US-20260127657-A1 - UNIFIED SHOPPING AND CHECKOUT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A MULTIPLE MERCHANT E-COMMERCE PLATFORM

US20260127657A1US 20260127657 A1US20260127657 A1US 20260127657A1US-20260127657-A1

Abstract

A unified shopping and checkout system and method for a multiple merchant e-commerce platform which allows a buyer on a multiple merchant e-commerce platform to simultaneously complete a wide variety of types of transactions through a combined shopping interface, a cart building engine, and a unified checkout interface. The combined shopping interface includes both products and live bookings from many different merchants and allows them to be browsed, compared, and selected. The cart building engine allows for the aggregation of both products and live bookings into a single transaction by, in part, providing for the provision of the information needed to prior to allowing for the purchase of all selected products and/or bookings in a single transaction, and then provides for the use the information and funds provided during the transaction to complete corresponding transactions for the products and booking selected by the user, with the selected merchants.

Inventors

Nicholas Cabrera
Sergio Velazquez

Assignees

Nicholas Cabrera
Sergio Velazquez

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251106

Claims (20)

1 . A unified shopping and checkout mechanism system, comprising: an administrator computer system accessible over a computer network, wherein the administrator computer system is configured to: provide a shopping interface which includes a listing containing a plurality of product listing purchasable items available to purchase and a plurality of live booking purchasable items available to purchase, with the plurality of product listing purchasable items and the plurality of live booking purchasable items being retrieved from a plurality of merchant computer systems; receive from a remote client device a product selection defined by a desired product listing purchasable item among the plurality of product listing purchasable items and perform an add to cart process upon receipt of the product selection; receive from the remote client device a booking selection defined by a desired booking purchasable item among the plurality of live booking purchasable items and perform the add to cart process upon receipt of the booking selection; wherein the add to cart process for the product selection includes at least identifying a corresponding product merchant computer system among the plurality of merchant computer systems on which the product selection is offered, identifying product purchaser user information for the product selection required by the corresponding product merchant computer system, attempting to place a checkout hold on the product selection in the corresponding product merchant computer system, and placing the product selection in a checkout queue; wherein the add to cart process for the booking selection includes at least identifying a corresponding booking merchant computer system among the plurality of merchant computer systems on which the booking selection is offered, identifying booking purchaser user information for the booking selection required by the corresponding booking merchant computer system, creating a temporary substitute product selection that is associated with the booking selection, placing the substitute product selection in the checkout queue and by doing so, attempting to place a checkout hold on the booking selection in the corresponding booking merchant computer system; and subsequent to the add to cart process for the booking selection, create a checkout interface related to the checkout queue, wherein the checkout interface enables the entry by the remote client device of the product purchaser user information and the booking purchaser user information and the initiation by the remote client device of a unified payment for the product selection in the checkout queue and the booking selection associated with the substitute product selection in the checkout queue.
2 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 1 , wherein upon the remote client device providing the product purchaser user information and the booking purchaser user information and initiating the payment, the administrator computer system is configured to complete a product transaction with the corresponding product merchant computer system for the product selection and complete a booking transaction with the booking selection in the corresponding booking merchant computer system for the booking selection associated with the substitute product selection in the checkout queue.
3 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 2 , wherein completing the product transaction includes providing the product purchaser user information and a product payment related to the product selection to the corresponding product merchant computer system, with the product payment related to the product selection accounting for a first portion of the unified payment.
4 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 2 , wherein completing the booking transaction includes providing the booking purchaser user information and a booking payment related to the booking selection to the corresponding booking merchant computer system, with the booking payment related to the booking selection accounting for a second portion of the unified payment.
5 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 2 , wherein subsequent to completing the product transaction and completing the booking transaction, the administrator computer system is configured to transmit transaction information to the remote client device.
6 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 1 , wherein the listing containing the plurality of product listing purchasable items available to purchase is synchronized across a first group of merchant computer systems among the plurality of merchant computer systems.
7 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 1 , wherein the listing containing the plurality of live booking purchasable items available to purchase is synchronized across a second group of merchant computer systems among the plurality of merchant computer systems.
8 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 1 , wherein creating the substitute product selection includes adding an internal timer that is related to checkout hold on the booking selection in the corresponding booking merchant computer system.
9 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 1 , wherein whenever the internal timer expires, the administrator computer system is configured to remove the substitute product selection from the checkout queue and then perform the add to cart process for the booking selection again.
10 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 1 , wherein the checkout interface additionally requires the entry by the remote client device of product purchaser user information.
11 . A unified shopping and checkout mechanism system, comprising: an administrator computer system accessible over a computer network, wherein the administrator computer system is configured to: provide a shopping interface which includes a listing containing a plurality of product listing purchasable items available to purchase and a plurality of live booking purchasable items available to purchase, with the plurality of product listing purchasable items and the plurality of live booking purchasable items being retrieved from a plurality of merchant computer systems; receive from a remote client device a product selection defined by a desired product listing purchasable item among the plurality of product listing purchasable items and perform an add to cart process upon receipt of the product selection; receive from the remote client device a booking selection defined by a desired booking purchasable item among the plurality of live booking purchasable items and perform the add to cart process upon receipt of the booking selection; wherein the add to cart process for the product selection includes at least identifying a corresponding product merchant computer system among the plurality of merchant computer systems on which the product selection is offered, identifying product purchaser user information for the product selection required by the corresponding product merchant computer system, attempting to place a checkout hold on the product selection in the corresponding product merchant computer system, and placing the product selection in a checkout queue; wherein the add to cart process for the booking selection includes at least identifying a corresponding booking merchant computer system among the plurality of merchant computer systems on which the booking selection is offered, identifying booking purchaser user information for the booking selection required by the corresponding booking merchant computer system, creating a temporary substitute product selection that is associated with the booking selection, placing the substitute product selection in the checkout queue and by doing so, attempting to place a checkout hold on the booking selection in the corresponding booking merchant computer system; subsequent to the add to cart process for the booking selection, create a checkout interface related to the checkout queue, wherein the checkout interface enables the entry by the remote client device of the product purchaser user information and the booking purchaser user information and the initiation by the remote client device of a unified payment for the product selection in the checkout queue and the booking selection associated with the substitute product selection in the checkout queue; wherein creating the substitute product selection includes adding an internal timer that is related to checkout hold on the booking selection in the corresponding booking merchant computer system; and upon the remote client device providing the product purchaser user information and the booking purchaser user information and initiating the payment, complete a product transaction with the corresponding product merchant computer system for the product selection and complete a booking transaction with the booking selection in the corresponding booking merchant computer system for the booking selection associated with the substitute product selection in the checkout queue.
12 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 11 , wherein completing the product transaction includes providing the product purchaser user information and a product payment related to the product selection to the corresponding product merchant computer system, with the product payment related to the product selection accounting for a first portion of the unified payment.
13 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 11 , wherein completing the booking transaction includes providing the booking purchaser user information and a booking payment related to the booking selection to the corresponding booking merchant computer system, with the booking payment related to the booking selection accounting for a second portion of the unified payment.
14 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 11 , wherein subsequent to completing the product transaction and completing the booking transaction, the administrator computer system is configured to transmit transaction information to the remote client device.
15 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 11 , wherein the listing containing the plurality of product listing purchasable items available to purchase is synchronized across a first group of merchant computer systems among the plurality of merchant computer systems.
16 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 11 , wherein the listing containing the plurality of live booking purchasable items available to purchase is synchronized across a second group of merchant computer systems among the plurality of merchant computer systems.
17 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 11 , wherein whenever the internal timer expires, the administrator computer system is configured to remove the substitute product selection from the checkout queue and then perform the add to cart process for the booking selection again.
18 . The unified shopping and checkout mechanism system of claim 11 , wherein the checkout interface additionally requires the entry by the remote client device of product purchaser user information.
19 . A unified shopping and checkout mechanism method, comprising: providing, by an administrator computer system accessible over a computer network, a shopping interface which includes a listing containing a plurality of product listing purchasable items available to purchase and a plurality of live booking purchasable items available to purchase, with the plurality of product listing purchasable items and the plurality of live booking purchasable items being retrieved from a plurality of merchant computer systems; receiving, by an administrator computer system, a product selection defined by a desired product listing purchasable item among the plurality of product listing purchasable items from a remote client device and performing an add to cart process upon receipt of the product selection, wherein the add to cart process for the product selection includes at least identifying a corresponding product merchant computer system among the plurality of merchant computer systems on which the product selection is offered, identifying product purchaser user information for the product selection required by the corresponding product merchant computer system, attempting to place a checkout hold on the product selection in the corresponding product merchant computer system, and placing the product selection in a checkout queue; receiving, by an administrator computer system, a booking selection defined by a desired booking purchasable item among the plurality of live booking purchasable items from the remote client device and performing the add to cart process upon receipt of the booking selection, wherein the add to cart process for the booking selection includes at least identifying a corresponding booking merchant computer system among the plurality of merchant computer systems on which the booking selection is offered, identifying booking purchaser user information for the booking selection required by the corresponding booking merchant computer system, creating a temporary substitute product selection that is associated with the booking selection, placing the substitute product selection in the checkout queue and by doing so, attempting to place a checkout hold on the booking selection in the corresponding booking merchant computer system; following the performing of the add to cart process for the booking selection, creating, by an administrator computer system, a checkout interface related to the checkout queue, wherein the checkout interface enables the entry by the remote client device of the product purchaser user information and the booking purchaser user information and the initiation by the remote client device of a unified payment for the product selection in the checkout queue and the booking selection associated with the substitute product selection in the checkout queue; wherein creating the substitute product selection includes adding an internal timer that is related to checkout hold on the booking selection in the corresponding booking merchant computer system; and following the remote client device providing the product purchaser user information and the booking purchaser user information and initiating the payment, completing, by an administrator computer system, a product transaction with the corresponding product merchant computer system for the product selection and a booking transaction with the booking selection in the corresponding booking merchant computer system for the booking selection associated with the substitute product selection in the checkout queue.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein: the step of completing the product transaction includes providing the product purchaser user information and a product payment related to the product selection to the corresponding product merchant computer system, with the product payment related to the product selection accounting for a first portion of the unified payment; and the step of completing the booking transaction includes providing the booking purchaser user information and a booking payment related to the booking selection to the corresponding booking merchant computer system, with the booking payment related to the booking selection accounting for a second portion of the unified payment.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/716,930 filed Nov. 6, 2024. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to e-commerce platforms and, more particularly, to a unified shopping and checkout process and interface for a multiple merchant e-commerce platform. Description of the Prior Art The use of electronic commerce (or “e-commerce”) technologies to enable the buying and selling of goods and services over the Internet is well established. E-commerce itself is a relatively new activity, but it has quickly gained wide acceptance and has allowed for significant improvements in efficiency in terms of shopping and fulfillment. As a result, sellers of goods and services in many industries have raced to establish and grow their online presence in order to sell their products and services through e-commerce. At the same time, a growing number of prospective buyers routinely explore and engage with e-commerce options when in the market for desired goods and services. The large number of buyers and sellers engaging in e-commerce has led to a rise and proliferation of e-commerce platforms, which provide online marketplaces that allow many sellers to offer goods and services for purchase through online shopping transactions, and allow buyers and potential buyers to search, view, and purchase such goods and services. While such existing e-commerce platforms have been able to bring many different buyers and sellers together and allow buyers to shop and purchase different types of products from different merchants (such as Walmart®, Amazon®, Shopify®) on one hand, and allow buyers to shop and purchase different types of bookings from different merchants (such as Expedia®, Uber®, Instacart®) on the other, the ability to efficiently buy products and make bookings together has remained elusive. Accordingly, there remains a need for improved shopping and checkout for a multiple merchant e-commerce platform which provides for, through a combined shopping interface, a cart building engine which can aggregate product listing purchases and live bookings from varying merchants for a single transaction. It would be desirable for such a unified shopping and checkout system for a multiple merchant e-commerce platform to maintain a real time connection with a server for each such merchant in order to enable the identification of the user information required for a desired transaction type in real time. It would additionally be desirable for such a unified shopping and checkout system for a multiple merchant e-commerce platform to, through a unified checkout interface, prompt and require the provision of all required user information for such purchases and bookings, and then utilize the same when completing transactions with relevant merchants. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to a unified shopping and checkout mechanism system, comprising: an administrator computer system accessible over a computer network, wherein the administrator computer system is configured to: provide a shopping interface which includes a listing containing a plurality of product listing purchasable items available to purchase and a plurality of live booking purchasable items available to purchase, with the plurality of product listing purchasable items and the plurality of live booking purchasable items being retrieved from a plurality of merchant computer systems; receive from a remote client device a product selection defined by a desired product listing purchasable item among the plurality of product listing purchasable items and perform an add to cart process upon receipt of the product selection; receive from the remote client device a booking selection defined by a desired booking purchasable item among the plurality of live booking purchasable items and perform the add to cart process upon receipt of the booking selection; wherein the add to cart process for the product selection includes at least identifying a corresponding product merchant computer system among the plurality of merchant computer systems on which the product selection is offered, identifying product purchaser user information for the product selection required by the corresponding product merchant computer system, attempting to place a checkout hold on the product selection in the corresponding product merchant computer system, and placing the product selection in a checkout queue; wherein the add to cart process for the booking selection includes at least identifying a corresponding booking merchant computer system among the plurality of merchant computer systems on which the booking selection is offered, identifying booking purchaser user information for the booking selection required by the corresponding booking merchant computer system, creating a temporary substitute product selection that