METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MULTI-MERCHANT COUPONING

• US 20110202401A1
• Filed: 09/03/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Sadhu, Prasad, Dundigalla, Srinivas, Somasundaram, Vignesh Rathinasamy, Magadi, Diwakar
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

Methods and systems for enabling multi-merchant coupon campaigns within an online publication system are described. In an example, a method can include generating an item listing, receiving information specifying a set of coupon criteria, detecting an event within a multi-merchant publication system, and present a coupon in response to detecting the event. The generating an item listing can be based on information received from a merchant-computer. If the set of coupon criteria is detected it can result in presenting a coupon for the item listing. The event can satisfy a particular coupon criteria from the set of coupon criteria.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating, at a multi-merchant publication system, an item listing based on information received from a merchant-computer;

receiving, from the merchant-computer, information specifying a set of coupon criteria, which, if detected, are to result in presenting a coupon for the item listing;

detecting an event within the multi-merchant publication system satisfying a particular coupon criteria from the set of coupon criteria; and

presenting a coupon, associated with the item listing, in response to detecting the event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the event includes detecting a search request, the search request at least partially satisfied by the item listing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the presenting the coupon includes displaying a coupon indictor associated with the item listing within a list of search results satisfying the search request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the event includes extracting user-profile data associated with a user viewing the item listing within the multi-merchant publication system, the user-profile data satisfying the particular coupon criteria.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein extracting user-profile data associated with the user includes determining whether the user is a new or repeat customer in relationship to a particular merchant associated with the item listing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein extracting user-profile data associated with the user includes determining that the user made a previous purchase satisfying the particular coupon criteria.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining availability of a bundled offer associated with the item listing, wherein the presenting the coupon includes displaying the bundled offer associated with the item listing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining availability of the bundled offer includes determining that the event or user-profile data associated with the user satisfies a second coupon criteria, the second coupon criteria associated with the bundled offer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining availability of the bundled offer includes satisfying the second coupon criteria, the second coupon criteria is selected from a group of coupon criteria including:

the item listing is within a particular category;

the user-profile data includes a particular demographic characteristic;

the event is related to an auction;

the event is related to browsing activity detected during a current session;

the event is related to browsing activity detected during a past session;

the event is related to a previous purchase;

the user-profile data includes information indicating the user is a repeat customer; and

the user-profile data includes information indicating the user is a new customer.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the presenting the coupon includes displaying a calculation of the savings associated with the coupon and the savings associated with the bundled offer when applied to a purchase of the item listing and bundled offer.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining availability of a plurality of bundled offers associated with the item listing, wherein the presenting the coupon includes displaying the plurality of bundled offers associated with the item listing.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

detecting selection of a first bundled offer of the plurality of bundled offers associated with the item listing;

displaying a calculation of the savings associated with the first bundled offer; and

providing an option to select a second bundled offer of the plurality of bundled offers.

13. A multi-merchant publication system comprising:

an application server including a processor, a memory, and a network interface, the memory including instructions which when executed by the processor cause the system to;

generate an item listing based on information received over the network interface from a merchant-computer;

receive, over the network interface from the merchant-computer, information specifying a set of coupon criteria, which, if detected, are to result in presenting a coupon for the item listing;

detect an event within the multi-merchant publication system satisfying a particular coupon criteria from the set of coupon criteria; and

publish a coupon, associated with the item listing, in response to detecting the event.

14. The multi-merchant publication system of claim 13, wherein the memory includes instructions which cause the system to detect the event by detecting a search request, the search request at least partially satisfied by the item listing.

15. The multi-merchant publication system of claim 14, wherein the memory includes instructions which cause the system to publish the coupon at least in part by displaying a coupon indicator associated with the item listing within a list of search results satisfying the search request.

16. The multi-merchant publication system of claim 13 further including:

a database communicatively coupled to the application server, the database containing user-profile data associated with users of the multi-merchant publication system; and

wherein the memory includes instructions which cause the system to detect the event at least in part by extracting user-profile data associated with a user viewing the item listing from the database, the user-profile data satisfying the particular coupon criteria.

17. The multi-merchant publication system of claim 16, wherein the memory includes instructions which cause the system to determine, from the user-profile data, whether the user is a new or repeat customer in relationship to a particular merchant associated with the item listing.

18. The multi-merchant publication system of claim 13, wherein the memory includes instructions which cause the system to:

determine availability of a bundled offer associated with the item listing; and

display the bundled offer in association with the item listing.

19. The multi-merchant publication system of claim 18, wherein the memory includes instructions which cause the system to determine the availability of the bundled offer at least in part by determining that the event or user-profile data associated with the user satisfies a second coupon criteria, the second coupon criteria associated with the bundled offer.

20. A computer-readable storage medium including instructions which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive registration information from a plurality of merchant-computers;

generate an item listing based on information received from a first merchant-computer of the plurality of merchant-computers;

receive, from the merchant-computer, information specifying a set of coupon criteria, which, if detected, are to result in presenting a coupon for the item listing;

detect an event satisfying a particular coupon criteria from the set of coupon criteria; and

present a coupon, associated with the item listing, in response to detecting the event.