The service provider publishes the posted ideas of the new elements 100 and the examples of the functions realized using the new elements 100 using the server 1300a. A plurality of end users browse the published ideas using the end user terminals 1100a to 1100c (in practice, more end user terminals may be used) (S102). When the end users intend to purchase the elements 100 of the published ideas, the end users express such intention using the end user terminals 1100a to 1100c (S103). At this time, the end users may express functions desired to be used by the end users in the examples of the functions realized using the new element 100.
Alternatively, the end users may newly propose functions realized using the new elements 100. The functions newly proposed by the end users may be published along with the ideas of the new elements 100 posted by the hardware manufacturer. Thus, the end user can give the element 100 that he or she wishes to own an added value known as a useful function and the other end users can express an intention to purchase, thereby increasing a probability of the element 100 being manufactured.