Shopping agent service providing device and shopping agent service providing method

Abstract

To provide a shopping agency service providing device that efficiently performs shopping agency service while reducing the burden on a shopping agent.SOLUTION: In a shopping agency system 100, upon receiving a request for shopping agency from a client terminal 2, a shopping agency service providing device transmits shopping information related to shopping agency to a shopping agent terminal 3 used by a shopping agent who performs shopping agency service. When the shopping agent confirms the shopping information received on the shopping agent terminal 3 and gives a delivery instruction for a product to be purchased according to the shopping information, the shopping agent terminal 3 transmits, to a transportation service provider terminal 4, the delivery instruction for the product to be purchased according to the shopping information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for shopping for products. [Background technology]

[0002] A person who wants to purchase a product usually goes to a store in person or uses the Internet for shopping. If the person goes to a store in person, it takes time and effort to get there. If the person goes to the store in person, it takes time from ordering to delivery. Taking these points into consideration, shopping agents have been used in the past, where someone buys the product on behalf of the person who wants to purchase the product.

[0003] In the shopping proxy service system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the assistant who will be shopping for the user is informed of the user's personal information, the name of the destination retail store, the fee amount for the shopping service, and the product names and quantities requested. The assistant then carries out the shopping and delivers the purchased products to the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-139776 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] For example, if a shopping agent delivers purchased items directly to a customer, the burden on the shopping agent may be heavy. It would be convenient if the shopping agent could perform shopping efficiently while reducing the burden on the shopping agent.

[0006] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can efficiently perform shopping on behalf of a shopping agent while reducing the burden on the shopping agent. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An exemplary shopping agent service providing device of the present invention includes a processing unit that is capable of communicating with both a shopping agent terminal used by a shopping agent performing shopping services and a transportation service provider terminal used by a transportation service provider providing transportation services. The processing unit accepts the shopping agent request, transmits shopping information related to the shopping agent service to the shopping agent terminal, and transmits delivery instructions for products purchased by the shopping agent in accordance with the shopping information to the transportation service provider terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shopping can be efficiently performed while reducing the burden on the shopping agent. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the general configuration of a shopping agent system [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the schematic configuration of a shopping agent service providing device. [Figure 3] Flowchart showing an example of a member registration process in a shopping agent system [Figure 4] Diagram to explain the format of the member information DB [Figure 5] A diagram for explaining the format of the shopping agent registration information DB. [Figure 6] A flowchart illustrating the flow from a shopping agent request to a shopping agent instruction in a method for providing a shopping agent service using a shopping agent system. [Figure 7] A diagram for explaining the format of the shopping request information DB [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating shopping information. [Figure 9] A flowchart illustrating the flow from issuing a shopping agent instruction to reporting delivery completion in a method for providing a shopping agent service using a shopping agent system. [Figure 10] A diagram for explaining the format of the shopping agent result information DB. [Figure 11]Diagram for explaining delivery information [Figure 12] A diagram for explaining delivery result information [Figure 13] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a payment process in a method for providing a shopping agent service using a shopping agent system. [Figure 14] A diagram for explaining product payment information [Figure 15] Diagram for explaining delivery service payment information [Figure 16] A diagram for explaining member point information DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0011] <1. Shopping agent system> 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a shopping agent system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the shopping agent system 100 includes a shopping agent service providing device 1, a client terminal 2, a shopping agent terminal 3, a transportation service provider terminal 4, and a payment agent terminal 5.

[0012] In response to a shopping proxy request from a client who wishes to have shopping handled, the shopping proxy service providing device 1 provides a shopping proxy service by linking a shopping proxy who handles the shopping and transportation provided by a transportation service provider. The shopping proxy service providing device 1 also cooperates with a payment proxy as appropriate in response to the shopping proxy request. Details of the shopping proxy service providing device 1 will be described later.

[0013] The client terminal 2 is a terminal used by a client who requests shopping proxy service. The client terminal 2 may be a terminal operated by the client himself or a terminal operated by someone other than the client in response to a request from the client. The client terminal 2 is configured to be able to communicate with the shopping proxy service providing device 1 via a network 6, such as the Internet or a mobile phone network. The client terminal 2 may be, for example, a personal computer, a tablet, or a smartphone.

[0014] The shopping agent terminal 3 is a terminal used by the shopping agent who performs shopping on behalf of the customer. The shopping agent terminal 3 is configured to be able to communicate with the shopping agent service providing device 1 via the network 6. The shopping agent terminal 3 may be, for example, a personal computer, tablet, or smartphone. It is preferable that the shopping agent terminal 3 be a mobile terminal carried by the shopping agent.

[0015] The transportation service provider terminal 4 is a terminal used by a transportation service provider that provides transportation services. A transportation service provider is, for example, a business that provides transportation services. For example, the transportation service may be a taxi service or a demand-based transportation service. The demand-based transportation may be a demand-based taxi or a demand-based bus. The transportation service provider terminal 4 is configured to be able to communicate with the shopping agent service providing device 1 via the network 6. The transportation service provider terminal 4 may be, for example, a personal computer, a tablet, or a smartphone. The transportation service provider terminal 4 may be a terminal located at a business establishment or an on-board terminal installed in a vehicle.

[0016] The payment agent terminal 5 is a terminal used by a payment agent to pay at least a portion of the costs required for shopping agency services. The costs required for shopping agency services include, for example, the price of the products purchased through the shopping agency, delivery fees for delivery using a transportation service, and an agency fee incurred for the shopping agency's shopping services. The payment agent may act as an agent to pay all or part of the costs required for shopping agency services. For example, the payment agent may act as an agent to pay the product price and delivery fees. The payment agent may be, for example, a credit card company that issues credit cards or a financial institution. The payment agent terminal 5 is capable of communicating with the shopping agency service providing device 1 via the network 6. The payment agent terminal 5 may be, for example, a personal computer, a tablet, a smartphone, or the like.

[0017] <2. Shopping agent service providing device> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a shopping agent service providing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the shopping agent service providing device 1 includes a processing unit 11. The processing unit 11 is, for example, a computer device including a processor, memory, and a communication unit (none of which are shown). The processor includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory includes, for example, volatile memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory). The communication unit enables communication connection to a network 6 via wired or wireless means.

[0018] The number of computer devices constituting the processing unit 11 may be one or more. That is, the processing unit 11 may be composed of multiple server devices (an example of computer devices). The server devices may be physical servers located in a building such as an office, or virtual servers such as cloud servers. The processing unit 11 may be composed of multiple API (Application Programming Interface) servers.

[0019] The processing unit 11 is provided so as to be able to communicate with the client terminal 2. For this reason, the processing unit 11 can receive a shopping proxy request via the client terminal 2. For example, the client may be a business traveler or a tourist. The client can request to buy souvenirs for the business trip destination while the client is working there. Furthermore, a tourist can request to buy souvenirs for the tourist destination while the client is sightseeing there.

[0020] The processing unit 11 is also configured to be able to communicate with the shopping agent terminal 3 and the transportation service provider terminal 4. That is, the processing unit 11 is configured to be able to communicate with both the shopping agent terminal 3 and the transportation service provider terminal 4. This allows the processing unit 11 to give instructions to the shopping agent related to the shopping agent. The processing unit 11 can also instruct the transportation service provider to work with the shopping agent to deliver the products purchased by the shopping agent to the client.

[0021] The processing unit 11 is also capable of communicating with the payment agent terminal 5. This allows the processing unit 11 to instruct the payment agent to pay at least a portion of the costs required for the shopping agent on behalf of the customer. This allows the shopping agent to purchase products without having to pay the costs in advance when shopping on the customer's behalf.

[0022] 2, the processing unit 11 has, as its functional configuration, an external data receiving unit 111, a proxy request detection unit 112, and a proxy request management unit 113. The functions of each of the units 111 to 113 are realized by a processor executing arithmetic processing in accordance with a program stored in a non-volatile memory. The external data receiving unit 111, the proxy request detection unit 112, and the proxy request management unit 113 may each be a function realized by a separate API server.

[0023] The scope of this embodiment may include a computer program that causes a processor (computer) to realize at least some of the functions of the shopping agent service providing device 1. The scope of this embodiment may also include a computer-readable non-volatile recording medium that records such a computer program.

[0024] Furthermore, as described above, the above-mentioned units 111 to 113 may be realized by having a processor execute a program, i.e., by software, but may also be realized by other methods. The above-mentioned units 111 to 113 may be realized, for example, by using an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). That is, the above-mentioned units 111 to 113 may be realized by hardware using a dedicated IC or the like. The above-mentioned units 111 to 113 may also be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The above-mentioned units 111 to 113 are conceptual components. The function performed by one component may be distributed among multiple components. The functions of multiple components may also be integrated into one component.

[0025] In this embodiment, the external data receiving unit 111, the proxy request detecting unit 112, and the proxy request managing unit 113 that constitute the processing unit 11 are an API server.

[0026] The external data receiving unit 111 receives data from various terminals. For example, the external data receiving unit 111 receives data from the client terminal 2, the shopping agent terminal 3, the transportation service provider terminal 4, and the payment agent terminal 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the external data receiving unit 111 includes, as its functions, a data receiving unit 1111, a data identifying unit 1112, and a data writing unit 1113. The functions of these units 1111 to 1113 will be described in detail later. The functions of these units 1111 to 1113 may be realized by a processor executing a computer program. The data receiving unit 1111 may be configured as a device provided in the shopping agent service providing device 1 separately from the processing unit 11.

[0027] The proxy request detection unit 112 detects a request for shopping proxy service in cooperation with the external data receiving unit 111. Furthermore, upon detecting a request for shopping proxy service, the proxy request detection unit 112 performs various processes required to execute the shopping proxy service. These various processes include, for example, selecting a shopping proxy service and creating a shopping plan that links the shopping proxy service with transportation provided by the transportation service provider. As shown in FIG. 2 , the proxy request detection unit 112 includes, as its functions, a data reading unit 1121, a proxy service selection unit 1122, and a proxy request instruction unit 1123. The functions of each of these units 1121 to 1123 will be described in detail below. The functions of each of these units 1121 to 1123 may be implemented by a processor executing a computer program.

[0028] The proxy request management unit 113 manages shopping proxy services in cooperation with the external data receiving unit 111. For example, the proxy request management unit 113 manages delivery of products purchased through the shopping proxy service, management of payments incurred during shopping proxy services, and management of points for members of the shopping proxy system 100. Details regarding members of the shopping proxy system 100 will be described later. As shown in FIG. 2, the proxy request management unit 113 includes, as its functions, a data reading unit 1131, a delivery instruction unit 1132, a points updating unit 1133, and a payment processing unit 1134. Details of the functions of each of these units 1131 to 1134 will be described later. The functions of each of these units 1131 to 1134 may be realized by a processor executing a computer program.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 2, the shopping agent service providing device 1 further includes a data storage unit 12. The data storage unit 12 is configured with non-volatile memory. The data storage unit 12 is configured with, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The data storage unit 12 stores various databases (DBs) related to shopping agent services.

[0030] In this embodiment, the DBs stored in the data storage unit 12 include a member information DB 121, a shopping agent registration information DB 122, a shopping request information DB 123, a shopping agent result information DB 124, and a member point information DB 125. Details of these DBs 121 to 125 will be described later.

[0031] <3. How we provide our shopping agent service> Next, a method for providing a shopping proxy service using the shopping proxy system 100 including the shopping proxy service providing device 1 will be described.

[0032] (3-1. Membership Registration) In this embodiment, a shopping agent is a person who is registered as a member of the shopping agent system 100. A shopping agent who is registered as a member may also be a person requesting shopping services. In other words, in the configuration of this embodiment, members can shop for each other. Note that a shopping agent may also be an employee employed by a professional shopping agent. However, introducing a membership system as in this embodiment can reduce the expenses required for employment, for example, and therefore reduce the agency fees.

[0033] In this embodiment, the person requesting shopping proxy services may be either a registered member or a non-registered member. Furthermore, a registered member requesting shopping proxy services may not wish to be a shopping proxy service. In other words, in this embodiment, members include those who only request shopping proxy services but do not themselves perform the shopping proxy services.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the member registration process in the shopping agent system 100. The user terminal in FIG. 3 is a terminal used by the person performing member registration. The user terminal may be, for example, a personal computer, tablet, smartphone, etc. The user terminal shown in FIG. 3 is usually used as the client terminal 2 or the shopping agent terminal 3 after the member registration process shown in FIG. 3.

[0035] In step S1, the user terminal transmits user information to the external data receiving unit 111 of the shopping agent service providing device 1 via the network 6. That is, the data receiving unit 1111 of the external data receiving unit 111 receives the user information. Note that the user information can be transmitted, for example, by a person who wishes to register as a member of the shopping agent system 100 entering the user information on a member registration site on the Internet. Alternatively, an app (application software) for members of the shopping agent system 100 may be downloaded to the user terminal, and the user information may be input and transmitted using the app.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4, which will be described later, the user information includes, for example, the name, address, age, and gender of the person who wishes to register as a member, as well as financial institution information. The financial institution information includes, for example, an account number for withdrawing payments incurred by the member and an account number for transferring money to the member. The financial institution information may include, for example, information about a credit card instead of an account number at a financial institution. Once the user information is sent, the process proceeds to step S2.

[0037] In step S2, the data identification unit 1112 of the external data receiving unit 111 identifies the type of data received by the data receiving unit 1111. Here, the data identification unit 1112 identifies that the type of the received data is user information. Once the identification of the data type is complete, the process proceeds to step S3.

[0038] In step S3, data writing unit 1113 converts the user information into the format of member information DB 121 and saves it as member information. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the format of member information DB 121. In the example shown in Fig. 4, data writing unit 1113 adds a member ID, password, and update time to the name, age, sex, and financial institution information included in the user information, and saves this information in member information DB 121 as member information.

[0039] The password is, for example, a password for accessing the member site of the shopping agent system 100 on the Internet. For example, the member site can be accessed by entering a member ID and password. In this example, the password is automatically determined by the shopping agent service providing device 1. However, this is an example, and the password may be determined in advance by the member.

[0040] Once the member information has been saved, the completion of member registration is notified to the user terminal, and processing proceeds to the next step S4. The registration completion notification may be sent by the processing unit 11 or by a device provided in the shopping agent service providing device 1 separately from the processing unit 11. The registration completion notification may include, for example, the member ID and password. The member ID and password may be sent to the registered email address. In this case, the email address information is included in the user information. Note that a person who does not wish to have shopping agent services may end the member registration process at this point. This allows the person to register as a member who only requests shopping agent services.

[0041] In step S4, the user terminal transmits the shopping agent requester information to the external data receiving unit 111 via the network 6. That is, the data receiving unit 1111 of the external data receiving unit 111 receives the shopping agent requester information. The shopping agent requester information can be transmitted, for example, by a person wishing to act as a shopping agent entering the shopping agent requester information on an online member's site. Alternatively, the shopping agent requester information may be input and transmitted using a member's app.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 5, which will be described later, the shopping agent requester information includes, for example, the member ID of the person who wishes to register as a shopping agent, current location information, available proxy type, available proxy area, and available proxy time period. The current location information is, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System) information. The current location information as registration information may be information that authorizes the shopping agent service providing device 1 to view the GPS information of the terminal owned by the shopping agent. The available proxy type is the type of product for which shopping agent services are available. The available proxy area is, for example, information about the area in which shopping agent services are available. Once the shopping agent requester information has been sent, processing proceeds to step S5.

[0043] In step S5, the data identification unit 1112 identifies the type of data received by the data receiving unit 1111. Here, the data identification unit 1112 identifies the type of the received data as shopping agent requester information. Once the identification of the data type is complete, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0044] In step S6, the data writing unit 1113 converts the shopping agent requester information into the format of the shopping agent registration information DB 122 and saves it as shopping agent registration information. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the format of the shopping agent registration information DB 122. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the data writing unit 1113 adds the agent ID and update time to the member ID, current location information, available proxy type, available proxy range, and available proxy time period included in the shopping agent requester information, and saves this information as shopping agent registration information in the shopping agent registration information DB 122. In other words, the data saving unit 12 saves information about shopping agent requesters who wish to be served as shopping agents.

[0045] Once the saving of the shopping agent registration information is complete, the user terminal is notified of the completion of the shopping agent registration. The registration completion notification may be sent by the processing unit 11 or by a device provided in the shopping agent service providing device 1 separately from the processing unit 11. The registration completion notification may include, for example, the agent ID. If email address information is included as member information, the agent ID may be sent to the registered email address.

[0046] (3-2. Shopping proxy request ~ Shopping proxy instruction) FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the process from a shopping agent request to a shopping agent instruction in a method for providing a shopping agent service using the shopping agent system 100. A shopping agent request is made by a requester who wishes to request shopping agent services using the requester terminal 2. The requester for shopping agent services is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a business traveler on a business trip or a tourist going sightseeing. The requester may or may not be a member of the shopping agent system 100.

[0047] In step S11, the client terminal 2 transmits shopping request information to the external data receiving unit 111 of the shopping agent service providing device 1 via the network 6. That is, the data receiving unit 1111 of the external data receiving unit 111 receives the shopping request information. In other words, the processing unit 11 accepts a shopping agent request. The shopping agent service providing method includes a request accepting step of accepting a shopping agent request via communication.

[0048] For example, a client may request a shopping agent service for souvenirs when making a hotel reservation for a business trip or sightseeing trip using the client terminal 2. The client may enter the shopping agent service request information using a shopping agent service request page provided on an online hotel reservation site, for example. The client may pay the shopping agent service fee when requesting the shopping agent service. In this case, payment may be made using a credit card. Also, for example, if the client is a member of the shopping agent system 100, the shopping agent service fee may be debited from a financial institution account. The shopping agent service fee may include, for example, the product price, delivery fee, and agency fee.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 7 (described later), shopping request information, which is information requesting a shopping agent service, includes, for example, the requester's member ID, desired product, desired delivery time, and desired delivery location. If the requester is not a member, information identifying the requester, such as the requester's name, may be included instead of the member ID. For example, the requester may specify the desired delivery location as the hotel where the requester is staying and the desired delivery time as the hotel check-out time. The number and type of desired products may be one or more. Once the shopping request information is sent, the shopping agent service request using the requester terminal 2 is completed. Then, when the shopping agent service providing device 1 receives the shopping request information, the processing of step S12 is performed.

[0050] In step S12, data identification unit 1112 of external data receiving unit 111 identifies the type of data received by data receiving unit 1111. Here, data identification unit 1112 identifies the type of the received data as shopping request information. Once the identification of the type of data is complete, the process proceeds to step S13.

[0051] In step S13, data writing unit 1113 converts the received shopping request information into a format conforming to shopping request information DB 123 and saves the converted information. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the format of shopping request information DB 123. In the example shown in FIG. 7, data writing unit 1113 adds a shopping ID and an update time to the received shopping request information and saves this information as shopping request information in shopping request information DB 123. Once the shopping request information has been saved in shopping request information DB 123, processing proceeds to step S14.

[0052] In step S14, the data reading unit 1121 of the proxy request detection unit 112 reads the data in the shopping agent registration information DB 122 and the shopping request information DB 123 when the shopping request information DB 123 is updated. The timing when the shopping request information DB 123 is updated corresponds to the timing when the information is saved in the shopping request information DB 123 in step S13. Once the data reading is complete, the process proceeds to the next step S15.

[0053] In step S15, the agent selection unit 1122 selects a shopping agent from among those registered in the shopping agent registration information based on the data previously read. That is, a shopping agent is selected from among multiple members who wish to act as a shopping agent. The agent selection unit 1122 may select one or more shopping agents based on the shopping request information.

[0054] The agent selection unit 1122 selects a shopping agent so that the transportation facilities provided by the transportation service provider can be linked with the shopping agent. For example, the agent selection unit 1122 creates a plan for linking the transportation facilities and the shopping agent based on the shopping request information and information provided by the transportation service provider, and selects a shopping agent based on the plan. The information provided by the transportation service provider is, for example, candidate information on locations where the transportation facilities provided by the transportation service provider can pick up products purchased through the shopping agent. The candidate information on locations may be predetermined and stored in a non-volatile memory such as a server. As another example, the candidate information on locations may be provided by the transportation service provider via communication.

[0055] Note that transportation includes the driver of the transportation. In other words, when transportation receives products purchased through a shopping agent, it includes the driver of the transportation receiving the products purchased through a shopping agent. In other words, if the transportation is a taxi, the taxi driver may receive the products purchased through a shopping agent. Furthermore, when transportation receives products purchased through a shopping agent, it may mean that the shopping agent places the products purchased through a shopping agent in a predetermined location (such as a luggage space) within the transportation, such as a bus.

[0056] For example, the agent selection unit 1122 selects a shopping agent based on the shopping request information, the shopping agent registration information, and information on the location where the purchased items will be picked up. The agent selection unit 1122 may select, for example, an agent who can complete the shopping agent task in the shortest time. Furthermore, for example, if the desired item included in the shopping request information is a frozen food, the agent selection unit 1122 may select, as a shopping agent, an agent who can purchase the item at a time close to the desired delivery time included in the shopping request information (an optimal time item purchaser).

[0057] In addition, the selection of a shopping agent may also utilize information on the shopping agent's past performance, and the selection of a shopping agent may be performed with priority given to the performance information. Performance information may include, for example, information on the time and cost required for past shopping agent services. Performance information may also include information on the client's evaluation of past shopping agent services and information on the member's specialty areas for purchasing products derived from past shopping agent services. Specialty information may be, for example, information on product categories in which a member can purchase products at a low price using discount information, or information on product categories in which a member can purchase hard-to-find products with a high probability. For example, a person who is estimated to be able to purchase products at a low price based on the performance information may be preferentially selected as a shopping agent. In addition, if a product is purchased at a low price, the surplus cost may be, for example, returned to the client or given to the member.

[0058] Furthermore, when a client requests shopping proxy service for multiple types of products, a single shopping proxy may be selected, or multiple shopping proxy service may be selected. In the former case, the cost of the shopping proxy service can be reduced. In the latter case, the time required for the shopping proxy service can be shortened. The client may include in advance in the shopping request information whether they prioritize cost or time when shopping on their behalf. The proxy selection unit 1122 may then select a shopping proxy service based on the client's preference for prioritizing cost or time.

[0059] Furthermore, if another client has already requested a shopping agent for the same item and a shopping agent has already been selected, the agent selection unit 1122 may select a person who has already been selected as a shopping agent again if, for example, the time and location conditions are met. In other words, a certain shopping agent may be instructed to purchase multiple items desired by multiple clients at once. This can reduce the cost of shopping agents.

[0060] Once a shopping agent has been selected, the process proceeds to the next step S16.

[0061] In step S16, the proxy request instruction unit 1123 generates shopping information based on the results of the shopping agent selection and transmits the generated shopping information to the shopping agent terminal 3 via the network 6. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining shopping information. As shown in FIG. 8, the shopping information includes, for example, a shopping ID, product information, product delivery time, and product delivery location. The product information is information about the products for which shopping is performed on behalf of the customer, and may include the number of products to be purchased and the type of product. The product information may include multiple types of products. The product delivery time and location are the time and location at which the shopping agent will deliver the purchased products to transportation provided by the transportation service provider.

[0062] Upon completion of step S16, the shopping information is displayed on the display screen 30 of the shopping agent terminal 3 to which the shopping information was sent (for example, the area surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 7). That is, the shopping agent service providing device 1 displays at least a portion of the information included in the shopping information on the display screen 30 of the shopping agent terminal 3. This allows the shopping agent to easily grasp the information required to perform shopping on the shopping agent's behalf by looking at the display screen 30 of the shopping agent terminal 3.

[0063] 7, the shopping information displayed on the display screen 30 of the shopping agent terminal 3 includes a shopping ID, product information, product delivery time, and product delivery location. The items displayed on the display screen 30 may also include other information, such as a cost limit for shopping agents and whether gift wrapping is available. The display screen 30 may also display not only text information, but also product photos and a map showing the location.

[0064] The shopping agent purchases the requested products according to the shopping information displayed on the shopping agent terminal 3, and delivers the purchased products to the designated product delivery location at the designated time. Because the client pays the fee by credit card or direct debit, the shopping agent does not have to pay the fee when purchasing the products. This reduces the burden on the shopping agent.

[0065] If the shopping agent determines that the product cannot be purchased according to the shopping information displayed on the shopping agent terminal 3, the shopping agent may be configured to transmit this information to the shopping agent service providing device 1. In this case, the shopping agent service providing device 1 may be configured to re-plan the shopping agent schedule, including selecting a shopping agent.

[0066] In the above example, a plan for linking transportation facilities and shopping agents is first established, and then the shopping agent is selected. However, this is merely an example. For example, a shopping agent may be selected first based on the shopping request information and shopping agent registration information, and the location where the shopping agent will hand over the items to the transportation facility may be determined based on the selected shopping agent's schedule. Furthermore, the shopping agent schedule, including the selection of the shopping agent, may be determined based on the schedules of each member registered in the shopping agent registration information DB 122 and the schedules of transportation facilities provided by the transportation service provider.

[0067] Furthermore, when selecting a shopping agent, the agent selection unit 1122 may be configured to determine whether or not it is necessary to use transportation provided by a transportation service provider. For example, if the address of the shopping agent is close to the desired delivery location of the client, it may be determined that it is not necessary to use transportation provided by a transportation service provider. In this case, an instruction to deliver the product may be issued to the shopping agent. This reduces unnecessary delivery fees and saves costs associated with shopping. In other words, the destination of the delivery instruction may be selected between the shopping agent terminal 3 and the transportation service provider terminal 4.

[0068] As can be seen from the above, the processing unit 11 of the shopping agent service providing device 1 transmits shopping information related to the shopping agent service to the shopping agent terminal 3. The shopping agent service providing method includes a shopping information transmitting step of transmitting shopping information related to the shopping agent service to the terminal 3 used by the shopping agent.

[0069] The processing unit 11 selects a shopping agent from among those who wish to be a shopping agent. In this configuration, a shopping agent can be selected from among those who wish to be a shopping agent and have registered as members in advance. Members who wish to be a shopping agent can effectively use their free time to perform shopping on their behalf and receive payment for it. Because a shopping agent can be selected from multiple registered members, there is no need to hire an employee to perform the shopping, which helps keep agency costs low.

[0070] Furthermore, the processing unit 11 may select a shopping agent based on their past performance in shopping proxy services. This can improve the quality of shopping proxy services and increase the satisfaction of the person requesting the shopping proxy service.

[0071] (3-3. After shopping agency instructions ~ Delivery completion report) FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow from issuing a shopping agent instruction to reporting delivery completion in a method for providing a shopping agent service using shopping agent system 100.

[0072] In step S21, the shopping agent terminal 3 transmits shopping agent result information indicating the results of the shopping agent instruction to the shopping agent service providing device 1. That is, the data receiving unit 1111 of the external data receiving unit 111 receives the shopping agent result information. Note that the shopping agent transmits the shopping agent result information, for example, by operating the shopping agent terminal 3 to input the shopping agent result information and issuing a transmission instruction.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 10 (described later), the shopping proxy result information includes, for example, a shopping ID, the shopping proxy's membership ID, retailer information for the items purchased through the shopping proxy, information about the purchased items, the time of purchase, the total amount spent on the items, and a status indicating the result of the shopping proxy. Specifically, the status indicates whether the item was purchased or canceled. A purchase is canceled, for example, when the item is out of stock and cannot be purchased. Once the shopping proxy result information has been sent, processing proceeds to step S22.

[0074] In step S22, data identification unit 1112 of external data receiving unit 111 identifies the type of data received by data receiving unit 1111. Here, data identification unit 1112 identifies the type of the received data as shopping agent result information. Once the identification of the data type is complete, the process proceeds to step S23.

[0075] In step S23, the data writing unit 1113 converts the received shopping agent result information into a format conforming to the shopping agent result information DB 124 and saves it. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the format of the shopping agent result information DB 124. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the data writing unit 1113 adds a shopping agent result ID and update time to the received shopping agent result information and saves this information as shopping agent result information in the shopping agent result information DB 124. Once the shopping agent result information has been saved in the shopping agent result information DB 124, processing proceeds to step S24.

[0076] In step S24, the data reading unit 1131 of the proxy request management unit 113 reads the data from the shopping proxy result information DB 124 when the shopping proxy result information DB 124 is updated. The timing when the shopping proxy result information DB 124 is updated corresponds to the timing when the information is saved in the shopping proxy result information DB 124 in step S23. Once the data reading is complete, the process proceeds to the next step S25.

[0077] In step S25, the delivery instruction unit 1132 generates delivery information based on the shopping agent result information and transmits the generated delivery information to the transportation service provider terminal 4 via the network 6. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining delivery information. As shown in FIG. 11, the delivery information includes, for example, the name and member ID of the client, the name and member ID of the shopping agent, a shopping ID, delivery product information, the product pickup location, the product pickup time, the product delivery location, and the product delivery time. The product pickup location is the location where the transportation facility will pick up the products purchased by the shopping agent. The product delivery location is the location where the customer requesting the shopping agent will pick up the products.

[0078] If the "status" in the shopping proxy result information indicates that the purchase has been canceled, the product cannot be delivered. For this reason, a configuration may be adopted in which delivery cancellation information is sent to the transportation service provider terminal 4 instead of delivery information. In this case, it is preferable that the shopping proxy cancellation information be sent to the client terminal 2 used by the person requesting the shopping proxy.

[0079] Upon completion of step S25, the delivery information is displayed on the display screen 40 of the transportation service provider terminal 4 to which the delivery information was sent (for example, the area surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 11). That is, the shopping agent service providing device 1 displays at least a portion of the information included in the delivery information on the display screen 40 of the transportation service provider terminal 4. This allows the transportation service provider to easily understand the information required for delivering goods by looking at the display screen 40 of the transportation service provider terminal 4. In the example shown in FIG. 11, the display screen 40 of the transportation service provider terminal 4 displays the following delivery information: the client's name and member ID, the shopping agent's name and member ID, shopping ID, delivery product information, product pickup location, product pickup time, product delivery location, and product delivery time.

[0080] The transportation service provider dispatches a taxi or the like in accordance with the delivery information displayed on the transportation service provider terminal 4. The driver or other occupant of the transportation facility such as a taxi receives the purchased items from the shopping agent and hands them over to the client.

[0081] As can be seen from the above, the processing unit 11 of the shopping agent service providing device 1 transmits delivery instructions for products purchased by the shopping agent based on the shopping information to the transportation service provider terminal. The shopping agent service providing method includes a delivery instruction step of transmitting delivery instructions for products purchased by the shopping agent based on the shopping information to the terminal 4 used by the transportation service provider that provides the transportation service. This configuration allows the shopping agent to deliver the products purchased by the shopping agent using transportation provided by the transportation service provider, thereby improving shopping efficiency. For example, the shopping agent can deliver the purchased products to the client using a taxi that the client plans to use. Furthermore, for example, if the client is on a business trip, the shopping agent can purchase souvenirs for the client's business trip destination while the client is working, and arrange for the souvenirs to be delivered to the client using transportation services provided by the transportation service provider. Furthermore, the shopping agent does not need to deliver the purchased products directly to the client. This reduces the burden on the shopping agent.

[0082] The delivery instructions also include a location where the shopping agent and the transportation provided by the transportation service provider will meet. If the transportation is a transportation driver, the delivery instructions may also include a location where the shopping agent and the transportation driver will meet. This configuration allows for appropriate coordination between the shopping agent and the transportation service provider, enabling efficient shopping. This configuration also allows for a designated meeting point for product delivery to the shopping agent, making it easier for the transportation service provider to optimize the product delivery plan.

[0083] When delivery using transportation is completed, the transportation service provider reports the delivery result. Returning to FIG. 9, in step S26, the transportation service provider terminal 4 transmits delivery result information to the shopping agent service providing device 1. That is, the data receiving unit 1111 of the external data receiving unit 111 receives the delivery result information. The delivery result information is transmitted by the transportation service provider operating the transportation service provider terminal 4 to input the delivery result information and issue a transmission instruction.

[0084] Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining delivery result information. As shown in Fig. 12, the delivery result information includes, for example, the transportation service provider, delivered product information, product receiving location, product delivery location, product delivery time, delivery fee, and status. The status includes information notifying that delivery has been completed. Once the delivery result information is sent, processing proceeds to step S27 (see Fig. 9).

[0085] In step S27, data identification unit 1112 identifies the type of data received by data receiving unit 1111. Here, data identification unit 1112 identifies the type of the received data as delivery result information. Once the identification of the data type is complete, processing proceeds to step S28.

[0086] In step S28, the data writing unit 1113 updates the shopping agent result information stored in the shopping agent result information DB 124 in accordance with the delivery result information. In detail, the data writing unit 1113 updates the "status" of the shopping agent result information (see FIG. 10) to "delivered."

[0087] (3-4. Payment and point processing) FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of payment processing and point processing in a method for providing a shopping agent service using the shopping agent system 100.

[0088] As described above, when the shopping agent terminal 3 transmits the shopping agent result information (step S21), the data reading unit 1131 of the proxy request management unit 113 reads the shopping agent result information from the shopping agent result information DB 124 (step S24). When the payment processing unit 1134 confirms that the product has been purchased in the read shopping agent result information, it creates product payment information based on the shopping agent result information and transmits it to the payment agent terminal 5 (step S29).

[0089] Figure 14 is a diagram for explaining product payment information. As shown in Figure 14, the product payment information includes, for example, the name of the retailer of the product purchased through shopping agent service, the payment amount (product price), the payment deadline, the shopping ID, and the date and time of purchase. Based on the product payment information sent to payment agent terminal 5, the payment agent makes payment on behalf of the client to the retailer where the product purchased through shopping agent service.

[0090] 13, as described above, when the transportation service provider terminal 4 transmits the delivery result information (step S26), the data writing unit 1113 of the external data receiving unit 111 updates the "status" of the shopping agent result information to "delivered" (step S28). At the time of this update, the payment processing unit 1134 creates delivery service payment information based on the delivery result information and transmits it to the payment agent terminal 5 (step S30).

[0091] Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating delivery service payment information. As shown in Figure 15, the delivery service payment information includes, for example, the transportation service provider who delivered the shopping agent product, the payment amount (delivery fee), the payment deadline, the shopping ID, the delivered product information, the product pickup location, the product delivery location, and the product delivery time. Based on the delivery service payment information sent to payment agent terminal 5, the payment agent makes payment on behalf of the client to the transportation service provider who delivered the shopping agent product.

[0092] 13, once the delivery service payment information has been sent, the point update unit 1133 performs a process to award the shopping agent with work points for the shopping agent work. Specifically, the point update unit 1133 updates the member point information of the shopping agent to whom points are to be awarded, which is stored in the member point information DB 125.

[0093] FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating member point information. As shown in FIG. 16, the member point information stored in member point information DB 125 includes, for example, a member ID, total points, point validity period, and update time. In this example, updating the member point information involves rewriting the total points. Points are awarded, for example, by converting the delivery fee paid by the client into points. Points can be used, for example, to pay for transportation provided by partner stores (retailers) of shopping agent system 100 or transportation service providers. Furthermore, for example, points may be configured to be convertible into cash.

[0094] As can be seen from the above, in this embodiment, the information stored in the data storage unit 12 includes point information. The processing unit 11 updates the point information when a shopping agent performs shopping on behalf of a customer. With this configuration, the shopping agent can earn points as compensation for shopping on behalf of a customer in their own free time. This configuration eliminates the need for the shopping agent to receive payment, reducing the burden on the shopping agent.

[0095] <4. Modifications> In the above-described embodiment, a shopping proxy plan is created individually for each shopping proxy request received, but this is merely an example. The processing unit 11 may also be configured to accept multiple shopping proxy requests at once within a certain period of time. This configuration allows for the ability to accept multiple shopping proxy requests at once and plan multiple shopping proxy requests at once, thereby reducing the cost of the shopping proxy service. This configuration is suitable for shopping proxy services in areas where there are few product retailers near the home, such as depopulated areas.

[0096] When applying the shopping agent system 100 to shopping proxy services in depopulated areas, it is preferable that the person requesting the shopping proxy service also register as a member. This allows for efficient handling of the costs involved in the shopping proxy service. When applying the shopping agent system 100 to depopulated areas, the shopping proxy may be required to use public transportation to pick up and drop off the products. The transportation service provided by the transportation service provider may be an on-demand taxi.

[0097] The system may also be configured so that a client who has requested a shopping agent service can use the client terminal 2 to send an evaluation of the shopping agent service to the shopping agent service providing device 1. In this case, the shopping agent service providing device 1 may reflect the received evaluation of the shopping agent service in the information stored in the data storage unit 12. For example, the evaluation points included in the information of each registrant in the shopping agent registration information DB 122 may be configured to change depending on the evaluation of the shopping agent service.

[0098] For example, if the shopping agent's shopping service is highly rated, the evaluation points may be increased, and if the evaluation is low, the evaluation points may be decreased. For example, when selecting a shopping agent, the shopping agent service providing device 1 may give priority to a registered user with a high evaluation point as the shopping agent.

[0099] <5. Things to keep in mind> Various technical features disclosed in the description of the present invention may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical creation. Furthermore, multiple embodiments and modifications disclosed in the description of the present invention may be combined to the extent possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 1. Shopping agent service providing device 2. Requester terminal 3. Shopping agent terminal 4. Transportation service provider terminal 5. Payment agent terminal 11 Processing section 12. Data storage section 30. Display screen of the shopping agent terminal

Claims

1. receiving shopping information from a client terminal used by a client requesting shopping proxy service; Sending the shopping information to a shopping agent terminal used by the shopping agent; Sending delivery instructions for the merchandise purchased through the shopping agent service to a transportation service provider terminal used by the transportation service provider; A shopping agent service providing device that transmits at least a portion of the information about the costs required for the shopping agent service to a payment agent.

2. Receive shopping information from a client terminal used by a client requesting shopping proxy service; Sending the shopping information to a shopping agent terminal used by the shopping agent; Sending delivery instructions for the merchandise purchased through the shopping agent service to a transportation service provider terminal used by the transportation service provider; The delivery instructions include a location where the shopping agent and the transportation provided by the transportation service provider will meet.

3. The shopping agent service providing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein points are awarded as compensation for the shopping agent performing the shopping agent service.

4. 4. The shopping agent service providing device according to claim 1, wherein the shopping agent is selected from among the shopping agent applicants who wish to be the shopping agent.

5. The shopping agent service providing device according to claim 4 , wherein the shopping agent is selected based on past performance of the shopping agent.

6. The shopping agent service providing device according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the shopping agent requests are accepted at once within a certain period of time.

7. The shopping agent service providing device according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the shopping information is displayed on a display screen of the shopping agent terminal.

8. A shopping proxy service providing method performed by a shopping proxy service providing device, comprising: receiving shopping information from a client terminal used by a client requesting a shopping agent; a step of transmitting the shopping information to a shopping agent terminal used by the shopping agent; a step of transmitting a delivery instruction for the merchandise purchased through the shopping agent service to a transportation service provider terminal used by the transportation service provider; transmitting at least a portion of the cost information required for the shopping agent to a payment agent; A method for providing a shopping agent service comprising:

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