Online business method for surveying customer accessory package preferences

• US 20040143481A1
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bernard A. Li
• Original Assignee: Bernard A. Li
• Inventors: Li, Bernard A.
• Application Number:
  US10/348,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143481A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls

Abstract

A method for surveying and storing information from users pertaining to vehicle options is disclosed wherein users access a computer network and construct a display of a virtual vehicle from a menu of available vehicle accessories. A graphics interface constructs the display of the user'"'"'s virtual vehicle with selected options and the user is prompted to submit the unique combination to a first database that is used to influence future product offerings. The method may further include soliciting personal information from the user using an incentive to build a secondary database, where the secondary database is linked to the first database to refine decisions and interpret the first database.

Claims

1. A method for surveying consumer interest in vehicle accessories via online polling comprising the steps of:

providing an interface accessible to remote computers via a computer network;

displaying on the remote computer a menu of a plurality of vehicle options;

prompting a user to select a preferred set of vehicle options from among the menu of available options;

graphically displaying a composite vehicle including the selected vehicle options as configured by the user;

prompting a user to submit a final set of selected vehicle options; and

storing the selected vehicle options in a general database.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of prompting the user to provide personal information, and storing the personal information in a second database that links the selected vehicle options to the user'"'"'s personal information.

3. The method of claim 2 further including the step of compiling statistical data of the selected vehicle options cross-referenced with the personal information.

4. The method of claim 2 further including the step of inviting the user to enter a contest as an incentive for providing personal information.

5. The method of claim 1 where the vehicle is a motorcycle.

6. A method for building a database of user responses to vehicle accessory preferences comprising:

providing a web page with a plurality of menu options comprising motorcycle accessories selectable by a user;

providing a graphical program that displays an image of a baseline motorcycle combined with accessories selected by the user; and

providing an option on the web page allowing the user to submit a preferred motorcycle accessories combination to a general database.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising providing on a web page a questionnaire for receiving from the user personal information about the user, and storing the personal information in a second database.

8. A method for building a database of user responses to vehicle accessory preferences comprising:

providing a web page based interactive interface that allows a user to construct a visual display of a vehicle with accessories selected from a menu of vehicle accessories;

collecting responses from users that participate in the interactive interface and provide a set of vehicle options directed to the user'"'"'s preferences;

storing the responses in a database for statistical analysis;

prompting the user to provide personal data via an online questionnaire;

storing the personal data in a database; and

linking the personal data to the responses of selected vehicle options.

9. The method of claim 8 where the vehicle is a motorcycle.

10. The method of claim 9 where the vehicle options comprise motorcycle fairing options.

11. The method of claim 9 where the vehicle options comprise motorcycle exhaust pipe options.

12. The method of claim 9 where the vehicle options comprise motorcycle saddlebag options.

13. The method of claim 9 where the vehicle options comprise motorcycle seat options.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the interface automatically constructs the visual display of the vehicle with accessories when the user moves a pointing device over an option in the menu.