Electronic commerce system and its program

Abstract

This provides an e-commerce system and program that enables sellers who sell goods via gift cards to easily understand product inventory and supply schedules when receiving delivery requests from gift card recipients, thereby enabling a quick response. [Solution] The e-commerce system 1 reads the product code 26 of the gift card 25, and when a delivery date for the product is selected after viewing the delivery schedule information, if the supply of the product on that delivery date matches the number of orders, it includes an alert message indicating that delivery is not possible in the delivery schedule information and sends it to the product seller's store terminal 22.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an e-commerce system and its program that sells gift cards with product information recorded thereon and ships products according to the delivery date selected by the recipient of the gift card, and that enables the product shipping side to control the delivery date. In particular, the present invention also relates to an e-commerce system and its program that sells gift cards with cooked live fish as products and ships products according to the delivery date selected by the recipient of the gift card, and that enables the product shipping side to control the delivery date.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a method of obtaining products via gift cards has been known. For example, in Patent Document 1, a two-dimensional code encoding an image and URL of a product is printed on a card installed in a store, and by reading the two-dimensional code with a terminal device, one can connect to a web page related to the product and access a product description and an order screen for the product. A product sales system is disclosed. In addition, in Patent Document 2, when a sender hands over a gift card instead of a present to a recipient with a money code (two-dimensional barcode) attached thereto, the recipient inputs the money code (two-dimensional barcode) from the recipient's terminal, and the control unit of the system extracts a product group corresponding to the money code and displays it on the terminal. An Internet shopping system is disclosed in which the recipient inputs product information regarding a product selected from the displayed product group and recipient information including the recipient's name, address, etc., and the control unit associates the product information and the recipient information and holds it as order information.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0004] However, the inventions disclosed in these documents, while allowing recipients of goods to access a website from a terminal device via a gift card and order and have a specific product or group of products delivered, have a problem in that they cannot inform the recipient that the product is out of stock and therefore cannot be delivered if the receiving party is out of stock. In particular, when selling the same product via a gift card while regularly replenishing and supplying it, there is a problem in that the available delivery dates, taking replenishment and supply into consideration, cannot be displayed, and the recipient cannot freely choose from among them. Furthermore, the party receiving the order faced the challenge of not being able to control order processing and delivery at any time, even after issuing and selling gift cards, depending on the product supply schedule and inventory.

[0005] The present invention addresses the aforementioned conventional circumstances and aims to provide an e-commerce system and e-commerce program that, when issuing a gift card and receiving a delivery request from the recipient of the gift card, enables the receiving party to know the inventory and supply schedule of the goods in advance, and to respond quickly when there are shortages or when time is required for pre-processing and cooking, especially for live fish, and to display dates when delivery is not possible and dates when delivery is possible. Furthermore, regarding the delivery dates, the aim is to provide an e-commerce system and program that allows both recipients and order fulfillers to receive and ship products with greater flexibility by enabling the delivery schedule to be updated even after the gift card has been issued and sold, while adjusting the supply schedule according to product procurement and orders. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the first invention, an electronic commerce system, is an electronic commerce system for selling gift cards having a readable product code to a client, reading the product code of the gift card received from the client, viewing the product delivery schedule information, and delivering the product to a recipient who instructs delivery, comprising: a delivery schedule management unit for generating and updating the delivery schedule information; a supply schedule management unit for generating and updating the supply schedule information of the product by the seller of the gift card; and an order schedule management unit for generating and updating order schedule information regarding orders from the recipient. The order schedule management unit updates the order schedule information upon receiving delivery date specification information transmitted from the recipient's terminal that has viewed the delivery schedule information. The delivery schedule management unit compares the order schedule information with the supply schedule information, and if the number of orders matches the number of products to be supplied on the delivery date, it includes alert information in the delivery schedule information and transmits it to the seller's terminal. Furthermore, the present invention does not exclude cases where the client themselves instructs the delivery in order to receive the goods. In other words, the client and the recipient may be the same person.

[0007] Furthermore, the second invention, an electronic commerce system, is characterized in that, in the first invention, the supply schedule management unit is configured to be accessible from the seller's terminal and updates the supply schedule information in accordance with instruction information from the seller's terminal, and the delivery schedule management unit updates the delivery schedule information based on the update of the supply schedule information.

[0008] The third invention, an electronic commerce system, is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, idle period information is associated with the product code, the delivery schedule management unit generates and updates the delivery schedule information including the idle period information, and includes information in the delivery schedule information indicating that the delivery date cannot be selected when viewed by the recipient's terminal. Idling period information refers to information regarding situations where, depending on the product, it may not be possible to deliver immediately after procurement. For example, this could include situations where time is required for pre-processing or cooking of live fish, or when fish or fruit have a maturation period during which the seller needs to store them. It could also refer to situations where the period until the product arrives (procures) is known in advance, and supply is impossible before that period, or a period arbitrarily determined by the seller to stop accepting orders from recipients for their own reasons.

[0009] The fourth invention is an electronic commerce program, which is executed by a computer for selling a gift card having a readable product code to a client, reading the product code of the gift card received from the client, viewing the product delivery schedule information, and delivering the product to a recipient who instructs delivery, comprising: a delivery schedule generation step for generating product delivery schedule information; a supply schedule generation step for generating supply schedule information for the product by the seller of the gift card; and an order schedule generation step for generating order schedule information for orders from the recipient. The system is characterized by comprising: an order schedule update step, which updates the order schedule information upon receiving delivery date specification information transmitted from the recipient's terminal after viewing the delivery schedule information; and a supply alert step, which compares the updated order schedule information with the supply schedule information and, if the number of orders matches the number of products to be supplied on the delivery date, includes alert information in the delivery schedule information and transmits it to the seller's terminal.

[0010] Furthermore, the fifth invention, an electronic commerce program, is characterized in that, in the fourth invention, it includes a supply schedule update step, which updates the supply schedule information in accordance with instruction information from the seller's terminal after the supply alert step, and a delivery schedule update step, which updates the delivery schedule information based on the updated supply schedule information.

[0011] Furthermore, the sixth invention, an electronic commerce program, is characterized in that, in the fourth or fifth invention, idle period information is associated with the product code, the delivery schedule generation process generates the delivery schedule information including the idle period information, and the delivery schedule information includes information indicating that it cannot be selected as the delivery date when viewed by the recipient's terminal.

[0012] The seventh invention, an electronic commerce program, is characterized in that, in the fifth invention, idle period information is associated with the product code, the delivery schedule update step updates the delivery schedule information to include the idle period information, and includes information in the delivery schedule information indicating that the delivery date cannot be selected when viewed on the recipient's terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] In the electronic commerce system according to the first invention, the delivery schedule management unit receives delivery date specification information transmitted from the recipient's terminal that has viewed the delivery schedule information, compares the updated order schedule information with the supply schedule, and when the number of orders matches the supply of goods on the delivery date, it sends alert information to the seller along with the delivery schedule information. As a result, the seller can then realize that the recipient will no longer be able to select that delivery date, which provides an opportunity to replenish the goods for that day. This ensures the recipient's freedom to place orders while minimizing losses without losing the seller's profit opportunity.

[0014] Furthermore, in the electronic commerce system according to the second invention, the supply schedule management unit updates the supply schedule information in response to instructions from the seller's terminal, and the delivery schedule management unit updates the delivery schedule information based on the updated supply schedule. As a result, the delivery schedule is quickly updated in response to changes in the supply schedule made by the seller who receives the alert information, thus providing greater convenience to the seller and efficiently facilitating convenience for the recipient.

[0015] Furthermore, in the electronic commerce system relating to the third invention, since idle period information is linked to the product code, the delivery schedule management unit can generate and update the delivery schedule information including the idle period information. Therefore, when viewing on the recipient's terminal, it is possible to recognize that a delivery date cannot be selected, and the delivery schedule information can be easily updated to reflect the circumstances of periods when delivery is not possible as determined by the seller, thereby providing convenience to the seller.

[0016] The electronic commerce program relating to the fourth invention is an invention that treats the first invention as a program invention, and therefore its effects are basically the same as those of the first invention. Specifically, the system includes a supply alert process that includes an order schedule update process, which receives delivery date specification information from the recipient's terminal after they view the delivery schedule information and updates the order schedule information, and then compares the updated order schedule information with the supply schedule. If the number of orders matches the supply of goods on the delivery date, the supply alert information is included in the delivery schedule information and sent to the seller's terminal. This allows the seller to then realize that the recipient will no longer be able to select that delivery date, providing an opportunity to replenish the goods on that day, thus ensuring the recipient's flexibility in placing orders.

[0017] The electronic commerce program relating to the fifth invention is an invention that treats the second invention as a program invention, and therefore its effects are basically the same as those of the second invention. Specifically, after the supply alert process, a supply schedule update process for updating supply schedule information according to instruction information from the seller's terminal and a delivery schedule update process for updating the delivery schedule based on the updated supply schedule are executed, enabling the delivery schedule to be updated promptly, being highly convenient for the seller, and being able to efficiently provide convenience to the recipient.

[0018] Since the e-commerce trading program according to the sixth invention is an invention that captures a part of the third invention as a program invention, its effects are basically the same as those of the third invention. Specifically, since the idling period information is associated with the product code, when the recipient browses the product on the terminal, it is possible to recognize a schedule that cannot be selected as the delivery date at the time of browsing, and the circumstances of the undeliverable period determined by the seller can be easily reflected in the delivery schedule information, which can bring convenience to the seller.

[0019] Since the e-commerce trading program according to the seventh invention is an invention that captures a part of the third invention not covered by the sixth invention as a program invention, its effects are basically the same as those of the third invention. Specifically, while the sixth invention includes the idling period information in the delivery schedule information in the delivery schedule generation process, in the seventh invention, the idling period information is included in the delivery schedule information in the delivery schedule update process. Therefore, every time the recipient browses the product on the terminal, it is possible to recognize a schedule that cannot be selected as the delivery date at the time of browsing. Thus, the circumstances of the undeliverable period determined by the seller can also be easily reflected in the updated delivery schedule information, and further convenience can be brought to the seller.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a block diagram of an e-commerce trading system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2](a) is a conceptual diagram of the store database of the e-commerce system according to this embodiment, (b) is a conceptual diagram of the product database, (c) is a conceptual diagram of the schedule database, (d) is a conceptual diagram of the requester database, and (e) is a conceptual diagram of the recipient database. [Figure 3] (a) is a conceptual diagram of the store business database of the e-commerce system according to this embodiment, and (b) is a conceptual diagram of the gift card database. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart of e-commerce executed by the e-commerce system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a conceptual diagram for explaining the idling period when the fugu cooking ingredients are used as products in the e-commerce system according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a conceptual diagram showing the product selection screen displayed on the terminal of the product seller. [Figure 7] It is a conceptual diagram showing the input screen after product selection displayed on the terminal of the product seller. [Figure 8] It is a conceptual diagram showing the confirmation screen before gift card issuance displayed on the terminal of the product seller. [Figure 9] It is a conceptual diagram of the screen indicating that the gift card issuance has been completed and is displayed on the terminal of the product seller. [Figure 10] It is a conceptual diagram of the screen displayed when accessing the e-commerce system according to this embodiment from the terminal of the gift card recipient. [Figure 11] It is a conceptual diagram of the confirmation screen displayed after the gift card recipient inputs the delivery address information necessary to receive the product. <e [Figure 12a] It is a conceptual diagram of the supply schedule information when the recipient inputs the delivery date. [Figure 12b] It is a conceptual diagram of the order schedule information in which the number of orders and supplies match due to the recipient's input of the delivery date, and that day is shown in bold. [Figure 12c]Figure 12b is a conceptual diagram of delivery schedule information in the situation shown. [Figure 12d] This is a conceptual diagram of updated supply schedule information, designed to resolve discrepancies between the number of orders received and the number of items supplied. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] The following describes an e-commerce system according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to Figures 1-12. In this embodiment, a gift card is sold for prepared products such as pufferfish sashimi and pufferfish hot pot sets, and the product is shipped according to the delivery date selected by the recipient of the gift card. Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic commerce system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figures 2 and 3 are conceptual diagrams of the database of the electronic commerce system 1, respectively.

[0022] In Figure 1, the electronic commerce system 1 consists of an input unit 3, an output unit 5, a store terminal 22 connected via an information and communication network 2, a processing unit 4, and databases including a store database 6, a product database 7, a schedule database 8, a requester database 9, a recipient database 10, which are mainly for the operators of this system, and a store operations database 11 and a gift card database 12, which are mainly for stores that use this system to sell products. This e-commerce system 1 can be envisioned as a system equipped with arithmetic circuits and memory devices that can perform their respective functions within a computer server. Input unit 3 functions as an information / data receiving unit, and includes receiving devices from the store terminal 22, client terminal 23, recipient terminal 24, and the information communication network 2, as well as keyboards, mice, pen tablets, optical readers, etc., used by the administrator of the e-commerce system 1 when entering data. Information and data are supplied to the database 6-12 and processing unit 4 via input unit 3. Furthermore, the output unit 5 could be a display device, a transmission device to the information and communication network 2, or a transmitter that transfers data to other devices as a data transmission unit. Information and data are provided from the processing unit 4 and database 6-12 to the store terminal 22, the client terminal 23, and the recipient terminal 24 via the output unit 5. Furthermore, even if the components shown in Figure 1 are not integrated, it is possible to separate the input unit 3 and the output unit 5 and provide them as separate components, creating a system configuration in which data and information are transmitted and received via wired or wireless connections between the processing unit 4, the database 6-12, or the store terminal 22, the client terminal 23, or the recipient terminal 24.

[0023] As described above, the electronic commerce system 1 allows the store terminal 22 of the store owner or the store seller to access information about the store, information about gift cards, information about the requester and recipient, and various schedule information in the store operations database 11 and the gift card database 12, as well as input and output via the input unit 3 and output unit 5, and to send instruction information to the processing unit 4 and receive alert information from the processing unit 4. The client terminal 23 is the terminal of the client who purchases a gift card 25 sold at a store and wishes to have the product delivered to a third party as a gift via the gift card. The recipient terminal 24 is the terminal of the recipient who receives the gift card from the client and requests delivery from the seller to receive the gift product. Furthermore, if the sender and recipient are the same person, it is generally assumed that the sender's terminal 23 and the recipient's terminal 24 will also be the same person.

[0024] The processing unit 4 includes a store information processing unit 13 that receives information about stores and stores it in the store database 6, a client information processing unit 14 that receives information about clients and stores it in the client database 9, a recipient information processing unit 15 that receives information about recipients and stores it in the recipient database 10, a schedule management unit 16 that has a supply schedule management unit 17, an order schedule management unit 18, and a delivery schedule management unit 19, a product code / information generation unit 20 that generates product codes and product information and stores it in the product database 7, and a gift card issuing unit 21 that issues gift cards 25 and stores them in the gift card database 12. Furthermore, in addition to the aforementioned database, the e-commerce system 1 also includes a schedule database 8 and a store operations database 11.

[0025] Next, referring to Figures 2 and 3, we will explain the data stored in each database and also describe the content of the information handled in Electronic Commerce System 1. In Figure 2, (a) shows the store database 6, which stores store codes 27 and store information 32 in a readable format. The store code 27 is a code assigned by the operator of the e-commerce system 1 to identify stores, and the store information 32 is information about the store, such as the type of business, the name of the owner, the address, and contact information such as telephone and fax numbers, which the store information processing unit 13 receives from the store terminal 22 and stores in the store database 6. Furthermore, the store code 27 and the store information 32 are linked to each other, and the store database 6 stores information about multiple stores.

[0026] Figure 2(b) shows a product database 7 that stores product codes 26, product text information 28, and product image information 29 in a readable format. Product codes 26 are codes assigned by the operator of the e-commerce system 1 to identify products, product text information 28 is textual information about products sold via gift cards 25, and product image information 29 is image information about products. Both product text information 28 and product image information 29 are provided by the seller and received by the product code / information generation unit 20 from the store terminal 22, linked together with the product code 26, and stored in the product database 7. The product database 7 also stores information about multiple products.

[0027] Figure 2(c) shows a schedule database 8 that stores product codes 26, delivery schedule information 31, order schedule information 36, supply schedule information 35, and idling period information 30 in a readable format. Delivery schedule information 31 is information regarding the schedule on which the seller can deliver the product to the gift card recipient, and is generated, updated, and stored by the delivery schedule management unit 19 of the processing unit 4. Order schedule information 36 is information regarding the schedule of the confirmed delivery date after the recipient has completed the delivery request to the seller, and is generated, updated, and stored by the order schedule management unit 18 of the processing unit 4. Supply schedule information 35 is information regarding the schedule on which the seller can supply (deliver) the product, and is generated, updated, and stored by the supply schedule management unit 17 of the processing unit 4.

[0028] Furthermore, the idling period information 30 is information regarding the period during which the seller wishes to stop accepting orders from recipients for various reasons, as described above. It is generated, updated, and stored by the delivery schedule management unit 19, and included in the delivery schedule information 31. In this embodiment, the idling period is a period arbitrarily determined by the seller, but the starting point for its calculation could be, for example, from the time the recipient first views the product. In that case, when the recipient views the product again at a later date, the idling period information 30 will be shortened, which is considered more acceptable to the recipient than being shown the same length of idling period information 30 again. However, since the idling period information 30 also depends on the content and quality of the product, it is preferable to have it calculated from a point in advance that is appropriately determined by the seller. Therefore, if the recipient has not yet confirmed the delivery date, the idling period information 30 could be displayed each time the product is viewed, calculated from the time of that viewing. Furthermore, this schedule database 8 is also linked to product code 26 and stores information about multiple products.

[0029] Figure 2(d) shows the client database 9, which stores client codes 33 and client information 34 in a readable format. The client code 33 is a code assigned by the operator of the e-commerce system 1 to identify the product, and the client information 34 is information about the client provided by the client via the client terminal 23, such as address, name, contact telephone number or email address, etc. The client codes 33 and client information 34 are also linked, and information about multiple clients is stored. This information is received and stored by the client information processing unit 14 from the client's client terminal 23 via the input unit 3. Figure 2(e) shows the recipient database 10, which stores recipient information 37 in a readable format. Recipient information 37 is information about the recipient provided by the recipient via the recipient terminal 24, such as address, name, contact telephone number or email address, etc. This recipient information 37 is received and stored by the recipient information processing unit 15 from the recipient's recipient terminal 24 via the input unit 3. Furthermore, the operator of the electronic commerce system 1 can access the store database 6, product database 7, schedule database 8, client database 9, and recipient database 10 at any time via their own terminal or other device and the input unit 3.

[0030] Next, Figure 3(a) shows the store operations database 11, which stores store codes 27 and product codes 26 linked together. Furthermore, product codes 26 are linked to product text information 28, product image information 29, idle period information 30, supply schedule information 35, order schedule information 36, delivery schedule information 31, requester information 34, and recipient information 37. This data structure is necessary because the store operations database 11 is accessed by the stores, which are the sellers, via the input unit 3. Therefore, it is necessary to consolidate the products handled by each store, and furthermore, to consolidate information related to each product. Furthermore, Figure 3(b) shows the gift card database 12, in which store codes 27 and product codes 26 are linked and stored. In addition, store information 32 and gift card reading code 25a are linked to store code 27, and product text information 28, product image information 29, idling period information 30, and delivery schedule information 31 are linked and stored to product code 26. This gift card database 12 is also a database that the store, which is the seller, accesses via the input unit 3, and since it stores all the information related to the gift cards 25 issued for each product of the seller, it has a linked data structure. In this application, "code" refers to a concept that includes not only one-dimensional and two-dimensional codes, but also figures, images, numbers, letters, and symbols that can be converted to represent data and information. Furthermore, "readable code" specifically refers to one-dimensional and two-dimensional codes, which are codes that cannot be read by the human eye but can be read by a dedicated reading device. Furthermore, sellers can access the store operations database 11 and the gift card database 12 via the store terminal 22 and the input unit 3.

[0031] The operation of e-commerce system 1 will be explained below, with reference to Figure 4, and the procedures for e-commerce and the flow of product delivery management using this system will be described. Figure 4 is a flowchart of an e-commerce transaction performed by the e-commerce system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This Figure 4 also represents the execution process of the e-commerce program of the present invention, and explaining the flow of e-commerce in the e-commerce system 1 while referring to this figure is equivalent to explaining an embodiment of the e-commerce program using a computer. In Figure 4, the symbols indicated by leader lines from the description of the process indicated by "S," and the symbols indicated by leader lines from the dashed lines covering the description of the process, are components of the electronic commerce system 1 shown in Figure 1, and their symbols are the same. Steps S1 to S6 in Figure 4 represent the process of registering information about the seller's store and information about the products they wish to sell with the e-commerce system 1, the seller selecting products from the registered product group, generating and issuing gift cards, and selling them.

[0032] Step S1 is the store and product information transmission and generation process. The store terminal 22 transmits information such as the store name, store location, and contact information, along with the store code 27 obtained in advance from the operator of the e-commerce system 1, to the store information processing unit 13. At the same time, it transmits information such as the name of the product the seller wishes to sell, its materials, management methods such as transportation and storage, and product images to the product code and information generation unit 20. The store information processing unit 13 receives information about the store, generates store information 32, and stores it in the store database 6 and the gift card database 12, linking it to the store code 27. The product code / information generation unit 20 receives information about a product and generates a product code 26, product text information 28, and product image information 29. It also stores the product code 26 in the product database 7 and the schedule database 8, and stores the product text information 28 and product image information 29 in the product database 7 in association with them. Furthermore, the store information processing unit 13 links the product text information 28 and product image information 29 generated by the product code / information generation unit 20 to the product code 26, and then links the product code 26 to the store code 27, and stores them in the store operations database 11 and the gift card database 12 in a readable format.

[0033] Step S2 is the process of generating supply schedule information 35. The store terminal 22 transmits the supply schedule for each product that the seller wishes to sell to the supply schedule management unit 17, and the supply schedule management unit 17 generates the supply schedule information 35. The supply schedule indicates when the product will be secured as inventory and should be updated when a purchase is made. The supply schedule information 35 refers to information about the entire supply schedule, which is linked to a calendar. The supply schedule management unit 17 stores the generated supply schedule information 35 in the schedule database 8, linked to the product code 26. Furthermore, the supply schedule management unit 17 stores the supply schedule information 35 generated by the supply schedule management unit 17 in a readable format in the store operations database 11, linking it to the product code 26.

[0034] Step S3 is the process of generating delivery schedule information 31 and idle period information 30. The store terminal 22 transmits the delivery schedule and idle period for each product that the seller wishes to sell to the delivery schedule management unit 19, and the delivery schedule management unit 19 generates the delivery schedule information 31 and idle period information 30. The delivery schedule indicates the days the recipient can choose as their delivery date, while the idle period indicates the days on which orders from recipients will be excluded. Since gift card 25 was not issued in Step S3, the delivery schedule likely shows that delivery is possible on all days for which a supply schedule exists, and the idling period has probably already been determined by the seller. Here, we will explain the idling period with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the idling period when pufferfish dishes are sold as products in the e-commerce system according to this embodiment. In Figure 5, when preparing pufferfish, it is desirable to keep them alive for about 3 days from the date of purchase to the date of preparation. Keeping them alive is a pre-treatment to remove the stress caused by transportation, expel any remaining food or waste products from the body of the tiger pufferfish, and firm up the flesh by fasting. After preparation, it is possible to allow about 2 days for maturation or refrigerated storage without compromising quality. The idling period in this embodiment is a period set appropriately while considering quality and safety in order to allow the seller ample time to sell the product. The delivery schedule information 31 refers to information about the entire delivery schedule corresponding to the calendar, and the idle period information 30 refers to information about the idle period corresponding to the calendar. The delivery schedule management unit 19 links the generated delivery schedule information 31 and idle period information 30 to the product code 26 and stores them in the schedule database 8 and the store operations database 11.

[0035] Step S4 is the process of generating order schedule information 36. The store terminal 22 sends blank schedule information for each product that the seller wishes to sell to the order schedule management unit 18, and the order schedule management unit 18 generates order schedule information 36. The order schedule indicates that a recipient who wishes to receive a product has placed an order and specified the desired delivery date. In step S4, the gift card 25 has not yet been issued, and the order schedule is completely undecided and empty. The order schedule information 36 refers to the entire order schedule, including the empty state, and is linked to the calendar. The order schedule management unit 18 stores the generated order schedule information 36 in the schedule database 8 and the store operations database 11, linking it to the product code 26. Note that the order of steps S1 to S4 does not have to be as shown in Figure 4, and is not particularly limited.

[0036] Step S5 is the process of generating and issuing gift cards 25 by the gift card issuing unit 21. The seller generates and issues the gift card 25 via the store terminal 22. This process will be explained with reference to Figure 6-9. Figure 6 is a conceptual diagram showing the product selection screen displayed on the store terminal 22 of the product seller. In Figure 6, the gift card issuing unit 21 reads a list of product names and product image information 29, which are product text information 28 transmitted and generated in step S1, from the gift card database 12 and displays it on the screen of the seller's store terminal 22. The seller then selects a product from this list to issue a gift card for via the gift card issuing unit 21 from the store terminal 22. Figure 6 shows an example of wording prompting the seller to select a product as "Step 1," and a "Close" banner is displayed at the bottom for closing the screen after selecting a product.

[0037] Figure 7 is a conceptual diagram showing the input screen displayed on the store terminal of a product seller after product selection. In Figure 7, the selected product "Natural Pufferfish Hot Pot (4-5 people)" is displayed on the store terminal 22 by the gift card issuing unit 21, and as "Step 2," the customer is prompted to input additional necessary product text information 28, such as a message about the product. The gift card issuing unit 21 also displays the store code 27 and store name as store information 32, as well as the product code 26 and product name (product text information 28) related to this product, on the store terminal 22 from the gift card database 12. On this screen, the seller enters a message and selects the "Issuance Procedure" banner at the bottom of the screen, which will take them to the final confirmation screen shown in Figure 8. To re-enter the message, similarly select the "Reset" banner.

[0038] Figure 8 is a conceptual diagram showing the confirmation screen displayed on the store terminal 22 of the product seller before the gift card is issued. Specifically, as "Step 3," the final confirmation screen is displayed after the prompt to enter additional product text information 28 as shown in Figure 7. Here, when the seller clicks the "Issue" banner at the bottom of the screen from the store terminal 22 to the gift card issuing unit 21, a gift card 25 is generated as digital data, and a physical gift card 25 is also created. Selecting "Back" returns to the screen shown in Figure 7.

[0039] Figure 9 is a conceptual diagram of the screen displayed on the store terminal 22 of the product seller, indicating that the gift card issuance is complete. When "Issue" is selected on the screen in Figure 8, the gift card issuing unit 21 generates a gift card reading code 25a that can read the product code 26 and store code 27, and generates a digital gift card 25 including this code. The gift card issuing unit 21 then links the gift card reading code 25a to the store code 27 and product code 26 and stores it in the gift card database 12 so that it can be read. The gift card reading code 25a is a two-dimensional code that can be read by a general code reader, as shown in Figure 9, but a one-dimensional code is also acceptable as long as the product code 26 and store code 27 can be read. The gift card 25 is generated as digital data and, as shown in Figure 1, contains linked information including the product code 26, store code 27, and gift card reading code 25a. This means that when the gift card reading code 25a is read by a code reader, the product code 26 and store code 27 are included as information. Furthermore, when these gift cards 25 are sold in the next step S6, they are either printed on paper or plastic media after being output from the gift card database 12 via the output unit 5, or they are sold as electronic data images, for example, displayed on a store terminal 22 and read by the customer terminal 23. From the standpoint of preventing misidentification, it is desirable that the gift cards 25 be recognized as images like those shown in Figure 9, whether they are electronic data images or printed on paper or plastic media, but it is not necessarily required that they be identical. Furthermore, the gift card issuing unit 21 reads the delivery schedule information 31 and idling period information 30 generated by the delivery schedule management unit 19 from the store operations database 11, links them to the product code 26, and stores them in the gift card database 12 in a readable format. Furthermore, at the time of step S5, the delivery schedule information 31 is in the same state as the supply schedule information 35, and delivery is possible on all days when inventory is available, excluding the idle period.

[0040] Step S6 is the sales process for the gift card 25. The gift card 25 can be read as digital data or sold as a physical gift card 25, and may be sold at the seller's store or other stores, and depending on the product, it may be sold at department stores, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, home improvement stores, etc., and there are no particular restrictions on the sales location. Furthermore, it may also be sold on an e-commerce site or other network.

[0041] Step S7 is a process of updating supply schedule information 35 that may be performed between the sale of gift cards 25 in Step S6 and the purchase and issuance of gift cards 25 in Step S9. In step S7, the supply schedule management unit 17 receives instruction information regarding the input of the supply schedule from the store terminal 22 operated by the seller. The supply schedule management unit 17 reads the supply schedule information 35 from the store operations database 11, modifies and updates the supply schedule information 35 based on the supply schedule information entered by the seller, and stores it. Furthermore, the supply schedule management unit 17 stores the updated supply schedule information 35 in the schedule database 8 in a readable format.

[0042] Step S8 is the process of updating the delivery schedule information 31 when the supply schedule information 35 has been updated in step S7. In step S8, the delivery schedule management unit 19 reads the delivery schedule information 31 from the store operations database 11, modifies and updates the delivery schedule information 31 based on the supply schedule information 35, and stores it. The delivery schedule management unit 19 also stores the updated delivery schedule information 31 in the schedule database 8 in a readable format. Furthermore, the gift card issuing unit 21 reads the updated delivery schedule information 31 and stores it in the gift card database 12, updating it. As described above, in the electronic commerce system 1 according to this embodiment, sellers can update supply schedule information 35 via the store terminal 22 in accordance with the procurement status of goods. Specifically, the supply schedule management unit 17 updates the supply schedule information 35 in response to instructions from the seller's store terminal 22, and the delivery schedule management unit 19 updates the delivery schedule information 31 based on the update of the supply schedule information 35.

[0043] Therefore, this information can be updated independently of the creation, issuance, or sale of the gift card 25. Even after the gift card 25 has been sold, the delivery schedule information 31 can be updated as needed, which is convenient for the seller and prevents them from losing profits. Moreover, the possibility of the gift card 25 becoming invalid for the recipient who ultimately receives the product is reduced, resulting in a gift system that offers a high degree of flexibility and efficient convenience. Furthermore, when the seller updates the supply schedule information 35 from the store terminal 22, they may, if necessary, have the delivery schedule management unit 19 read the idle period information 30 from the schedule database 8 and the store operations database 11 and update it. In that case, the gift card issuing unit 21 also updates the gift card database 12 by storing the updated idle period information 30.

[0044] Step S9 is the process that follows the case where the supply schedule information 35 was not updated in step S7, or where the delivery schedule information 31 was updated in step S8, and is the process in which the client purchases the gift card 25 from the seller. The client terminal 23 transmits information about the client to the client information processing unit 14 via the input unit 3. The client information processing unit 14 receives this information, generates a client code 33 and client information 34, and links them together to store them in the client database 9 in a readable format. The client information 34 is information that can identify the client, and it is desirable that it includes at least the client's name and address or telephone number. If client code 33 and client information 34 have already been generated, any modifications or updates to client information 34 will be stored in client database 9. Furthermore, the client information processing unit 14 stores the generated client information 34 in the store operations database 11 in a readable format, linking it to the product code 26.

[0045] Next, step S10 is the process of transferring the gift card 25 to the recipient, i.e., the person to whom the goods purchased via the gift card 25 are to be given. The recipient includes not only the person who received the gift card directly from the person who received it, but also recipients who received it from the person who received it, and refers to the recipient who actually accesses the e-commerce system 1 in the next step S11.

[0046] In step S11, when the recipient reads the product code 26 from the gift card reading code 25a displayed on the gift card 25 using the recipient terminal 24, the recipient information processing unit 15 uses the product code 26 as a key to read product text information 28, product image information 29, and delivery schedule information 31 from the gift card database 12 and display them on the recipient terminal 24. Figure 10 illustrates this state. Figure 10 is a conceptual diagram of the screen displayed when the recipient of a gift card accesses the electronic commerce system according to this embodiment from their terminal. In Figure 10, delivery schedule information 31 is shown using July 2024 as an example, but the period from the 1st to the 8th, indicated by hatching, is shown as idling period information 30 and cannot be selected by the recipient. In this embodiment, the idling period is indicated, meaning that delivery dates cannot be selected for approximately 8 days starting from July 1st. All other days from the 9th onward are marked with a circle, indicating that any of these days can be selected as delivery dates.

[0047] By displaying the idling period information 30 in this way, recipients can recognize that the idling period cannot be selected as a delivery date from the time they view it on their terminal 24. For sellers, this allows them to easily reflect their predetermined periods of non-delivery in the delivery schedule information, thereby increasing flexibility in product sales and delivery, and improving convenience for sellers. Furthermore, the bottom of Figure 10 shows a screen for entering "delivery address information," prompting the recipient to enter their information. When the recipient inputs information to the recipient information processing unit 15 via the input unit 3 and the recipient terminal 24, the recipient information processing unit 15 generates recipient information 37 and stores it in the recipient database 10 in a readable format. The recipient information processing unit 15 also links the recipient information 37 to the product text information 28 and stores it in the store operations database 11 in a readable format. As shown in Figure 10, the recipient information 37 should preferably include at least the recipient's name and address, as well as contact information that allows for delivery, such as postal code, telephone number, and email address.

[0048] Step S12 is the process where the recipient enters the delivery date (desired delivery date). The recipient selects a delivery date via the recipient terminal 24, while viewing the delivery schedule information 31 shown in Figure 10, as described above. In the delivery schedule information 31, a circle is displayed in the column for July 31, indicating that delivery is possible. Therefore, in step S12, the recipient selects July 31 as the delivery date via the recipient terminal 24. The recipient terminal 24 transmits information regarding the delivery date (July 31st) that aligns with the recipient's preference, along with the product code 26, to the delivery schedule management unit 19. The delivery schedule management unit 19 reads the delivery schedule information 31 linked to the product code 26 from the schedule database 8, updates it including the delivery date, and stores it. The updated delivery schedule information 31 is also stored and updated in the store operations database 11 by the delivery schedule management unit 19. Furthermore, the updated delivery schedule information 31 is stored and updated in the gift card database 12 by the gift card issuing unit 21. Figure 11 is a conceptual diagram of the confirmation screen displayed after the recipient of the gift card enters the delivery address information necessary to receive the product. It can be seen that the recipient entered July 31st as their desired delivery date. Other "delivery address information" is also displayed. After confirming the contents of this screen, the recipient selects the "Apply" banner at the bottom of the screen from the store terminal 22 to confirm the use of the gift card 25. To change the delivery date, etc., select "Back" at the bottom of the screen and re-enter the information on the screen shown in Figure 10.

[0049] Step S13 is the process in which the order schedule information 36 is updated in accordance with the delivery date entered in step S12. The order schedule management unit 18 reads the updated delivery schedule information 31 and order schedule information 36 from the schedule database 8, updates the order schedule information 36 based on the updated delivery schedule information 31, and stores it. Furthermore, the updated order schedule information 36 is also stored and updated in the store operations database 11 by the order schedule management unit 18. Step S13 will be explained with reference to Figures 12(a) and (b). Figure 12(a) is a conceptual diagram of supply schedule information when the recipient enters the delivery date, and Figure 12(b) is a conceptual diagram of order schedule information where the number of orders and supplies match due to the recipient's input of the delivery date, and that day is shown in bold. In the order schedule information 36 shown in Figure 12(b), the number of orders for July 31st has been updated to 16, as the recipient has selected July 31st as the delivery date. However, this number of orders, "16," matches the number of orders supplied on July 31st in the supply schedule information 35 shown in Figure 12(a), which leads to the next step, S14, the delivery alert issuance process.

[0050] Step S14 is the delivery alert sending process. This process will be explained with reference to Figure 12(c). When the order schedule information 36 is updated in step S13 as shown in Figure 12(b), the delivery schedule management unit 19 reads the supply schedule information 35 and the order schedule information 36 from the schedule database 8 and the store operations database 11, and compares the number of goods to be supplied and the number of orders on the delivery date requested by the recipient. When those numbers match, other recipients will not be able to select that day as their delivery date. Therefore, the delivery schedule management unit 19 reads the delivery schedule information 31 from the schedule database 8 and the store operations database 11, updates it with delivery alert information indicating that delivery is not possible on that day, stores it in the schedule database 8 and the store operations database 11, and also transmits it to the seller's store terminal 22. Figure 12(c) shows the delivery schedule information 31, which includes the delivery alert information. An "X" mark is displayed in the column for July 31st, which was selected by the recipient, and it can be seen that the delivery schedule information 31 in Figure 10 has been updated to include the delivery alert information. Therefore, sellers can easily recognize delivery alert information on the store terminal 22. In that state, they can then sense that the recipient will no longer be able to select that delivery date, which can serve as an opportunity to replenish the product for that day, enabling uninterrupted sales and deliveries. This ensures that recipients have the freedom to place orders, while also preventing sellers from losing profit opportunities. Furthermore, the updated delivery schedule information 31 is stored in the gift card database 12 by the gift card issuing unit 21 and updated accordingly. In this embodiment, the delivery alert information is shown as an "X" mark, but the display method is not particularly limited; any expression that functions as a warning is acceptable. Also, although the delivery alert information is included in the delivery schedule information 31 and updated and sent to the seller's store terminal 22, the delivery schedule management unit 19 may also send the delivery alert information to the store terminal 22 independently. In that case, only the date on which the number of products supplied and the number of orders match may be used as the delivery alert information.

[0051] Step S15 is the process of updating the supply schedule information 35 after the delivery alert information has been sent to the store terminal 22 in step S14. This process will be explained with reference to Figure 12(d). Step S15 occurs when the seller intends to supply the goods after receiving delivery alert information on the seller's store terminal 22. The store terminal 22 sends an additional supply schedule for the goods that the seller intends to supply to the supply schedule management unit 17. The supply schedule management unit 17 then reads, updates, and stores the supply schedule information 35 from the store operations database 11 and the schedule database 8. Figure 12(d) shows the supply schedule information 35, which indicates that the supply quantity on July 31st increased from "16" to "20". Since the number of orders received on that day was "16", it can be understood that the supply quantity was increased by "4" to allow for a buffer in the order volume.

[0052] Step S16 is the delivery schedule update process. This process is a follow-up to step S15 when the supply schedule information 35 has been updated. The delivery schedule management unit 19 reads the delivery schedule information 31 from the schedule database 8 and the store operations database 11, updates them according to the updated supply schedule information 35, and stores them. Furthermore, the gift card issuing unit 21 stores the updated delivery schedule information 31 in the gift card database 12 and updates it. Once the delivery schedule information 31 is updated in step S16, the system returns to step S14 to wait for the next delivery alert information to be issued. On the other hand, if no delivery alert is issued in step S14, or if the supply schedule information 35 is not provided in step S15, the process returns to step S14. Furthermore, similar to step S8, when updating the supply schedule information 35 from the store terminal 22, the seller may, as necessary, have the delivery schedule management unit 19 read the idle period information 30 from the schedule database 8 and the store operations database 11 and update it. In that case, the gift card issuing unit 21 also updates the gift card database 12 by storing the updated idle period information 30.

[0053] In the electronic commerce system 1 according to this embodiment, once a gift card 25 is generated and issued in step S5, each of the subsequent steps—from the sale of the gift card 25 in step S6, to the purchase of the gift card 25 in step S9, and the use of the gift card 25 in step S10—is a process for each individual gift card 25. However, the supply schedule information 35, which fluctuates depending on the procurement of goods, the order schedule information 36, which fluctuates depending on the recipient's selection of the delivery date, and the delivery schedule information 31, which fluctuates depending on the supply schedule information 35 and the order schedule information 36—are all treated as a unit for the entire product. Therefore, steps S7, 8, 13, 14, 15, and 16 are processes that are repeated as needed until the gift cards 25 are sold out. That is, step S14 is executed for each gift card 25 and is repeated thereafter for other gift cards 25, and the same applies to step S14 as a subsequent step to steps S15 and S16.

[0054] As explained above, in the electronic commerce system 1 according to this embodiment, even after generating, issuing, and selling gift cards 25, if there are regular purchases or if the delivery date is set by the recipient of the goods and the order schedule information 36 is updated, it is possible to update the supply schedule information 35 at any time, and the delivery schedule information 31 is also updated as a result. Therefore, especially for standard products that are regularly purchased, it is possible to sell products stably without interruption and in response to the highly flexible requests of recipients. Furthermore, by providing recipients with idling period information 30 and delivery schedule information 31 in advance, the seller can clearly indicate days when delivery is not possible, allowing recipients to set delivery dates that avoid those days. This enables sellers to sell and deliver products with flexibility and peace of mind.

[0055] In this embodiment, the e-commerce system 1 was described using a prepared product of live fish (pufferfish) as the product, but the product is not limited to prepared products of live fish. It can be applied as an e-commerce system 1 to sell all kinds of products as gift cards 25, including other seafood, meat, fruits, vegetables and processed products thereof, as well as confectionery, dairy products, rice, tea, coffee beans and other food products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, books, electronic devices, electrical equipment, precision instruments, chemical products, furniture, tableware, stationery, etc., with the recipient selecting the delivery date and the seller delivering the product. The idling period information 30 can be determined by the seller as appropriate, and the starting point can also be determined. Therefore, it is best to set it in a way that is convenient for the seller, depending on the type and nature of the product. [Industrial applicability]

[0056] As described above, the electronic commerce system and program described in claims 1 to 7 of the present invention can be widely used for all kinds of products handled in the retail industry, including prepared live fish products. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1…Electronic Commerce System 2…Information and Communication Network 3…Input Unit 4…Processing Unit 5…Output Unit 6…Store Database 7…Product Database 8…Schedule Database 9…Client Database 10…Recipient Database 11…Store Operations Database 12…Gift Card Database 13…Store Information Processing Unit 14…Client Information Processing Unit 15…Recipient Information Processing Unit 16…Schedule Management Unit 17…Supply Schedule Management Unit 18…Order Schedule Management Unit 19…Delivery Schedule Management Unit 20…Product Code / Information Generation Unit 21…Gift Card Issuance Unit 22…Store Terminal 23…Client Terminal 24…Recipient Terminal 25…Gift Card 25a…Gift Card Reading Code 26…Product Code 27…Store Code 28…Product Text Information 29…Product Image Information 30…Idling Period Information 31…Delivery Schedule Information 32…Store Information 33…Client Code 34…Client Information 35…Supply schedule information 36…Order schedule information 37…Recipient information

Claims

1. An electronic commerce system for selling gift cards having a readable product code to a client, reading the product code on the gift card received from the client, viewing the product delivery schedule information, and delivering the product to a recipient who instructs delivery, The system comprises a delivery schedule management unit that generates and updates the delivery schedule information, a supply schedule management unit that generates and updates the supply schedule information for the goods by the seller of the gift card, and an order schedule management unit that generates and updates the order schedule information for orders from the recipient. The electronic commerce system is characterized in that the order schedule management unit receives delivery date specification information transmitted from the recipient's terminal that has viewed the delivery schedule information and updates the order schedule information, and the delivery schedule management unit compares the order schedule information with the supply schedule information and, if the number of orders matches the supply of the goods on the delivery date, includes alert information in the delivery schedule information and transmits it to the seller's terminal.

2. The electronic commerce system according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply schedule management unit is configured to be accessible from the seller's terminal and updates the supply schedule information in accordance with instructions from the seller's terminal, and the delivery schedule management unit updates the delivery schedule information based on the update of the supply schedule information.

3. The electronic commerce system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the product code is associated with idle period information, the delivery schedule management unit generates and updates the delivery schedule information including the idle period information, and includes information in the delivery schedule information indicating that the delivery date cannot be selected when viewed on the recipient's terminal.

4. An electronic commerce program executed by a computer for selling gift cards having a readable product code to a client, reading the product code on the gift card received from the client, viewing the product delivery schedule information, and delivering the product to a recipient who instructs delivery, The system comprises a delivery schedule generation step for generating delivery schedule information for the aforementioned product, a supply schedule generation step for generating supply schedule information for the aforementioned product by the seller of the gift card, and an order schedule generation step for generating order schedule information for orders from the recipient. An electronic commerce program characterized by having: an order schedule update step that updates the order schedule information upon receiving delivery date specification information transmitted from the recipient's terminal that has viewed the delivery schedule information; and a supply alert step that, when comparing the updated order schedule information with the supply schedule information and the number of orders for the goods on the delivery date match, includes alert information in the delivery schedule information and transmits it to the seller's terminal.

5. The electronic commerce program according to claim 4, further comprising: a supply schedule update step, which updates the supply schedule information in response to instructions from the seller's terminal after the supply alert step; and a delivery schedule update step, which updates the delivery schedule information based on the updated supply schedule information.

6. The electronic commerce program according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the product code is associated with idle period information, the delivery schedule generation process generates the delivery schedule information including the idle period information, and the delivery schedule information includes information indicating that the delivery date cannot be selected when viewed on the recipient's terminal.

7. The electronic commerce program according to claim 5, wherein the product code is associated with idle period information, the delivery schedule update process updates the delivery schedule information to include the idle period information, and includes information in the delivery schedule information indicating that the delivery date cannot be selected when viewed on the recipient's terminal.

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