Virtual stock sales method and system equipment for implementing same

Abstract

Provided are a virtual stock sales method and system equipment whereby, on the basis of a bulk purchase contract of a product G with a customer C, a manufacturer A or a retailer B registers and virtually stocks the product G, and the customer C can take home the bulk-purchased product G from the retailer B at a bulk purchase unit price.

Description

Virtual stock sales method and system equipment for implementing the method

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel virtual stock sales method and system equipment for implementing the method, in which, upon receiving a bulk purchase request from customer C, manufacturer and / or retailer B virtually registers product G in stock, and when retailer B receives individual take-out orders from customer members and sells them in-store, manufacturer A and / or retailer B updates the virtual stock record and sells the products individually to customers at the bulk purchase unit price.

[0002] Currently, the most common method of selling goods is for a supermarket or other retailer B to purchase a predetermined quantity of goods G from a manufacturer A, and for customers C to pay an individual take-home price at the supermarket or other retailer B and then individually carry or have the goods delivered. While bulk orders are advantageous for customers C because they can purchase goods at a lower unit price, it is difficult to stock bulk-purchased goods G in an average household. On the other hand, knowing about bulk orders is advantageous for manufacturer A because it makes it easier to plan annual production and produce according to sales forecasts. However, receiving orders from individual customers C1 to Cn and selling directly to them requires higher transportation costs than selling through retailer B, making it difficult to reduce prices. Therefore, considering the issues of inventory at customers' homes and the direct shipping costs for individual orders, it is preferable for manufacturer A to continue as before by sending a predetermined quantity of goods G to retailer B, and for individual customers C1 to Cn to purchase goods individually from retailer B.

[0003] The inventors came to the conclusion that if customer C1 could purchase product G1 in bulk at a low unit price through a bulk advance purchase contract, but instead of stocking the products at their home, they could purchase them at a bulk unit price at retailer B as needed and take them home individually, this would be beneficial for both parties, as the customer could purchase the products at a low bulk price and manufacturer A could calculate the total number of customers' bulk purchases in advance and make production plans more easily. Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a virtual stock sales method and system equipment for implementing this method, which allows customers to place orders with the manufacturer and, based on that order, maintain the normal sales route from manufacturer A to retailer B to customer C rather than direct sales from the manufacturer, thereby enabling bulk orders to be placed that reduce the unit price of the products while utilizing the conventional sales route via retailers, but allows customer C to take the products home individually at the bulk purchase unit price at retailer B and not stock the products at their home, while manufacturer A can manufacture according to its annual production plan based on the bulk purchase contract from the customer. Means to solve the problem

[0004] The present invention is a virtual stock sales method in which, based on a bulk purchase contract for product G from customer C, manufacturer A and / or retailer B register the product G and virtually stock it, while customer C can individually take home the bulk-purchased product G at retailer B at the bulk purchase unit price, and the method comprises 1) a member registration process, 2) a bulk purchase process for forming a virtual stock, 3) an individual purchase process for purchasing the virtually stocked products, and 4) a settlement process for settling the individually purchased products at the bulk purchase price; retailer B is equipped with a sales system 100 consisting of a two-dimensional code that identifies whether the member-purchased bulk product is to be individually taken home or whether it is a general product, when customer C registers as a member and signs the bulk purchase contract, and is equipped with a purchasing system 200 that transmits an individual take-home signal S3 to the virtual stock via a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, and purchases the products at the bulk purchase unit price; Manufacturer A and / or retailer B prepare virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C based on a membership registration signal S1 from customer C, and record and store the bulk purchase of products when a bulk purchase signal S2 is sent from customer C's membership registration app. When an individual takeaway signal S3 is received from customer C, the management system 300 updates the inventory record of the virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303 and sends a purchased signal S4 for product G1 to the retailer B cash register. Retailer B further comprises a settlement system 400 that, when it receives the purchased signal S4 from manufacturer A at the customer's cash register, distinguishes the product that received the purchased signal S4 from manufacturer A from a general product and calculates and settles the product at the bulk purchase unit price. More specifically, the virtual stock sales method is configured as follows: That is, as shown in Figure 1(b), after registering as a member (member registration process), manufacturer A and / or retailer B register and virtually stock (bulk purchase process) product G1 based on customer C's bulk purchase contract for the product G1, while customer C individually purchases the bulk purchase product G1 at retailer B at the bulk purchase unit price (individual purchase process), settles the payment at the bulk purchase unit price (settlement process), and then takes the product home. This is a virtual stock sales method.To implement this, as shown in FIG. 1(a), the system comprises a purchasing system 200, a sales system 100, a management system 300, and a settlement system 400. Retailer B is equipped with a sales system 100 that has a member registration code QR1, and in the product corner, a product bulk purchase code QR2 for bulk purchasing of products G1 to be consumed over a specified usage period, and an individual take-home code QR3 (however, member registration and bulk purchase contract can be made in advance, in which case only the individual take-home code QR3 may be required). Customer C (1) obtains a member app from the member registration code QR1 via a mobile terminal 201 such as a smartphone, (2) reads the bulk purchase member registration code QR2 via the member app 202 and enters into a bulk purchase contract, and (3) reads the member individual sales code QR3 at retailer B via the member app and purchases the products, and then the purchasing system 200 transmits an individual take-home signal S3 to manufacturer A and / or retailer B. Manufacturer A and / or retailer B (4) prepares virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C based on a membership registration signal S1 from customer C's membership registration application 202, and (5) stocks the virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 by reading the bulk purchase code QR2 using customer C's membership registration application and sending the bulk purchase signal S2, and (6) upon receiving an individual take-home signal from customer C by reading the individual take-home code QR3 using customer C's membership registration application, (7) manufacturer A and / or retailer B updates the inventory record of virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303, and (8) sends a signal to retailer B that product G1 has been purchased. The store B cash register further includes a settlement system 400 that, upon receiving a purchased signal S4 from manufacturer A or store B at the time of the customer's purchase settlement, distinguishes between individual take-out items under the bulk purchase contract and other items and settles the transaction at the bulk purchase unit price. In the present invention, the virtual stock sales method of the present invention can usually be implemented by manufacturer A having management system 300, but store B may also, instead of or together with manufacturer A, have management system 300 that creates a virtual stock using member registration signal S1 and bulk purchase signal S2 and records inventory.Furthermore, instead of the purchased signal S4 transmitted based on the customer's individual take-home signal S3, a settlement signal S5 from customer C may be used to distinguish between general merchandise and virtual stock merchandise based on a bulk purchase contract at the cash register of retailer B, and simultaneously update the inventory record of the virtual stock. In short, in this virtual stock sales method, manufacturer A and / or retailer B prepare a virtual stock of merchandise through membership registration, record a specified inventory based on the bulk purchase contract, and update the virtual stock inventory record with the purchased signal S4 or settlement signal S5 when the merchandise is individually taken home or delivered by the customer, while distinguishing between bulk purchase merchandise and general merchandise at the retailer's cash register so that customer C can purchase them at the bulk purchase unit price.

[0005] According to the present invention, after registering as a member, customer C can enter into a bulk purchase contract using bulk purchase code QR2 and then purchase individual products at retailer B using individual sales code QR3 at the bulk purchase unit price. Therefore, even if customer C purchases in bulk, he or she does not need to stock product G at home. Furthermore, because customer C can individually pick up products from retailer B and take them home, there is no additional transportation cost associated with direct sales from manufacturer A. Furthermore, customer C can purchase individual products at retailer B as usual, and at the bulk purchase unit price. This allows manufacturer A and retailer B to sell products at lower unit prices without changing their current distribution routes, creating a new sales route through which customer C can purchase those products. What is important about the present invention is that retailer B can still offer bulk purchase unit prices for products, allowing individual products to be taken home as needed, just as before. Therefore, the present invention provides a method in which, first, manufacturer A or retailer B stocks products in a virtual stockpile based on a bulk purchase contract with a customer after membership registration, while allowing customer C who has signed a bulk purchase contract to have the products individually taken home from retailer B at the bulk purchase price. Second, retailer B distinguishes at the register whether the product is purchased at the bulk purchase price or a non-bulk purchase, and updates the virtual stock records of manufacturer A and / or retailer B, thereby sharing the benefits of virtual stock sales. To this end, retailer B assigns a member individual sales code QR3 to products displayed in its product corner, and sends an individual take-home signal to the virtual stock of manufacturer A and / or retailer B. Manufacturer A and / or retailer B update their virtual stock records, while also sending a purchased signal to retailer B's register indicating that the product is a bulk purchase product to be taken home, allowing the product to be distinguished from a non-bulk purchase product at the register for payment. In such a virtual stock sales system, instead of the above-mentioned purchased signal, a settlement signal is received from customer C's member app, and the product is identified and excluded from other products before being settled, while upon receiving settlement signal S5, manufacturer A and / or retailer B can update the virtual stock record.In short, the virtual stock sales of the present invention, through the combination of the membership registration signal S1 → bulk purchase signal S2 → individual take-home signal S3 → purchased signal S4 or settlement signal S5, allows customer C to purchase product G at retailer B at the bulk purchase price, while manufacturer A can create an annual production plan based on customer C's bulk purchase contract, providing a new virtual stock sales route. Furthermore, if customer C registers as a member using his or her own computer instead of his or her smartphone, downloads the app, enters into a bulk purchase contract, and downloads the membership app to his or her smartphone, he or she can scan the individual purchase code QR3 at retailer B to purchase individual products at the bulk purchase price, or, at the retailer's cash register, distinguishes the purchase from a general product and purchases the individual products at the bulk purchase price with the settlement signal S5. The method of the present invention is not limited to take-home from retailer B; if retailer B is a product delivery company, customer C can send the individual purchase signal S3 to have individually purchased products delivered at the bulk purchase price.

[0006] 1 is a diagram showing each process system (a) constituting the virtual stock sales method according to the present invention and the procedure of each process. FIG. 2 is a relationship diagram showing the relationship between each system and process when virtual stock is managed by a manufacturer in the virtual stock sales method according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a relationship diagram showing the relationship between each system and process when virtual stock is managed by a retailer in the virtual stock sales method according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a relationship diagram showing the relationship between each system and process when virtual stock is managed by a retailer and retailer headquarters in the virtual stock sales method according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a relationship diagram showing the relationship between each system and process when virtual stock is managed by a retailer headquarters and the manufacturer in the virtual stock sales method according to the present invention. This is a first example of a system for implementing the virtual stock sales method of FIG. 1, and is an overview diagram showing a method in which manufacturer A creates virtual stock for customer C, and when customer C takes home some of the products purchased in bulk at retailer B, the products are identified as regular products and paid for at the unit price for the bulk purchase at the cash register. This is a second example of the member virtual stock sales method according to the present invention implemented with the configuration of Figure 1, in which retailer B creates a virtual stock, manufacturer A consolidates the virtual stocks of multiple retailers B1 to Bn, and when customer C takes home some of the bulk purchased items at retailer B, the items are identified as regular items and the payment is made at the register at the unit price for the bulk purchase. This is a third example of the member virtual stock sales method according to the present invention implemented with the configuration of Figure 1, in which retailer B creates a virtual stock, manufacturer A and retailer B headquarters consolidate the virtual stocks of multiple retailers B1 to Bn, and when customer C takes home some of the bulk purchased items at retailer B, the items are identified as regular items and the payment is made at the register at the unit price for the bulk purchase.

[0007] The virtual stock sales method according to the present invention comprises 1) a member registration step, 2) a bulk purchase step, 3) an individual purchase step, and 4) a checkout step, as shown in FIG. 1(b). In the member registration step, a QR code (registered trademark) QR1 is read, the app receives the data, and a member registration signal S1 is sent to register the member. Next, in the bulk purchase step, a QR code QR2 is read, a bulk purchase signal S2 is sent, and a virtual stock is created and inventory is recorded. In the individual purchase step, a QR code QR3 is read, an individual takeout signal S3 is sent, and the inventory record of the virtual stock is updated. In the checkout step, upon receiving the individual takeout signal S3, manufacturer A or retailer B sends a purchased signal S4 to the retailer's cash register, distinguishing the individual items from general products and performing checkout at the bulk purchase unit price. This process is carried out by a sales system 100 consisting of a product QR code 100A shown in Figure 1(a), a purchasing system 200 consisting of customer C's mobile terminal 200A, a management system 300 consisting of servers 300A and 300B of manufacturer A and retailer B, and a settlement system 400 equipped with a retailer cash register 400A placed at the retailer cash register. The first mode is when the virtual stock is managed by the manufacturer. As shown in FIG. 2, member C1 uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display object QR1 in the sales system 100 and sends a signal S1 to the manufacturer A server 300A in the management system 300 to be registered as a member. Next, customer C1 uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display object QR2, purchases in bulk, and upon payment, a signal S2 is sent, and the manufacturer A server 300A records the stock in the virtual stock holder 301. When customer C1 uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display object QR3 in the sales system 100 and purchases individually, a signal S3 is sent to the manufacturer A server 300A in the management system 300, updating the record in the virtual stock holder 301. At the same time, a purchased signal S4 is sent to the retailer's cash register in the settlement system 400, and the items are settled at the bulk purchase price in the settlement process.In the second embodiment, when there are multiple retailers B1, B2, ... and they are managed by manufacturer A, as shown in FIG. 3, customer C1 uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display item QR1 in sales system 100 and sends signal S1 to retailer B server 300B in management system 300 to be registered as a member. Next, customer C1 uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display item QR2, purchases in bulk, and upon payment, signal S2 is transmitted, and retailer B's server 300B records the stock in virtual stock holder 301. When customer C1 uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display item QR3 in sales system 100 and purchases individually, signal S3 is transmitted to retailer B's server 300B in management system 300, updating the record in virtual stock holder 301, and at the same time, a purchased signal S4 is transmitted to the retailer's cash register in payment system 400, and the payment is made at the bulk purchase price in the payment process. In this case, if retail store B is not a chain store, it is preferable that manufacturer A also has a server 300A that manages the data of each retail store, and that manufacturer A share and manages the data of each retail store B1 and B2. In the third mode, if retail store B is a chain store, it is preferable that the virtual stock be managed not only by each retail store but also by the retail store headquarters. As shown in Figure 4, member C1 uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display item QR1 in sales system 100 and sends signal S1 to store B server 300B in management system 300 to register as a member. Next, customer C1 uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display item QR2, make a bulk purchase, and pay. Signal S2 is transmitted, and store B server 300B records the stock in virtual stock holder 301. When customer C1 uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display item QR3 in sales system 100 and purchases individual items, signal S3 is transmitted to store B server 300B in management system 300, updating the record in virtual stock holder 301. At the same time, purchased signal S4 is transmitted to store cash register in payment system 400, and the items are settled at the bulk purchase price during the payment process. In this example, each store B and its headquarters are equipped with server B, and data about each store is shared with the headquarters.In the fourth embodiment, the retail store headquarters and the manufacturer each have a server 300B and a server 300A, respectively, as shown in FIG. 5, which combines the embodiments of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. In other words, the system is configured so that at least one of retail store B (or retail store headquarters in the case of a chain) and manufacturer A has management system 300 to manage virtual stock sales. That is, in the present invention, 1) after customer C registers a membership, manufacturer A and / or retail store B registers and virtually stocks product G based on a 2) bulk purchase contract for the product G, while customer C 3) individually purchases the bulk purchase product G at retail store B and 4) settles the payment at the bulk purchase unit price and takes it home. To implement sales system 100, product purchase system 200, product management system 300, and product checkout system 400, the system includes a QR code display object 100A, a mobile terminal 200A such as a smartphone owned by customer C, and servers 300A and 300B owned by manufacturer A and retail store B. In this specification, the example of taking one item home will be described, but it goes without saying that multiple items may be taken home.

[0008] The QR code display 100A is a configuration for implementing the sales system 100, and includes three types of QR code displays. The first QR code display 101 consists of a first QR code display QR1 that displays a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration, and the second QR code display 102 consists of a second QR code display QR2 that displays a bulk purchase code for transmitting a signal S2 for the member to purchase products in bulk, and a third QR code display QR3 that displays an individual product take-home code for transmitting a signal S3 for the member to take away individual products.

[0009] The mobile terminal 200A, such as a smartphone, owned by the customer is configured to implement the customer's product purchasing system 200, and is equipped with a means for transmitting a signal of a QR code read by a QR code reader 201, and is equipped with a communication function 203 consisting of (1) a screen that reads the member registration code QR1 and displays a member app icon 202 obtained by transmitting the read member registration signal S1, (2) a device that reads the member product bulk purchase code QR2 and transmits a product bulk purchase signal S2, and (3) a device that reads the member individual sales code QR3 and transmits a separate takeaway signal S3.

[0010] The manufacturer A's server 300A and the retailer's server 300B are configured to implement the management system 300, and include: (4) a device for receiving the membership registration signal S1 from customer C, a virtual stock device that receives the signal S1 and forms virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C; (5) a recording device that receives customer C's bulk purchase signal S2 and records inventory in virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303; (6) a device for receiving individual take-home signal S3 from customer C; (7) a device for updating the inventory record of virtual stock 301, 302, or 303 using the individual take-home signal S3; and (8) a device for sending a signal that product G1 has been purchased to retailer B, thereby managing the virtual stock record.

[0011] The server 300B of the retail store B not only manages the virtual stock records, but also has a configuration for implementing the checkout system 400 when a customer pays for a product purchase at the cash register, and (9) has a receiving device that receives a purchase signal S4 from the customer C or the manufacturer A, and a checkout device that receives the purchase signal S4, distinguishes between purchased products and other general products, and excludes the purchased products from the product checkout items when calculating the checkout.

[0012] If the retailer is a chain store, it is preferable for each chain store and retailer headquarters to manage the data for management system 300. Based on a bulk purchase contract for product G with customer C, the retailer and headquarters B register it and virtually stock it, while customer C can individually take home the bulk-purchased product G at retailer B for the bulk purchase price. This is a virtual stock sales system, and is configured to combine QR code displays 101 and 102 to implement sales system 100, product purchase system 200, product management system 300, and product settlement system 400, a mobile terminal 200 such as a smartphone owned by customer C, and server 300B owned by the retailer and retailer headquarters B, but the manufacturer may also have server 300A so that data can be shared.

[0013] The QR code display is a component for implementing the sales system 100, and includes three types of QR code display: a first QR code display 101 displaying a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration; and a second QR code display 102 comprising a bulk purchase code QR2 for transmitting a signal S2 for a member to purchase products in bulk, and an individual product take-out code QR3 for transmitting a signal S3 for the member to take away individual products. Since member registration and bulk purchase can be performed separately outside the store, if a customer registers as a member and registers for bulk purchase outside the store via the Internet, has a member registration app, and keeps inventory records on a mobile device such as a smartphone, they can scan the individual purchase code QR3 to take away individual products at the bulk purchase unit price.

[0014] The mobile terminal 200A, such as a smartphone, owned by the customer is configured to implement the customer's product purchasing system 200, and is equipped with a means for transmitting a signal of a QR code read by a code reader 201, and is equipped with: (1) a screen that reads the member registration code QR1 and displays a member app icon 202 that is obtained by transmitting the read member registration signal S1; (2) a device that reads the member product bulk purchase code QR2 and transmits a product bulk purchase signal S2; and (3) a device 203 that reads the member individual sales code QR3 and transmits an individual takeaway signal S3.

[0015] The server 300B of the retail store and retail store headquarters B is configured to implement the retail store management system 300 and includes: (4) a device for receiving the membership registration signal S1 from customer C, a virtual stock device that receives the signal S1 and forms virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C, (5) a recording device that receives customer C's bulk purchase signal S2 and records inventory in the virtual stock, (6) a device for receiving customer C's individual take-home signal S2, (7) a device for updating the inventory record of virtual stock 301, 302, or 303 using the individual take-home signal S3, and (8) a device for sending a signal that product G1 has been purchased to retail store B.

[0016] Furthermore, the server of the retail store B is configured to implement the checkout system 400 when a customer pays for a product purchase at the cash register, and (8) executes a virtual stock sales system that includes a receiving device that receives a purchased signal S4 from the manufacturer A, and a checkout device that receives the purchased signal S, distinguishes between purchased products and other general products, and excludes the purchased products from the product checkout items before making the payment.

[0017] It is preferable that the server 300B of the retail store B is a combined facility that executes a virtual stock sales system having a settlement device that receives a settlement signal S5 from customer C instead of or in addition to the purchased signal S4 (9) and distinguishes between bulk purchase items and other general items and settles the account.

[0018] Furthermore, it is preferable that the server 300A of the manufacturer A is a combined facility that executes a virtual stock sales system that receives the total quantity of bulk purchase signals S2 for the product G1 from the retail stores B1 to Bn from the customers C1 to Cn at each store, and also has a device that receives orders from the retail stores B1 to Bn, because this makes it easier to make an annual production plan.

[0019] (Example 1) Figure 6 shows a first example of the present invention, which is a system that implements a virtual stock sales method in which customer C registers as a member and obtains a member app, and based on the bulk purchase registration of product G, manufacturer A registers it and virtually stocks it, while customer C takes home the bulk purchased product G from retailer B at the bulk purchase unit price.

[0020] Retailer B is equipped with QR code displays 101 and 102 and implements the following sales system 100. Specifically, a bulk purchase membership registration code QR1 is provided in the product section, and a bulk purchase code QR2 is provided nearby. Individual take-home codes QR3 are attached to or placed on the products. Therefore, customer C (1) can obtain the membership app via membership registration code QR1. Then, customer C (2) enters into a bulk purchase contract (including payment) via the membership app via bulk purchase code QR2. Virtual stock is created at manufacturer A, and the bulk-purchased products are kept in virtual inventory (virtual stock may also be created at retailer B at the same time). Finally, (3) retailer B can sell products to customer C at the bulk purchase price via individual take-home code QR3.

[0021] Customer C uses a mobile device 200A, such as a smartphone, equipped with a QR code reader 201 to implement the following purchasing system 200. Specifically, (1) at retailer B, the customer scans member registration code QR1 using mobile device 201, downloads the member app, and transmits member registration signal S1, thereby registering as a member. Member registration can also be achieved by searching for apps and web methods on the Internet, downloading the member app, or displaying the web method on a PC. Next, customer C registers for a bulk purchase via the member app using bulk purchase code QR2. A bulk purchase signal S2 is then sent to manufacturer A, separate from the member registration signal S1, creating individual virtual stocks 301 (B1-C1) to 303 (B1-C3), such as for customers C1 to C3 at retailer B1. Customer C then views product G1 and initiates the individual takeaway action using individual sales code QR3, which then transmits individual takeaway signal S3 to manufacturer A.

[0022] Manufacturer A is equipped with a server 300A and implements the following management system 300. As described above, when a bulk purchase signal S2 is received from customer C and a bulk purchase registration is made, the products are stored in virtual stocks 301 to 303 prepared for each customer C based on that. Next, (3) when customer C's membership registration app reads the member's individual sales code QR3 to initiate an individual take-home operation, (6) an individual take-home signal S3 is received from customer C, and (7) manufacturer A updates the virtual stock record and (8) sends a purchased signal S4 for product G1 to retailer B.

[0023] Retailer B also implements the following checkout system 400 at retailer 300B. That is, (8) the purchased product signal S4 from manufacturer A is used to exclude purchased products from the checkout items when calculating the total. Here, the purchased product signal S4 from manufacturer A is a signal sent from manufacturer A to retailer B when updating the virtual stock inventory in response to customer C's individual take-home signal S3, and is a signal that designates the product as purchased and should be excluded from the checkout items at the register. This checkout may be, for example, a signal that requests customer C's membership app to send a checkout signal S5 in the case of a QR code QR3 attached to a product at the register of retailer B, excluding the product from the checkout items. In this virtual stock sales, whether it is the manufacturer's virtual stock or the retailer's virtual stock, upon member registration, a bulk purchase signal S2 is received to create virtual stock in virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303, and an individual take-home signal S3 is sent to update the inventory record of the virtual stock. At the same time, a purchased signal S4 is sent from the virtual stock to exclude it from payment at retailer B's register, or a settlement signal S5 from customer C is sent to exclude it from payment at retailer B's register.

[0024] (Example 2) In the second example of the present invention, as shown in Figure 7, retailer B creates a virtual stockpile based on customer C's membership registration and bulk purchase registration for product G. Furthermore, manufacturer A compiles the bulk purchase records of customers C1 to Cn at each retailer B1 to Bn and registers them for each retailer B1 to Bn to create a virtual stockpile system. In this example, customer C can take home bulk purchases of product G from retailer B at the bulk purchase price, as in the first example, but virtual stockpile can be created at each retailer B1 to Bn. Manufacturer A only needs to compile the virtual stockpile amounts of customers C1 to Cn for each retailer and supply them upon receiving notification from retailer B. Furthermore, updating each customer C's virtual stockpile for each retailer is sufficient, simplifying system construction. The sales system 100, purchasing system 200, and checkout system 400 are the same as in the first example, except that management system 300 can be implemented not only at retailer B but also at manufacturer A.

[0025] 8, in a third example of the present invention, not only does retailer B create a virtual stock based on customer C's membership registration and bulk purchase registration of product G, but retailer headquarters B, such as a major supermarket chain with multiple chain retailers B, and manufacturer A also compile bulk purchase records of customers C1 to Cn at each of retailers B1 to Bn and register these records for each retailer B1 to Bn to create a virtual stock system. In this case, as in the first and second examples, customer C can take home bulk-purchased product G at retailer B at the bulk purchase price. However, since retailer B headquarters and manufacturer A also implement management system 300, retailer B headquarters is equipped with server 300B and performs integrated sales management for each retailer B1, B2, etc., and manufacturer A is also equipped with server 300A that manages data similar to that of retailer B headquarters and performs integrated manufacturing management for each retailer B1, B2, etc. Since the headquarters of retail store B and manufacturer A can receive information on the virtual stock amounts of customers C1 to Cn from the headquarters of retail store B, they can carry out integrated sales management and integrated manufacturing management. The rest of the sales system 100, purchasing system 200, and settlement system 400 are the same as in the first and second examples, so their explanations will be omitted.

[0026] As is clear from the above explanation, we have explained the cases where manufacturer A manages multiple retailers B, where a sales headquarters manages a chain of retailers, and where a chain of retailers is managed by the sales headquarters and manufacturer, with each retailer, sales headquarters, and manufacturer having their own management servers. However, it is also possible for the sales headquarters or manufacturer to manage the entire system using a management server. In either case, customer C typically purchases through retailer B, such as a supermarket. However, in the system of the present invention, retailer B acts as an intermediary between manufacturer A and customer C as in the past, while customer C purchases in bulk but does not take all of the products home. This is a virtual stock sales method that realizes a sales method. Since integrated management is performed at manufacturer A and retailer B, the purchasing sources, actual inventory is not required; only a minimum amount of bulk-purchased products is required, and the total number managed can be virtual.

[0027] To explain the sales function (retailer B → consumer C) using the example of a product, there is manufacturer A, retailer B, and customer C. Customer C first decides to buy detergent on sale at retailer B's storefront. He picks up a bottle of detergent for 1,000 yen, but next to it is a display of the same detergent for 500 yen, labeled a VSS (Virtuality-Stock-Selling) product with a QR code. Reading the instructions, he learns that if he downloads an app, scans the QR code QR2 attached to the display stand, and purchases 30 bottles online in a lump sum, the price per bottle will drop to 500 yen. Thinking that this is an online sale, he briefly thinks it would be impossible to have 30 bottles delivered to his house, since he has nowhere to store them. However, upon reading the instructions carefully, it appears that even if I buy 30 bottles, I only need to take one home, and the remaining 29 bottles will be kept by manufacturer A or retailer B. I can then come to retailer B and take home as many as I need. Without hesitation, I decide to buy 30 bottles in bulk. I add one bottle of the detergent labeled VSS, which is displayed in front of me, to my shopping cart and proceed to the checkout. The cashier then asks for my QR code (member app). When the cashier reads the payment signal 5 displayed by the app, the virtual inventory of the detergent in the app is reduced from 30 to 29. Since the item has already been paid for, I can take it home without it being added to the purchase price of other items. If the purchased signal 4 described above is used instead of the payment signal S5, the member's individual take-home signal S3 updates the virtual stock of manufacturer A or retailer B, and the virtual stock sends a purchased signal S4 to retailer B's register, allowing the item to be distinguished from general merchandise and checked out.

[0028] To explain in more detail, here is an example of a purchasing function (Manufacturer A → Retailer B): Retailer B's sales, which previously only consisted of one item per consumer per month, will increase to 30 times that amount, although not monthly. Of course, there will still be consumers who continue to buy individual items as before, but the number of consumers using VSS will also increase, and since the sales amount from VSS are already sold and payment has already been received, there is no purchasing risk and retailer B can place orders with manufacturer A. However, even retailer B will find it difficult to store 30 times the amount of inventory in the store and warehouse, so while retailer B will place orders and make payments, it will have manufacturer A manage the inventory data as virtual inventory.

[0029] Manufacturer A Manufacturer A has already paid for the VSS orders, so there is no risk of purchasing raw materials, and they only need to produce the amount of virtual inventory they need to ship per month, not the amount they sell. Essentially, introducing the VSS method does not increase detergent consumption, and all logistics will be changed to prepayment. The volume of logistics will not increase, and since the volume will remain roughly the same as before, there is no need to set up a new distribution division. The advantage is that by paying in advance, retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers will be able to eliminate the product purchasing risk, raw material purchasing risk, and manufacturing risk (excess inventory).

[0030] As the above explanation makes clear, conventional ordering methods predict sales volumes and mass-produce products. However, if sales fall short of forecasts, warehouses pile up with inventory. To reduce inventory, manufacturers are forced to sell products at lower prices, which leads to a deflationary economy. This traditional ordering method relies heavily on forecasts and often results in a high-risk business model. The VSS method of the present invention reduces wasteful production and mitigates or even eliminates this risk. The VSS / virtual stock sales method is likely to be a revolutionary approach that can compete with online retailers and support the future of brick-and-mortar retail. While direct sales by manufacturer A can be effectively utilized in Internet retail businesses, it has the drawback of requiring shipping costs for direct delivery to the consumer. The VSS of the present invention can also help retailer B develop repeat customers by designing products so that they can only be picked up at the original retailer where they were originally purchased. Having a large number of VSS products available also promotes sales by encouraging customers to shop after picking up their products. Furthermore, by using the Internet, VSS can be designed to allow products to be picked up at any store in the group, making it possible to receive products even when a customer is transferred, moves, or is on a business trip, making it an extremely convenient method for consumers and leading to sales promotion for the entire group. In other words, VSS is application software that connects three parties - B (business) to B (business) to C (consumer) and B to B to C - and provides benefits to all three parties.

[0031] 100 Sales system 200 Purchasing system 300 Management system 400 Settlement system

Claims

1. A virtual stock sales method in which, based on a bulk purchase contract for product G from customer C, manufacturer A and / or retailer B register the product and store it in virtual stock, while customer C can individually take home the bulk-purchase product G at retailer B at the bulk purchase unit price, comprising 1) a member registration process, 2) a bulk purchase process, 3) an individual purchase process, and 4) a settlement process for settling at the bulk purchase unit price; retailer B is equipped with a two-dimensional code sales system 100 that, after registering as a member and entering into a bulk purchase contract, identifies whether the member-purchased bulk product is to be individually taken home or whether it is a purchase of a general product; and customer C is equipped with a purchasing system 200 that, after registering as a member and entering into a bulk purchase contract, transmits an individual take-home signal S3 to the virtual stock via a mobile terminal such as a smartphone to purchase the product at the bulk purchase unit price. A virtual stock sales method characterized in that manufacturer A and / or retailer B prepare virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C based on a membership registration signal S1 from customer C, and record and stock the bulk purchase of products when customer C sends a bulk purchase signal S2 via their membership registration app, and upon receiving an individual takeaway signal S3 from customer C, the management system 300 updates the inventory record of the virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303 and sends a purchased signal S4 for product G1 to the retailer B cash register, and retailer B further comprises a settlement system 400 that distinguishes between products that have received the purchased signal S4 and other general products when the customer pays for the product at the cash register, and settles the products that have received the purchased signal S4 at the bulk purchase unit price.

2. In the method of claim 1, the store B is provided with a sales system 100 consisting of a member registration code QR1, a member product bulk purchase code QR2, and a member product individual take-home code QR3, and the customer C (1) acquires a member app via a mobile terminal such as a smartphone with the member registration code QR1 and a member registration signal S1, (2) reads the member product bulk purchase code QR2 and enters into a bulk purchase contract with a product bulk purchase signal S2, and (3) reads the member individual sales code QR3 at the store B via the member app and transmits an individual take-home signal S3 to the virtual stock, and the purchase system 200 The virtual stock sales method includes: (4) preparing virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C based on a membership registration signal S1 from the customer C; (5) reading a bulk purchase code QR2 using the customer C's membership registration app and transmitting a bulk purchase signal S2, thereby recording the bulk purchase of the products in the virtual stock and storing the products in stock; (6) upon receiving an individual takeaway signal S2 from the customer C, (7) updating the inventory record of the virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303; and (8) sending a signal that product G1 has been purchased to the retailer B; and the retailer B further includes a settlement system 400 that, when the customer pays for the product at the cash register, (8) distinguishes between products that have received a purchased signal S4 from the manufacturer A and other general products, and settles the products that have received the purchased signal S4 at the bulk purchase unit price.

3. In the method according to claim 1, the store B is provided with a sales system 100 consisting of a member registration code QR1, a member product bulk purchase code QR2, and a member product individual take-home code QR3, and the customer C (1) obtains a member app using the member registration code QR1 via a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, (2) reads the member product bulk purchase code QR2 and enters into a bulk purchase contract, and (3) reads the member individual sales code QR3 at the store B via the member app and transmits an individual take-home signal to the virtual stock, and the customer C is provided with a purchasing system 200. A virtual stock sales method in which retailer B (4) prepares virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C based on a membership registration signal from customer C, (5) purchases products in bulk by reading a bulk purchase code QR2 using customer C's membership registration app and sending a bulk purchase signal S2, (6) receives an individual takeaway signal S2 from customer C, (7) retailer B updates the record of virtual stocks 301, 302, or 303, and (8) is equipped with a management system 300 that sends a purchased signal for product G1 to retailer B's cash register, and retailer B (8) is equipped with a settlement system 400 that, when the customer pays for the product at the cash register, (8) distinguishes between the product that received the purchased signal S4 from retailer B and other products and calculates the product settlement items by excluding the purchased product.

4. A virtual stock sales method as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the settlement system 400 receives a settlement signal S5 from customer C (9) instead of or in addition to the purchased signal S4, and distinguishes between bulk purchase items and other general items and settles the transaction.

5. The virtual stock sales method described in claim 1, wherein manufacturer A receives the total amount of bulk purchases of product G1 from retailers B1 to Bn from customers C1 to Cn at each store, receives orders from retailers B1 to Bn, and supplies the required amount to the retailers.

6. The virtual stock sales method according to claim 1, wherein the headquarters of retail store B shares data of customers C1 to Cn for each store with retail stores B1 to Bn and manages the chain retail stores.

7. The virtual stock sales method according to claim 1, wherein the retailer B receives the individual purchase signal S3 from the customer C and receives delivery of the individually purchased items at the bulk purchase price.

8. A virtual stock sales system facility comprising a sales system 100, a product purchasing system 200, a product management system 300, and a product settlement system 400, in which, based on a bulk purchase contract for product G made by customer C after member registration, manufacturer A and / or retailer B register the contract and virtually stock it, while customer C individually purchases bulk purchase product G at retailer B, settles the payment at the bulk purchase unit price, and takes it home, and which comprises a combination of QR code displays 101 and 102, a mobile terminal 200A such as a smartphone owned by customer C, servers 300A and 300B owned by manufacturer A and retailer B, and a retailer cash register that receives signals from server 300A or 300B, The sales system 100 comprises three types of QR code display objects: a first QR code display object QR1 displaying a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration; a second QR code display object QR2 displaying a bulk purchase code for transmitting a signal S2 for a member to purchase products in bulk; and a third QR code display object QR3 displaying an individual product take-home code for transmitting a signal S3 for a member to take away individual products; the mobile terminal 200A such as a smartphone owned by the customer is configured to implement the customer's product purchasing system 200, and comprises means for transmitting a signal of a QR code read by a QR code reader 201, (1) a screen displaying a member application icon 202 obtained by reading the member registration code QR1 and transmitting the read member registration signal S1, (2) a device for reading the member product bulk purchase code QR2 and transmitting the product bulk purchase signal S2, and (3) a device for reading the member individual sales code QR3 and transmitting the individual product take-home signal S3; The manufacturer A and / or the retailer B are provided with servers 300A and / or 300B as a configuration for implementing the management system 300, (4) a device for receiving the member registration signal S1 from customer C, and a virtual stock device that receives the signal S1 and forms virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303 for each customer C, (5) a recording device that receives a bulk purchase signal S2 from customer C and records inventory in the virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303, (6) a device that receives an individual take-home signal S2 from customer C, and (7) a device that receives the individual take-home signal S3 from customer C and records inventory in the virtual stocks 301, 302, and 303.(8) a device for transmitting a purchase signal for product G1 to retail store B, wherein the server 300B of retail store B is configured to implement the checkout system 400 when a customer pays for a product purchase at the cash register, and (9) a receiving device for receiving the purchase signal S4, and a checkout device for receiving the purchase signal S4, distinguishing between purchased products and other general products, and excluding the purchased product from the product checkout items when calculating the total.

9. A virtual stock sales system facility as described in claim 8, wherein the first QR code display QR1 of the sales system 100, which displays a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration, or the second QR code display QR2, which displays the first QR code display QR1 and a bulk purchase code for transmitting a signal S2 for the member to purchase products in bulk, is obtained via the Internet, and member registration or member registration and bulk purchase contract are performed.

10. The virtual stock sales system equipment of claim 8, wherein the server 300B of the aforementioned retail store B receives a settlement signal S5 from the customer instead of the purchase signal S4, and is equipped with a settlement device that distinguishes between purchased items and other general items and excludes the purchased items from the merchandise settlement items before settlement.

11. The virtual stock sales system equipment according to claim 8, wherein the server 300B of the retailer B receives the individual purchase signal S3 from the customer C, receives the purchase and delivery of the individually purchased items at the unit price for a lump sum purchase, and is equipped with a settlement device for processing the same.

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