Online Sales Method for Information Handling Systems and Related Peripherals

Abstract

A configurator is provided with the ability to present to a user how each choice or change to an information handling system would effect the performance of the information handling system for an intended use. More specifically, during an online sales process, the customer is first presented with a list of gaming genres or gaming titles for which the information handling system to be purchased is targeted to use along with a base or recommended configuration. The configuration process proceeds with each discrete choice now presented to the user not only with the price but also with the specific system performance impact of that item, such as showing a Frame Per Second indication. A new set of fields are provided for each item in the configuration database and may be proportional to the number of gaming genres or titles presented to the customer at the first selection screen. As the customer proceeds through the configuration process the total price of the configured information handling system is presented along with the performance data.

1 . A system for enabling configuration of an information handling system comprising:
 a configurator, the configurator configuring the information handling system with options selected according to user input, the configurator including
 a validator, the validator validating configuration of the information handling system; and, 
 a performance information module, the performance information module providing performance information based upon the options selected by the user during configuration of the information handling system; 
   a checkout module, the checkout module presenting payment options and obtaining payment and delivery information;   a database, the database receiving information from and supplying information to the configurator, the checkout module.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the performance information includes objective performance information associated with a particular option selection.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein:
 the objective performance information includes an effect on a frames per second operation of the information handling system based upon the particular option selection.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the performance information includes subjective performance information.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the performance information is tailored to provide information based upon an intended use of the information handling system.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein:
 the intended use of the information handling system is as a gaming system.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein:
 the intended use includes a particular game or genre of games; and, the performance information is tailored based upon the particular game or genre of games.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for enabling configuration of an information handling system comprising:
 a configuration module, the configuration module enabling configuring the information handling system with options selected according to user input, the configuration module including
 a validation module, the validation module validating configuration of the information handling system; and, 
 a performance information module, the performance information module providing performance information based upon the options selected by the user during configuration of the information handling system; 
   a checkout module, the checkout module presenting payment options and obtaining payment and delivery information;   a database, the database receiving information from and supplying information to the configuration module and the checkout module.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein:
 the performance information includes objective performance information associated with a particular option selection.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein:
 the objective performance information includes an effect on a frames per second operation of the information handling system based upon the particular option selection.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein:
 the performance information includes subjective performance information.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein:
 the performance information is tailored to provide information based upon an intended use of the information handling system.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein:
 the intended use of the information handling system is as a gaming system.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein:
 the intended use includes a particular game or genre of games; and,   the performance information is tailored based upon the particular game or genre of games.   
     
     
         15 . A method for configuring an information handling system comprising:
 configuring the information handling system with options selected according   to user input, the configuring including
 validating configuration of the information handling system; and, 
 presenting performance information based upon the options selected by the user during configuration of the information handling system. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein:
 the performance information includes objective performance information associated with a particular option selection.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein:
 the objective performance information includes an effect on a frames per second operation of the information handling system based upon the particular option selection.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein:
 the performance information includes subjective performance information.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein:
 the performance information is tailored to provide information based upon an intended use of the information handling system.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein:
 the intended use of the information handling system is as a gaming system.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein:
 the intended use includes a particular game or genre of games; and,   the performance information is tailored based upon the particular game or genre of games.