METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR FACILITATING COMPARISON SHOPPING WITH GEOGRAPHICALLY-SPECIFIC, REAL-TIME PRODUCT INVENTORY INFORMATION

摘要

Consistent with some embodiments of the invention, a web-based comparison shopping and marketplace service enables a user to search for and/or browse products of interest, and then obtain geographically-relevant, real-time product availability and pricing information for a product of interest that is offered by one or more physical retail stores. Additionally, with some embodiments, the service enables a user to conclude a purchase transaction for a product that is located at a retail store, and then provides the user with driving directions from the user's location to the retail store.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving product inventory information for a product being offered at two or more locations that compete, the product inventory information including a name and location identifier for each of two or more locations at which the product is offered and a quantity and a price of the product available for each location of the two or more locations at which the product is offered; communicating, to a client computing device, two or more product listings for the product, each product listing including the product inventory information for the product as offered at a respective location; receiving, from the client computing device, selection information for purchase of the product offered at a specified location of the two or more locations at which the product is offered; receiving positioning information, from a positioning system, indicating a client device is at the specified location; and communicating, to the client device, a message responsive to the receiving the positioning information.