To make it smooth to deliver an article that the purchaser bought by on-line shopping or the like from a distributor to a purchaser.

This method has a means which determines the date and time when the purchase article is expected to be delivered according to delivery information by areas of the distributor and schedule information of the purchaser, a means which determines whether or not the article is delivered via an intermediary store by using the information of the intermediary state use standard on the delivery of the article, and a means which detects articles having been stored at the intermediary store for a long time when the article is delivered to the purchaser from the distributor through the intermediary store. Consequently, the delivery scheduled date is clear, so the purchaser is at home at the delivery time with high possibility, and the article can be quickly delivered. When the intermediary store is used, the article can be received without being restricted by the business hours of the distributor. Further, forgetting to receive the article at the intermediary state can be solved in its early stage.