal application has a function that allows customers to follow specific products they like. Customers can identify products by reading identifiers 1101-1109 and purchase them from online shops, etc. After purchasing a product, they can post a review of that product through the customer terminal application. Product reviews can be done by customers selecting, for example, a 3-star or 5-star rating system. Customers can also post comments about products by typing text through the customer terminal application. Product reviews and comments can be posted not only after purchase, but also before purchase. For example, customers could post reviews and comments based on their experience of handling the product in a store.

[0034] After a customer installs an application for their terminal, information about the product corresponding to the first identifier read by the customer is stored in the customer action memory unit 6 of the server 8 via the internet 7, as the product that contributed to the installation of the application. Furthermore, follow-up actions taken by customers regarding specific products through customer terminal applications are also stored in the customer action storage unit 6 of the server 8 via the internet 7.

[0035] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the Tokyo store 901 and the Osaka store 902 are so-called "non-selling stores," but if a customer makes a purchase using a customer terminal application, the goods may be handed over at the store. If a customer installs a customer terminal application and makes purchases and follows up on products through that application, the information communication system of the present invention can be effective even if the goods are handed over at the store.

[0036] Figure 2 shows a shelf label displaying an identifier used in the first embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 2, an identifier 11 is printed and displayed on a part of the shelf label 13. The identifier 11 is a QR code (registered trademark) converted from the identification number "000100020201B" which identifies a section of the product display shelf. Here, the identification number "000100020201B" is a combination of the identification number (store number) "0001" which identifies a store, the identification number (shelf number) "0002" which identifies each product display shelf within the same store, and the identification number (section number) "0201B" which identifies each section within the same product display shelf. In addition to the identifier 11, these identification numbers are also printed and displayed on the shelf label 13.

[0037] The shelf label 13 is further equipped with an LCD display screen 14, which can display the product name "Tsubame-Sanjo Teapot Set" and its price "¥15,000," etc. When the products displayed in a section of the product display shelf are changed, the description and price of the new product will be displayed on the LCD display screen. In the first embodiment, a liquid crystal display screen is used, but this is not essential in the present invention. Product descriptions and prices may be displayed on printed materials, and these printed materials may be replaced when products are changed. Furthermore, it is not essential to display product descriptions and prices on shelf labels. Customers can identify products by reading identifiers using customer terminal applications and access detailed product information via the information and communication network. To encourage customers to install customer terminal applications, it is preferable not to display product descriptions and prices on shelf labels. Also, since replacing printed materials is a significant burden on stores, shelf labels that only display identifiers or identification numbers may be used.

[0038] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the identifier is a QR code (registered trademark). However, in the information communication system of the present invention, the identifier is not limited to this, and can be anything that can identify a section of a product display shelf or the products displayed in that section. For example, other two-dimensional barcodes such as VeriCode and CODE49 can be used, a one-dimensional code such as a JAN code may be used, or the identification number itself may be used. Furthermore, the identifier is not limited to something that can be recognized visually; information emitted by infrared rays or information emitted electromagnetically may also be used as the identifier. Furthermore, in the first embodiment of the present invention, an identifier that identifies a section of a product display shelf is used as the identifier. However, in the information communication system of the present invention, an identifier that identifies a product can also be used as the identifier. However, if an identifier that identifies a product is used, the identifier must be changed each time the product is replaced. Therefore, it is necessary to enable changes by replacing the printed material displaying the identifier or by displaying the identifier on an LCD screen or the like.

[0039] 1-2-3. Product display shelf management terminal and product display information In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, a product display shelf management terminal 3 is installed in the main store 15, and a product registration terminal 4 is installed in the exhibitor's office 16. The product display shelf management terminal 3 is a terminal that manages product display information, including the location of the product display shelves, the location or type of each section of the product display shelves, and information on what products are currently displayed in each section.

[0040] Figure 3 is a table showing product display information used in the first embodiment of the present invention. Furthermore, Figures 4(A) and 4(B) are tables showing excerpts of the product display information from Figure 3. Figure 4(A) is a table showing excerpts of information such as the location, position, size, and type of each section, while Figure 4(B) is a table showing excerpts of information about the products displayed in each section. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the product display information is a collection of records linked to the identification number of each section.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4(A), the identification number for each section is a combination of the store number, shelf number, and section number. As explained in Figure 2, this identification number is converted into a QR code (registered trademark) and used as an identifier. Each section of the product display shelves in the Tokyo store is assigned the store number "0001," while each section of the product display shelves in the Osaka store is assigned the store number "0005." These identification numbers indicate the location of each section, and simultaneously, the location of the product display shelves. Shelf numbers are used to identify each display shelf within the same store, while section numbers are used to identify each section within the same product display shelf. Section numbers are suffixed with an alphabet letter indicating the type of section.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4(A), the product display information includes information on the location, size, and type of each section, which is assigned an identification number. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the "location" information of each section indicates its position on the same product display shelf, such as "upper shelf" or "lower shelf." However, the present invention is not limited to this form, and information on which product display shelf each section belongs to, or information on the arrangement of the product display shelves to which each section belongs in the same store, may also be included in the product display information as the "location" information of each section. Because the degree to which customers see the products differs depending on the location of the sections, the "location" information is not only used for product display but also serves as an indicator of the appeal of each section. Furthermore, the "size" information indicates the length and width of each section, and may also include depth information, as well as information on the "shape" of each section. Since the degree to which customers see the products differs depending on the size and shape of the sections, the "size" and "shape" information is not only used for product display but also serves as an indicator of the appeal of each section.

[0043] The "Type" information refers to the type of booth ranked according to its appeal, using indicators such as "Location," "Size," and "Shape." As explained in Figure 1, booths with the "A" type have a high appeal to customers and high exhibition fees. On the other hand, booths with the "B" type have a low appeal to customers and low exhibition fees. In the first embodiment of the present invention, both "location" and "type" information are included in the product display information. However, since "location" and "type" often correspond to each other, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and only one of "location" or "type" may be included in the product display information. Also, since "size" and "shape" may correspond to "type," information on "size" and "shape" may be included in the product display information as "type." In addition to the above, other types may be included in the product display information, such as a type indicating that it is a section equipped with hangers for displaying clothing, or types that are divided according to the category of goods or the method of displaying goods.

[0044] Product display information includes information on what products are currently displayed in each section, which is assigned an identification number. In the first embodiment of the present invention, information is included not only on what products are currently on display, but also on what products have been displayed in the past. As shown in Figure 4(B), the model numbers of the products displayed in each section are recorded in columns for each date, making it possible to understand all products that have been displayed, both currently and in the past. Information on what products have been displayed in each section in the past is not essential for information processing that proposes a product rotation method that prioritizes the display of products based on their attractiveness, or for information processing that proposes offering benefits to product exhibitors based on their attractiveness. However, information on what products have been displayed in each section in the past is useful for store operators to keep track of past product rotations. Furthermore, as in the third embodiment described later, it is necessary information for proposing a rotation method that allows products to be displayed in rotation across multiple stores.

[0045] As shown in Figure 4(B), the previous product change took place at both the Tokyo and Osaka stores from September 26th to September 27th, 2023. Product changes are scheduled to take place from Tuesday to Wednesday of the fourth week of each month. In sections where the model number listed in the records linked to the identification number was changed between September 26th and September 27th, it can be seen that a product change has taken place. For example, as shown in Figure 4(B), the product displayed in the section with the second identification number "000100010201B" in the table was a wine glass set with model number "GL-WI9809S" on September 26th, but on September 27th, this product was removed and replaced with a glass bowl with model number "GL-BO0003". Furthermore, on September 26th, the product with model number "JMAP660L" (Tsubame-Sanjo Teapot Set), which was displayed in the B-rank section with the fifth identification number "000100020201B", was moved to the A-rank section with the fourth identification number "000100020101A" on September 27th, indicating an upgrade in its section rank. Furthermore, on September 26th, the product (gloves) with model number "SPT-701M," which was displayed in the section of the Tokyo store's display shelf with the third identification number "000100010202B" in the table, was moved to the Osaka store on September 27th and is now displayed in the section with the last identification number "000500010202B" shown in the table.

[0046] Product display information records information about products currently and previously displayed in each section, but it can also include information about what products will be displayed in each section in the future. In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, a product display shelf management terminal 3 is installed in the main store 15. Product display information is stored in the storage unit 302 of the product display shelf management terminal 3. A product display management staff member working at the main store 15 can operate the product display shelf management terminal 3 using a keyboard 304 connected to the input unit 303 or a mouse (not shown) to display some of the necessary product display information on a display 306 connected to the output unit 305, allowing them to check the current and past product display status. Based on the confirmed display status, the product display management staff member plans future product replacements. Here, the product display shelf management terminal 3 has a function to suggest product replacements, and the product display management staff can plan product replacements according to or based on these suggestions, and add information on what products to display in each section in the future to the product display information stored in the memory unit 302 by operating the keyboard 304 or mouse.

[0047] The product display management staff at the main store (15) can output information on future display plans for each section, recorded in the product display information, and issue instructions for product changes to local staff at the Tokyo store (901) and Osaka store (902) via email, postal mail, or other means. They can also request the transportation of necessary products for product changes from the product exhibitors or shipping companies. Alternatively, the product display shelf management terminal (3) may be equipped with a function to automatically issue these instructions and requests.

[0048] Product display information can be stored in the storage unit 302 of the product display shelf management terminal 3, but it can also be stored in the storage unit 802 of the server 8 at the same time. Here, the product display information stored in the storage unit 302 of the product display shelf management terminal 3 and the product display information stored in the storage unit 802 of the server 8 can be synchronized so that the same information is stored. Alternatively, the product display information stored in the storage unit 802 of the server 8 may be used as the main information, and the product display shelf management terminal 3 may read a portion of the product display information from the storage unit 802 of the server 8 and temporarily store it in the storage unit 302 of the product display shelf management terminal 3 or in memory 307 to check or modify the product display information. By storing product display information in the memory unit 802 of server 8, the store staff can access the product display information stored in the memory unit 802 via the internet 7 from a tablet terminal (not shown) used in the Tokyo store 901 or the Osaka store 902, and change the products at the store. Furthermore, by storing product display information in the storage unit 802 of server 8, when a customer reads identifiers 1101 to 1109 using customer terminals 501 and 502, the customer terminal application can access the product display information stored in the storage unit 802 via the internet 7, obtain information on the product model numbers corresponding to identifiers 1101 to 1109 on the day of access, and identify the products displayed in sections 1001 to 1009 of the product display shelves.

[0049] In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, the product display shelf management terminal 3 is a desktop terminal installed in the main store 15. However, the information communication system of the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and can be installed in, for example, the Tokyo store 901 or the Osaka store 902, or it can be a portable terminal. If the product display shelf management terminal is a portable terminal, for example, it is possible to plan product replacements while visually checking the product display shelves at the site, such as the Tokyo store 901 or the Osaka store 902.

[0050] 1-2-4. Product registration terminal and exhibited product information In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, a product registration terminal 4 is installed in the exhibitor's office 16. The exhibitor receives a product registration application from the operator of the information and communication system 1 and installs the application on their own computer terminal, thereby enabling the computer terminal to function as a product registration terminal 4. The exhibitor can then register products to be exhibited or request the removal of registered products from the exhibition through the product registration terminal 4. Information on the products to be exhibited is transmitted to the server 8 and stored as exhibited product information in the storage unit 802 of the server 8.

[0051] Exhibitors (including their employees; hereinafter the same) apply to register products to be exhibited at stores where they will not be sold. To do so, they operate the product registration terminal 4 using a keyboard 404 connected to the input unit 403 or a mouse (not shown) to display an input screen on the display 406 connected to the output unit 405, and input detailed information about the new products to be exhibited and their desired exhibition format. The product registration application received by the exhibitor via the product registration terminal 4 is transmitted to the server 8, and the detailed product information and the exhibitor's desired exhibition format are recorded in the exhibited product information stored in the storage unit 802 of the server 8. Furthermore, exhibitors can also request to withdraw their registered products from the market through the product registration terminal 4. Requests for withdrawal from the market through the product registration terminal 4 are also transmitted to the server 8 and recorded in the exhibited product information stored in the server 8's memory unit 802. A program that displays an input screen on the display 406 and sends the information received from the input screen to the server 8 is stored in the memory unit 402 of the product registration terminal 4. The program is read and executed by processing the information using the CPU 408 and memory 407.

[0052] Figure 5 is a table showing exhibited product information used in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, the exhibited product information is a collection of records linked to the order in which the application for exhibiting was received (No.). The exhibited product information includes information such as the product's "model number," "exhibitor name," "planned start date of exhibiting," "planned end date of exhibiting," "application rank," "number of stores wishing to exhibit," "product name," and "selling price." Figure 5 shows a selection of information on exhibited products that were still being exhibited as of September 15, 2023.

[0053] Of this information, the "model number" is an identification number assigned to the product by the exhibitor, and this model number is also used as an identification number to identify the product displayed in each section in the product display information shown in Figures 3 and 4. The "application rank" is the type of section in which the exhibitor wishes to display their product, and there are two ranks: Rank A, which has a high appeal to customers and a high exhibition fee, and Rank B, which has a low appeal to customers and a low exhibition fee. The "number of stores wishing to exhibit" is the number of stores in which the exhibitor wishes to exhibit their product simultaneously. If the number of stores wishing to exhibit is 1, for example, the product will initially be displayed on a product display shelf located in the Tokyo store, and if it becomes subject to replacement during the product changeover that takes place from Tuesday to Wednesday of the fourth week of each month, the product will be moved and displayed on a product display shelf located in the Osaka store. If the number of stores wishing to exhibit is 2, for example, the product will be displayed on a product display shelf located in the Tokyo store and a product display shelf located in the Osaka store simultaneously. The monthly exhibition fee for products can be determined based on the "application rank" and the "number of stores wishing to exhibit."

[0054] When exhibitors register the products they will be exhibiting, they can select a specific candidate date from the options displayed on the input screen for the planned start date of the exhibition. This date will then be recorded in the product information as the "planned start date of the exhibition." Exhibitors can also simultaneously select a planned end date for the exhibition from the options, and this date will then be recorded in the product information as the "planned end date of the exhibition." If no end date is specified, the "planned end date of the exhibition" information will be blank, and the product will continue to be exhibited. Even if an end date is not initially specified, exhibitors can request to stop the exhibition of their product at any time after it has been exhibited, and the "planned end date of the exhibition" specified at that time will be recorded in the product information.

[0055] As shown in Figure 5, the first product in the table, model number "GL-WI9809S" (wine glass set), was registered for exhibition when the store first opened. However, due to continued exhibition over a long period and declining sales through the exhibition, the exhibitor, Glass Studio Co., Ltd., requested to discontinue the exhibition, and the discontinuation of the exhibition on September 26, 2023, is recorded in the "Scheduled Exhibition Discontinuation Date" column of the exhibited product information. Simultaneously with the discontinuation of this product, Glass Studio Co., Ltd. also requested the registration of a new product, model number "GL-BO0003" (glass bowl), listed in the last row of the table, and this information has been added to the exhibited product information, resulting in the product's registration. This information regarding the registration of new products and the discontinuation of previously exhibited products will also be used when replacing products.

[0056] In the present invention, "exhibited product information" includes at least information for identifying a product and information for determining whether or not the product is still being exhibited. Here, the information for identifying a product may be a "model number," as in the first embodiment of the present invention, but is not limited thereto. For example, the date and time the product registration was accepted may be used as information for identifying a product. Furthermore, the information for determining whether or not the product is still being exhibited may be a "scheduled start date of exhibition" and a "scheduled end date of exhibition," as in the first embodiment of the present invention, but is not limited thereto. For example, information where "1" indicates that the product is currently being exhibited and "0" indicates that the product is no longer being exhibited may be used.

[0057] In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, the product registration terminal 4 is a terminal used by the exhibitor. In this case, the product registration terminal 4 may be equipped with a function that allows the exhibitor to check the display status of their products and follow-up information such as customer evaluations and comments on the products. This allows the exhibitor to receive feedback such as customer evaluations and comments, which can be used as marketing data, and to realize the value of having applied to exhibit their products, thereby encouraging the exhibitor to continue exhibiting.

[0058] In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, the product registration terminal 4 is a desktop terminal installed in the exhibitor's office 16. However, the information communication system of the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and for example, it can be a portable terminal, allowing exhibitors such as sole proprietors without an office to register products using a portable product registration terminal. Furthermore, as in the second embodiment described later, the information communication system and the store operator may have a product registration terminal, receive requests for product exhibition from exhibitors by telephone or email, and record information regarding product registration and exhibition cancellation in the exhibited product information by inputting from the product registration terminal by the operator.

[0059] 1-2-5. Customer Action Information The aforementioned 1-2-4 As explained in detail regarding the exhibited product information, customer action information, which records customer actions towards products, can be generated and modified based on the exhibited product information. Figure 6 is a table showing customer action information used in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 6, the customer action information is based on data as of September 15, 2023, and includes information on products listed in the exhibited product information that were not taken off the market as of September 15, 2023. Customer action information is updated regularly. When a new product is registered in the exhibited product information, a record linked to the product's model number is added to the customer action information. Additionally, when a record of the "scheduled end date of exhibition" for a product is added to the exhibited product information, that date is recorded in the customer action information. Once the scheduled end date of exhibition for a product has passed, the record for that product is deleted from the customer action information. As shown in Figure 6, customer action information includes details such as the product's "model number" and "product name." The customer action information also includes memory areas for "Action 1" through "Action n" (where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2), which are used to record customer actions toward products.

[0060] As shown in Figure 1, in the first embodiment of the present invention, customer action information is stored in the customer action storage unit 6 of the server 8. When a customer visits stores 901 and 902 and finds a product they like by picking it up from shelves 201 to 203, they need to install a customer terminal application on their customer terminal 501 or 502 to identify that product. When installing the customer terminal application, the customer answers a short questionnaire about their prefecture of residence, gender, age, and the name of the store they use, and their attributes are registered in the customer terminal application. After installing the customer terminal application, the customer uses their customer terminal 501 to scan, for example, the identifier 1105 of section 1005 where a product they like is displayed. The identifier is a QR code (registered trademark) as shown in Figure 2, and the customer terminal application converts the scanned QR code (registered trademark) into an identification number (000100020201B). The customer terminal application transmits the identification number obtained through the conversion, information about the customer's attributes, and information indicating that this is the first transmission after installation to the server 8 via the internet 7. The server 8 refers to the product display information shown in Figure 4(B) stored in the storage unit 802, identifies the model number (JMAP660L) of the product displayed at the time of reception (September 15, 2023) corresponding to the received identification number (000100020201B), and transmits it to the customer terminal application via the internet 7. The customer terminal application uses the received model number to access products on the manufacturer's website or online shop, providing customers with detailed information about the products and the opportunity to purchase them.

[0061] When the server 8 shown in Figure 1 receives information indicating that it is the first transmission made after installation, it records in the customer action information stored in the customer action storage unit 6 that installation was performed as a customer action on the product. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the customer action information includes a record linked to the product model number, with storage areas for Action 1 to Action n. When recording customer actions, the information is recorded sequentially starting from Action 1. When Server 8, shown in Figure 1, receives information from the customer terminal application indicating that it is the first transmission after installation, it simultaneously receives an identification number (000100020201B) that identifies the partition and information about the customer's attributes. From the received identification number, Server 8 can identify the corresponding product model number (JMAP660L) as described above. Then, Server 8 records in the memory area of ​​Action 421, which has the smallest number and is blank among the memory areas of Actions 1 to Action n (the fifth product column in the table in Figure 6) associated with the customer action information model number (JMAP660L) shown in Figure 6, that the installation took place on September 15, 2023, and information about the customer's attributes (male, residing in Tokyo).

[0062] The product corresponding to the first identifier read by a customer after installing an application for their customer terminal can be considered an attractive product that is compelling enough to prompt the customer to install it. Therefore, the number of installations serves as an indicator for calculating the attractiveness of a product. By having customers install the application on their terminals, sales promotion and marketing using the information and communication system of the present invention become possible. Therefore, products that motivate customers to install the application can be said to be products that make a significant contribution to business through the information and communication system of the present invention. This invention calculates the attractiveness of a product and then prioritizes the display of highly attractive products, or provides benefits to exhibitors of highly attractive products. A key feature of this invention is that, in calculating attractiveness, it uses the number of installations of customer terminal applications, which are highly correlated with the business contribution of sales promotion and marketing, as one of the possible indicators.

[0063] Customers can identify products using a customer-facing application and then purchase them at retail stores or online shops. After purchasing a product, they can follow up on it through the customer-facing application. This follow-up can be done, for example, by the customer selecting a rating on a 3-star or 5-star scale. Product reviews can be submitted not only after purchase, but also before purchase, based on impressions gained from handling the product in a store. In this invention, "following" means disseminating information about a product, and is not limited to posting reviews, but also includes, for example, introducing a product to a friend via a customer terminal application or posting a link to the product on the customer's social media. Furthermore, the customer terminal application may also be equipped with a function that allows customers to post comments about the product in text as a form of "following." In addition, for example, if the information communication system of this invention conducts a campaign to support a region and gives customers voting rights via a customer terminal application, the act of a customer voting for a product from a specific region such as their hometown, a region they are attached to, or a region affected by a natural disaster can also be included in the concept of "following."

[0064] As shown in Figure 1, in the first embodiment of the present invention, a customer can identify a product corresponding to an identifier by reading identifiers 1101 to 1109 on customer terminals 501 and 502 on which a customer terminal application is installed. Information on the identified product can be displayed on the touch panel display of customer terminals 501 and 502 by the customer terminal application. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing a customer terminal application used in the first embodiment of the present invention, with product information displayed on the customer terminal's touch panel display. As shown in Figure 7, the customer terminal 501 is equipped with a touch panel display 51, and through the functions of the customer terminal application, it can display information about the product identified by reading the identifier. The product information includes the product model number, product name, product description such as capacity and materials, manufacturer's name, and price.

[0065] Due to the functionality of the customer terminal application, a "Purchase" button 52 is displayed on the touch panel display 51. If a customer decides to purchase a product after viewing the product information, they can do so by pressing the "Purchase" button 52 on the touch panel display 51. Furthermore, through the functionality of the customer terminal application, five star symbols 53 are displayed on the touch panel display 51. For example, if a customer wants to give a product a four-star rating, they can select four star symbols on the touch panel display 51 to change the color of the stars, and then press the "Rate" button 54 to give a four-star rating. The customer terminal application also includes a function to post comments. A "Post Comment" button 55 is displayed on the touch panel display 51, and when the customer presses this button, a comment input screen is displayed, allowing the customer to enter a comment and submit it.

[0066] As shown in Figure 1, customer terminals 501 and 502, which have the customer terminal application installed, are connected to server 8 via the internet 7. As mentioned above, when a customer gives a 4-star rating, they can send information about the 4-star rating, the product model number, and customer attribute information to server 8. The information sent to Server 8 is recorded in the customer action information stored in Customer Action Storage Unit 6. For example, as shown in Figure 6, in the record associated with the fifth model number "JMAP660L" in the customer action information table, the information "2022 / 11 / 23; Rating 4; Tokyo; Male" is recorded in the storage area for Action 2. Similarly, text comments posted by customers can also be recorded in customer action information. Comments recorded in customer action information are later provided to product exhibitors along with aggregated product ratings, becoming valuable marketing data that provides hints for product development and improvement, as well as advertising strategies.

[0067] Since customer follow-up constitutes the dissemination of information about a product, the number of followers can serve as an indicator for calculating the attractiveness of a product. Furthermore, products with a high number of customer follow-ups are thought to provide a great sense of satisfaction to customers who visit the store and encourage them to continue visiting, making them products that make a significant contribution to business through the information and communication system of the present invention. A key feature of this invention is that one of the indicators that can be used to calculate the attractiveness of a product is the number of followers. By calculating the attractiveness based on the number of installations and / or the number of followers, it becomes possible to stably operate a store by prioritizing the display of highly attractive products or by providing benefits to exhibitors of highly attractive products. In this invention, attractiveness can be calculated using at least one of the number of installations and the number of followers, but preferably using the number of installations, and more preferably using both the number of installations and the number of followers. By calculating attractiveness using both the number of installations and the number of followers, it becomes possible to more accurately evaluate products that make a high contribution to sales promotion and marketing as highly attractive products.

[0068] In the present invention, customer action information includes at least information that identifies a product corresponding to an identifier that the customer first read after installing the customer terminal application, or information that results from following up on a product after installing the customer terminal application. Here, the information that can identify the product corresponding to the identifier that the customer first read after installing the customer terminal application may, as in the first embodiment of the present invention, be information that records, linked to the date, that the customer's action toward that product was installation, but is not limited to this. For example, it may also be information that counts the number of times the customer's action toward that product has been installed. Furthermore, the information that results from following up on a product after installing the customer terminal application may, as in the first embodiment of the present invention, be information that records, linked to the date, that the customer's action toward that product was follow-up, but is not limited to this. For example, it may also be information that counts the number of times the customer's action toward that product has been followed up. In the first embodiment of the present invention, customer action information and exhibited product information are separate pieces of information. However, in the present invention, customer action information and exhibited product information may be integrated into a single piece of information and stored in the same data file.

[0069] 1-2-6. Function and program for proposing methods for replacing products and offering benefits. The product display shelf management terminal used in the information communication system of the present invention has a function to calculate the attractiveness of a product to customers based on statistical information including the number of installations and / or follows for each product, measured based on customer action information. It also has a function to suggest a method of rotating products to prioritize display according to the calculated attractiveness level, and / or a function to suggest offering benefits to product exhibitors according to the attractiveness level. These functions are executed by a suggestion program.

[0070] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the proposed program is stored in the storage unit 302 of the product display shelf management terminal 3 shown in Figure 1, and is executed by reading the program and performing information processing using the CPU 308 and memory 307. When executing the program, an operation screen is displayed on a display 306 connected to the output unit 305 of the product display shelf management terminal 3, allowing the product display management staff to operate the program using a keyboard 304 connected to the input unit 303 or a mouse (not shown). The program that proposes a method for rearranging products may be stored in the memory unit 802 of the server 8 shown in Figure 1, or the program may be read and information processing may be performed using the CPU 804 and memory 803 of the server 8. In this case, the server 8 connects to the product display shelf management terminal 3 via the internet 7, displays an operation screen etc. on the display 306 of the product display shelf management terminal 3, and the product display management person can operate the program using the keyboard 304 or mouse.

[0071] The proposed program of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to perform information processing including the following steps S1 to S6. S1: Step of reading product display information from the first memory unit. S2: Step to read exhibited product information from the second memory unit. S3: Step to read customer action information from the third memory unit. S4: A step to generate statistical information, including the number of installations and / or follow-ups for each product, based on customer action information read from the third memory unit. S5: A step to calculate the customer appeal of each product based on the statistical information generated in step S4. S6: Based on the product display information read from the first memory unit, the exhibited product information read from the second memory unit, and the attractiveness score for each product calculated in step S5, a method for rotating products to be displayed preferentially according to their attractiveness score is generated, and / or a proposal to offer benefits to product exhibitors according to their attractiveness score is generated.

[0072] In this invention, steps S1 to S6 do not need to be performed in this order, and their order can be changed. Steps S1 and S2 only need to be performed before step S6 is performed; for example, steps S1 and S2 may be performed after step S3, after step S4, or after step S5. Furthermore, step S3 only needs to be executed before step S4 is executed, and step S4 only needs to be executed before step S5 is executed. Other steps may be executed between steps S3 and S4, or between steps S4 and S5. Step S6 is performed after steps S1 to S5, but other steps may be performed after step S6. Of the steps in step S6, the information processing for "generating a product rotation method that prioritizes displaying products according to their attractiveness" and the information processing for "generating a proposal to offer benefits to product exhibitors according to their attractiveness" can be separate steps, and other steps may be performed between them. Additionally, other steps may be performed between any of steps S1 through S6. Other steps may also be performed before step S1.

[0073] Figure 8 shows a flowchart of the information processing flow of a program that proposes a method for replacing products used in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 8, the information processing flow starts with "Start," but before step S1, step S0001 is executed, in which conditions such as the scheduled product replacement date are input from the product display shelf management terminal. This step allows the product display management staff to set conditions that affect the results of the information processing to propose a product replacement method, via the product display shelf management terminal. In the following description of the first embodiment, we will explain the case where September 26, 2023 is entered and set as the scheduled product replacement date.

[0074] Step S1 of the present invention is the step of reading product display information from the first storage unit. Product display information is as described above. 1-2-3 This information is described in detail in the section, and in the first embodiment of the present invention, product display information is stored in the storage unit 302 of the product display shelf management terminal 3 shown in Figure 1 and / or the storage unit 802 of the server 8. Therefore, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the "first storage unit" is the storage unit 302 or storage unit 802 shown in Figure 1. In the information processing flow of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 8, step S1 also executes the process of "reading product display information from the storage unit 302 or storage unit 802". In step S1, when reading product display information, it is not necessary to read all of the product display information stored in the first memory unit, nor is it limited to this. For example, it is possible to propose product replacements by reading only the current product display information without reading past product display information, and it is also possible to propose product replacements between specific stores by reading only the product display information of a specific store.

[0075] Step S2 of the present invention is the step of reading exhibited product information from the second storage unit. Information on exhibited products is as follows: 1-2-4 This information is described in detail in the section, and in the first embodiment of the present invention, it is stored in the storage unit 802 of the server 8 shown in Figure 1. Therefore, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the "second storage unit" is the storage unit 802 of the server 8 shown in Figure 1. In the information processing flow of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 8, step S2 also executes the process of "reading exhibited product information from the storage unit 802". In step S2, when reading exhibited product information, it is not necessary to read all of the exhibited product information stored in the second memory unit, nor is it limited to these items. For example, even just reading the product's "model number," "scheduled start date of exhibition," and "scheduled end date of exhibition" is sufficient to perform information processing that suggests product replacements or the provision of special offers.

[0076] Step S3 of the present invention is the step of reading customer action information from the third storage unit. Customer action information is as described above. 1-2-5 This information is described in detail in the section, and in the first embodiment of the present invention, it is stored in the customer action storage unit 6 of the server 8 shown in Figure 1. Therefore, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the "third memory unit" is the customer action memory unit 6 shown in Figure 1. In the information processing flow of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 8, step S3 also executes the process of "reading customer action information from the customer action storage unit 6". In step S3, when reading customer action information, it is not necessary to read all of the customer action information stored in the third memory unit, nor is it limited to this. For example, it is possible to calculate the attractiveness of a product by reading only the product model number and records of customer actions taken after a specific date.

[0077] Step S4 of the present invention is the step of generating statistical information, including the number of installations and the number of followers for each product, based on customer action information read from the third storage unit. The statistical information generated in step S4 can be calculated by, for example, performing information processing to count the number of installations performed from the records of Action 1 to Action n associated with each product number in the customer action information shown in Figure 6, thereby aggregating the number of installations for each product and generating statistical information. The number of installations can be aggregated from customers nationwide, or it may be aggregated separately by prefecture or by the store used by the customer based on customer attribute information. Similarly, customer follow-up data can be aggregated for each product and compiled into statistical information. For example, the number of followers can be aggregated by performing information processing that counts actions that have received a rating of 3 (3 stars) or higher from the records of Action 1 to Action n associated with each product number of customer action information shown in Figure 6. In this invention, the number of followers can include not only the number of ratings but also the number of comments. Alternatively, the sum of the rating numbers (number of stars) may be used as the number of followers. Similar to the number of installations, the number of followers may be aggregated by prefecture or by the store used by the customer based on customer attribute information. When compiling data on the number of installations and followers, it is preferable to use data for the most recent period. The period to be compiled can be set and changed, for example, by inputting data from a product display shelf management terminal.

[0078] In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in the information processing flow of Figure 8, in step S4, for all product model numbers of customer action information, refer to the customer action information and count the number of installations from the actions for each model number x n Step S401 is to "refer to customer action information and count the number of times a rating of 3 stars or higher was given from the actions for each model number." n The process is repeated with step S402 to generate statistical information. Here, n represents the product model number, and x n and y n This refers to the number of items with model number n that have been counted. In the first embodiment of the present invention, both the number of installations and the number of followers are counted. However, the present invention is not limited to this form, and it may be possible to count only the number of installations or only the number of followers. Further, statistical information other than the number of installations and the number of followers may be generated. Such statistical information includes, but is not limited to, for example, statistical information such as the past display period and sales volume of products of model number n can be generated.

[0079] Step S5 of the present invention is a step of calculating the attractiveness to customers for each product based on the statistical information generated in step S4. Here, the statistical information generated in step S4 includes the number of installations and the number of followers for each product. In order to calculate the attractiveness based on the statistical information, although not limited to this, for example, the attractiveness can be calculated using a function of a program. As an example, the attractiveness can be calculated by the following formula (1). The attractiveness of product n = f(x n , y n ) ··· (1) (In the formula, n indicates the model number of the product, x n indicates the number of installations of the product of model number n, and y n indicates the number of followers of the product of model number n.) The function f(x n , y n ) used in the calculation formula (1) is preferably a function in which the value of the function increases as x n increases, and the value of the function increases as y n increases. As such a function, although not limited to these, a function represented by the following formula (2) can be used f(x n , y n ) = a × x n + b × y n ··· (2) (In the formula, n indicates the model number of the product, a and b each independently indicate positive numbers, x n indicates the number of installations of the product of model number n, and y n(This indicates the number of followers for product model number n.) In equation (2), a and b are so-called coefficients, and can be set appropriately depending on whether you prioritize the number of installations or the number of followers.

[0080] As a function used to calculate attractiveness, we can also use the function shown in equation (3) below, which uses other independent variables besides x and y. Product n's attractiveness = f(x n , y n , z 1n ,··z mn )···(3) (In the formula, n represents the product model number, m represents an integer greater than or equal to 2, x n indicates the number of installations for product model number n, and y n This indicates the number of followers for product model number n, and z 1n ~z mn (This indicates the independent variable for product with model number n.) The independent variable z used in equation (3) 1n ~z mn Preferably, the numerical values ​​used are those that are considered to demonstrate the contribution to a business that conducts sales promotion or marketing using the information and communication system of the present invention. Such numerical values ​​are not limited to these, but for example, the exhibition period and sales figures of product n can be used as independent variables. Furthermore, in stores that do not sell products, providing samples in addition to displaying the products can promote sales and simultaneously increase the number of visitors and the frequency of visits to the store. Therefore, exhibitors who provide samples can be said to be making a significant contribution to businesses that conduct sales promotion or marketing using the information and communication system of the present invention. Thus, the number of samples provided in connection with the product, or the equivalent amount, can also be used as the independent variable in equation (3).

[0081] In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in the information processing flow of Figure 8, in step S5, for all product model numbers of customer action information, the attractiveness = f(x n,y n The attractiveness score is calculated for all product models in the customer action information by repeating step S401, which is based on the above criteria. In the first embodiment of the present invention, attractiveness is calculated using both the number of installations and the number of followers. However, the present invention is not limited to this form, and attractiveness may be calculated using at least one of the number of installations and the number of followers. In the present invention, it is preferable to calculate attractiveness using the number of installations, and more preferably to calculate attractiveness using both the number of installations and the number of followers. By calculating attractiveness using both the number of installations and the number of followers, it becomes possible to more accurately evaluate products that make a high contribution to sales promotion and marketing as highly attractive products.

[0082] Step S6 of the present invention is a step in which, based on the product display information read from the first storage unit, the exhibited product information read from the second storage unit, and the attractiveness of each product calculated in step S5, a method for changing products to display them preferentially according to their attractiveness, and / or a proposal to offer benefits to product exhibitors according to their attractiveness. In order to propose a method for changing the products, information on what products are currently displayed in each section is necessary. The product display information used in this invention includes this information, and in step S6 of this invention, the product display information read from the first storage unit is used for information processing. Furthermore, the exhibited product information used in this invention includes information about products to be displayed on the product display shelves, which is received and recorded by a product registration terminal. This information allows for the identification of products to be newly exhibited, products to be discontinued, and other relevant information, making it necessary to propose a method for replacing products. In step S6 of this invention, the exhibited product information read from the second storage unit is used for information processing. Step S6 of the present invention is a step of generating a product rotation method that prioritizes the display of highly attractive products, and / or generating a proposal to offer benefits to product exhibitors according to their attractiveness, and using the attractiveness of each product calculated in step S5 for information processing.

[0083] In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in the information processing flow in Figure 8, step S6 is performed by executing the information processing steps S61 to S632. First, as part of the information processing loop of step S61, step S611 is repeated for all products corresponding to the identification numbers of the product display information to determine which products should be removed from display. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the product display information includes an identification number that identifies the section of the product display shelf, and also includes the correspondence between the identification number and the product model number. The correspondence between the two varies from day to day, but the product model number can be identified using the correspondence on the day the program proposing the product replacement method is executed. After identifying the product model number from the identification number in this way, the information processing in step S611 is executed. In step S611, as shown in Figure 8, information processing is performed to determine whether or not there is a scheduled exhibition termination date prior to the scheduled product replacement date. Here, the information for the "scheduled product replacement date" is entered in step S0001, and the "scheduled exhibition termination date" is described in the exhibited product information read in step S2 (see Figure 5). Therefore, the determination in step 611 can be made from this information, and if the condition "there is no scheduled exhibition termination date prior to the scheduled product replacement date" is not met (in the case of "No"), then the product is one whose scheduled exhibition termination date has passed on the scheduled product replacement date, and the result is to suggest suspending the exhibition and replacing it with another product.

[0084] The next step, S621, as shown in Figure 8, is an information processing step that calculates the value obtained by subtracting the number of products to be exhibited, measured based on the exhibited product information, from the number of sections measured based on the product display information (surplus section count = α). Here, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the product display information allows all sections of the product display shelf to be identified by their respective identification numbers. Therefore, the number of sections can be measured using the product display information. By performing information processing that counts the identification numbers shown in Figures 3 and 4, the total number of compartments can be measured to be 9. On the other hand, the exhibited product information, as shown in Figure 5, lists all products for which an application for exhibiting has been submitted. Since the "number of stores wishing to exhibit" is listed for each product, the number of products that should be exhibited can be calculated by summing these numbers. Here, among these products, those whose scheduled exhibition termination date is before the scheduled product change date do not need to be exhibited after the product change, so by excluding these products from the count, the number of products that should be exhibited can be calculated. Since the scheduled product replacement date is set for September 26, 2023, as shown in Figure 5, the product indicated by model number "GL-WI9809S" in table No. 00000002 (wine glass set) and the product indicated by model number "KPG-201S" in table No. 00000253 (Nagano Prefecture gift set) have scheduled exhibition termination dates set before the scheduled product replacement date, so neither of them needs to be displayed after the product replacement date. Therefore, when we perform the information processing to count products excluding those whose exhibition termination dates are set before the scheduled product replacement date, there is one product (model number KYO-113S) with 2 stores wishing to exhibit it, and there are six products with 1 store wishing to exhibit it, so the total number of products to be exhibited is measured to be 8. As described above, by performing information processing to subtract the number of products to be exhibited (8), measured based on exhibited product information, from the number of sections (9), measured based on product display information, the number of surplus sections α = 1 can be calculated.

[0085] In the next step S622 following step 621, a subroutine is executed to identify the top α products based on their attractiveness score. This subroutine is not limited to these, but for example, it can be executed by performing a loop that compares the attractiveness scores of all products corresponding to the identification number in the product display information, first excluding products that will be taken off display based on the scheduled end date of display. Here, the first α products are designated as candidate products, and for products from α+1 onwards, if a product has a higher attractiveness score than the lowest-ranked candidate product, the loop is repeated until the end, and the product that was last designated as a candidate product is identified as the "top α products based on their attractiveness score." For the top α products identified by this subroutine, the result is to suggest increasing the number of stores displaying the product by one, as shown in step S622 of Figure 8.

[0086] Thus, in the information and communication system of the present invention, if there are surplus sections on a product display shelf because the number of sections is greater than the number of products to be exhibited, it is possible to propose increasing the number of sections dedicated to highly attractive products. This enables effective product rotation by increasing the display of highly attractive products, thereby securing the number of visitors, encouraging product exhibitors to continue exhibiting their products, and ultimately enabling the stable operation of the store.

[0087] The next step, 631, as shown in Figure 8, is an information processing step that calculates the value obtained by subtracting the number of products that should be exhibited in the A-rank sections measured based on exhibited product information from the number of A-rank sections measured based on product display information (surplus A-rank section number = β). For step 631, similar to step 621, the number of A-rank sections can be measured from the product display information, and the number of products that should be exhibited in the A-rank sections can be measured from the exhibited product information. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the product display information records whether the type of section for each identification number is A (rank) or B (rank). When the number of A-rank sections is counted from the table in Figure 4(A), a total of 2 can be determined. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, the exhibited product information records whether the application rank for each product model is A (rank) or B (rank). If we perform information processing to count the products after excluding the product indicated by model number "KPG-201S" (Nagano Prefecture gift set), which is scheduled to be discontinued, we can determine that there is 1 product that should be exhibited in the A-rank section. As described above, by performing information processing to subtract the number of products that should be exhibited in the A-rank sections (1), measured based on exhibited product information, from the number of A-rank sections (2), measured based on product display information, the surplus number of A-rank sections β = 1 can be calculated.

[0088] In the next step after step 631, S632, a subroutine is executed to identify the top β products based on their attractiveness score. While this subroutine is not limited to these, using a subroutine similar to that in step S622 will allow for the identification of the top β products based on their attractiveness score. For the top β-ranked products identified by this subroutine, the result is to propose upgrading one of the sections where the products are displayed, as shown in step S632 of Figure 8.

[0089] Thus, in the information communication system of the present invention, when there are multiple ranks with different levels of appeal to customers in a section of a product display shelf, it is possible to suggest changing highly attractive products to a higher rank. This enables effective product rotation that increases the appeal of highly attractive products to customers, thereby securing the number of visitors, encouraging product exhibitors to continue exhibiting their products, and ultimately enabling the stable operation of the store.

[0090] In the information processing flow of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 8, the final step S7 before the end is a step in which information processing is performed to "generate screen information to display the proposed result and send it to the output unit". The screen information generated in step S7 is sent to the display 306 through the output unit 305 of the product display shelf management terminal 3 shown in Figure 1, and a screen displaying the proposed result is displayed on the display 306. In the first embodiment of the present invention, an example of a screen displaying the results of a product replacement suggestion is shown in Figure 9. Figure 9(A) shows the initial screen showing the product replacement suggestion, and Figure 9(B) shows the screen after the user has accepted the product replacement suggestion. As shown in Figure 9(A), the display screen 17 shows information about each section of the product display shelves located in the Tokyo and Osaka stores. Each section is linked to an identification number and displays information such as the store name, store number, shelf number, section number, and type (rank), as well as the model number and name of the product currently displayed in that section. Furthermore, column 18, labeled "Attractiveness," displays the attractiveness score for each product calculated in step S5.

[0091] As shown in Figure 9(A), column 19, labeled "Suggestions for product replacement," displays suggestions derived from the information processing flow of the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 8, the judgment at step S611 of the information processing flow indicates that the products for which it is suggested to discontinue the exhibition and replace them with other products (the wine glass set with model number "GL-WI9809S" and the Nagano Prefecture gift set with model number "KPG-201S") are displayed with the confirmed message "Exhibition discontinued" and the icon 20 "Drag replacement candidates here". Column 21, labeled "Replacement Candidates," is divided into a section corresponding to the Tokyo store (upper section) and a section corresponding to the Osaka store (lower section). Each section displays an icon 22 for the product (glass bowl) with model number "GL-BO0003," which is a replacement candidate. In the exhibited product information shown in Figure 5, the product (glass bowl) with model number "GL-BO0003," which has a planned exhibition start date of the day following September 26, 2023, the scheduled product replacement date, has been a replacement candidate from the beginning. A product display management staff member operating the product display shelf management terminal can determine the replacement product by dragging the icon 22 labeled "GL-BO0003 Glass Bowl" onto one of the icons 20 labeled "Drag replacement candidate here" as shown in Figure 9(A). For example, as shown in Figure 9(B), by dragging the "GL-BO0003 Glass Bowl" icon 22 to the corresponding location in the row indicating the section with identification number "000100010201B", the replacement product to display in this section with "GL-BO0003 Glass Bowl" is determined. Once the product replacement is determined, the "GL-BO0003 Glass Bowl" icon 22 that was displayed in the Osaka store frame (lower row) of the "Replacement Candidates" column is also removed.

[0092] As shown in Figure 8, through the information processing in steps S621 and S622 of the information processing flow, for products identified as being among the top α products in terms of attractiveness, the "Increase the number of exhibiting stores" icon 27 is displayed in column 19 of "Suggestion for product replacement" as shown in Figure 9(A). As described in the explanation of step S621 above, based on the product display information and exhibited product information in Figures 3-5, the number of surplus spaces α = 1 is calculated, so in step S622, the top 1 product in terms of attractiveness is identified. Therefore, as shown in Figure 9(A), the "Increase the number of exhibiting stores" icon 27 is displayed only for the product with the highest attractiveness score, model number "JMAP660L" (Tsubame-Sanjo Teapot Set). If you double-click icon 27, which suggests "increasing the number of exhibiting stores," with your mouse and agree to "increase the number of exhibiting stores," then, as shown in Figure 9(B), icon 28 for "JMAP660L Tsubame-Sanjo Teapot Set" will be newly displayed in the frame (lower row) corresponding to the Osaka store in column 21 of the replacement candidates.

[0093] As shown in Figure 8, through the information processing in steps S631 and S632 of the information processing flow, for products identified as being among the top β in attractiveness scores, the "Rank Up" icon 29 is displayed in column 19 of "Product Replacement Proposal," as shown in Figure 9(A). As described in the explanation of step S631 above, the number of surplus A-rank sections β=1 is calculated from the product display information and exhibited product information in Figures 3-5, so in step S632, the top 1 product in attractiveness scores is identified. Therefore, as shown in Figure 9(A), the "Rank Up" icon 29 is displayed only for the product with the highest attractiveness score, model number "JMAP660L" (Tsubame-Sanjo Teapot Set). If you double-click icon 29, which suggests "ranking up," with the mouse to agree to "ranking up," then, as shown in Figure 9(B), icon 28 for "JMAP660L Tsubame-Sanjo Teapot Set" will be newly displayed in the "Product Replacement Suggestion" column corresponding to the section where the type (rank) identified by identification number "000100020101A" is A, and it will be decided to move the product to this section and rank up. Then, as shown in Figure 9(B), in the row corresponding to the section where the "JMAP660L" product (Tsubame-Sanjo Teapot Set) was displayed, column 19 of the "Product Replacement Proposal" column displays a message indicating that "Increase the number of exhibiting stores" and "Rank Up" have been decided, along with a new icon 20 that says "Drag replacement candidates here."

[0094] For products for which no suggestions were made in the judgment steps S61 to S632 of the information processing flow shown in Figure 8, the "Transfer to another store" icon 23 is displayed in column 19 of "Suggestion for product replacement" as shown in Figure 9(A). The products for which transfer to another store has been suggested are product number "KYO-113S" (Kyoto craft set), product number "SPT-701M" (gloves), product number "KPC-B10M" (backpack), product number "JYU-22113" (color shirt), and product number "JMAP273M" (Tsubame-Sanjo metal tray). If you double-click the icon 23 that suggests "moving to another store" for these products, and agree to "moving to another store," the product icon will be newly displayed in column 21 of the replacement candidates, as shown in Figure 9(B). Specifically, as shown in Figure 9(A), if you double-click the "Transfer to another store" icon 23 suggested for the product (gloves) with model number "SPT-701M" that was displayed at the Tokyo store, and agree to transfer it to another store, then as shown in Figure 9(B), a new icon 24 for "SPT-701M gloves" will appear in the frame (lower row) corresponding to the Osaka store in column 21 of the replacement candidates. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9(A), if you double-click the two "Transfer to another store" icons 23 that are suggested for the product with model number "JYU-22113" (color shirt) and the product with model number "JMAP273M" (Tsubame-Sanjo metal tray) that were displayed at the Osaka store, the icons 25 for "JYU-22113 color shirt" and 26 for "JMAP273M Tsubame-Sanjo metal tray" will be newly displayed in the frame (upper row) corresponding to the Tokyo store in column 21 of the replacement candidates, as shown in Figure 9(B).

[0095] As shown in Figure 9(B), for products for which the "Relocation to another store" proposal has been accepted, a message indicating that "Relocation to another store" has been decided, along with a "Drag replacement candidate here" icon 20, will be newly displayed in column 19 of "Product replacement proposal". On the other hand, for products for which the "move to another store" proposal was not accepted, the "move to another store" icon 23 remains displayed. For product "KYO-113S" (Kyoto craft set) and product "KPC-B10M" (backpack), as shown in column 18 labeled "Attractiveness," they were highly attractive products, and therefore the proposal to move them to another store was not accepted. In the first embodiment, the program proposes "relocating to another store" for products that were not offered "increase in the number of exhibiting stores" or "rank-up." However, the present invention is not limited to this form, and the proposal program may propose "relocating to another store" only for products whose attractiveness value is below a certain number, among the products for which "increase in the number of exhibiting stores" or "rank-up" were not offered. This has the effect of securing the number of visitors by continuously displaying highly attractive products, encouraging product exhibitors to continue exhibiting their products, and ultimately enabling the stable operation of the store.

[0096] As shown in Figure 9(B), four new product icons are displayed in column 21 of the "Replacement Candidates" section. In the frame corresponding to the Tokyo store (top row), icons 25 for "JYU-22113 Color Shirt" and 26 for "JMAP273M Tsubame-Sanjo Metal Tray" are displayed. If you drag these icons with the mouse to one of the two "Drag replacement candidate here" icons 20 corresponding to the shelf sections of the Tokyo store displayed in column 19 of "Product replacement suggestion," the product replacement will be decided, and the product will be displayed in the section where you dragged it. In the "Replacement Candidates" column 21, the frame corresponding to the Osaka store (lower row) displays the icons for "SPT-701M Gloves" (24) and "JMAP660L Tsubame-Sanjo Teapot Set" (28). If you drag these icons with the mouse to one of the two "Drag replacement candidate here" icons (20) corresponding to the shelf sections of the Osaka store displayed in the "Product Replacement Suggestion" column 19, the product replacement will be decided, and the product will be displayed in the section where you dragged it. As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, a function and a suggestion program can be executed that propose a method for replacing products.

[0097] Furthermore, it is preferable to offer exhibitors perks such as increasing the number of stores exhibiting or upgrading their booth size without changing the fees. In this case, it effectively amounts to a fee reduction for the exhibitors, thus fulfilling the "proposal for a product rotation method that prioritizes the display of products according to their attractiveness" of the present invention, and simultaneously "a proposal to provide perks to exhibitors of products according to their attractiveness." In this invention, by providing incentives to exhibitors of products according to their attractiveness, it becomes possible to continuously exhibit highly attractive products, secure the number of visitors, encourage exhibitors to continue exhibiting their products, and ultimately enable the stable operation of the store.

[0098] The "benefits" in this invention are not limited to those described above; other benefits may also be offered, such as discounts on exhibition fees or opportunities to exhibit other products free of charge. In the present invention, when proposing to provide benefits other than product replacement, product display information and exhibited product information may be used for information processing, but their use is not mandatory, and the proposed program can be a program that causes a computer to execute information processing including the following steps S1' to S. S1': Step to read customer action information from the customer action memory unit. S2': A step to generate statistical information, including the number of installations and / or followers for each product, based on customer action information read from the customer action memory unit. S3': A step to calculate the customer appeal of each product based on the statistical information generated in step S2'. S4': A step that generates a proposal to offer incentives to product exhibitors based on the attractiveness level calculated in step S3'. In addition, the "benefits" in this invention may be benefits such as providing exhibitors with a portion of the revenue obtained from advertising notices as a reward, as in the second embodiment described below.

[0099] 1-3. Second Embodiment Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing an information communication system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In a second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 10, a terminal 30 for managing product display shelves and registering products, and an advertising notification terminal 31 are installed in the main store 15. The product display shelf management and product registration terminal 30 is a terminal that combines the functions of a product display shelf management terminal and a product registration terminal according to the present invention. In the present invention, as in the second embodiment, one terminal may serve as both a product display shelf management terminal and a product registration terminal. The product display shelf management and product registration terminal 30 is connected to the outside world via a communication unit 3001 and connects to the Internet 7 via a communication hub 32. Similarly, the advertising notification terminal 31 is connected to the outside world via a communication unit 3101 and connects to the Internet 7 via a communication hub 32. In a second embodiment of the present invention, an information communication system 1 is configured that includes product display shelves 201, 202, 203, a product display shelf management and product registration terminal 30, customer terminals 501, 502, an application for customer terminals (not shown), a customer action storage unit 6, and an advertising notification terminal 31.

[0100] The product display shelf management and product registration terminal 30 shown in Figure 10 is a terminal used by product management staff working at the head office. The product management staff conducts sales activities with product manufacturers and others regarding the display of products in stores, and when a request for product display is received, they use the product display shelf management and product registration terminal 30 to register the product. The storage unit 3002 of the product display shelf management and product registration terminal 30 stores information about exhibited products. The product management staff can use a keyboard 3004 connected to the input unit 3003 or a mouse (not shown) to display some of the exhibited product information and the input screen on the display 3006 connected to the output unit 3005, and add newly requested products to the exhibited product information. Furthermore, if the product management staff receives notification from a product exhibitor that they will be discontinuing their product, they can record the planned discontinuation date in the exhibited product information via the product display shelf management and product registration terminal 30.

[0101] The advertising notification terminal 31 shown in Figure 10 is a terminal used by advertising staff working at the head office for their work. The advertising staff conducts sales activities for online advertising through the information and communication system 1, and when an advertising request is received, they use the advertising notification terminal 31 to register the advertisement. As shown in Figure 10, the advertising staff can operate the advertising notification terminal 31 using a keyboard 3104 connected to the input unit 3103 or a mouse (not shown), displaying an operation screen on a display 3106 connected to the output unit 3105, and uploading advertising content received from the advertising client (advertiser) via email or other means to the storage unit 802 of the server 8. The program for displaying the operation screen and uploading the advertising content is stored in the storage unit 3102 of the advertising notification terminal 31, and is executed by reading the program and performing information processing using the CPU 3108 and memory 3107. The advertising content uploaded to the storage unit 802 of server 8 can be displayed on the touch panel displays of customer terminals 501 and 502 when the customer launches the customer terminal application. The timing of displaying the advertising content is not limited to these, but for example, when a customer uses the camera of customer terminals 501 and 502 to read identifiers 1101 to 1109 and identifies a product corresponding to that identifier, the information of the identified product can be displayed, and at the same time, advertising content for products related to that identified product can be displayed. When advertisement content is displayed on customer terminals 501 and 502, the number of times it is displayed is counted, and the number of times each advertisement is displayed is recorded in the storage unit 802 of server 8. Based on this record, advertisers can be billed for advertising fees corresponding to the number of times they are displayed.

[0102] In a second embodiment of the present invention, the product management person can use the suggested program of the product display shelf management and product registration terminal 30 shown in Figure 10 to offer a portion of the revenue from advertising fees obtained through advertising notifications as a reward to exhibitors of highly attractive products. The proposed program is stored in the memory unit 3002 of the product display shelf management and product registration terminal 30, and is executed by reading the program and performing information processing using the CPU 3008 and memory 3007. The proposed program used in the second embodiment of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to execute information processing including the following steps S1′ to S3′ and S4′′. S1': Step to read customer action information from the customer action memory unit. S2': A step to generate statistical information, including the number of installations and / or followers for each product, based on customer action information read from the customer action memory unit. S3': A step to calculate the customer appeal of each product based on the statistical information generated in step S2'. S4'': A step that generates a proposal to offer product exhibitors a portion of the advertising revenue earned from advertising notifications as a reward, based on the attractiveness score calculated in step S3''.

[0103] In step S'', information processing can be performed to calculate the amount of the reward according to the attractiveness level. For example, although not limited to these, the reward can be calculated using the following formula (4). Reward for product n = Advertising fee obtained through advertising notification × c × (Attractiveness of product n / Total attractiveness of all products) ... (4) (In the formula, n represents the product model number, and c represents a positive constant.)

[0104] In the second embodiment of the present invention, the advertising notification is displayed on the touch panel displays of customer terminals 501 and 502 shown in Figure 10 when a customer launches the customer terminal application. Therefore, in order to widely distribute the advertising notification, it is important to encourage the installation of the customer terminal application. Accordingly, by providing exhibitors with a reward based on the attractiveness of the product calculated based on statistical information including the number of installations, it is possible to properly evaluate and reward the exhibitors' contributions to products that motivated customers to install the product. This makes it possible to stably operate not only the sales promotion and marketing business through product displays in stores, but also the advertising business.

[0105] 1-4. Third Embodiment Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing an information communication system according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In a third embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 11, in addition to the Tokyo store 901, stores 90X and 90Y are established in each prefecture. In the third embodiment of the present invention, the Tokyo store 901 and the stores 90X and 90Y in each prefecture together constitute an information and communication system with stores in all 47 prefectures. The stores established in each prefecture have different actual market areas (areas where more than 70% of customers reside), and customers residing within the market area of ​​one store rarely have the opportunity to visit other stores and interact with the products displayed there. Therefore, by regularly circulating and changing the products displayed in these stores, customers can interact with new products each time they revisit a store. At the same time, this provides product exhibitors with the opportunity to appeal to consumers nationwide. In the third embodiment of the present invention, the information and communication system 1 shown in Figure 11 enables such product rotation, thereby encouraging repeat visits to stores, securing the number of visitors, encouraging product exhibitors to continue exhibiting their products, and ultimately enabling the stable operation of the stores.

[0106] Each store in each prefecture (90X,90Y) is equipped with at least one product display shelf (20X,20Y), and each product display shelf (20X,20Y) is divided into multiple sections (100X,100Y) for displaying products, with identifiers (110X,110Y) displayed corresponding to each section (100X,100Y). In each prefecture, the walls of the 90X and 90Y stores are affixed with QR codes (registered trademark) 120X and 120Y for downloading customer terminal applications. Customers can install customer terminal applications by scanning these QR codes (registered trademark) 120X and 120Y with their customer terminals (50X and 50Y).

[0107] In a third embodiment of the present invention, product replacements can be planned using the proposed program, similar to the first embodiment. In the first embodiment of the present invention, after calculating attractiveness based on statistical information including the number of installations and / or followers, as shown in Figure 9(A), it is proposed to replace products with an increased number of exhibiting stores by displaying the "Increase number of exhibiting stores" icon 27 for products with high attractiveness values. If this is approved, as shown in Figure 9(B), the icon 28 for the product with an increased number of exhibiting stores is displayed in the frame corresponding to the Osaka store in the column of replacement candidates 21, and it is proposed that the additional store to exhibit is the Osaka store. In a third embodiment of the present invention, it is similarly proposed to rotate products to increase the number of exhibiting stores. However, for additional stores to exhibit, information processing is performed that refers to information recorded in the product display information about what products were previously displayed in each section, making it possible to propose exhibiting in stores that have never exhibited before.

[0108] Furthermore, in the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 9(A), for products for which "increase the number of exhibiting stores" or "rank up" has not been proposed, the "move to another store" icon 23 is displayed to propose replacing the products with other stores. If this is approved, as shown in Figure 9(B), icons 24, 25, and 26 of the products to be moved are displayed in the replacement candidate column 21, and it is proposed that the product with icon 24 (gloves) be moved to the Osaka store, and the products with icons 25 (color shirts) and 26 (Tsubame-Sanjo metal trays) be moved to the Tokyo store. In a third embodiment of the present invention, similar to the first embodiment, it is proposed to perform product replacement by moving products to other stores. However, regarding the destination stores, by performing information processing that refers to information recorded in the product display information about what products were previously displayed in each section, it is possible to propose exhibiting in stores where products have never been displayed before.

[0109] Proposals for replacing products based on information processing that references information recorded in product display information about what products were previously displayed in each section are not limited to proposing to exhibit in stores where the product has never been exhibited before. For example, it may also be proposed to exhibit in stores in prefectures adjacent to the currently exhibiting stores that have never exhibited before. Furthermore, if the product is already exhibited in all stores, it may be proposed to exhibit in the store where the longest period has passed since the last exhibition.

[0110] The third embodiment of the present invention involved establishing stores in all 47 prefectures. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Instead of establishing stores in all 47 prefectures, it is also possible to establish multiple stores located in different areas with varying market share.

[0111] 2. Information Processing Methods The information processing method of the present invention is the information processing method described in [4] to [6] above in [Means for Solving the Problem]. Details of the information processing method invention are as follows: 1. Information and communication systems As explained in detail in the previous chapter, the specific information processing methods of information and communication systems are as described above.

[0112] 3. Program The program of the present invention is the program described in [7] to [9] above under [Means for Solving the Problems]. Details of the program invention are as follows: 1-2-6. Function and program for proposing methods for replacing products and offering benefits. As explained in detail in the section above, the information processing flow of a specific program is as follows. [Industrial applicability]

[0113] The information communication system, information processing method, and program of the present invention, by using product display shelves with identifiers and hardware for information communication and information processing, can collect information on what products customers are interested in, and utilize that information to propose methods for changing products or to provide benefits to product exhibitors, thus serving as a useful tool for product sales promotion or marketing. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0114] 1. Information and communication systems 201~203,20X,20Y Product display shelf 3. Product display shelf management terminal 301 Communications Department 302 Storage section 303 Input section 304 Keyboard 305 Output section 306 displays 307 memory 308 CPU 4. Terminal for product registration 401 Communications Department 402 Storage section 403 Input section 404 Keyboard 405 Output section 406 displays 407 memory 408 CPU 501, 502, 50X, 50Y Customer Terminals 51 Touch panel display 52 "Purchase" button 53 Star 54 "Rate" button 55 "Post a comment" button 6. Customer Action Memory Unit 7. Internet 8 servers 801 Communications Department 802 Storage section 803 memory 804 CPU 901 stores, Tokyo store 902 stores, Osaka store 90X, 90Y Stores in each prefecture Sections 1001-1009, 100X, 100Y 11 Identifiers 1101~1109,110X,110Y Identifier QR code for application download (registered trademark) for 1201, 1202, 120X, and 120Y. 13 shelf labels 14 LCD display screen 15 Main Store 16 Exhibitor's Office 17 Display screen 18. The "Attractiveness" column 19. Column for "Suggestions for replacing products" 20. "Drag replacement candidates here" icon 21. Column for "Replacement Candidates" 22 Product (Glass Bowl) Icons 23. Icon for "Relocating to another store" 24 Product (Gloves) Icon 25 Product (Colored Shirt) Icons 26 Product (Tsubame-Sanjo Metal Tray) Icon 27. Icon for "Increase the number of exhibiting stores" 28 Product (Tsubame-Sanjo Teapot Set) Icon 29 "Rank Up" icon 30. Terminals for managing product display shelves and registering products. 3001 Communications Department 3002 Storage section 3003 Input section 3004 Keyboard 3005 Output section 3006 Display 3007 memory 3008 CPU 31. Device for advertising notifications 3101 Communications Department 3102 Storage section 3103 Input section 3104 Keyboard 3105 Output Section 3106 Display 3107 memory 3108 CPU 32 Communication Hubs S001~S7 Each step of information processing

Claims

1. An information and communication system that enables sales promotion or marketing starting from product display shelves, A product display shelf is provided, which is divided into sections for displaying products and has an identifier attached to each section or to identify the products displayed in each section. A product display shelf management terminal that manages product display information including the location of one or more product display shelves, the location or type of the section, and information on what products are currently displayed in the section, A product registration terminal that accepts applications to display the aforementioned product on any of the aforementioned product display shelves, A customer terminal used by customers visiting a store where the aforementioned product display shelves are installed, An application for customer terminals, which is installed and used on the customer terminal, and which has the function of reading the identifier and the function of following specific products that the customer likes, A customer action storage unit stores customer action information including the product corresponding to the identifier that the customer first read after installing the customer terminal application when they visited the store, and / or the result of following up on the product after installation. Equipped with, An information and communication system characterized in that the product display shelf management terminal has a function to calculate the attractiveness of a product to customers based on statistical information including the number of installations and / or follows for each product measured based on the customer action information, and to propose a method of rotating products to prioritize displaying the product according to its attractiveness, and / or to propose to provide benefits to the exhibitor of the product according to its attractiveness.

2. The aforementioned information and communication system further includes an advertising notification terminal capable of sending advertising notifications to the customer terminal application, The information and communication system according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned benefit is a benefit that provides the exhibitor with a portion of the revenue obtained from the advertising notification as a reward.

3. The aforementioned stores are established in multiple locations, The aforementioned product display information includes information on what products have been displayed in the area in the past. The information communication system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the product display shelf management terminal has a function to propose a method for rotating and displaying the products among multiple stores located in different locations within their respective market areas, based on the product display information.

4. An information processing method that enables sales promotion or marketing starting from product display shelves, A product display shelf is provided, which is divided into sections for displaying products and has an identifier attached to each section or to identify the products displayed in each section. A product display shelf management terminal that manages product display information including the location of one or more product display shelves, the location or type of the section, and information on what products are currently displayed in the section, A product registration terminal that accepts applications to display the aforementioned product on any of the aforementioned product display shelves, A customer terminal used by customers visiting a store where the aforementioned product display shelves are installed, An application for customer terminals that is installed and used on the customer terminal and has the function of reading the identifier and the function of following specific products that the customer likes. A customer action storage unit that stores customer actions regarding the aforementioned product and Using The steps include storing in the customer action storage unit the information of the product corresponding to the identifier that was first read by the customer after the customer installed the customer terminal application upon visiting the store, and / or the results of the customer following the product using the customer terminal application; The steps include generating statistical information, including the number of installations and / or followers for each product, based on the information stored in the customer action memory unit, A step of calculating the attractiveness of the product to customers based on the aforementioned statistical information, A step of generating a method for rotating products to prioritize displaying the products according to their attractiveness, and / or generating a proposal to offer benefits to exhibitors of the products according to their attractiveness. An information processing method characterized by including

5. A computer manages the display of goods in product display shelves, which are divided into sections for displaying goods and each section or the goods displayed in that section is marked with an identifier. A step of reading product display information from the first storage unit, which includes information on the location of one or more product display shelves, the location or type of the section, and what products are currently displayed in the section. The steps include: reading from the second storage unit the exhibited product information for the products to be displayed on the product display shelves, which has been received and stored by the product registration terminal; After an application for customer terminals having the function of reading the identifier and the function of following a specific product that the customer likes is installed on a customer terminal used by a customer visiting the store where the product display shelves are installed, the customer action information including the product information corresponding to the identifier that was read first, and / or information as a result of the customer following the product using the customer terminal application, is read from the third storage unit. The steps include generating statistical information, including the number of installations and / or followers for each product, based on the customer action information read from the third storage unit, The steps include calculating the attractiveness of each product to customers based on the aforementioned statistical information, The steps include generating a method for rotating products based on the product display information read from the first storage unit, the exhibited product information read from the second storage unit, and the attractiveness rating of each product, in which products are displayed preferentially according to their attractiveness rating, and / or generating a proposal to offer benefits to exhibitors of the products according to their attractiveness rating. A program characterized by performing information processing that includes information processing.

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