APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A MARKETING SERVICE

• US 20070150588A1
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evergage, Inc. (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MyBuys Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Berman, Richard, Weiler, Mark, Ghadialy, Majeed, Shukla, Anu
• Granted Patent: US 8,234,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration

Abstract

Apparatus and method for providing a marketing service are described. In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium includes: (1) a preferences module that is configured to collect a set of preferences of a user; (2) a monitoring module that is configured to monitor a web site based on the set of preferences so as to identify relevant content; and (3) a notification module that is configured to generate a message alerting the user of the relevant content.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium comprising:

a preferences module configured to collect a set of preferences of a user;

a monitoring module configured to monitor a web site based on the set of preferences so as to identify relevant content; and

a notification module configured to generate a message alerting the user of the relevant content.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the preferences module is configured to collect the set of preferences by providing a user interface that allows the user to specify the set of preferences.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the preferences module is configured to collect the set of preferences by monitoring browsing behavior of the user while visiting the web site.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the monitoring module is configured to monitor the web site based on a time schedule.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the set of preferences includes a set of product preferences, and the monitoring module is configured to monitor the web site based on the set of product preferences so as to identify a set of recommended products.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the monitoring module is configured to monitor the web site by crawling the web site so as to identify the relevant content.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the notification module is configured to generate the message by incorporating the relevant content into a message template.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the notification module is configured to generate the message by incorporating a navigation link to the web site.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the set of preferences includes a desired message format, and the notification module is configured to generate the message based on the desired message format.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the set of preferences includes a desired delivery option, and the notification module is configured to transmit the message to the user based on the desired delivery option.

11. A computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions to:

identify a set of product preferences of a user;

collect product information related to a merchant;

analyze the product information so as to match the set of product preferences with a set of products offered by the merchant; and

alert the user of the set of products.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions to identify the set of product preferences include executable instructions to collect the set of product preferences while the user is visiting a web site operated by the merchant.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the executable instructions to collect the set of product preferences include executable instructions to monitor browsing behavior of the user while visiting the web site.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the executable instructions to collect the product information include executable instructions to crawl the web site.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions to collect the product information include executable instructions to collect the product information from the merchant via a data feed.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions to alert the user include executable instructions to generate a set of messages alerting the user of the set of products.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising executable instructions to identify a set of message preferences of the user, and wherein the executable instructions to generate the set of messages include executable instructions to generate the set of messages based on the set of message preferences.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the set of message preferences includes a desired message frequency, and the executable instructions to alert the user further include executable instructions to transmit the set of messages to the user at the desired message frequency.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions to alert the user include executable instructions to deliver a communication alerting the user of the set of products.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising executable instructions to track the set of products in a pool of recommendations.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, further comprising executable instructions to manage the pool of recommendations based on the set of product preferences.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the merchant is a first merchant, and further comprising executable instructions to:

collect product information related to a second merchant;

analyze the product information related to the second merchant so as to match the set of product preferences with a set of products offered by the second merchant; and

alert the user of the set of products offered by the second merchant.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the first merchant and the second merchant define a group of cooperating merchants.