Bulk purchase virtual inventory single piece take-home sales system

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a sales system that is beneficial to not just a consumer, but also a retail store and a manufacturer, by using a virtual inventory system in a bulk purchase retail store on-demand take-home system, for tangible products, not intangibles such as services. [Solution] A virtual inventory system is used to construct a bulk purchase retail store on-demand take-home system that eliminates excessive inventory and excessive production, and that allows discounted purchasing without causing a consumer to keep an inventory at home. An updated inventory record signal S4 is used and confirmation of the identity of the bulk purchase product owner is collated with confirmation of the product that is the bulk purchase product, thereby eliminating the product identification problem, which first becomes a problem at the register in the abovementioned case. In addition, a purchase price adjustment system is used to eliminate a retail store profit reduction risk, which becomes a second problem with bulk purchasing.

Description

Bulk purchase virtual stock individual takeaway sales system

[0001] The present invention relates to a bulk purchase, virtual stock, individual take-out sales system that allows products to be purchased in bulk, virtually stocked, and individually taken out from a retail store at any time.

[0002] The most important aspect of sales is that consumers can obtain high-quality products at low prices, while retailers avoid excess inventory that leads to price cuts and maximize sales with minimal, optimal inventory. One method of promoting this sales method is the bulk purchase reservation discount purchasing system, which has long been used in bottle-keeping and multi-ticket systems. This system, in which a certain amount of products is purchased in advance and the cost of each purchase is discounted, is convenient for consumers, allowing them to purchase at a discount and for retailers, since a certain number of sales are committed in advance, allowing them to sell without excess inventory. When the product is an intangible service, the relationship between the consumer and the service provider is handled face-to-face, eliminating the issue of product inventory. Therefore, the relationship between the two parties can easily be implemented through a simple system such as a bottle-keeping or multi-ticket system. Therefore, a system has been proposed in which a virtual bottle system can be installed and used across a chain of stores, and can be used as a common ticket for certain food and beverage items within a certain area of ​​the same store (Patent Document 1).

[0003] JP 2022-167252 A

[0004] However, unlike the provision of intangible services, bulk discount purchasing systems for the sale of tangible goods typically involve direct purchases from manufacturers via online sales. Because individual product purchases incur transportation costs, consumers often need to purchase products in bulk and stock them at home. However, the need for home inventory and high transportation costs is disadvantageous to consumers and represents a limitation of online sales. Therefore, the distribution route in which manufacturer A wholesales to retailer B, from which retailer B personally delivers products, is highly valued. To popularize bulk purchases and discounted purchases through this route, first, consumers should be able to individually deliver products from the retailer whenever they need them, rather than having to stock them at home. However, this can lead to retailers holding excess inventory, which can lead to underselling. In other words, the principle of sales is a win-win relationship: consumers want to purchase products at the lowest possible discount, while retailers avoid excess inventory that could lead to underselling. Therefore, in order to solve this problem and create a win-win relationship between consumers and sellers, it is best to prevent sellers from holding excess inventory and have consumers use a bulk purchase discount system. Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a sales method that creates a win-win relationship between consumers and sellers, that is, a system that allows consumers to purchase at a discounted price that is cheaper than a bulk purchase contract and allows them to purchase at any time without paying shipping costs by picking up from the retailer, while at the same time, even if the retailer enters into a bulk purchase contract, they do not hold excess inventory and do not suffer a decrease in profits even if they sell at a discounted price.

[0005] The inventors conducted extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems and focused on the following points. While it is ideal for consumers to reserve bulk purchases and enter into discount purchase contracts, retailers can provide individual takeout services to consumers while maintaining a minimum appropriate inventory. However, to prevent consumers and retailers from carrying more inventory than necessary, it is best for retailers to have a virtual inventory (virtual stock) that allows them to predict consumer trends. However, when retailers adopt a virtual inventory (virtual stock) system, the following problems are likely to arise. First, because retailers simultaneously buy and sell not only bulk purchases but also general merchandise, retailers must distinguish between bulk purchases and general merchandise when checking out. This is because distinguishing between bulk purchases and general merchandise before checking out can easily lead to deterioration in the quality of bulk purchases, which is unwise in terms of credit transactions. Second, adopting a bulk purchase discount system raises concerns that retailers' profits will decrease compared to general merchandise sales. This is because the profits from buying and selling bulk purchases are lower than those from general merchandise sales. Therefore, it is necessary to lower the purchase price from the manufacturer, but it is difficult to differentiate between the purchase prices of general purchases and bulk purchases in wholesale transactions.The inventors noticed that the first problem of product identification can be solved by utilizing the updated signal at the time of product checkout to verify the identity and product, since virtual stock always updates the inventory of bulk purchases when each item is taken home.The inventors noticed that the second problem of reduced trading profits can be solved by adjusting the wholesale price of products based on the number of bulk purchase contracts, because bulk purchase contracts make inventory and production management easier and eliminate losses due to overproduction and discount sales caused by excess inventory.The present invention aims to realize a win-win sales system that employs a virtual stock system for inventory management while enabling bulk purchases of merchandise to be individually taken away from retailers. In a real merchandise distribution sales route, manufacturer A manufactures merchandise G, retailer B displays and sells the merchandise G, and customer C purchases the displayed merchandise G at retailer B, customer C enters into a bulk purchase contract with manufacturer A or retailer B, virtually stocks the merchandise G for which he has prepaid, and individually takes it away from retailer B as needed. The system comprises customer C's mobile terminal such as a smartphone, retailer B's two-dimensional code for merchandise sales and management server, and manufacturer A's management server. The management server of manufacturer A or retailer B has a system that receives a membership registration signal S1 from customer C's mobile terminal and forms a virtual stock, and a system that receives customer C's bulk purchase signal S2 via customer C's mobile terminal and records the number of bulk purchases of merchandise in the virtual stock. This system for individual take-home bulk purchase virtual stock includes a system in which, when customer C reads a two-dimensional code for product sales from retailer B via a mobile device and sends an individual take-home signal S3 for customer C to retailer B's or the manufacturer's management server, the system updates the virtual stock inventory record in response and sends an inventory record update signal S4 for product G1 to retailer B's cash register; and a system in which retailer B compares the virtual stock inventory record update signal S4 received from the management server with the customer's identity verification via a mobile device app and the product code attached to the product, distinguishing it from general products and completing the payment settlement. In this invention, either retailer B or manufacturer A may share a management server to manage the virtual stock, but retailer B and manufacturer A may each have their own management server to manage the virtual stock. It is preferable to use the virtual stock management to manage inventory, production management, and purchase price adjustments based on data regarding the stock quantity, inventory quantity, and take-home sales number for bulk purchase products.

[0006] According to the present invention, in sales using virtual stock, identity verification is performed at the store register by scanning a membership app or the like, and product verification is performed by scanning the product codes of the take-out products, and the virtual stock record of the products purchased in bulk is updated in the management server, and upon receiving the inventory product record update signal S4 transmitted, these are compared to approve the individual take-out, and the product is distinguished from general products and settled, thereby realizing sales of bulk purchase, stock, and individual take-out. That is, first, since store B or manufacturer A owns the management server and shares data, and a bulk purchasing system is introduced by introducing the virtual stock system, the problems of excess inventory for store B and overproduction for the manufacturer are resolved, while customer C can purchase products at a discount at the register and take them home from the store at any time, eliminating the problem of home inventory and creating a win-win distribution route that benefits both parties. Second, retailers must distinguish between general merchandise and bulk-purchased merchandise at the cash register before making a payment. Using the updated signal S4 at the cash register, retailers can distinguish between general merchandise and bulk-purchased merchandise by verifying the customer's identity via a mobile device app or similar and comparing the product code attached to the takeout merchandise. This allows retailers to distinguish between general merchandise and bulk-purchased merchandise, even when they are mixed with general merchandise. Third, it is difficult for manufacturers to differentiate between the wholesale unit prices (purchase prices) of general merchandise and bulk-purchased merchandise and provide them to retailers. Therefore, retailers are concerned about reduced profits from selling bulk-purchased merchandise. On the other hand, distinguishing bulk-purchased merchandise from general merchandise can easily lead to quality degradation. According to the present invention, introducing a purchase price adjustment system into a virtual stock system implemented on a management server eliminates concerns about reduced retailer profits and facilitates the adoption of a bulk-purchase virtual stock system. In other words, the management server allows Manufacturer A to determine the number of items in stock at the retailer (N) and the number of items taken home. Therefore, the purchase price can be adjusted based on the number of items in stock and the number of items taken home, thereby minimizing the decline in retailer profits due to the coexistence of general merchandise and bulk purchases. For example, the purchase price can be adjusted by providing a purchase price adjustment system that reduces the wholesale price by Nα% per unit according to the number of items in stock N, and returns the discount to retailer B according to the number of items individually taken home. This allows retailers to increase virtual stock sales and avoid the reduction in profits due to bulk purchases (see Figure 9).

[0007] In addition, by introducing a virtual stock system into the management server, retailer B can manage inventory using the virtual stock number N and virtual stock number M, and manufacturer A can manage production using retailer B's virtual stock number N and virtual stock number M, thereby making it possible to avoid overstocking or selling at low prices due to overproduction.

[0008] Furthermore, the headquarters of retailer B can share data on customers C1 to Cn for each store with retailers B1 to Bn and manage chain retailers, and the adoption of a virtual stock system is revolutionary in that it can solve various problems that arise with bulk purchases.

[0009] Specifically, in the virtual stock sales system of the present invention, retailer B is equipped with a sales code system 100 consisting of two-dimensional codes for product sales, which are made up of QR code (registered trademark) displays 101 and 102; customer C's mobile terminal 200A, such as a smartphone, is equipped with a product purchase system 200; manufacturer A and retailer B are equipped with a product management system 300 consisting of servers 300A and 300B; and retailer B is equipped with a product settlement system 400 at its cash register; the sales system 100 is equipped with three types of QR code displays: a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration, a bulk purchase code QR2 for transmitting a signal S2 for purchasing products G in bulk, and an individual product take-home code QR3 for transmitting a signal S3 for the member to take home individual products; The product purchasing system 200 includes a means for transmitting a signal of a QR code read by a QR code reader 201 to a mobile terminal 200A such as a smartphone owned by a customer, and includes: (1) a screen for 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 a product bulk purchase signal S2; and (3) a device for reading the member individual sales code QR3 and transmitting a separate takeaway signal S3. The management system 300 is composed of servers 300A and / or 300B of the manufacturer A and / or the retailer B, (4) a device for receiving the member registration signal S1 from the customer C, a virtual stock device for receiving the signal S1 and forming virtual stocks 301, 302 and 303 for each customer C, (5) a recording device for receiving a bulk purchase signal S2 from the customer C and recording the inventory of the product G in the virtual stocks 301, 302 and 303, (6) a device for receiving an individual take-home signal S2, and (7) a device for receiving the individual take-home signal S3 and forming virtual stocks 301, 302 and 303 for each customer C.The bulk purchase individual takeout sales system is characterized by including (9) a device for updating the inventory record in 302 or 303, and (8) a device for transmitting an inventory record update signal S4 for customer C's product G1 to the retailer B and customer A terminals. The settlement system 400 is equipped with a receiving device for receiving the update signal S4 at the retailer B register linked to the manufacturer A's management server 300A or retailer B's server 300B, and a settlement device that uses the inventory record update signal S4 for customer C's product G1 transmitted from the management server 300A or 300B to distinguish between bulk purchase products and other general products by verifying customer C's identity and product identification, and then excludes the paid products from the product settlement items for calculation. In this invention, it is preferable for the product code QR3 for individual takeout to be attached to the product for the settlement process at the register. In addition, in this invention, it is preferable for retailer B and manufacturer A to share data on stock quantity, inventory quantity, and individual takeout quantity via the management server, and to have a purchase price adjustment system.

[0010] In the present invention, the first QR code display object QR1 of the sales system 100, which displays the member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration, or the second QR code display object QR2, which displays the first QR code display object QR1 and a bulk purchase code for transmitting a signal S2 for the member to purchase products in bulk, can be obtained via the Internet, and member registration, or member registration and bulk purchase contract, can be performed.

[0011] 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 a manufacturer in the virtual stock sales method according to the present invention. A first example of a system for implementing the virtual stock sales method of FIG. 1, 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.

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second example of a 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 goods at retailer B, they are identified as regular goods and paid for at the register at the unit price for the bulk purchase.

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a third example of a 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 goods at retailer B, they are identified as regular goods and paid for at the register at the unit price for the bulk purchase.

[0025] Figure 4 is a process diagram of a purchase price adjustment system used in the present invention.

[0012] The sales method using the virtual stock system according to the present invention comprises the following steps as shown in FIG. 1(b): 1) member registration, 2) bulk purchase, 3) individual purchase, 4) settlement, and 5) purchase price adjustment. In the member registration step, QR code QR1 is read, the app receives the purchase, and a member registration signal S1 is sent to register the member. Next, in the bulk purchase step, QR code QR2 is read, a bulk purchase signal S2 is sent, and inventory is recorded in the virtual stock. In the individual purchase step, QR code QR3 is read, an individual take-out signal S3 is sent, and the inventory record in the virtual stock is updated. In the settlement step, upon receiving the individual take-out signal S3, manufacturer A or retailer B sends an updated signal S4 to the retailer's cash register, which verifies the purchaser's identity and product identification to distinguish them from general products and settle the transaction at the bulk purchase price. At the cash register, the settlement signal S5 is used to verify the purchaser's identity by reading a registered app or the like, and the product is identified by reading the product code attached to the product, thereby identifying the product. Identity verification may be performed using an updated signal S4 sent to Customer C's mobile device in addition to the member app on the mobile device. The purchase price for a bulk purchase is adjusted using management servers 300A and 300B of Manufacturer A and Retailer B. For example, the adjustment process shown in FIG. 9 is implemented. This process is implemented by a purchase price adjustment system 500, sharing management data among the sales system 100 configured with product QR code 100A shown in FIG. 1(a), the purchasing system 200 configured with Customer C's mobile device 200A, the management system 300 configured with servers 300A and 300B of Manufacturer A and Retailer B, the settlement system 400 equipped with retailer cash register 400A installed at the retailer cash register, and the management servers 300A and 300B. Since the purchase price adjustment system 500 is common and implemented according to the process shown in FIG. 9, the other aspects of the process are divided as follows: 1) member registration process, 2) bulk purchase process, 3) individual purchase process, and 4) settlement process.In the first mode, 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 register as a member. Next, customer C1 uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display object QR2, purchases in bulk, and pays. This sends a signal S2, and the manufacturer A server 300A records the stock in the virtual stock holder 301. When customer C1 (or a retail store cashier) uses the purchasing system 200 to read the two-dimensional code display object QR3 in the sales system 100 and purchases individual items, a take-home signal S3 is sent to the manufacturer A server 300A in the management system 300 to update the record in the virtual stock holder 301, and an updated signal S4 is sent to the retail store cashier in the checkout system 400 to be used to settle the bulk purchase price in the checkout process. In the second embodiment, where 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's 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 (or the retailer's cash register) 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 an updated signal S4 is transmitted to the retailer's cash register in checkout system 400. In the checkout process, updated signal S4 is used to settle the purchase at the bulk purchase price. 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 FIG. 4 , member C1 uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display QR1 in sales system 100 and sends signal S1 to store B server 300B in management system 300 to register as a member. Customer C1 then uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display QR2, purchase in bulk, and pay. Signal S2 is then transmitted, and store B server 300B records the stock in virtual stock holder 301. When customer C1 (or the store cash register) uses purchasing system 200 to read two-dimensional code display 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. An updated inventory record signal S4 is also transmitted to store cash register in checkout system 400. During the checkout process, the updated signal S4 is used to settle the purchase at the bulk purchase price. Here, each store B and its headquarters are equipped with a server B, and data for 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 is a combination of the embodiments shown in 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 this invention, 1) after member registration, based on 2) a bulk purchase contract for product G of customer C, manufacturer A and / or retail store B register the product G to form a virtual stock, while customer C 3) individually purchases the bulk purchase product G at retail store B and 4) settles for 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 is comprised of 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.

[0013] The QR code display 100A is a configuration for implementing the sales system 100, and comprises three types of QR code displays: the first QR code display 101 comprises a first QR code display QR1 displaying a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration; the second QR code display 102 comprises a second QR code display QR2 displaying a bulk purchase code for transmitting a signal S2 for the member to purchase products in bulk, and a third QR code display QR3 displaying an individual product take-out code for transmitting a signal S3 for the member to take away individual products (usually, the individual take-out code is also attached to the product itself in preparation for reading at the cash register).

[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 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.

[0015] 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, 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 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 that updates the inventory record of virtual stock 301, 302, or 303 using the individual take-home signal S3; and (8) a device that sends a purchase signal S4 for product G1 to the cash register of retailer B and to customer C's mobile terminal, thereby managing the virtual stock record.

[0016] The server 300B of the retail store B not only manages the virtual stock records, but also has a configuration for implementing the settlement system 400 when a customer pays for their purchases at the register, and (9) has a receiving device that receives an updated signal S4 from customer C or manufacturer A, and a settlement device that receives the updated signal S4, distinguishes between purchased items and other general items, and calculates the total after excluding the purchased items from the merchandise settlement items. Here, the settlement device uses the updated signal S4 to verify the identity of customer B using the member app on his / her mobile device, and by reading the individual take-home code QR3 attached to the item and comparing it with the updated signal S4, it can reliably distinguish between bulk purchases and general purchases and settle the payment.

[0017] 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.

[0018] 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 (usually attached to take-out products for scanning at the register) for transmitting a signal S3 for a member to take out 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 out individual products at the bulk purchase unit price.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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 individual takeaway signal S2 from customer C, (7) a device for receiving an updated signal S4 that updates the inventory record of virtual stock 301, 302, or 303 in response to the individual takeaway signal S3, and (8) a device for transmitting a purchased signal S4 for product G1 to retail store B.

[0021] Furthermore, the server of the retail store B is configured to implement the settlement 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 an updated signal S4 from manufacturer A and a settlement signal S5 from customer C, and a settlement device that compares the updated signal S4 with an identity verification signal (settlement signal S5) from the member app and a product confirmation signal that reads the product code QR3 attached to the product, identifies purchased products from other general products, and excludes the purchased products from the product settlement items before settlement.

[0022] 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 the updated signal S4 as well as (9) a settlement signal S5 and a product confirmation signal (a signal reading the individual take-home code QR3) from customer C, distinguishes between bulk purchase products and other general products, and settles the payment.

[0023] 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.

[0024] (Example 1) Figure 6 shows a first example of the present invention, in which a system 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 this to form a virtual stock and record the inventory, while customer C takes home the bulk purchased product G from retailer B at the bulk purchase unit price.

[0025] 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 product purchase code QR2 is provided nearby, while individual take-home codes QR3 are attached to the products. Therefore, customer C (1) can obtain the membership app via the membership registration code QR1. Then, customer C (2) enters into a bulk purchase contract (including payment) via the membership app via the bulk purchase code QR2. The bulk-purchased products are then virtually stocked in a virtual inventory (a virtual inventory may also be created at retailer B at the same time). Finally, (3) retailer B can sell the products to customer C at the bulk purchase price via the individual take-home code QR3.

[0026] 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 reads the membership registration code QR1 via the mobile device 201, downloads the membership app, and transmits a membership registration signal S1, thereby registering as a member. This registration creates a virtual stock for the customer. Membership registration can also be achieved by searching for apps and web methods on the Internet, downloading the membership app, or displaying the web method on a PC. Next, when customer C registers for a bulk purchase via the membership app using the bulk purchase code QR2, a bulk purchase signal S2 is sent to manufacturer A separately from the membership registration signal S1, and inventory is recorded in individual virtual stocks 301 (B1-C1) to 303 (B1-C3), such as for customers C1 to C3 at retailer B1. Thereafter, customer C looks at product G1 and initiates the individual take-home operation using individual sales code QR3 (this can also be done when paying at the register), which causes an individual take-home signal S3 to be sent to manufacturer A.

[0027] 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 the 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 an updated signal S4 for product G1 to retailer B and customer C. Operations (6) to (8) are usually performed when paying at the cash register.

[0028] Retailer B also implements the following checkout system 400 at retailer 300B. That is, (8) upon receiving an updated signal S4 from manufacturer A, the system compares the updated signal S4 from manufacturer A with the settlement signal S5 for customer C's identity verification and the signal for confirming the bulk purchase of products, and calculates the amount by excluding the purchased product from the checkout items at the time of checkout. Here, the updated signal S4 from manufacturer A is a signal (8) sent from manufacturer A to retailer B and customer C when updating the virtual stock inventory in response to customer C's individual takeout signal S3, and is a signal that identifies the product as purchased and should be excluded from the checkout items at the register. If this checkout involves comparing the updated signal S4 from the inventory record at the retailer's register with the settlement signal S5 from customer C's mobile device app for identity verification and the QR code QR3 attached to the product, (9) the system requests customer C's membership app to send a settlement signal S5, and the product is excluded 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, an updated signal S4 is sent from the virtual stock to exclude the stock from payment at retailer B's register, excluding the stock from payment at retailer B's register.

[0029] (Example 2) In a second example of the present invention, as shown in Figure 7, retailer B creates a virtual stock and records inventory based on customer C's membership registration and bulk purchase registration of product G. Furthermore, manufacturer A compiles the bulk purchase records of customers C1 to Cn at each retailer B1 to Bn, registers these records for each retailer B1 to Bn, and creates a virtual stock and records inventory. In this case, customer C can take home the bulk purchase of product G from retailer B at the bulk purchase price, just like in the first example, but the virtual stock can be created at each retailer B1 to Bn. Manufacturer A only needs to compile the virtual stock amounts of customers C1 to Cn for each retailer and supply them upon receiving notification from retailer B. Furthermore, the virtual stock of each customer C only needs to be updated for each retailer, which has the advantage of simplifying system construction. The other systems, sales system 100, purchase system 200, and settlement system 400, are the same as those in the first example, but the difference is that the management system 300 can be implemented not only at retailer B but also at manufacturer A.

[0030] In a third example of the present invention, as shown in Figure 8, retailer B not only creates a virtual stock and records inventory based on customer C's membership registration and bulk purchase registration of product G, but also retailer headquarters B (e.g., a major supermarket chain with multiple chain retailers B) and manufacturer A compile bulk purchase records of customers C1 to Cn at each of retailers B1 to Bn and register them for each retailer B1 to Bn, thereby creating a virtual stock and recording inventory. In this case, as in the first and second examples, customer C can take home bulk-purchased product G from 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 retail store B in a consolidated manner, 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 those in the first and second examples, so their explanations will be omitted.

[0031] 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, and customer C purchases in bulk, but does not take all the products home; instead, it is a virtual stock sales method that realizes this sales method. Because integrated management is performed at manufacturer A and retailer B, which are the purchasing sources, actual inventory is not required; only a minimum appropriate inventory of bulk-purchased products is required, and the total number managed can be virtual.

[0032] 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 bottle of the same detergent labeled a VSS (Virtuality-Stock-Selling) product for 500 yen, with a QR code displayed on the product itself. After reading the explanation, he learns that if he downloads an app, scans the QR code QR2, 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, as he has no place to store them. However, upon reading the instructions carefully, it appears that even if you buy 30 bottles, you only need to take home one bottle, and the remaining 29 bottles will be kept by manufacturer A or retailer B. When you need them, you can just come to retailer B and take home the amount you need. Without hesitation, you decide to buy 30 bottles in bulk. You add one bottle of detergent from the display in front of you to your shopping cart and proceed to the checkout. At the register, you are asked to enter your QR code (membership app) (equivalent to identity verification), and when you use the register's reader to read the payment signal 5 displayed by the app, the virtual inventory of detergent in the app is reduced from 30 to 29. Because you have already paid for the product, you can take it home without it being added to the purchase price of other items. When the above-mentioned purchased signal 4 is used, the inventory of the virtual stock at manufacturer A or retailer B is updated by the member's individual take-home signal S3, and an updated signal S4 is sent from the virtual stock to the cash register at retailer B and to customer C's mobile terminal. This is then compared with the identity verification signal (settlement signal S5) and product verification (take-home code QR3 attached to the product), and the product is distinguished from general products and settled.

[0033] To explain in more detail, here is an example of a purchasing function (Manufacturer A → Retailer B): Retailer B's sales, which previously consisted of only one item purchased 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 the individual items sold individually as before, but the number of consumers using VSS will also increase, and since the sales amount from VSS are already sold products and payment has already been received, there is no purchasing risk and orders can be placed with Manufacturer A. However, even for Retailer B, it will be difficult to store 30 times the amount of inventory in the store and warehouse, so although they will place orders and make payments, they will have Manufacturer A manage the inventory data as virtual inventory.

[0034] (Manufacturer A) Manufacturer A has already paid for VSS orders, so there is no risk of purchasing raw materials, and they only need to manufacture 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).

[0035] As the above explanation makes clear, conventional ordering methods involve predicting sales volumes and mass-producing goods. However, if sales fall short of forecasts, warehouses pile up with inventory. To reduce inventory, manufacturers are forced to sell goods 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 on hand can also promote 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 BtoBtoC - and provides benefits to all three parties.

[0036] (Product Identification System at Checkout) Using a management server, Manufacturer A and Retailer B can create a virtual stock for each member through member registration, store virtual inventory in the virtual stock through a bulk purchase contract, and update inventory quantities based on individual takeouts, creating a virtual stock and individual takeout system. However, to distinguish products from general products and enable individual takeouts from Retailer B, the inventory must be updated based on the individual takeout signal S3, and the cash register must receive this updated signal S4 from the management server to distinguish between general products and bulk purchases. This product identification requires confirming that the takeout purchaser is a bulk purchaser (identity verification) and that the takeout product is a bulk purchase (product confirmation), along with the inventory record updated signal S4. Therefore, the retailer's cash register can read the product code and simultaneously read the membership app on the mobile device of the customer who made the bulk purchase, send the individual takeout signal S3 to the management server, receive the inventory record updated signal S4, and identify whether the product is a bulk purchase or a general product. Although customer C can update the inventory record by sending an individual take-out signal S3 before paying at the register, to prevent malfunctions, it is better to confirm the inventory record update by reading the mobile app and product code again at the register for identity verification. Therefore, as long as product identification at the register is performed by verifying the identity (payment signal S5), product verification (take-out product code QR3), and the inventory record updated signal S4 returned from the management server at the same time, other verification procedures can be used.

[0037] (Purchase Price Adjustment System 500) The management server of manufacturer A shares data on customer C's virtual stock quantity N and virtual stock quantity M with the management server of retailer B, and is equipped with a purchase price adjustment system that reduces the wholesale purchase price to retailer B by Nα (where N is the total stock quantity and α is the wholesale adjustment price) based on the stock quantity N and the number of items to be taken home at retailer B, and returns the purchase price multiplied by the individual number of items to be taken home to the retailer. The purchase price adjustment system is equipped with a calculation means in the manufacturer's management server 300A that performs purchase price adjustment work based on the stock quantity N, the inventory quantity M, and the number of items to be taken home, and transmits a wholesale adjustment signal S5 calculated by the calculation means to retailer B's management server 300B. The specific purchase price adjustment process is shown in Figure 9.

[0038] 1) On April 1st, Ms. A registers as a member, enters into a bulk purchase contract with the retailer for 10 units at 700 yen each, pays 7,000 yen, and sends a bulk purchase signal S2. This creates inventory in the virtual stock on the retailer's management server, and when she then sends a single take-home signal S3 to the retailer's management server, the inventory record becomes 9 units. The purchase adjustment amount from Producer A at this time is set to 0 yen. 2) Next, on April 2nd, Ms. B registers as a member, enters into a bulk purchase contract with the retailer for 10 units at 700 yen each, pays 7,000 yen, and sends a bulk purchase signal S2. This adds Ms. B's virtual stock to the retailer's management server, and when she then sends a single take-home signal S3 to the retailer's management server, the inventory count becomes 18 units. The purchase price adjustment amount from Producer A at this time is set to 50 yen. 3) Furthermore, on April 3rd, after registering as a member, Ms. C enters into a contract with the retailer for a bulk purchase of 10 units at 700 yen each, pays 7,000 yen, and sends a bulk purchase signal S2. When this occurs, the virtual stock on the retailer's management server increases to three units for Ms. A, Ms. B, and Ms. C. Ms. C then sends a take-home signal S3 to the retailer's management server to take one unit home, and Ms. B also takes one unit home, bringing the virtual stock to 26 units. At this time, the unit purchase price from Producer A is set at 88 yen, and the adjusted price is 176 yen multiplied by the number of units taken home.

[0039] The above adjustment method is intended to adjust the profits of retailers when a bulk purchase and individual take-out system is introduced, and purchase prices are set without distinction from general purchase goods. It differs depending on the product, and the optimal method is adopted based on the progress of product sales.

[0040] As explained above, the present invention implements a new sales method that is beneficial not only to consumers but also to retailers and manufacturers, by using a virtual stock system to purchase in bulk tangible goods, which have inventory issues rather than intangible goods that are basically out of stock, in face-to-face sales as a service, and then sell them individually to take away from the retailer. This solves the problems that arise when purchasing goods that are distinguished from regular goods at the register and the risk of reduced profits for the retailer, and is beneficial not only to consumers but also to retailers and manufacturers. A person skilled in the art can modify and implement this method without deviating from the gist of the method, which is "in virtual stock sales, the member app and product code are read at the retailer's register to authenticate the individual and the product, and the virtual stock record is updated to distinguish from regular goods from the retailer and allow the goods to be taken away individually."

[0041] 100 Sales system 200 Purchasing system 300 Management system 400 Settlement system 500 Purchase price adjustment system

Claims

1. In a real product distribution sales route in which manufacturer A manufactures product G, retailer B displays and sells product G, and customer C purchases the displayed product G at retailer B, customer C enters into a bulk purchase contract with manufacturer A or retailer B, virtually stocks product G for which the customer C has prepaid, and can individually take it home from retailer B as needed. This system comprises customer C's mobile terminal such as a smartphone, retailer B's two-dimensional code for product sales and a management server, and manufacturer A's management server, and manufacturer A's management server has a system that receives a membership registration signal S1 from customer C's mobile terminal to form a virtual stock, and a system that receives customer C's bulk purchase signal S2 via customer C's mobile terminal to record the number of products purchased in bulk in the virtual stock. A bulk purchase virtual stock individual take-out sales system characterized by comprising: a system in which, when customer C reads a two-dimensional code for product sales from retailer B via a mobile terminal and sends an individual take-out signal S3 for customer C to retailer B or the manufacturer's management server, the system updates the inventory record of the virtual stock in response and sends an inventory record updated signal S4 for product G1 to retailer B's cash register; and a system in which retailer B confirms the product at the cash register by reading the product code and the customer's identity by reading the mobile terminal app, and compares this with the virtual stock inventory record updated signal S4 received from the management server, distinguishing it from general products and settling the payment.

2. A bulk purchase virtual stock individual take-out sales system as described in claim 1, in which identity verification is performed using the identity verification code of the app for product G1 or the inventory record updated signal S4 sent to customer C's mobile terminal as the take-out settlement signal S5.

3. A bulk purchase virtual stock individual take-out sales system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein bulk purchase product confirmation is performed using product code QR3 attached to product G1.

4. The bulk purchase virtual stock individual take-out system of claim 1, which is equipped with a purchase price adjustment system in which the management server of manufacturer A shares data regarding customer C's virtual stock quantity N and virtual inventory quantity M with the management server of retailer B, and reduces the wholesale purchase price to retailer B by Nα (where N is the total stock quantity and α is the wholesale adjustment price) based on the stock quantity N and the number of items taken home at retailer B, and returns the purchase price multiplied by the number of items taken home individually to the retailer.

5. The bulk purchase virtual stock individual take-out system described in claim 1, characterized in that the management servers of retailer B and manufacturer A share data regarding customer C's virtual stock number N and virtual inventory number M, retailer B has a system on its management server that manages inventory of product G based on customer C's virtual stock number N and virtual inventory number M, and manufacturer A has a system on its management server that manages production of product G based on customer C's virtual stock number N and virtual inventory number M.

6. The bulk purchase virtual stock individual take-out system described in claim 1, in which the headquarters of retailer B shares data on customers C1 to Cn for each store with retailers B1 to Bn on behalf of or in cooperation with manufacturer A, and manages the chain retailers.

7. Retailer B has a sales code system 100 consisting of two-dimensional codes for product sales, which are made up of QR code displays 101 and 102; customer C has a product purchase system 200 on a mobile terminal 200A such as a smartphone owned by the customer; manufacturer A and retailer B have a product management system 300 consisting of servers 300A and 300B owned by the manufacturer; and retailer B has a product settlement system 400 at its cash register. The sales system 100 has three types of QR code displays: a member registration code QR1 for transmitting a signal S1 for member registration, a bulk purchase code QR2 for transmitting a signal S2 for making a bulk purchase of product G, and an individual product take-home code QR3 for transmitting a signal S3 for the member to take home individual products. The product purchasing system 200 includes a means for transmitting a signal of a QR code read by a QR code reader 201 to a mobile terminal 200A such as a smartphone owned by a customer, and includes: (1) a screen for 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 a product bulk purchase signal S2; and (3) a device for reading the member individual sales code QR3 and transmitting an individual takeaway signal S3. The management system 300 is composed of servers 300A and / or 300B of the manufacturer A and / or the retailer B, (4) a device for receiving the member registration signal S1 from the 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 a bulk purchase signal S2 from the customer C and records the inventory of the product G in the virtual stocks 301, 302 and 303, (6) a device for receiving an individual take-home signal S3, and (7) a device that receives the individual take-home signal S3 and records the virtual stocks 301, 302 and 303 in response to the individual take-home signal S3.(8) a device for updating the inventory record 302 or 303, and (9) a device for transmitting an inventory record update completion signal S4 for product G1 to the terminals of retailer B and customer A, the settlement system 400 is linked to the management server 300A of manufacturer A or the server 300B of retailer B, and is equipped with a receiving device at the cash register (9) that receives the inventory record update completion signal S4, a reader that reads the personal identification code in the mobile terminal app and the product code attached to the product, and a settlement device that identifies bulk purchased products from other general products by comparing the inventory record update completion signal S4, the personal identification code S5, and the product identification code, and calculates the product settlement item by excluding the paid product from the product settlement items.

8. A bulk purchase virtual stock individual take-out sales system as described in claim 7, in which 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, is performed.

9. A bulk purchase virtual stock individual take-out sales system according to claim 7, further comprising a purchase price adjustment system in which the manufacturer's management server 300A is provided with a calculation means for adjusting purchase prices based on the stock quantity N, the product inventory quantity M, and the number of products to be taken home, and a wholesale adjustment signal S5 calculated by the calculation means is transmitted to the retailer B's management server 300B.

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