Methods and systems for the sale of consumer services
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- collecting over a period time by a marketplace server information relating to transactions comprising services provided to a plurality of different customers by a plurality of different merchants, wherein each customer has a plurality of associated customer attributes and each merchant has a plurality of merchant attributes;
determining, by a computer utilizing a processor, for each of the plurality of different merchants, a respective on-time performance of the merchant for each of a plurality of different services, wherein a particular on-time performance of the merchant for a particular service comprises a measure of whether the merchant has historically commenced providing the particular service to customers by respective pre-scheduled appointment times;
receiving a request for a service for a customer from a customer device, the customer device comprising a location tracking sensor;
receiving, from the customer device, information indicating a plurality of different geographical locations of the customer device at different times based on data provided by the location tracking sensor;
training a classifier to predict that a particular merchant has a respective probability of being selected by a particular customer to provide the service that meets a threshold, wherein the predicting is based on attributes of customers that have previously received the service and attributes of merchants that have previously provided the service including the on-time performances thereof;
selecting a merchant from a subplurality of the merchants to provide the service, wherein the selecting is based at least in part on the on-time performance of the selected merchant for the service meeting a threshold level of timeliness, and wherein the threshold level of timeliness is based on, at least, the service, and wherein selecting the merchant comprises providing to the classifier as input one or more attributes of the customer and receiving from the classifier as output the subplurality of merchants;
attempting to schedule an appointment for the service on a calendar of the selected merchant and on a calendar of the customer;
at a first time, receiving via the location tracking sensor of the customer device a first geographical location of the customer device, and automatically accepting the appointment on behalf of the selected merchant based at least in part on a location of the merchant and the first geographical location of the customer device at the first time;
identifying a requirement associated with the service, wherein the requirement comprises a requirement to which the customer should adhere prior to a scheduled time of the appointment for the service;
at a second time, later than the first time, receiving via the location tracking sensor of the customer device a second, different geographical location of the customer device;
identifying, based at least in part on the second, different geographical location of the customer device at the second, later time, a type of location that the customer has entered;
determining that (i) a relationship exists between the type of location and the requirement associated with the service and (ii) the type of location may affect the customer'"'"'s ability to adhere to the requirement; and
in response to the determination of (i) and (ii), providing a reminder notification to the customer device of the requirement.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Computer-implemented systems and methods for the sale of consumer services. Predictions are made based on the behaviors, preferences, assets, identifying characteristics, and other attributes associated with customers and merchants. In one implementation, a prediction is made as to whether a customer is likely to request a service and whether a merchant is likely to be selected by the customer to provide the service. In another implementation, the calendars of a merchant and customer are automatically updated to account for the customer'"'"'s late arrival to an appointment at the merchants location. In yet another implementation, a customer purchases an appointment for a service from another customer that has the appointment scheduled with a merchant providing the service.
143 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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collecting over a period time by a marketplace server information relating to transactions comprising services provided to a plurality of different customers by a plurality of different merchants, wherein each customer has a plurality of associated customer attributes and each merchant has a plurality of merchant attributes; determining, by a computer utilizing a processor, for each of the plurality of different merchants, a respective on-time performance of the merchant for each of a plurality of different services, wherein a particular on-time performance of the merchant for a particular service comprises a measure of whether the merchant has historically commenced providing the particular service to customers by respective pre-scheduled appointment times; receiving a request for a service for a customer from a customer device, the customer device comprising a location tracking sensor; receiving, from the customer device, information indicating a plurality of different geographical locations of the customer device at different times based on data provided by the location tracking sensor; training a classifier to predict that a particular merchant has a respective probability of being selected by a particular customer to provide the service that meets a threshold, wherein the predicting is based on attributes of customers that have previously received the service and attributes of merchants that have previously provided the service including the on-time performances thereof; selecting a merchant from a subplurality of the merchants to provide the service, wherein the selecting is based at least in part on the on-time performance of the selected merchant for the service meeting a threshold level of timeliness, and wherein the threshold level of timeliness is based on, at least, the service, and wherein selecting the merchant comprises providing to the classifier as input one or more attributes of the customer and receiving from the classifier as output the subplurality of merchants; attempting to schedule an appointment for the service on a calendar of the selected merchant and on a calendar of the customer; at a first time, receiving via the location tracking sensor of the customer device a first geographical location of the customer device, and automatically accepting the appointment on behalf of the selected merchant based at least in part on a location of the merchant and the first geographical location of the customer device at the first time; identifying a requirement associated with the service, wherein the requirement comprises a requirement to which the customer should adhere prior to a scheduled time of the appointment for the service; at a second time, later than the first time, receiving via the location tracking sensor of the customer device a second, different geographical location of the customer device; identifying, based at least in part on the second, different geographical location of the customer device at the second, later time, a type of location that the customer has entered; determining that (i) a relationship exists between the type of location and the requirement associated with the service and (ii) the type of location may affect the customer'"'"'s ability to adhere to the requirement; and in response to the determination of (i) and (ii), providing a reminder notification to the customer device of the requirement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 27)
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10. A system comprising:
one or more computers programmed to perform operations comprising; collecting over a period time by a marketplace server information relating to transactions comprising services provided to a plurality of different customers by a plurality of different merchants, wherein each customer has a plurality of associated customer attributes and each merchant has a plurality of merchant attributes; determining, for each of the plurality of different merchants, a respective on-time performance of the merchant for each of a plurality of different services, wherein a particular on-time performance of the merchant for a particular service comprises a measure of whether the merchant has historically commenced providing the particular service to customers by respective pre-scheduled appointment times; receiving a request for a service for a customer from a customer device, the customer device comprising a location tracking sensor; receiving, from the customer device, information indicating a plurality of different geographical locations of the customer device at different times based on data provided by the location tracking sensor; training a classifier to predict that a particular merchant has a respective probability of being selected by a particular customer to provide the service that meets a threshold, wherein the predicting is based on attributes of customers that have previously received the service and attributes of merchants that have previously provided the service including the on-time performances thereof; selecting a merchant from a subplurality of the merchants to provide the service, wherein the selecting is based at least in part on the on-time performance of the selected merchant for the service meeting a threshold level of timeliness, and wherein the threshold level of timeliness is based on, at least, the service, and wherein selecting the merchant comprises providing to the classifier as input one or more attributes of the customer and receiving from the classifier as output the subplurality of merchants; attempting to schedule an appointment for the service on a calendar of the selected merchant and on a calendar of the customer; at a first time, receiving via the location tracking sensor of the customer device a first geographical location of the customer device, and automatically accepting the appointment on behalf of the selected merchant based at least in part on a location of the merchant and the first geographical location of the customer device at the first time; identifying a requirement associated with the service, wherein the requirement comprises a requirement to which the customer should adhere prior to a scheduled time of the appointment for the service; at a second time, later than the first time, receiving via the location tracking sensor of the customer device a second, different geographical location of the customer device; identifying, based at least in part on the second, different geographical location of the customer device at the second, later time, a type of location that the customer has entered; determining that (i) a relationship exists between the type of location and the requirement associated with the service and (ii) the type of location may affect the customer'"'"'s ability to adhere to the requirement; and in response to the determination of (i) and (ii), providing a reminder notification to the customer device of the requirement. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An article of manufacture, comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, configure one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
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collecting over a period time by a marketplace server information relating to transactions comprising services provided to a plurality of different customers by a plurality of different merchants, wherein each customer has a plurality of associated customer attributes and each merchant has a plurality of merchant attributes; determining, for each of the plurality of different merchants, a respective on-time performance of the merchant for each of a plurality of services, wherein a particular on-time performance of the merchant for a particular service comprises a measure of whether the merchant has historically commenced providing the particular service to customers by respective pre-scheduled appointment times; receiving a request for a service for a customer from a customer device, the customer device comprising a location tracking sensor; receiving, from the customer device, information indicating a plurality of different geographical locations of the customer device at different times based on data provided by the location tracking sensor; training a classifier to predict that a particular merchant has a respective probability of being selected by a particular customer to provide the service that meets a threshold, wherein the predicting is based on attributes of customers that have previously received the service and attributes of merchants that have previously provided the service including the on-time performances thereof; selecting a merchant from a subplurality of the merchants to provide the service, wherein the selecting is based at least in part on the on-time performance of the selected merchant for the service meeting a threshold level of timeliness, and wherein the threshold level of timeliness is based on, at least, the service, and wherein selecting the merchant comprises providing to the classifier as input one or more attributes of the customer and receiving from the classifier as output the subplurality of merchants; attempting to schedule an appointment for the service on a calendar of the selected merchant and on a calendar of the customer; at a first time, receiving via the location tracking sensor of the customer device a first geographical location of the customer device, and automatically accepting the appointment on behalf of the selected merchant based at least in part on a location of the merchant and the first geographical location of the customer device at the first time; identifying a requirement associated with the service, wherein the requirement comprises a requirement to which the customer should adhere prior to a scheduled time of the appointment for the service; at a second time, later than the first time, receiving via the location tracking sensor of the customer device a second, different geographical location of the customer device; identifying, based at least in part on the second, different geographical location of the customer device at the second, later time, a type of location that the customer has entered; determining that (i) a relationship exists between the type of location and the requirement associated with the service and (ii) the type of location may affect the customer'"'"'s ability to adhere to the requirement; and in response to the determination of (i) and (ii), providing a reminder notification to the customer device of the requirement. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification