System and method for automatic addition to online shopping carts

• US 20030130897A1
• Filed: 01/07/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pickover, Clifford A., Moskowitz, Paul A., Grey, William, Boies, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US10/041,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20030130897A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

An online shopping cart is provided including an item associated with the shopping cart in response to a selection of the item by a consumer and an item associated with the shopping cart in response to a selection of the item by an entity other than the consumer. Also provided is an online shopping cart including an item associated with the shopping cart in response to a selection of the item by a consumer, and an item not selected by the consumer to be associated with the shopping cart.

Claims

1. A method for online shopping, comprising:

associating an online shopping cart with a consumer; and

associating an item with the online shopping cart,

wherein the associated item was not selected by the consumer for association with the shopping cart.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the item is associated with the shopping cart based on at least one of:

a shopping history of the consumer;

a shopping history of one or more other consumers;

consumer preferences;

complementary item information;

demographic information;

prices of similar items;

promotions;

marketing arrangements with manufacturers and distributors;

inventory levels;

projected demand;

costs and profit margins.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining to associate the item with the online shopping cart based on a first item associated with the shopping cart.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the item is complementary to the first item.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the item is a substitute for the first item.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining to associate the item with the online shopping cart based on a characteristic of items previously associated with the shopping cart.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of:

a number of items;

a value of the items; and

a type of one or more of the items.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining to associate the item with the online shopping cart based on a characteristic of the consumer.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of:

age;

sex;

residence;

income; and

shopping history.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein a cost of the associated item is less than a retail cost that would be charged to the consumer for the item if the item was selected by the consumer for association with the shopping cart.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the cost of the associated item is free.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the item cannot be disassociated from the shopping cart.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an instruction from the consumer to disassociate a second item from the shopping cart; and

in response to the instruction, automatically disassociating the item from the shopping cart.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

presenting terms for purchasing the item to the consumer.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the association based on rules.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

dynamically updating the rules.

17. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the consumer that the item was associated with the shopping cart.

18. A method for online shopping, comprising:

associating an online shopping cart with a consumer; and

associating an item with the online shopping cart in response to a selection of the item by an entity other than the consumer.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the entity is a potential seller of the item.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the entity is an intelligent agent.

21. A method according to claim 18, wherein a cost of the associated item is less than a retail cost that would be charged to the consumer for the item if the item was selected by the consumer for association with the shopping cart.

22. A method according to claim 18, wherein the item cannot be disassociated from the shopping cart.

23. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an instruction from the consumer to disassociate a second item from the shopping cart; and

in response to the instruction, automatically disassociating the item from the shopping cart.

24. An online shopping cart associated with a consumer, comprising:

an item associated with the shopping cart in response to a selection of the item by the consumer; and

an item associated with the shopping cart in response to a selection of the item by an entity other than the consumer.

25. An online shopping cart associated with a consumer, comprising:

an item associated with the shopping cart in response to a selection of the item by the consumer; and

an item not selected by the consumer to be associated with the shopping cart.

26. A method for shopping, comprising:

associating a physical shopping cart with a consumer; and

associating an item with the physical shopping cart,

wherein the associated item was not selected by the consumer for association with the shopping cart.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the item is associated with the shopping cart based on at least one of:

a shopping history of the consumer;

a shopping history of one or more other consumers;

consumer preferences;

complementary item information;

demographic information;

prices of similar items;

promotions;

marketing arrangements with manufacturers and distributors;

inventory levels;

projected demand;

costs and profit margins.

28. A method according to claim 26, further comprising:

determining to associate the item with the online shopping cart based on a first item associated with the shopping cart.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the item is complementary to the first item.

30. A method according to claim 28, wherein the item is a substitute for the first item.

31. A method according to claim 26, wherein a cost of the associated item is less than a retail cost that would be charged to the consumer for the item if the item was selected by the consumer for association with the shopping cart.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the cost of the associated item is free.

33. A medium storing processor executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to associate an online shopping cart with a consumer; and

a step to associate an item with the online shopping cart,

wherein the associated item was not selected by the consumer for association with the shopping cart.

34. A medium according to claim 33, wherein the item is associated with the shopping cart based on at least one of:

a shopping history of the consumer;

a shopping history of one or more other consumers;

consumer preferences;

complementary item information;

demographic information;

prices of similar items;

promotions;

marketing arrangements with manufacturers and distributors;

inventory levels;

projected demand;

costs and profit margins.

35. A medium according to claim 33, the process steps further comprising:

a step to determine to associate the item with the online shopping cart based on a first item associated with the shopping cart.

36. A medium according to claim 35, wherein the item is complementary to the first item.

37. A medium according to claim 35, wherein the item is a substitute or the first item.

38. A medium according to claim 33, wherein a cost of the associated item is less than a retail cost that would be charged to the consumer for the item if the item was selected by the consumer for association with the shopping cart.

39. A medium according to claim 38, wherein the cost of the associated item is free.

40. A medium storing processor executable process steps, the process steps comprising:

a step to associate an online shopping cart with a consumer; and

a step to associate an item with the online shopping cart in response to a selection of the item by an entity other than the consumer.

41. A medium according to claim 40, wherein the entity is a potential seller of the item.

42. A medium according to claim 40, wherein the entity is an intelligent agent.

43. An apparatus for electronic shopping, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

associate an online shopping cart with a consumer; and

associate an item with the online shopping cart,

wherein the associated item was not selected by the consumer for association with the shopping cart.

44. An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the item is associated with the shopping cart based on at least one of:

a shopping history of the consumer;

a shopping history of one or more other consumers;

consumer preferences;

complementary item information;

demographic information;

prices of similar items;

promotions;

marketing arrangements with manufacturers and distributors;

inventory levels;

projected demand;

costs and profit margins.

45. An apparatus according to claim 43, the instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to:

determine to associate the item with the online shopping cart based on a first item associated with the shopping cart.

46. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the item is complementary to the first item.

47. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the item is a substitute for the first item.

48. An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein a cost of the associated item is less than a retail cost that would be charged to the consumer for the item if the item was selected by the consumer for association with the shopping cart.

49. An apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the cost of the associated item is free.

50. An apparatus for electronic shopping, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

associate an online shopping cart with a consumer; and

associate an item with the online shopping cart in response to a selection of the item by an entity other than the consumer.

51. An apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the entity is a potential seller of the item.

52. An apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the entity is an intelligent agent.