Importance

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Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for vending products where the customer is guided through an interactive process that receives selection criteria from the customer relating to the type of product the customer would like to purchase and uses the customer's selection criteria to determine which products are potentially suitable for the customer's purposes, needs, interests, and tastes and to rank the products based on their suitability to facilitate the customer's final selection of a product. The system includes a computer that is provided with a storage device associated therewith. Products to be vended or data relating to products to be vended are stored in the storage device. The computer is also connected to an input/output ('I/O') device, a payment device, and a manufacturing device. The storage device, the I/O device, the payment device, and the manufacturing device are connected to the computer by means of data transmission media or data communication systems. Initially, the I/O device prompts a customer for selection criteria relating to the type of product the customer would like to purchase and then inputs the customer's selection criteria. After receiving the customer's selection criteria, the computer uses the criteria to determine which products are potentially suitable for the customer's purposes, needs, interests, and tastes and to rank the products based on their suitability. Next, the I/O device displays a list of the ranked products for the customer, prompts the customer to make a final selection of a product, and inputs the customer's final selection.

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First Claim