SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ENHANCED ACCESS TO HIGH FASHION USING A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20100191578A1
• Filed: 10/15/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tran, Monica, Ng, Stanley Carl, Cho, Christine Kim
• Application Number:
  US12/579,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20100191578A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

This is directed to systems and methods for enhancing a user'"'"'s experience when shopping for high fashion items. In some embodiments, an integrated application available on an electronic device can provide information for promotional and invitation-only events, allow a user to browse and search through fashion items, recommend fashion items to purchase based on outfits desired by the user, check for the availability of particular fashion items, and view or providing ratings or reviews for stores or fashion items.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing with a fashion provider, comprising providing a complete fashion experience, the method comprising:

attracting a user, via an integrated application of a portable electronic device, to view products for sale from a particular fashion provider;

providing the user with enhanced information associated with at least one fashion item of the particular fashion provider through the integrated application;

providing the user with in-store sales assistance at a store of the particular fashion provider through the integrated application; and

providing the user with at least one post-purchase opportunity associated with the particular fashion provider through the integrated application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein attracting the user comprises:

transmitting at least one promotion associated with the particular fashion provider to the portable electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein attracting the user further comprises:

receiving at least one user preference of the user;

comparing the at least one user preference to a listing of promotions to identify at least one matching promotion of the listing; and

transmitting the at least one matching promotion to the portable electronic device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the promotion comprises at least one of an e-mail, a text message, a voicemail, a pop-up notification, and a push notification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein attracting the user comprises:

providing a catalog of available fashion items of the particular fashion provider and associated fashion item information to the user through the integrated application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user with enhanced information comprises:

monitoring current buying trends to determine at least one popular item; and

providing a recommendation to purchase the at least one popular item to the user through the integrated application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user with in-store sales assistance comprises:

identifying fashion items owned by a user;

identifying an outfit of interest to the user, wherein at least a portion of the outfit includes one of the identified fashion items;

determining a new fashion item available for purchase at the store for use as part of the identified outfit; and

receiving an instruction to purchase the new fashion item.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user with at least one post-purchase opportunity comprises:

updating a database of fashion items owned by the user in response to the user purchasing a fashion item from the particular fashion provider.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the user with at least one post-purchase opportunity further comprises:

matching the fashion items of the database to a listing of new fashion items available for purchase to determine at least one new fashion item suitable for creating an outfit with at least one fashion item of the database; and

providing a recommendation to purchase the at least one new fashion item to the user through the integrated application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user with at least one post-purchase opportunity comprises:

transmitting at least one bounceback offer to the user through the integrated application.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the user with at least one post-purchase opportunity further comprises:

analyzing at least one past-purchase of a fashion item by the user to determine user-preferred fashion items; and

transmitting the at least one bounceback offer to the user through the integrated application, wherein the at least one bounceback offer is associated with the user-preferred fashion item.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user with at least one post-purchase opportunity comprises:

determining new fashion items of the particular fashion provider are now available; and

transmitting a listing of the new fashion items to the user through the integrated application, wherein the listing comprises an option to purchase at least one of the new fashion items.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the user with at least one post-purchase opportunity comprises:

providing the user with an opportunity to rate at least one of the particular fashion provider, the store, and a fashion item purchased from the particular fashion provider.

14. An electronic device for interfacing with a fashion provider, the electronic device comprising:

a processor operable to run an integrated application providing functions to;

attract a user to view a particular fashion provider;

provide enhanced information associated with the particular fashion provider to the user; and

provide the user with in-store sales assistance at a store of the particular fashion provider;

a camera operable to capture a digital image of at least one fashion item of interest; and

communication circuitry operable to transmit the image to a social network for providing social networking features associated with the at least one fashion item of interest.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the electronic device comprises a portable electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operable to:

identify the fashion item of interest from the digital image; and

add the identified fashion item to a wish list of the user.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the social networking features comprise providing an option for members of the social network to provide feedback on the fashion item of interest.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, further comprising:

a display component, and wherein;

the processor is further operable to;

generate a store locator comprising a map and directions to the particular fashion provider; and

direct the display component to display the store locator.

19. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein:

the camera is further operable to capture a digital image of an enhanced advertisement, wherein the enhanced advertisement is associated with a particular fashion item; and

the processor is further operable to;

identify a particular optical pattern of the enhanced advertisement within the digital image;

identify enhanced information of the particular fashion item, wherein the enhanced information is associated with the particular optical pattern; and

provide the enhanced information to the user.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the particular optical pattern comprises an embedded pixel pattern.

21. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the enhanced information comprises at least one of availability, price, style, color, brand, fashion provider, and ratings of the particular fashion item.

22. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein:

the camera is further operable to capture a digital image of a price tag of a particular fashion item; and

the processor is further operable to;

identify a barcode within the digital image;

identify enhanced information of the particular fashion item, wherein the enhanced information is associated with the barcode; and

provide the enhanced information to the user.

23. Machine-readable media for interfacing with a fashion provider, the machine-readable media comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for:

attracting a user, via an integrated application of a portable electronic device, to view products for sale from a particular fashion provider;

providing the user with enhanced information associated with at least one fashion item of the particular fashion provider through the integrated application;

providing the user with in-store sales assistance at a store of the particular fashion provider through the integrated application; and

providing the user with at least one post-purchase opportunity associated with the particular fashion provider through the integrated application.