System and method for electronically creating a customized catalog

• US 20050216304A1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Inventors: Westphal, Geoffry A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,230,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

Catalog pages on which appear identified products and catalog pages on which appear products purchased-with the identified products are selected and aggregated to form a customized, electronic catalog.

Claims

1. In a computer, a computer-implemented method for creating a customized product catalog, comprising:

receiving input which functions to identify products in an electronic catalog;

determining if previous customers have purchased one or more products in the electronic catalog with the identified products;

causing those catalog pages on which appear the identified products and those catalog pages on which appear the purchased-with products to be selected; and

causing the selected catalog pages to be aggregated into a customized, electronic catalog.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising causing the customized, electronic catalog to be downloading, via a network connection, to a client computer.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising causing one or more links to the customized, electronic catalog to be downloaded, via a network connection, to a client computer.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the customized, electronic catalog comprises catalog pages stored in a .pdf format.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the input which functions to identify products in the electronic catalog comprises a search request.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the input which functions to identify products in the electronic catalog comprises a selection of a category of products.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the category of products is created by a customer.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the category of products is created by a vendor of the products listed within the electronic catalog.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the category of products is listed on a customer home Web page.

10. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the category of products comprises products previously purchased by the customer.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the customer home Web page displays images of the category of products.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the customer home Web page displays products selected for purchase.

13. A computer readable media having instructions for creating a customized product catalog, the instructions performing steps comprising:

receiving input which functions to identify products in an electronic catalog;

determining if previous customers have purchased one or more products in the electronic catalog with the identified products;

selecting from the electronic catalog those catalog pages on which appear the identified products and those catalog pages on which appear the purchased-with products; and

aggregating the selected catalog pages into a customized, electronic catalog.

14. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the customized, electronic catalog to be downloading, via a network connection, to a client computer.

15. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions cause one or more links to the customized, electronic catalog to be downloaded, via a network connection, to a client computer.

16. The computer readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the customized, electronic catalog comprises catalog pages stored in a .pdf format.

17. The computer readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the input which functions to identify products in the electronic catalog comprises a search request.

18. The computer readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the input which functions to identify products in the electronic catalog comprises a selection of a category of products.

19. The computer readable media as recited in claim 18, wherein the category of products is created by a customer.

20. The computer readable media as recited in claim 18, wherein the category of products is created by a vendor of the products listed within the electronic catalog.

21. The computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the category of products is listed on a customer home Web page.

22. The computer readable media as recited in claim 19, wherein the category of products comprises products previously purchased by the customer.

23. The computer readable media as recited in claim 22, wherein the customer home Web page displays images of the category of products.

24. The computer readable media as recited in claim 23, wherein the customer home Web page displays products selected for purchase.

25. The computer readable media as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions include with the customized, electronic catalog line item extensions related to the identified products.

26. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions include catalog pages in the customized, electronic catalog having items identified by a vendor of the items within the electronic catalog.