Determining item recommendations from merchant data

• US 10,304,117 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2017
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Square Inc (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Kumar, Abhay, Hipschman, Dan, Yan, Rong, James, John Berian, Perrone, Gian, Leduc, Mai
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilder, A. Hunter
• Application Number:
  US15/445,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20170228808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

Techniques for providing items recommendations based on a state of a merchant device are described. For example, a determination of whether or not a merchant device is in an online mode or an offline mode may be made. When it is determined that the merchant device is in the online mode, a recommendation that is received for the current transaction may be presented. When it is determined that the merchant device is in the offline mode, a recommendation that is previously received may be presented. In other examples, other types of recommendations may be presented.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by application software executing on a merchant device and from a service computing device, a first communication, the first communication including a recommendation for purchasing a first item;

determining, by the application software of the merchant device, that a second item has been selected for purchase in a current transaction;

detecting, by the application software of the merchant device, whether the merchant device is in an offline mode or an online mode;

based at least in part on detecting that the merchant device is in the offline mode, presenting the recommendation for purchasing the first item as part of the current transaction; and

based at least in part on detecting that the merchant device is in the online mode;

sending, by the application software of merchant device and to the service computing device, an indication that the second item has been selected for the current transaction;

receiving, by the application software of the merchant device and from the service computing device, a second communication, the second communication including a recommendation for purchasing a third item; and

presenting the recommendation for purchasing the third item as part of the current transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the third item comprises an item that a buyer associated with the current transaction has purchased together with the second item in the past from a merchant associated with the current transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third item comprises an item that a buyer associated with the current transaction has purchased together with the second item in the past from another merchant other than a merchant associated with the current transaction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first item or the third item is an item that is offered for purchase by a merchant associated with the current transaction.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based at least in part on detecting that the merchant device is in the offline mode, selecting the first item for presentation based at least in part on a time of day or day of the week for the current transaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting the recommendation for purchasing the first item as part of the current transaction comprises offering the first item and the second item as a bundle for a discounted price.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processors of a merchant device; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a service computing device, a first communication identifying a first item for purchase;

determining that a second item has been selected for purchase in a current transaction;

detecting whether the merchant device is in an online mode or an offline mode;

based at least in part on detecting that the merchant device is in the offline mode, presenting a recommendation for purchasing the first item as part of the current transaction; and

based at least in part on detecting that the merchant device is in the online mode;

sending, to the service computing device, an indication that the second item has been selected for the current transaction;

receiving, from the service computing device, a second communication, the second communication including a recommendation for purchasing a third item; and

presenting the recommendation for purchasing the third item as part of the current transaction.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the third item comprises an item that a buyer associated with the current transaction has purchased together with the second item in the past from a merchant associated with the current transaction.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the third item comprises an item that a buyer associated with the current transaction has purchased together with the second item in the past from another merchant other than a merchant associated with the current transaction.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first item or the third item is an item that is offered for purchase by a merchant associated with the current transaction.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the detecting whether the merchant device is in the online mode or the offline mode comprises detecting that the merchant device is in the offline mode, the operations further comprising:

selecting the first item for presentation based at least in part on a time of day or day of the week for the current transaction.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the detecting whether the merchant device is in the online mode or the offline mode comprises detecting that the merchant device is in the offline mode;

and wherein the presenting comprises listing the first item and the second item as a bundle for a discounted price.

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media maintaining instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a merchant device, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, from a service computing device, a first communication identifying a first item;

determine that a second item has been selected for purchase in a current transaction;

detect whether the merchant device is in an online mode or an offline mode;

based at least in part on detecting that the merchant device is in the offline mode, present a recommendation for purchasing the first item as part of the current transaction; and

based at least in part on detecting that the merchant device is in the online mode;

send, to the service computing device, an indication that the second item has been selected for the current transaction;

receive, from the service computing device, a second communication, the second communication including a recommendation for purchasing a third item; and

present the recommendation for purchasing the third item as part of the current transaction.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the third item comprises an item that a buyer associated with the current transaction has purchased together with the second item in the past from a merchant associated with the current transaction.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the third item comprises an item that a buyer associated with the current transaction has purchased together with the second item in the past from a merchant other than another merchant associated with the current transaction.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first item or the third item is an item that is offered for purchase by a merchant associated with the current transaction.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the detecting whether the merchant device is in the online mode or the offline mode comprises detecting that the merchant device is in the offline mode, the operations further comprising:

selecting the first item for presentation based at least in part on a time of day or day of the week for the current transaction.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the detecting whether the merchant device is in the online mode or the offline mode comprises detecting that the merchant device is in the offline mode;

and wherein the presenting comprises listing the first item and the second item as a bundle for a discounted price.