System and method for generating real-time promotions on an electronic commerce world wide website to increase the likelihood of purchase

• US 20020062245A1
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Published: 05/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Net Conversions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Net Conversions, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Edward, Liu, Andrew I, Niu, David
• Application Number:
  US09/801,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062245A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions

Abstract

A system and method for generating real-time promotions to a visitor of an electronic commerce (e-commerce) World Wide website to increase the likelihood of purchase on the website by the visitor. The system and method receive and store clickstream data provided by the visitor, and calculate the probability that the visitor will leave the website or will make a purchase on the website based upon this clickstream data. The system and method then utilize the calculated probabilities, as well as the frequency of visits to the website by the visitor, and the time of the visit to the website, to decide whether or not real-time promotions should be generated on the website. If it is decided that promotions should be generated, then the system and method automatically calculate what promotions to send, when to send them, and how to send them. The system and method enable e-commerce owners and managers to better direct their promotions, enable promotions to be tailored to the visitors'"'"' display preferences, and generate the right promotion at the right time and the right place. Furthermore, the system and method become increasingly effective and refined with more visitors to the e-commerce website, providing the e-commerce website owner or manager with a better understanding of his or her customers, increased revenue, and greater marketing efficiency. The visitors to the e-commerce website, in turn, receive better service, information and value.

Claims

1. A system for generating real-time promotions on a website to increase the likelihood of purchase on the website, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor configured to execute instructions for;

receiving and storing clickstream data from a visitor to the website,

calculating the probability that the visitor will leave the website and the probability that the visitor will make a purchase on the website based upon the clickstream data,

utilizing the calculated probabilities, the frequency of visits to the website by the visitor, and the time of the visit to the website, to decide whether real-time promotions should be generated on the website, and

automatically calculating what promotions to send, when to send them, and how to send them, if real-time promotions are to be generated.

2. A system for generating real-time promotions on a website to increase the likelihood of purchase on the website as recited in claim 1, wherein the real-time promotions are delivered in a predetermined manner.

3. A system for generating real-time promotions on a website to increase the likelihood of purchase on the website as recited in claim 2, wherein the predetermined manner is selected from the group consisting of:

electronic mail, interstitial, embedded, virtual call center, live text chat, facsimile, and live telephone call.

4. A computer-implemented method for generating real-time promotions on a website to increase the likelihood of purchase on the website, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing clickstream data from a visitor to the website;

calculating the probability that the visitor will leave the website and the probability that the visitor will make a purchase on the website based upon the clickstream data;

utilizing the calculated probabilities, the frequency of visits to the website by the visitor, and the time of the visit to the website, to decide whether real-time promotions should be generated on the website; and

automatically calculating what promotions to send, when to send them, and how to send them, if real-time promotions are generated in the utilizing step.

5. A computer-implemented method for generating real-time promotions on a website to increase the likelihood of purchase on the website as recited in claim 4, wherein the real-time promotions are delivered in a predetermined manner.

6. A computer-implemented method for generating real-time promotions on a website to increase the likelihood of purchase on the website as recited in claim 5, wherein the predetermined manner is selected from the group consisting of electronic mail, interstitial, embedded, virtual call center, live text chat, facsimile, and live telephone call.

7. A computer readable medium that stores instructions executable by at least one processor to perform a method for generating real-time promotions on a website to increase the likelihood of purchase on the website, comprising:

instructions for receiving and storing clickstream data from a visitor to the website;

instructions for calculating the probability that the visitor will leave the website and the probability that the visitor will make a purchase on the website based upon the clickstream data;

instructions for utilizing the calculated probabilities, the frequency of visits to the website by the visitor, and the time of the visit to the website, to decide whether real-time promotions should be generated on the website; and

instructions for automatically calculating what promotions to send, when to send them, and how to send them, if real-time promotions are generated in the utilizing step.

8. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the real-time promotions are delivered in a predetermined manner.

9. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the predetermined manner is selected from the group consisting of:

electronic mail, interstitial, embedded, virtual call center, live text chat, facsimile, and live telephone call.