WO2007140604A1

WO2007140604A1 - Method of selling unutilized goods and services of businesses and industry

Info

Publication number: WO2007140604A1
Application number: PCT/CA2007/000999
Authority: WO
Inventors: Llewellyn E. Depew
Original assignee: Depew Llewellyn E
Priority date: 2006-06-06
Filing date: 2007-06-06
Publication date: 2007-12-13

Abstract

A method of selling unutilized goods and services of businesses and industry includes utilizing the internet (world wide web) to enable a seller and buyer to negotiate directly with each other over the internet. The buyer is provided with a representative to verify the authenticity of goods and/or services offered by the seller and if appropriate to facilitate negotiations between the seller and the buyer. Funds provided by the buyer to purchase the goods and/or services are held in escrow until the buyer and the representative have verified that the goods and/or services have been received from the seller. An e-mail system automatically sends e-mails to the seller, the buyer, the representative and others if desired to keep those involved informed of the status of the negotiations and subsequent exchange of funds and goods and/or services.

Description

METHOD OF SELLING UNUTILIZED GOODS AND SERVICES OF BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRY

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to the sale of unutilized goods and services of businesses and industry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] There is a huge inventory of unutilized goods and services in the world and no efficient method is currently available for their sale, with much of such goods and services being sold for a fraction of its worth.

[0003] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved method of selling unutilized goods and services.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] According to the invention, sales of unutilized goods and services of businesses and industry are promoted on the internet using local representatives acting for sellers and different local representatives acting for buyers, with the identity of buyers and sellers being protected and funds involved in a transaction being safeguarded. An important feature of the invention is that the various parties involved in a particular transaction are automatically kept informed with respect thereto by automated electronic communications, such as e-mail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Embodiments of the invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0006] Fig. 1 is a flow sheet showing the various steps involved in practicing a first embodiment of the invention,

[0007] Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing the subsidiary steps involved when goods are submitted for sale,

[0008] Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing the subsidiary steps involved in connection with a contracted offer and acceptance to purchase, [0009] Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing the subsidiary steps involved in connection with a rejected offer to purchase,

[0010] Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing subsidiary steps involved in automated e-mail identification to parties involved in any transaction,

[0011] Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing the subsidiary steps involved with the listing page,

[0012] Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing the subsidiary steps involved with the offer page,

[0013] Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing the subsidiary steps involved with escrow display, and

[0014] Fig. 9 to 14 are flow charts illustrating a second embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a flow chart showing the various steps involved in carrying out a method for selling unutilized goods and services of businesses and industry in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.

[0016] Figs 2 to 8 show the subsidiary steps involved in carrying out some of the main steps show in Fig. 1 as indicated thereon. It will be noted that local representatives are referred to in the flow charts as associates assigned to sellers or buyers.

[0017] It will be noted that Fig. 5 shows one example of automated electronic communication, i.e. e-mail in this embodiment, to keep various parties involved in a particular transaction updated with respect thereto.

[0018] The nature of the operation of the first embodiment and the advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to aperson skilled in the art from Figs 1 to 8. Figs 9-14 show a second embodiment. Other embodiments of the invention will consequently also now be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims.

[HAMJLAW\140281\l]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of selling unutilized goods and services of businesses and industry, said method including:

(a) utilizing the internet (world wide web) to enable a seller and buyer to negotiate directly with each other over the internet,

(b) providing the buyer with a representative to verify the authenticity of goods and/or services offered by the seller and if appropriate, to facilitate negotiations between the seller and the buyer,

(c) arranging for funds provided by the buyer to purchase the goods and/or services to be held in escrow until the buyer and the representative have verified that the goods and/or services have been received from the seller, and

(d) providing an e-mail system which automatically sends e-mails to the seller, the buyer, the representative and others if desired to keep those involved informed of the status of the negotiations and subsequent exchange of funds and goods and/or services.