Automated order and delivery system

Apparatus for processing merchandise sale transactions for customers in a point of sale and warehouse facility, the apparatus comprising:

• a main processor including a database for storing customer identification information and merchandise information and including program instructions for processing a sale transaction record for each customer;
• a point of sale system coupled with said main processor, said point of sale system including program instructions responsive to entry of a customer identification number for accessing said database to display customer identification information and for generating said sale transaction record;
• said point of sale system including item entry means responsive to entry of a merchandise item identification number for accessing said database to display merchandise information pertaining to said item to the customer and for selecting said item for addition to said sale transaction record;
• said point of sale system including delivery method entry means for displaying merchandise delivery method information to the customer and for selecting delivery method instructions for addition to said sale transaction record;
• said point of sale system including total command means for indicating acceptance of said sale transaction record by the customer and for transmitting said sale transaction record to said main processor to effectuate warehouse delivery of said selected merchandise items to the customer according to said selected delivery method instructions;
• a warehouse system coupled with said main processor, said warehouse system including program instructions responsive to said acceptance indication of said sale transaction record from said command means for generating a merchandise pick request in said warehouse to locate said selected merchandise and initiate delivery of said merchandise according to said selected delivery method instructions;
• and
• a check-out system coupled with said point of sale system, said check-out system including program instructions responsive to entry of said customer identification number for accessing said sale transaction record and accepting payment for said selected merchandise items.

A method for processing merchandise sale transactions for customers in a point of sale and warehouse facility, the method comprising:

• storing customer identification information, merchandise information and a sale transaction record for each customer in a database;
• entering a customer identification number to access said database for display of the customer's identification information and to generate said sale transaction record;
• entering a merchandise item identification number for accessing said database to display merchandise information pertaining to said item and for selecting said item for addition to said sale transaction record;
• displaying merchandise delivery method information to the customer for selecting delivery method instructions and for adding said instructions to said sale transaction record;
• and
• indicating acceptance of said sale transaction record by the customer to effectuate warehouse delivery of said selected merchandise items to the customer according to said selected delivery method instructions.