SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING ELECTRONIC UPSELL DIRECTORY

• US 20090222317A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Allen, Tim, Pierce, Darryl L., Mattox, John R.
• Application Number:
  US12/040,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222317A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for generating an electronic upsell directory A main networked store can communicate with a set of affiliate sites, each of which offers distinct products or services from individualized affiliate catalogs. The affiliate catalogs are each based on a core catalog available from the main store. When a user initiates a purchase transaction at an affiliate site, a transaction profile is transmitted to the main store. The main store examines the transaction profile to match purchased items against an upsell table containing the catalogs of not just the affiliate site conducting the transaction, but the entire set of affiliate sites. Products or services that form suitable options to the user'"'"'s selected purchase can be aggregated across the affiliate sites and associated catalogs, and presented in an upsell dialog to the user. The user can thereby select upgrades or options from a broader array of sources.

Claims

1. A method of generating an electronic upsell directory, comprising:

receiving a transaction profile of a user transaction initiated at one of a set of affiliates affiliated with at least one main store, each affiliate having a respective affiliate catalog, the transaction profile comprising a product and/or service ID;

generating an aggregate upsell catalog based on the affiliate catalogs of the set of affiliates;

identifying matches between the product and/or service ID and entries in the aggregate upsell catalog; and

generating an upsell directory based on upsell products and/or services associated with the matches.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each affiliate catalog is derived at least in part from a catalog of the at least one main store.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each affiliate catalog comprises at least one of hardware products, software products, and services.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each affiliate comprises a Web site.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the Web site comprises a storefront.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each storefront maintains an active link with the at least one main store.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting an upsell dialog to the user initiating the user transaction based on the upsell directory.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising repeating the step of generating an upsell directory based on user selections from the upsell dialog.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising updating the transaction profile based on the user selections from the upsell dialog.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising completing the user transaction based on the transaction profile and the user selections from the upsell dialog.

11. A system for generating an electronic upsell directory, comprising:

a network interface to a set of affiliates affiliated with at least one main store, each affiliate having a respective affiliate catalog; and

a transaction engine, communicating with the network interface, the transaction engine being configured to

generate an aggregate upsell catalog based on the affiliate catalogs of the set of affiliates,

receive a transaction profile of a user transaction initiated at one of the set of affiliates, the transaction profile comprising a product and/or service ID,

identify matches between the product and/or service ID and entries in the aggregate upsell catalog, and

generate an upsell directory based on upsell products and/or services associated with the matches.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein each affiliate catalog is derived at least in part from a catalog of the at least one main store.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein each affiliate catalog comprises at least one of hardware products, software products, and services.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein each affiliate comprises a Web site.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the Web site comprises a storefront.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each storefront maintains an active link with the at least one main store.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein a client communicating with one of the set of affiliates presents an upsell dialog to the user initiating the user transaction based on the upsell directory.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the transaction engine repeats the generating an upsell directory based on user selections from the upsell dialog.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the transaction engine updates the transaction profile based on the user selections from the upsell dialog.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the transaction engine completes the user transaction based on the transaction profile and the user selections from the upsell dialog.

21. An electronic upsell directory, the electronic upsell directory being generated according to a method of:

receiving a transaction profile of a user transaction initiated at one of a set of affiliates affiliated with at least one main store, each affiliate having a respective affiliate catalog, the transaction profile comprising a product and/or service ID;

generating an aggregate upsell catalog based on the affiliate catalogs of the set of affiliates;

identifying matches between the product and/or service ID and entries in the aggregate upsell catalog; and

generating an upsell directory based on upsell products and/or services associated with the matches.

22. The electronic upsell directory of claim 21, wherein each affiliate catalog is derived at least in part from a catalog of the at least one main store.

23. The electronic upsell directory of claim 22, wherein each affiliate catalog comprises at least one of hardware products, software products, and services.

24. The electronic upsell directory of claim 21, wherein each affiliate comprises a Web site.

25. The electronic upsell directory of claim 24, wherein the Web site comprises a storefront.

26. The electronic upsell directory of claim 25, wherein each storefront maintains an active link with the at least one main store.