CUSTOMIZABLE ELECTRONIC COMMERCE COMPARISON SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A machine-implemented method of ranking merchants, the method comprising:
- receiving, from a consumer using a data processing device, a set of weighting factors pertaining to a query related to a potential consumer transaction, the weighting factors corresponding to stored comparison data related to a plurality of merchants, wherein at least one weighting factor of the set of weighting factors has been input by the consumer prior to execution of the query;
receiving the query;
accessing the stored comparison data in response to the query;
generating a ranking of the merchants based on the set of weighting factors and the comparison data; and
returning the ranking to the consumer as a response to the query.
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Abstract
In a consumer information system, a method of comparing products and services including providing product specific information, providing merchant specific information on the specified product, providing merchant specific business information, providing product specific information collected by third parties, providing merchant specific information collected by third parties, applying weighting factors to the information provided, producing an aggregate value for each merchant based on the weighting factors as applied to the information provided, and producing a ranking of the merchants offering the specified product based on the aggregate value for each merchant. The system provides for consumers to select a set of standardized weighting factors or to modify the standardized weighting factors or to create their own weighting factors. The system provides detailed information to consumers on the breakdown of factors influencing the rating.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A machine-implemented method of ranking merchants, the method comprising:
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receiving, from a consumer using a data processing device, a set of weighting factors pertaining to a query related to a potential consumer transaction, the weighting factors corresponding to stored comparison data related to a plurality of merchants, wherein at least one weighting factor of the set of weighting factors has been input by the consumer prior to execution of the query;
receiving the query;
accessing the stored comparison data in response to the query;
generating a ranking of the merchants based on the set of weighting factors and the comparison data; and
returning the ranking to the consumer as a response to the query. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A machine-implemented method of ranking merchants, the method comprising:
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receiving, from a consumer using a data processing device, a set of weighting factors pertaining to a query related to a product or service, the weighting factors corresponding to stored comparison data related to a plurality of merchants, wherein at least one weighting factor of the set of weighting factors has been input by the consumer prior to execution of the query;
receiving the query;
accessing the stored comparison data in response to the query, wherein the comparison data includes non-opinion data;
generating a ranking of the merchants based on the set of weighting factors and the comparison data; and
returning the ranking to the consumer as a response to the query, including calculating a score for each of the merchants, based on the set of weighting factors and the comparison data, to produce a plurality of scores, wherein the ranking is based on the scores. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving, from a consumer using a data processing device, a set of weighting factors pertaining to a query related to a potential consumer transaction, the weighting factors corresponding to stored comparison data related to a plurality of merchants, wherein at least one weighting factor of the set of weighting factors has been input by the consumer prior to execution of the query;
means for receiving the query;
means for accessing the stored comparison data in response to the query;
means for generating a ranking of the merchants based on the set of weighting factors and the comparison data; and
means for returning the ranking to the consumer as a response to the query.
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Specification