METHOD OF MONETIZING ONLINE PERSONAL BEAUTY PRODUCT SELECTIONS

• US 20090234716A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TAAZ Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Photometria, Inc.
• Inventors: Mallick, Satya, Patel, Vipanj, Kriegman, David, John, Deepu, Barnes, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/406,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20090234716A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/10 Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/06 using colour palettes, e.g. look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing

Abstract

One or more embodiments of the program are directed to a plurality of methods for monetizing online personalized beauty product selections utilizing a technology for content-targeted Internet advertising on a virtual makeover website. Methods comprise: (1) categorizing facial features to select product advertisements for co-branding in a product palette; (2) an auction for webpage advertisement placements related to a user'"'"'s facial features; (3) transforming a makeover “look” to advertise alternative products to produce the new look under different lighting conditions; (4) a gifting system to allow sale and gifting of products used to produce a makeover, where the makeover image may be packaged with the selected products in a gift package; and (5) recapturing users who would cancel a sale with an offer of less expensive comparable products.

Claims

1. A computer program product for increasing monetization of a virtual makeover computer system by providing personalized makeover product recommendations to a user of said system, said computer program product comprising computer readable program code, said computer readable program code executing in a tangible memory medium and configured to:

acquire a digital portrait for makeover by a virtual makeover computer system;

analyze a subject of said digital portrait by said computer system to identify personal features of said subject;

select a first ranked recommended products list for a product type associated with said subject'"'"'s identified personal features and wherein when any product on said first ranked recommended products list also appears on an preferred advertiser list, re-ranking said first ranked recommended products list to produce a second ranked recommended products list ranked to reflect preference for products of advertisers on said preferred advertiser list; and

present said second ranked recommended products list for use on said digital portrait.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said personal features are evaluated by said computer system to assign said subject to a profile group, and wherein said profile group is used to select said first ranked recommended products list.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said personal features further comprises facial features.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said first ranked recommended product list is selected based on a look.

5. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said preferred advertiser list comprises auction winners.

6. A computer program product for marketing personalized beauty products by selecting preferred insert advertisement placement for a website targeted at cosmetic consumers, said computer program product comprising computer readable program code, said computer readable program code executing in a tangible memory medium and configured to:

select a first paid advertisement for display on a virtual makeover website from a pool of available advertisements;

evaluate a portrait by computational analysis for a presence of a first facial feature, wherein when said first facial feature exists, changing said selection of said first paid advertisement to a second paid advertisement by a marketing method further comprising;

determining if said first facial feature has at least one advertising bid on a facial feature bid list;

determining a highest bid for said first facial feature from said facial feature bid list;

selecting instead said second paid advertisement reflecting said highest bid from said facial feature bid list; and

display said selected paid advertisement on said virtual makeover website.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein said highest bid further comprises a plurality of high bids that exceed a threshold value and wherein said second paid advertisement further comprises an unordered plurality of advertisements from said plurality of high bids and wherein said selected paid advertisement further comprises said selected unordered plurality of advertisements displayed in a rotating fashion on said virtual makeover website.

8. A computer program product for monetizing personalized beauty product selections from a virtual makeover website by offering a shopper an additional product at checkout, said computer program product comprising computer readable program code, said computer readable program code executing in a tangible memory medium and configured to:

offer a shopper of a beauty product required to create a first look associated with a first personalized virtual makeover image an option at checkout to view said first personalized virtual makeover image modified by said computer readable program code for at least one alternative lighting condition; and

wherein said shopper selects said option, offer additional products by a marketing method further comprising;

computing a second personalized virtual makeover image in view of said selected at least one alternative lighting condition;

offering said shopper an at least one additional cosmetic product required to create a second look associated with said second personalized virtual makeover image; and

wherein said shopper selects said at least one additional cosmetic product, adding said selected at least one additional cosmetic product to a shopping cart.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein said second personalized virtual makeover image is displayed by said computer readable program code to said shopper.

10. A computer program product for monetizing a virtual makeover website comprising an online marketing method of offering a gifting option at checkout, said method encoded into said computer program product, said computer program product comprising computer readable program code, said computer readable program code executing in a tangible memory medium and configured to:

provide a virtual makeover website comprising an online store for selecting and purchasing makeover products;

offer a user of said virtual makeover website an option to gift a makeover created with said website to a recipient; and

wherein when said user selects said gifting option, said computer program product further configured to;

offer said user a gift announcement option, and where selected, delivering said gift announcement to said recipient;

determine said user'"'"'s gift packaging choice comprising offering to display a virtual makeover image associated with said makeover on a gift package; and

display a completed gift transaction proposal to said user.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said makeover is given as a virtual gift.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said virtual gift is delivered to said recipient via a social networking website.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said virtual gift is delivered to said recipient via a virtual reality program.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said virtual gift is delivered to said recipient via an instant messaging program.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein gifting said makeover further comprises:

purchasing of at least one cosmetic product required to implement said makeover of said recipient by said user and wherein said gathering further comprises gathering recipient'"'"'s shipping information.

16. A computer program product for increasing monetizing of a virtual makeover website when a user fails to complete a purchase, said computer program product comprising computer readable program code, said computer readable program code executing in a tangible memory medium and configured to:

offer a user who fails to complete a purchase of a first cosmetic product associated with a first makeover image created using a virtual makeover website a second-chance purchase option, said offering comprising;

select a second cosmetic product of lower cost and comparable color to said first cosmetic product used in said first makeover image;

create a second virtual makeover image from said first makeover image created by a user, substituting said second cosmetic product for said first cosmetic product in said second makeover image;

display said second makeover image.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 further configured to:

fetch a product information for said second cosmetic product; and

display said product information for said second cosmetic product; and

offer to said user said second cosmetic product.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said virtual makeover location alters said appearance of said avatar in exchange for a payment.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said virtual makeover location comprises a link to a real world virtual makeover website capable of altering said appearance of said avatar in said virtual reality program.

21. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said virtual makeover location is cobranded with a real world virtual makeover website.

18. A computer program product for monetizing online personalized beauty product selections from a virtual makeover location through a virtual reality program, said computer program product comprising computer readable program code, said computer readable program code executing in a tangible memory medium and configured to:

provide a virtual makeover location associated with a virtual reality program;

compute a personal color profile for an avatar in said virtual reality program when said avatar visits said virtual makeover location;

select a makeover option for said avatar to alter an appearance of said avatar;

display said makeover option to said avatar; and

apply said makeover option to alter said appearance of said avatar.