System and method for monitoring consumer preferences

• US 20020147776A1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cpulse LLC
• Original Assignee: Cpulse LLC
• Inventors: Grunin, Eric, Dodson, Joseph, Lippiner, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US09/826,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147776A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method are provided for monitoring the preferences of web site visitors. The system and method can be computer-based and can be embodied as an application program or module connected to or incorporated into any communications network including: the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, and/or a wide area network. The system and method can voluntarily collect statistically relevant data regarding customers wants, needs and practices through a non-intrusive pop-up window.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a survey of a visitor to a web page, comprising the steps of:

providing a survey server to conduct the survey;

storing the web page on a web server;

sending the web page to a first computer being used by the visitor from said web server;

receiving a request at said survey server from the web page to conduct said survey;

responding to said request by transmitting a pop-up window from said survey server to the visitor at the visitor'"'"'s computer;

presenting a survey document to the visitor through said pop-up window; and

conducting said survey in said pop-up window.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said pop-up window does not interfere with the web page.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the survey document contains an option to opt out of the survey.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said pop-up window can be closed at any time ending the survey.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the data collected by said pop-up window that was prematurely closed is disregarded.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

presenting the visitor with a set of profiling questions.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said set of profiling questions number more than four.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said set of profiling questions number less than eight.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

presenting the visitor with a set of critical attributes.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the visitor ranks the importance of each of said set of critical attributes.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the visitor ranks the importance of each of said set of critical attributes on a scale of 1 to 9.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the visitor is presented with a subset of the total number of critical attributes being tested by the web site.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the number of critical attributes being ranked is about four.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the number of critical attributes being tested by the web site is about twenty.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

ranking the visitor'"'"'s satisfaction with each of said set of critical attributes.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the visitor'"'"'s satisfaction is ranked on a scale of 1 to 9.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein said set of critical attributes allow said survey to adhere to a strict methodological practice.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said strict methodological practice is designed to efficiently measure customer satisfaction in the online world.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of:

presenting the visitor with an appeasement screen.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the appeasement screen contains a brief automatic response customized based on the critical attribute rankings.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of:

presenting the appeasement screen only when the visitor is displeased.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the visitor is designated as displeased if the rank given to any of the critical attributes is lower than a determining level.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said determining level is determined by the web site.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the server controls the entire surveying process.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the server controls the entire data collection process.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the server is constantly enabled to receive for survey requests from the web site.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the request is generated by a trip-wire.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said trip-wire is a line of code in the web site.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein said trip-wire can be placed anywhere within the web site.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the request identifies said trip-wire that originated the request.

31. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

transmitting said pop-up window to the visitor every n^th request from the web site.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein n is determined by the server.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein n is calculated on a daily basis.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein n is calculated by in order to attain a statistically relevant sample.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein n is calculated based at least in part on daily traffic to the web site and the number of surveys already collected about the web site.

36. The method of claim 1 wherein said pop-up window is fully branded.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the full branding gives said pop-up window the look and feel of the web site

38. The method of claim 1 wherein the request identifies the web site that originated the request.

39. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

offering the visitor an inducement for completing the survey.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the inducement is defined by the web site that requested the survey.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein the inducement is offered by the web site that requested the survey.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein the inducement is offered by a third party.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the inducement is financed by the web site that requested the survey.

44. The method of claim 39 wherein the inducement is fully voluntary.

45. The method of claim 39 wherein the inducement is not awarded until the visitor has completed the entire survey.

46. The method of claim 39 wherein the inducement is a reward.