Internet-based method of and system for enabling communication of consumer product information between vendors and consumers in a stream of commerce, using vendor created and managed UPN/TM/PD/URL data links

摘要

A system and method for finding and serving consumer product-related information over the Internet (10) to consumers. The system includes Internet Information servers (33) which store information pertaining to Universal Product Number (e.g. UPC number) preassigned to each consumer product registered with the system, along with a list of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) that point to the location of one or more information resources on the Internet, e.g. World Wide Web-sites, which are related to such registered consumer products. Upon entering the UPC number into the system using a conventional Internet browser program (13), the menu of URLs associated with the entered UPC number is automatically displayed for user selection. The displayed menu of URLs are categorically arranged according to specific types of product information.