Electronic commerce system and its program

Abstract

To provide an electronic commerce system and an electronic commerce program that enable a seller who sells merchandise via gift cards to easily grasp merchandise stock and supply schedules and to quickly respond when receiving a merchandise delivery request from a recipient of the gift card. [Solution] The electronic commerce system 1 reads the product code 26 on the gift card 25, views the delivery schedule information, and when the product delivery date is selected, if the number of products supplied and ordered for that delivery date matches, alert information indicating that delivery is not possible is included in the delivery schedule information and sent to the store terminal 22 of the product seller.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic commerce system and program for selling gift cards that record product information and shipping products according to a delivery date selected by the recipient of the gift card, where the delivery date can be controlled by the product sender. The present invention also relates to an electronic commerce system and program for selling gift cards for cooked live fish products and shipping the products according to a delivery date selected by the recipient of the gift card, in which the delivery date can be controlled by the product sender. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, methods for purchasing products via gift cards have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a product sales system in which a card installed in a store has a two-dimensional code printed thereon that encodes the product's image and URL, and by reading the two-dimensional code with a terminal device, the system connects to a web page related to the product, enabling access to a product description and product ordering screen. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an Internet shopping system in which a sender hands over a gift card in lieu of a present to a recipient with an amount code (two-dimensional barcode) attached, and the recipient inputs the amount code (two-dimensional barcode) from their terminal, and the system's control unit extracts a group of products corresponding to the amount code and displays it on the terminal, and the recipient inputs product information about a product selected from the displayed group of products and recipient information consisting of the recipient's name, address, etc., and the control unit associates the product information with the recipient information and stores it as order information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-119732 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-158784 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, while the inventions disclosed in these documents allow a recipient of a product to access a website from a terminal device via a gift card, order a specific product or a product selected from a group of products, and have it delivered, there is a problem in that if the order recipient is out of stock, they are unable to inform the recipient that the product is out of stock and cannot be delivered. In particular, when the same product is periodically replenished and supplied and sold via gift cards, there is a problem in that it is not possible to display available delivery dates that take replenishment and supply into consideration, and allow the recipient to freely select from those dates. In addition, even after issuing and selling gift cards, the order recipient had the problem of not being able to control orders and deliveries as needed based on product supply schedules and inventory.

[0005] The present invention has been made in response to such conventional circumstances, and aims to provide an electronic commerce system and an electronic commerce program that, when issuing a gift card and receiving a product delivery request from the recipient of the gift card, allows the order recipient to grasp the product inventory and supply schedule in advance, and can respond quickly in cases where there is a shortage of an item or where consideration must be given to the time required for pre-processing and cooking, particularly for live fish, and presents dates on which delivery is not possible and dates on which delivery is possible. Another objective of the present invention is to provide an e-commerce system and an e-commerce program that allow both recipients and order takers to order and ship products with greater freedom by making it possible to update delivery schedules while adjusting the supply schedule according to product purchases and orders even after gift cards have been issued and sold. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a first invention is an electronic commerce system for selling a gift card having a readable product code to a requester, and delivering the product to a recipient who reads the product code on the gift card received from the requester, views product delivery schedule information, and instructs delivery, the system comprising: receiving from the merchant terminal a schedule for when the merchant can deliver the product to the recipient of the gift card; Generate the delivery schedule information accomplish a delivery schedule management unit that manages the delivery schedule of the gift card; The aforementioned The seller's purchase of said product Receive the supply schedule from the seller's terminal Generate supply schedule information accomplish a supply schedule management section that manages the delivery schedule of the recipient; Receives schedule information for the delivery date determined by the delivery request to the seller from the seller's terminal. Order schedule information accomplish and an order schedule management unit that manages the order schedule. the supply schedule management unit is configured to receive, from the seller's terminal, information on a schedule for which the product can be supplied, and update the supply schedule information; The order schedule management unit receives the delivery schedule information from the terminal of the recipient who has viewed the delivery schedule information. The aforementioned Receives delivery date information and updates the order schedule information configured to The delivery schedule management unit The delivery schedule information is updated when update information for the supply schedule information is received from the supply schedule management unit; and The order schedule information is compared with the supply schedule information, and if the number of orders and supplies of the product on the delivery date matches, alert information is included in the delivery schedule information and sent to the seller's terminal. In the present invention, the sender may instruct delivery himself / herself in order to receive the product, which means that the sender and the recipient may be the same person.

[0008] No. 2 The electronic commerce system, which is the invention of the first invention, Clearly In the method, idling period information is linked to the product code, and the delivery schedule management unit receiving from the terminal of the seller an arbitrary period during which the seller wishes to stop accepting orders from the recipient, and generating the idle period information; Included in the delivery schedule information As if death, and, Information that the delivery date cannot be selected when viewed on the recipient's terminal Also aboutThe delivery schedule information is characterized in that it is included therein. Idle period information refers to information relating to cases where some products cannot be delivered immediately after purchase, such as when live fish requires time for pre-processing and cooking, or when fish meat or fruit has a maturation period and needs to be stored by the seller, or when the period until the product arrives (purchases) is known in advance and it is not possible to supply the product before that period, or when the seller wishes to stop accepting orders from recipients for their own reasons.

[0009] No. 3 The electronic commerce program of the present invention is an electronic commerce program executed by a computer to sell a gift card having a readable product code to a requester, and deliver the product to a recipient who reads the product code on the gift card received from the requester, views product delivery schedule information, and instructs delivery, the program comprising: receiving from the terminal of the seller a schedule for when the seller can deliver the product to the recipient of the gift card; a delivery schedule generating step for generating delivery schedule information; The aforementioned The seller's purchase of said product Receive the supply schedule from the seller's terminal a supply schedule generating step for generating supply schedule information; Receives schedule information for the delivery date determined by the delivery request to the seller from the seller's terminal. an order schedule generating step of generating order schedule information; The system is characterized by having an order schedule updating step for receiving information specifying a delivery date transmitted from the terminal of the recipient who has viewed the delivery schedule information and updating the order schedule information, and a supply alert step for comparing the updated order schedule information with the supply schedule information and, if the number of supplies and orders for the product on the delivery date match, including alert information in the delivery schedule information and transmitting it to the seller's terminal.

[0010] Also, 4 The electronic commerce program, which is an invention of 3The invention is characterized in that, after the supply alert step, the method further comprises a supply schedule update step of updating the supply schedule information in accordance with instruction information from the seller's terminal, and a delivery schedule update step of updating the delivery schedule information based on the updated supply schedule information.

[0011] Furthermore, 5 The electronic commerce program, which is an invention of 3 or 4 In the invention, idling period information is linked to the product code, and the delivery schedule generation step receiving from the seller an arbitrary period during which the seller wishes to stop accepting orders from the recipient, and generating the idle period information; Included in the delivery schedule information As if death, and, The delivery schedule information includes information indicating that the delivery date cannot be selected when viewed on the recipient's terminal.

[0012] No. 6 The electronic commerce program, which is an invention of 4 In the invention, idling period information is linked to the product code, and the delivery schedule updating step receiving from the seller an arbitrary period during which the seller wishes to stop accepting orders from the recipient, and generating the idle period information; Update the delivery schedule information, and, The delivery schedule information includes 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 aspect of the invention, the delivery schedule management unit receives information specifying a delivery date sent from the terminal of a recipient who has viewed the delivery schedule information, compares the updated order schedule information with the supply schedule, and if the number of products supplied and ordered on the delivery date matches, it includes alert information in the delivery schedule information and sends it to the seller.This allows the seller to realize that the recipient will no longer be able to select that delivery date, and this becomes an opportunity to replenish products for that day, thereby ensuring the recipient's freedom of ordering while minimizing losses without losing the seller's profit opportunities.

[0014] Also, 1 In the electronic commerce system according to the invention, the supply schedule management unit updates the supply schedule information in response to 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. Therefore, when a seller changes the supply schedule upon receiving alert information, the delivery schedule is also quickly updated, which is highly convenient for the seller and can efficiently provide convenience to the recipient.

[0015] And the 2 In the electronic commerce system according to the invention, since idle period information is linked to the product code, the delivery schedule management unit can generate and update the delivery schedule information by including the idle period information. Therefore, when the recipient views the information on their terminal, they can recognize that the delivery date cannot be selected, and the delivery schedule information can easily reflect the seller's unavailable delivery periods, which is convenient for the seller.

[0016] No. 3 The electronic commerce program according to the present invention is an invention that regards the first invention as a program invention, and therefore its effects are basically the same as those of the first invention. Specifically, the system has a supply alert process that receives delivery date specification information sent from the recipient's terminal who has viewed the delivery schedule information, updates the order schedule information, compares the updated order schedule information with the supply schedule, and if the number of products supplied and ordered on the delivery date matches, includes alert information in the delivery schedule information and sends it to the seller's terminal.This allows the seller to know that the recipient will no longer be able to select that delivery date, and this becomes an opportunity to replenish products on that day, ensuring the recipient's freedom in ordering.

[0017] No. 4 The electronic commerce program according to the present invention is 1 invention of Part of Since this is an invention that is considered to be a program invention, its effect is 1 The effect of the invention is basically the same as that of the invention of the first embodiment. Specifically, after the supply alert process, a supply schedule update process is executed in which supply schedule information is updated in accordance with instruction information from the seller's terminal, and a delivery schedule update process is executed in which the delivery schedule is updated based on the updated supply schedule, thereby enabling the delivery schedule to be updated quickly, which is convenient for the seller and can efficiently provide convenience to the recipient.

[0018] No. 5 The electronic commerce program according to the present invention is 2 Since this invention is considered to be a program invention, its effect is 2 This invention is basically the same as that of Specifically, since idle period information is linked to the product code, when the recipient views the product on a terminal, they can recognize the schedules that cannot be selected as delivery dates at the time of viewing. This makes it easy to reflect the unavailable delivery periods set by the seller in the delivery schedule information, providing convenience to the seller.

[0019] No. 6 The electronic commerce program according to the present invention is 5 The inventions not covered by this 2 Since this invention is considered to be a program invention, its effect is 2 This invention is basically the same as that of Specifically, 5 The invention of the first aspect generates delivery schedule information including idling period information in the delivery schedule generation step, 6 In the invention, the delivery schedule information is updated in the delivery schedule update step by including idling period information, so that each time the recipient views the product on the terminal, the recipient can recognize the schedule that cannot be selected as a delivery date at the time of viewing, and therefore the unavailable delivery period determined by the seller can be easily reflected in the updated delivery schedule information, further providing convenience to the seller. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of an electronic commerce system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] (a) is a conceptual diagram of the store database of the electronic 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] 1A is a conceptual diagram of a store business database of an electronic commerce system according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a conceptual diagram of a gift card database of the same. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an electronic commerce transaction executed by the electronic commerce system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an idling period when cooked pufferfish is listed as a commodity in the electronic commerce system according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a product selection screen displayed on a terminal of a product seller. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing an input screen displayed on a terminal of a seller of the product after product selection. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a confirmation screen displayed on a terminal of a product seller before a gift card is issued. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of a screen displayed on the product seller's terminal indicating that the gift card has been issued. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of a screen displayed when the recipient of the gift card accesses the electronic commerce system according to the present embodiment from their terminal. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of a confirmation screen that appears after the recipient of the gift card has entered the delivery address information required to receive the product. [Figure 12a] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of supply schedule information when a recipient inputs a delivery date. [Figure 12b] This 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 the date is shown in bold. [Figure 12c] FIG. 12b is a conceptual diagram of delivery schedule information in the situation shown in FIG. [Figure 12d] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of supply schedule information updated to resolve a match between the number of orders and the number of supplies. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] An electronic commerce system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 12. In this embodiment, an electronic commerce system will be described that sells gift cards for prepared products such as pufferfish sashimi and pufferfish chiri sets, and ships the products according to a delivery date selected by the recipient of the gift card. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic commerce system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are conceptual diagrams of databases in the electronic commerce system 1, respectively.

[0022] In Figure 1, the e-commerce system 1 is composed 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, and a recipient database 10, which are primarily for the operator of this system, as well as a store business database 11 and a gift card database 12, which are primarily for stores that sell products using this system. The electronic commerce system 1 can be envisioned as a system equipped with an arithmetic circuit and a storage device capable of performing the respective functions within a computer server. The input unit 3 functions as a receiver of information and data, and corresponds to devices such as the store terminal 22, the sender terminal 23, and the recipient terminal 24, a receiving device from the information and communication network 2, and a keyboard, mouse, pen tablet, optical reader, etc. used by the administrator of the electronic commerce system 1 when inputting data. Information and data are supplied to the databases 6-12 and the processing unit 4 via the input unit 3. The output unit 5 may be a display device, a transmission device to the information and communication network 2, or a data transmission unit such as a transmitter that transfers data to other devices, and information and data are provided from the processing unit 4 and database 6-12 to the store terminal 22, the sender terminal 23, and the recipient terminal 24 via the output unit 5. In addition, even if the components in Figure 1 are not integrated, it is possible to separate the input unit 3 and the output unit 5 and configure the system so that data and information are sent and received via wired or wireless communication between the processing unit 4, database 6-12, store terminal 22, sender terminal 23, or recipient terminal 24.

[0023] As mentioned above, in the electronic commerce system 1, it is possible to access information about the store, gift card information, requester and recipient information, and various schedule information, particularly in the store business database 11 and gift card database 12, from the store terminal 22 of the store seller or store owner, and also to perform input and output via the input unit 3 and output unit 5, send instruction information to the processing unit 4, and receive alert information from the processing unit 4, etc. The sender terminal 23 is a terminal of a sender who purchases a gift card 25 sold at a store and wishes to have a product delivered to a third party as a gift via the gift card. The recipient terminal 24 is a terminal of a recipient who receives the gift card from the sender, requests delivery from the seller, and receives the gift product. In addition, when the sender and the recipient are the same person, the sender terminal 23 and the recipient terminal 24 are also considered to be the same person in principle.

[0024] The processing unit 4 includes a store information processing unit 13 that receives information about the store and stores it in the store database 6, a requester information processing unit 14 that receives information about the requester and stores it in the requester database 9, a recipient information processing unit 15 that receives information about the recipient 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 and information generation unit 20 that generates product codes and information about the products and stores it in the product database 7, and a gift card issuance unit 21 that issues gift cards 25 and stores them in the gift card database 12. Furthermore, the electronic commerce system 1 includes a schedule database 8 and a store business database 11 in addition to the databases mentioned above.

[0025] Next, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the data stored in each database will be described, and the content of the information handled in the electronic commerce system 1 will also be described. 2, (a) shows the store database 6 that readably stores a store code 27 and store information 32. The store code 27 is a code assigned by the operator of the electronic commerce system 1 so that the store can be identified, and the store information 32 is information about the store, such as the store's type of business, the name of the owner, the address, and contact information such as a telephone number and a fax number, which the store information processing unit 13 receives from the store terminal 22 and stores in the store database 6. 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] 2(b) shows the product database 7 which readably stores product codes 26, product text information 28, and product image information 29. The product codes 26 are codes assigned by the operator of the e-commerce system 1 so as to enable identification of the product, the product text information 28 is text information relating to the product sold via the gift card 25, and the product image information 29 is image information relating to the product. The product text information 28 and the product image information 29 are both provided by the seller, and are received by the product code and 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 relating to a plurality of products.

[0027] FIG. 2(c) shows a schedule database 8 that readably stores product codes 26, delivery schedule information 31, order schedule information 36, supply schedule information 35, and idling period information 30. Delivery schedule information 31 is information regarding a schedule by which the seller can deliver products to gift card recipients, 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 a schedule of confirmed delivery dates after a delivery request from a recipient to the seller is completed, 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 a schedule by which the seller can supply (deliver) products, and is generated, updated, and stored by the supply schedule management unit 17 of the processing unit 4.

[0028] Furthermore, as described above, the idle period information 30 is information about the period during which the seller desires to stop accepting orders from the recipient, which can be arbitrarily set by the seller for various reasons. The information is generated, updated, and stored by the delivery schedule management unit 19 and included in the delivery schedule information 31. In this embodiment, the idle period is a period arbitrarily determined by the seller. However, the starting point of the idle period may be calculated from, for example, the time when the recipient first views the product. In this case, the idle period information 30 will be shortened when the recipient views the product again at a later date, which is considered more acceptable to the recipient than if the same length of idle period information 30 were displayed again. However, because the idle period information 30 depends on the content and quality of the product, it is preferable to calculate the idle period from a time determined in advance by the seller. Therefore, the idle period information 30 may be calculated from the time of viewing each time the recipient views the product, as long as the recipient has not yet confirmed the delivery date. This schedule database 8 is also linked to the product code 26 and stores information about a plurality of products.

[0029] 2(d) shows a requester database 9 that readably stores a requester code 33 and requester information 34. The requester code 33 is a code assigned by the operator of the electronic commerce system 1 so that a product can be identified, and the requester information 34 is information about the requester provided by the requester via the requester terminal 23, such as an address, name, contact telephone number or email address, etc. The requester code 33 and the requester information 34 are also linked, and information about multiple requesters is stored. The client information processing unit 14 receives and stores this information from the client terminal 23 of the client via the input unit 3. 2(e) shows the recipient database 10 that readably stores recipient information 37. The recipient information 37 is information about the recipient provided by the recipient via the recipient terminal 24, such as address, name, contact telephone number, email address, etc. This recipient information 37 is received by the recipient information processing unit 15 from the recipient's terminal 24 via the input unit 3 and stored. The operator of the electronic commerce system 1 can view the store database 6, product database 7, schedule database 8, requester database 9, and recipient database 10 at any time via his / her own terminal or the like and the input unit 3.

[0030] 3(a) shows the store business database 11, which stores a store code 27 and a product code 26 linked to each other, and further stores product text information 28, product image information 29, idling period information 30, supply schedule information 35, order schedule information 36, delivery schedule information 31, requester information 34, and recipient information 37 linked to each other with the product code 26. The reason for this data structure is that the store business database 11 is a database accessed by the store (the seller) via the input unit 3, and therefore it is necessary to summarize the products handled by each store and, further, to summarize the information related to each product. 3(b) shows gift card database 12, in which store code 27 and product code 26 are linked and stored, and further, store code 27 is linked to store information 32 and gift card reading code 25a, and product code 26 is linked to and stored with product text information 28, product image information 29, idling period information 30, and delivery schedule information 31. This gift card database 12 is also a database accessed by the seller (store) via input unit 3, and has a linked data structure because it collectively stores information related to gift cards 25 issued for each product of the seller. In this application, "code" refers to one-dimensional and two-dimensional codes, as well as figures, images, numbers, letters, and symbols that can be converted to display data and information. "Readable code" specifically refers to one-dimensional and two-dimensional codes that cannot be read by the human eye but can be read by a dedicated reading device. In addition, the seller can view the store business database 11 and the gift card database 12 via the store terminal 22 and the input unit 3.

[0031] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 4, the operation of the electronic commerce system 1 will be described, along with the flow of electronic commerce procedures and product delivery management using this system. Fig. 4 is a flow diagram of electronic commerce executed by electronic commerce system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 also shows the execution steps of the electronic commerce program of the present invention, and explaining the flow of electronic commerce in electronic commerce system 1 with reference to this diagram is equivalent to explaining an embodiment of an electronic commerce program using a computer. In Figure 4, the symbols indicated by lines extending from the process descriptions indicated by "S" and the symbols indicated by lines extending from the dashed lines covering the process descriptions are components of the electronic commerce system 1 shown in Figure 1, and the symbols are the same. Steps S1 to S6 in Figure 4 are the process of registering information about the seller's store and information about the products they wish to sell in the e-commerce system 1, 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, in which the store terminal 22 transmits to the store information processing unit 13 information such as the store name, store location, and contact information, along with the store code 27 previously obtained from the operator of the electronic commerce system 1, and also transmits to the product code and information generation unit 20 information regarding the product name that the seller wishes to sell, its materials, management methods such as transportation and storage, and product images. The store information processing unit 13 receives information about the store, generates store information 32, and stores the information in the store database 6 and the gift card database 12 in association with the store code 27. The product code and information generation unit 20 receives information about a product, generates a product code 26, product text information 28, and product image information 29, 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 each other. In addition, 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 further links the product code 26 to the store code 27, and stores them in the store business database 11 and the gift card database 12 so that they can be read out.

[0033] Step S2 is a step of generating supply schedule information 35. The store terminal 22 transmits a supply schedule for each product that the seller wishes to sell to the supply schedule management unit 17, which then generates supply schedule information 35. A supply schedule indicates the date on which a product will be secured as inventory and should be updated whenever a product is purchased. The supply schedule information 35 refers to information relating to the entire supply schedule that corresponds to a calendar. The supply schedule management unit 17 stores the generated supply schedule information 35 in the schedule database 8, linking it to the product code 26. Furthermore, the supply schedule management unit 17 associates the supply schedule information 35 generated by the supply schedule management unit 17 with the product code 26 and stores it in the store business database 11 so that it can be read out.

[0034] Step S3 is a process of generating delivery schedule information 31 and idling period information 30. The store terminal 22 transmits the delivery schedule and idling 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 idling period information 30. The delivery schedule indicates which days the recipient can select as delivery days, and the idle period indicates which days orders from the recipient will be excluded. Since no gift card 25 has been issued in step S3, the delivery schedule is such that delivery is possible for all days for which a supply schedule exists, and the idle period has likely already been determined by the seller. Here, the idling period will be explained with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the idling period when cooked pufferfish products are sold as merchandise in the electronic commerce system according to this embodiment. In FIG. 5, when cooking pufferfish, it is desirable to keep it alive for about three days between the date of purchase and the date of cooking. Keeping it alive is a pre-treatment that removes stress from the pufferfish caused by transportation, expels food and waste remaining in the body of the tiger pufferfish, and fasts the fish to tighten the flesh. After cooking, it is possible to estimate a period of about two days for aging or refrigerated storage without deteriorating quality. The idling period in this embodiment is a period that is appropriately set while taking into consideration quality and safety, so that sellers have a leeway in the sales period of their products. Delivery schedule information 31 refers to information relating to the entire delivery schedule associated with a calendar, and idling period information 30 refers to information relating to idling periods associated with a calendar. The delivery schedule management unit 19 associates the generated delivery schedule information 31 and idling period information 30 with the product code 26 and stores them in the schedule database 8 and the store business database 11.

[0035] Step S4 is a step of generating the order schedule information 36. The store terminal 22 transmits 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 the order schedule information 36. An order schedule indicates that a recipient who wishes to have a product delivered has placed an order for the product 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. Order schedule information 36 refers to information about the entire order schedule, including the empty state, that is associated with a calendar. The order schedule management unit 18 associates the generated order schedule information 36 with the product code 26 and stores it in the schedule database 8 and the store business database 11. The order of steps S1 to S4 does not have to be the order shown in FIG. 4 and is not particularly limited.

[0036] Step S5 is a step in which the gift card issuing unit 21 generates and issues the gift card 25. The seller generates and issues the gift card 25 via the store terminal 22. This process will be described with reference to Figures 6-9. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a product selection screen displayed on the store terminal 22 of the product seller. 6, the gift card issuing unit 21 reads out a list of product names and product image information 29 as product text information 28 transmitted and generated in advance in step S1 from the gift card database 12 and displays the list on the screen of the seller's store terminal 22. The seller then selects from this list of products for which a gift card is to be issued via the gift card issuing unit 21 from the store terminal 22. In Figure 6, an example of a seller's message urging the customer to select a product is displayed as "Step 1," and a "Close" banner for closing the screen after selecting a product is also displayed below.

[0037] FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing an input screen displayed on the store terminal of the product seller after product selection. 7, the gift card issuing unit 21 displays the selected product "Natural Fugu Hotpot (for 4-5 people)" on the store terminal 22, and in "Step 2," the customer is prompted to enter additional product text information 28, such as a message about the product. The gift card issuing unit 21 also displays on the store terminal 22, from the gift card database 12, the store code 27 and the 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 this screen, the seller enters a message and selects the "Issue Procedure" banner at the bottom of the screen, which takes them to the final confirmation screen shown in Figure 8. If they wish to re-enter the message, they can similarly select the "Reset" banner.

[0038] 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a confirmation screen displayed on the store terminal 22 of the product seller before issuing a gift card. That is, as "Step 3," the final confirmation screen is displayed after prompting the user to enter additional product text information 28 in FIG. 7. Here, when the seller clicks on the banner "Issue" at the bottom of the screen to the gift card issuing unit 21 from the store terminal 22, the gift card 25 is generated as digital data, and the actual gift card 25 is created. When "Go back" is selected, the screen returns to the screen shown in Figure 7.

[0039] Figure 9 is a conceptual diagram of a screen displayed on the store terminal 22 of the product seller, indicating that the gift card issuance has been completed. When "Issue" is selected on the screen of Figure 8, the gift card issuing unit 21 generates a gift card reading code 25a that can read the product code 26 and the store code 27, and generates the gift card 25 as digital data including this code. Then, the gift card issuing unit 21 associates the gift card reading code 25a with the store code 27 and the product code 26 and stores the code in the gift card database 12 so that the code can be read. As shown in FIG. 9, the gift card reading code 25a is a two-dimensional code that can be read by a general code reader, but a one-dimensional code may also be used as long as the product code 26 and store code 27 can be read. Gift card 25 is generated as digital data and, as shown in Figure 1, contains product code 26, store code 27, and gift card reading code 25a as linked information. This means that when gift card reading code 25a is read with a code reader, product code 26 and store code 27 are included as information. Furthermore, when the gift card 25 is sold in the next step S6, it may be output from the gift card database 12 via the output unit 5 and printed on a medium such as paper or plastic for sale, or may be sold as an image in the form of electronic data, for example, displayed on the store terminal 22 and read by the client terminal 23. From the viewpoint of preventing misidentification, it is desirable that the gift card 25 be recognized as an image as shown in Fig. 9, whether it is an image in the form of electronic data or printed on a medium such as paper or plastic, but it is not necessarily required that they match. In addition, the gift card issuing unit 21 reads out the delivery schedule information 31 and idling period information 30 generated by the delivery schedule management unit 19 from the store business database 11, links them to the product code 26, and stores them in a readable state in the gift card database 12. 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 there is stock, except for idling periods.

[0040] Step S6 is a process for selling gift cards 25. If gift cards 25 can be read as digital data or can be sold as physical gift cards 25, they may be sold at the seller's store or another store, or, depending on the product, at department stores, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, home improvement stores, etc. There are no particular restrictions on the sales location. Furthermore, they may be sold over a network such as an e-commerce site.

[0041] Step S7 is a process of updating the supply schedule information 35 that may be performed between the sale of the gift card 25 in step S6 and the purchase and issuance of the gift card 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, and the supply schedule management unit 17 reads the supply schedule information 35 from the store business database 11, modifies and updates the supply schedule information 35 based on the supply schedule information input 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 so that it can be read out.

[0042] Step S8 is a process for updating the delivery schedule information 31 when the supply schedule information 35 is updated in step S7. In step S8, delivery schedule management unit 19 reads delivery schedule information 31 from store business database 11, modifies and updates delivery schedule information 31 based on supply schedule information 35, and stores the information. Delivery schedule management unit 19 also readably stores the updated delivery schedule information 31 in schedule database 8. Furthermore, gift card issuance unit 21 reads out the updated delivery schedule information 31 and stores it in gift card database 12 for updating. As described above, in the electronic commerce system 1 according to this embodiment, the seller can update the supply schedule information 35 in accordance with the product purchasing situation via the store terminal 22. That is, the supply schedule management unit 17 updates the supply schedule information 35 in response to instruction information 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 regardless of the creation, issuance, or sale of gift card 25. Even after gift card 25 is sold, delivery schedule information 31 can be updated as needed, providing convenience to the seller and preventing loss of profits. Furthermore, the likelihood of gift card 25 becoming invalid for the recipient who ultimately receives the product is reduced, resulting in a highly flexible and efficient gift system. When updating the supply schedule information 35 from the store terminal 22, the seller may update the idling period information 30 by having the delivery schedule management unit 19 read it from the schedule database 8 and the store business database 11 as necessary. In this case, the gift card issuing unit 21 also stores the updated idling period information 30 in the gift card database 12 and updates it.

[0044] Step S9 is a process that follows when the supply schedule information 35 has not been updated in step S7 or when the delivery schedule information 31 has been updated in step S8, and is a process in which the requester purchases a 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 the information, generates a client code 33 and client information 34, and links these together to store them readably in the client database 9. The client information 34 is information that can identify the client, and preferably includes at least information such as the name, address, or telephone number. If the requester code 33 and requester information 34 have already been generated, any corrections or updates to the requester information 34 are stored in the requester database 9. The client information processing unit 14 also stores the generated client information 34 in the store business database 11 in a readable manner, linking it to the product code 26.

[0045] Next, step S10 is a process in which the requester transfers the gift card 25 to the recipient, i.e., the person to whom the product purchased using the gift card 25 is to be given. The recipient includes not only the recipient who receives the gift directly from the requester, but also the recipient who receives the gift from the recipient, and refers to the recipient who actually accesses the electronic 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 the product text information 28, product image information 29, and delivery schedule information 31 from the gift card database 12 and displays them on the recipient terminal 24. This state is shown in Figure 10. Figure 10 is a conceptual diagram of a screen that is displayed when the electronic commerce system according to this embodiment is accessed from the terminal of the gift card recipient. In Figure 10, delivery schedule information 31 is shown using July 2024 as an example, but the hatched period from the 1st to the 8th is shown as idling period information 30 and cannot be selected by the recipient. In this embodiment, the idle period of about 8 days from July 1st to July 1st is displayed so that they cannot be selected as delivery dates. All other days from the 9th onwards are circled, indicating that any day can be selected as a delivery date.

[0047] By displaying the idle period information 30 in this way, the recipient can recognize that the idle period, calculated from the time of viewing on the recipient terminal 24, cannot be selected as a delivery date, and the seller can easily reflect the convenience of the period during which delivery is not possible, which he or she has determined in advance, in the delivery schedule information, thereby increasing the margin for product sales and delivery and also increasing convenience for the seller. Also, at the bottom of Figure 10, a screen for entering "delivery information" is displayed, prompting the recipient to enter the 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 readably in the recipient database 10. The recipient information processing unit 15 also links the recipient information 37 to product text information 28 and stores it readably in the store business database 11. As shown in FIG. 10, the recipient information 37 preferably includes at least the recipient's name, address, postal code, telephone number, email address, and other information related to contact details where delivery is possible.

[0048] Step S12 is a step in which the recipient inputs the delivery date (desired delivery date). As described above, the recipient selects a delivery date via the recipient terminal 24 while viewing the delivery schedule information 31 shown in FIG. In the delivery schedule information 31, a circle is displayed in the July 31st column, indicating that delivery is possible. Therefore, the recipient selects July 31st as the delivery date via the recipient terminal 24 in step S12. Recipient terminal 24 transmits information regarding the recipient's desired delivery date (July 31st) along with product code 26 to delivery schedule management unit 19, and delivery schedule management unit 19 reads delivery schedule information 31 linked to product code 26 from schedule database 8, updates the information including the delivery date, and stores it. The updated delivery schedule information 31 is also stored and updated in store business database 11 by delivery schedule management unit 19. The updated delivery schedule information 31 is then stored in gift card database 12 by gift card issuance unit 21, and is similarly updated. FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram of the confirmation screen that appears after the recipient of the gift card has entered the delivery address information necessary to receive the product. It can be seen that the recipient's desired delivery date was entered as July 31st. 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 on the store terminal 22 to confirm the use of the gift card 25. To change the delivery date, for example, select "Back" at the bottom of the screen and re-enter the information on the screen shown in FIG. 10.

[0049] Step S13 is a process in which the order schedule information 36 is updated in response to the delivery date input 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. The updated order schedule information 36 is also stored in the store business database 11 by the order schedule management unit 18 and updated. This step S13 will be explained with reference to Figures 12(a) and 12(b). Figure 12(a) is a conceptual diagram of the supply schedule information when the recipient inputs the delivery date, and Figure 12(b) is a conceptual diagram of the order schedule information when the number of orders and supplies match due to the recipient inputting the delivery date, and the date is shown in bold. In the order schedule information 36 shown in Figure 12(b), the recipient has selected July 31st as the delivery date, and the number of orders for that day has been updated to 16. However, since this order number of "16" matches the supply number for July 31st in the supply schedule information 35 shown in Figure 12(a), the process proceeds to the next step S14, the delivery alert sending step.

[0050] Step S14 is a delivery alert sending step, which will be described with reference to Figure 12(c). When the order schedule information 36 is updated as shown in Figure 12(b) in step S13, 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 business database 11, and compares the number of products to be supplied with the number of products to be ordered on the delivery date desired by the recipient. If the numbers match, other recipients will not be able to select that day as a delivery date, so the delivery schedule management unit 19 reads out delivery schedule information 31 from the schedule database 8 and store business database 11, updates it to include delivery alert information indicating that delivery is not possible on that day, stores it in the schedule database 8 and store business database 11, and also sends it to the seller's store terminal 22. Figure 12(c) shows delivery schedule information 31 that now includes delivery alert information. A cross appears in the column for July 31, the date selected by the recipient, and compared to delivery schedule information 31 in Figure 10, it can be seen that the delivery schedule information has been updated to include delivery alert information. Therefore, the seller can easily recognize the delivery alert information on the store terminal 22. Then, the seller can realize that the recipient will not be able to select that delivery date in that state, and can use this as an opportunity to replenish the product stock for that day, allowing for uninterrupted product sales and delivery, ensuring the recipient's freedom of ordering while also enabling the seller to avoid 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 is updated in the same manner. In this embodiment, the delivery alert information is specifically represented by a cross, but the display format is not particularly limited as long as it functions as a warning display. Also, while the delivery alert information is updated by being included in the delivery schedule information 31 and transmitted to the seller's store terminal 22, the delivery schedule management unit 19 may transmit the delivery alert information independently to the store terminal 22. 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 a step of updating the supply schedule information 35 after the delivery alert information has been sent to the store terminal 22 in step S14. This step will be further described with reference to FIG. 12(d). Step S15 is performed when the seller intends to supply the product after receiving the delivery alert information at the seller's store terminal 22. The store terminal 22 transmits an additional supply schedule for the product 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 business database 11 and the schedule database 8. Figure 12(d) shows supply schedule information 35, which shows that the supply quantity on July 31st has increased from "16" to "20." Since the number of orders on this day was "16," it can be seen that the supply quantity was increased by "4" to allow for some leeway in orders.

[0052] Step S16 is a delivery schedule update step. This step is a subsequent step when the supply schedule information 35 is updated in step S15, in which the delivery schedule management unit 19 reads the delivery schedule information 31 from the schedule database 8 and the store operation database 11, updates it according to the updated supply schedule information 35, and stores it. Furthermore, the gift card issuing unit 21 stores the updated delivery schedule information 31 in the gift card database 12 and updates it. When the delivery schedule information 31 is updated in step S16, the process returns to step S14 to wait for the next delivery alert information to be sent. On the other hand, if a delivery alert is not sent in step S14 or if the supply schedule information 35 is not supplied in step S15, the process also returns to step S14. As in step S8, the seller may update the idling period information 30 by having the delivery schedule management unit 19 read it from the schedule database 8 and the store business database 11 as needed, for example, when updating the supply schedule information 35 from the store terminal 22. In this case, the gift card issuing unit 21 also stores the updated idling period information 30 in the gift card database 12 for updating.

[0053] In the electronic commerce system 1 according to the present embodiment, once a gift card 25 is generated and issued in step S5, the subsequent steps of selling the gift card 25 in step S6, purchasing the gift card 25 in step S9, and using the gift card 25 in step S10 are performed for each individual gift card 25. However, because supply schedule information 35, which varies depending on product purchases, order schedule information 36, which varies depending on the recipient's delivery date selection, and delivery schedule information 31, which varies depending on supply schedule information 35 and order schedule information 36, are all handled as a unit of product, steps S7, S8, S13, S14, S15, and S16 are repeated as appropriate until all gift cards 25 are sold out. In other words, step S14 is performed for each gift card 25, and is then repeated for other gift cards 25, as are steps S15 and S14 subsequent to step S16.

[0054] As explained above, in the electronic commerce system 1 according to this embodiment, even after gift cards 25 are generated, issued, and sold, if there is regular purchase or if the recipient of the product specifies a delivery date and updates the order schedule information 36, it is possible to update the supply schedule information 35 at any time, and the delivery schedule information 31 is also updated accordingly. Therefore, it is possible to sell products stably, without interruption, in response to the highly flexible requests of recipients, especially for standard products that are purchased regularly. Moreover, by showing the recipient information 30 about the idling period and information 31 about the delivery schedule in advance, the recipient can clearly see the days when delivery is not possible, and can set a delivery date avoiding those days, so that the seller can sell and deliver the product with ease and peace of mind.

[0055] In this embodiment, the electronic commerce system 1 has been described using cooked live fish (pufferfish) as a product, but the product is not limited to cooked live fish. It is also possible to sell any and all products, including other seafood, meat, fruits, vegetables, and processed foods thereof, as well as foods such as confectionery, dairy products, rice, tea, and coffee beans, as well as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, books, electronic devices, electrical equipment, precision instruments, chemical products, furniture, tableware, and stationery, as gift cards 25, with the recipient selecting a delivery date and the seller delivering the items. The idling period information 30 can be determined by the seller as appropriate, and the starting point can also be determined, so it should be set as convenient for the seller depending on the type and characteristics of the product. [Industrial Applicability]

[0056] As explained above, the electronic commerce system and its program described in claims 1 to 7 of the present invention can be widely used to target all products handled in the retail industry in general, including cooked 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...Requester database 10...Recipient database 11...Store business database 12...Gift card database 13...Store information processing unit 14...Requester 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 and information generation unit 21...Gift card issuing unit 22...Store terminal 23...Requester 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...Requester code 34...Requester information 35...Supply schedule information 36...Order schedule information 37...Recipient information

Claims

1. 1. An electronic commerce system for selling a gift card having a readable product code to a requester, and delivering the product to a recipient who reads the product code on the gift card received from the requester, views product delivery schedule information, and instructs delivery, comprising: a delivery schedule management unit that receives from the seller's terminal a schedule for when the seller can deliver the product to the recipient of the gift card and generates the delivery schedule information; a supply schedule management unit that receives from the seller's terminal a schedule for when the seller can supply the product to the recipient of the gift card and generates supply schedule information; and an order schedule management unit that receives from the seller's terminal schedule information for a delivery date determined by a delivery request from the recipient to the seller and generates order schedule information, the supply schedule management unit is configured to receive, from the seller's terminal, information on a schedule for which the product can be supplied, and update the supply schedule information; the order receiving schedule management unit is configured to receive the delivery date designation information transmitted from the terminal of the recipient who has viewed the delivery schedule information and update the order receiving schedule information; The delivery schedule management unit is configured to update the delivery schedule information when it receives update information for the supply schedule information from the supply schedule management unit, and when it compares the order schedule information with the supply schedule information and finds that the number of supplies and orders for the product on the delivery date match, it includes alert information in the delivery schedule information and sends it to the seller's terminal.

2. The electronic commerce system according to claim 1, characterized in that idling period information is linked to the product code, the delivery schedule management unit receives from the seller's terminal an arbitrary period during which the seller wishes to stop accepting orders from the recipient, generates the idling period information and includes it in the delivery schedule information, and also includes in the delivery schedule information information that the delivery date cannot be selected when viewed on the recipient's terminal.

3. An electronic commerce program executed by a computer for selling a gift card having a readable product code to a requester, and delivering the product to a recipient who reads the product code on the gift card received from the requester, views product delivery schedule information, and instructs delivery, comprising: a delivery schedule generating step of receiving from the seller's terminal a schedule for when the seller can deliver the product to the recipient of the gift card and generating the delivery schedule information; a supply schedule generating step of receiving from the seller's terminal a schedule for when the seller can supply the product to the recipient of the gift card and generating supply schedule information; and an order receiving schedule generating step of receiving from the seller's terminal schedule information for a delivery date determined by a delivery request from the recipient to the seller and generating order receiving schedule information, an order schedule updating step for receiving information specifying a delivery date transmitted from the terminal of the recipient who has viewed the delivery schedule information and updating the order schedule information; and a supply alert step for comparing the updated order schedule information with the supply schedule information and, if the number of supplies and orders for the product on the delivery date match, including alert information in the delivery schedule information and transmitting it to the seller's terminal.

4. 4. The electronic commerce program according to claim 3, further comprising, after the supply alert step, a supply schedule update step of updating the supply schedule information in accordance with instruction information from the seller's terminal, and a delivery schedule update step of updating the delivery schedule information based on the updated supply schedule information.

5. The electronic commerce program according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that idle period information is linked to the product code, and the delivery schedule generation process receives from the seller an arbitrary period during which the seller wishes to stop accepting orders from the recipient, generates the idle period information and includes it in the delivery schedule information, and includes in the delivery schedule information information that the idle period cannot be selected as the delivery date when viewed on the recipient's terminal.

6. The electronic commerce program according to claim 4, characterized in that idling period information is linked to the product code, and the delivery schedule update step receives from the seller an arbitrary period during which the seller wishes to stop accepting orders from the recipient, generates the idling period information, includes it in the delivery schedule information, and updates it, and includes in the delivery schedule information information that the idling period cannot be selected as the delivery date when viewed on the recipient's terminal.

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