Integrated electronic shopping cart system and method

Abstract

Integrated shopping cart functionality is provided on a first website so that products/services from different affiliated websites can be integrated into the shopping cart at the first website and the e-commerce functionality of the first website can be utilized to purchase the selected products/services. A framework for integrating this functionality enables the first website to integrate with affiliated websites so that an increased number of users may access the first website since the proprietor of the first website may offer various products/services from a multitude of different affiliated websites, for example by providing URL links to the affiliated websites that a user may access in order to select items from the affiliated websites. These items can be integrated into the shopping cart at the first website and purchased with a single transaction. Increased user traffic is expected at the first website since a user's shopping interests can be fulfilled at a single website. Additionally, affiliated websites are benefited by this integrated shopping cart functionality since the e-commerce functionality of the integrated shopping cart is performed by a server that is associated with the first website. Therefore, affiliated websites need not include their own e-commerce functionality. Instead, they may take advantage of the e-commerce functionality of the first website and still receive the benefits of the sale of their offered products/services to the user. Maintenance costs and overhead costs with respect to including an e-commerce software engine are therefore reduced and often eliminated as a result.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An electronic shopping cart system integrated with a computer network, comprising:
 a server maintaining a catalog of item information relating to items that can be selected from any one of a number of associated websites, the server being adapted to enable access to the catalog of item information from a main website that is associated with the server and that is distinct from any of the associated websites, such that one or more items can be selected from the catalog of item information via the main website and incorporated into a list of items in an integrated shopping cart application associated with the main website that functions as a hub for items that can be selected from the catalog of item information, and wherein a financial transaction is effectuated and associated with the main website indicating the purchase of at least a subset of the items in the list of items in the integrated shopping cart.   
     
     
         12 . The integrated shopping cart system of  claim 11 , wherein the computer network is the World Wide Web. 
     
     
         13 . The integrated electronic shopping cart system of  claim 11 , wherein the items include products and services. 
     
     
         14 . The integrated electronic shopping cart system of  claim 11 , wherein the item information includes any of item identification information, cost information, and description information. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated electronic shopping cart system of  claim 11 , wherein the order fulfillment information includes any of item identification information and shipping information. 
     
     
         16 - 90 . (canceled) 
     
     
         91 . The integrated shopping cart system of  claim 11 , wherein the items can be selected from any of the affiliated websites. 
     
     
         92 . The integrated shopping cart system of  claim 11 , the main server is configured to transmit order fulfillment information pertaining to each purchased item in the list of items to a respective server affiliated with a vendor associated with such respective item such that the respective order fulfillment information is processed accordingly. 
     
     
         93 . The integrated shopping cart system of  claim 11 , wherein the main server is configured to process order fulfillment information for each purchased item in the list of items.