System, method and computer program product for purchasing items

• US 20050288953A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jinbi Zheng
• Original Assignee: Lyhoo, Inc.
• Inventors: Zheng, Zhiliang
• Application Number:
  US11/141,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288953A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Embodiments of a system, method and computer program product for purchasing items are described. In one embodiment, information is obtained about one or more items of interest to a plurality of users. For each item, the number of users that identify the item as an item of interest is determined. Negotiations are conducted with a seller of the item for a discounted price for a number of items at least equal to the number of users determined to identify the item. A coupon is then sent to the users that identify the item as an item of interest. The coupon permits the purchase of the item at the negotiated discounted price.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining information about one or more items of interest to a plurality of users;

for each item, determining the number of users that identify the item as an item of interest;

negotiating with a seller of the item for a discounted price based on the number of users determined to identify the item; and

sending a coupon to the users that identify the item as an item of interest, the coupon permitting the purchase of the item at the negotiated discounted price.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising purchasing the number of items from the seller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is performed for a set of the items of interest that are assigned by the users into a category of items needed immediately by the users.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein for each user, the items of interest of the user are organized into a plurality of lists according to assigned categories of need;

and the plurality of lists are presented to the user so that the user can review items assigned to the same category of need in the list associated with the given category of need.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the coupon sent to users is presented in the lists of the users having the item of interest.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one user forwards the coupon to a third party, wherein the third party redeems the coupon, wherein the at least one user is assigned a credit for the redeeming of the coupon by the third party, a value of the credit being assigned based on at least a degree of relatedness of the third party to the at least one user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting reviews made by the users about at least one item, wherein at least a portion of the reviews are made by users that are separated from each other by a predetermined degree of relatedness or less; and

presenting a first rating for the at least one item based on the portion of reviews that are made by the users separated from each other by the predetermined degree of relatedness.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a second rating for the least one item based on all of the reviews for the at least one item is presented adjacent the first rating.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the coupon is sent to a wireless device of the users that identify the item as an item of interest.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the coupon is sent via a network.

11. A system, comprising:

logic for obtaining information about one or more items of interest to a plurality of users;

for each item, logic for determining the number of users that identify the item as an item of interest;

logic for negotiating with a seller of the item for a discounted price based on the number of users determined to identify the item; and

logic for sending a coupon to the users that identify the item as an item of interest, the coupon permitting the purchase of the item at the negotiated discounted price.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising logic for purchasing the number of items from the seller.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the determining is performed for a set of the items of interest that are assigned by the users into a category of items needed immediately by the users.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein for each user, the items of interest of the user are organized into a plurality of lists according to assigned categories of need;

and the plurality of lists are presented to the user so that the user can review items assigned to the same category of need in the list associated with the given category of need.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the coupon sent to users is presented in the lists of the users having the item of interest.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one user forwards the coupon to a third party, wherein the third party redeems the coupon, wherein the at least one user is assigned a credit for the redeeming of the coupon by the third party, a value of the credit being assigned based on at least a degree of relatedness of the third party to the at least one user.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

logic for collecting reviews made by the users about at least one item, wherein at least a portion of the reviews are made by users that are separated from each other by a predetermined degree of relatedness or less; and

logic for presenting a first rating for the at least one item based on the portion of reviews that are made by the users separated from each other by the predetermined degree of relatedness.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a second rating for the least one item based on all of the reviews for the at least one item is presented adjacent the first rating.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the coupon is sent to a wireless device of the users that identify the item as an item of interest.

20. A computer program product, comprising:

computer code for obtaining information about one or more items of interest to a plurality of users;

for each item, computer code for determining the number of users that identify the item as an item of interest;

computer code for negotiating with a seller of the item for a discounted price based on the number of users determined to identify the item; and

computer code for sending a coupon to the users that identify the item as an item of interest, the coupon permitting the purchase of the item at the negotiated discounted price.