A server computer builds a shopping site on a network. A user can purchase his or her desired commodity from the shopping site by using a user terminal. If a commodity requested by the user is out of stock, the server computer makes an inquiry to the user about the request level of purchase of the commodity. When the out-of-stock commodity has arrived, the server computer transmits arrival notification mail to users whose request levels are high in descending order of request level. Contents of the arrival notification mail vary by request level.

The invention provides a digital content delivery system that prevents information, that is much needed by a user, among public relations information from remaining unnoticed and allows the user to easily gain access to up-to-date public relations information. A content delivery terminal, including a user information registration DB that stores user information, compares the user's age and family structure among the user information in the user information registration DB with those of an intended person of each record in a government office public information registration table. The content delivery terminal also compares the user's age and family structure with those of an intended person of each record in a grade school public information registration table. When there is a match between the user's age and family structure and those of the intended person in each of above two cases, the content delivery terminal acquires the content of, the date and time of, and the frequency of advance notices of the record, and delivers the acquired public information to a user terminal.

According to the present invention, a method to automate the replenishment of one or more items on a shopping list. The method comprising the steps of storing data representing an inventory of items for sale at the e-commerce site; storing one or more shopping lists, each for a plurality of consumers at the e-commerce site; storing the purchase history of the items purchased by one or more consumers at the e-commerce site; storing a predetermined periodicity of previous purchases of one or more items previously purchased from the e-commerce site by looking at a pattern of past purchase histories for one or more items; receiving a request from the at least one consumer for at least one of the shopping lists to build an active shopping list; reviewing the purchase history for the at least on consumer to determine if at least one item previously purchased from the purchase history has exceeded the predetermined periodicity including a shelf-life; prompting the at least one consumer to authorize the addition of the at least one item previously purchased, if the item has exceeded the predetermined periodicity; and adding the at least one item to the active shopping list if authorized by the at least one consumer. In an alternate embodiment, a computer readable medium and system is disclosed that corresponds to the method above.

On-line purchasing of products from an electronic commerce (e.g., a Web page) seller is assisted by providing users with a list of previously purchased products. The list of products can be used for simplified reordering of a product previously purchased. In one embodiment, the list is categorized based on, for example, product type, purchase date, etc. Additional product information can also be provided when a product is selected from the list.

A service providing method and system according to which a stable access condition is maintained, losses of service providing opportunities to users are reduced and a stable service is provided via a network are provided. When an access request is sent from a user to a service providing server and an accessible number is exceeded, the server indicates information of the number of accesses to a user without immediately executing the access to said server, updates the information periodically and connects the user with the server when the server becomes accessible.