Importance

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Abstract

An electronic shopping system which utilizes an electronic shopping agent (ESA) for allowing communication between customers and retailers during Internet shopping. The ESA has access to a customer database and a retailer database. When a request for an item/service is received by the ESA from a customer, the customer profile information is retrieved from the customer database. Appropriate retailers are also selected from the retailer database. The customer profile information and customer request is bundled as a request for proposal (RFP) and forwarded to the selected retailers for servicing. The retailers, upon receipt of the RFP submit proposals to the ESA for forwarding to the requesting customer. The proposals are catered to the requesting customer's needs and preferences. The ESA may analyze the proposals and select the best proposal(s) prior to their forwarding to the requesting customer. The ESA may further provide market survey reports to the retailers based on information accumulated on the customers using the system.

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First Claim