INDIVIDUAL ONLINE PRICE ADJUSTMENTS IN REAL TIME

• US 20120221430A1
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DoorDash, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Franke, Hubertus, Naghmouchi, Jamin
• Granted Patent: US 9,659,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0619 Neutral agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for adjusting prices for goods and services offered using a computer network. In one embodiment, data relating to goods and services offered over the computer network by a number of entities using the computer network are stored in a database, communications are monitored, using the computer network, to identify an interest of a user, and this interest of the user and the data in the database are used to identify one of the entities to offer a specified product or service to the user. Information is obtained relating to a price for the specified product or service, and this information and the data in the database are used to determine an adjusted price for the specified product or service. In one embodiment, the information the user has about a price for the specified product or service is used to determine the adjusted price.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting prices for goods and services offered using a computer network, comprising:

storing in a database data relating to goods and services offered over a computer network by a number of entities using the computer network;

monitoring communications, using the computer network, to identify an interest of a user;

using said interest of the user and the data in the database to identify one of said entities to offer a specified product or service to the user;

obtaining information relating to a price for the specified product or service;

using said information and the data in the database to determine an adjusted price for the specified product or service; and

offering the specified product or service to the user, at said adjusted price, from the identified one of said entities.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining information relating to a price for the specified product or service includes determining information the user has about a price for the specified product or service, and using said determined information the user has to determine the adjusted price for the identified product or service.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the obtaining information relating to a price for the specified product or service includes obtaining said information from Internet communications.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the obtaining information relating to a price for the specified product or service includes obtaining additional information about said price over the Internet from one or more sources.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the database includes a set of rules for determining adjusted prices for goods and services offered to users; and

the adjusted price for the specified product or service is determined using said set of rules.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the database includes a respective one set of rules for each of the entities to determine adjusted prices for goods or services offered by said each of the entities.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the offering the specified product or service to the user includes sending an identification of the user to the identified one of said entities.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the using said interest of the user and the data stored in the database includes:

using monitored Internet communications to create a representation of the user'"'"'s interest; and

searching the database, using said representation, for a match of the user'"'"'s interest.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring Internet communications includes intercepting Internet communications between the user and one or more Web sites.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring Internet communications includes:

intercepting Internet communications associated with multiple users; and

distinguishing the Internet communications associated with each of the multiple users.

11. A system for adjusting prices for goods and services offered using a computer network, comprising one or more processing units configured for:

storing in an Agreement Database data relating to goods and services offered by a number of entities using the computer network;

monitoring communications, using the computer network, to identify an interest of a user;

using said interest of the user and the data in the database to identify one of said entities to offer a specified product or service to the user;

a Product Price Finder for obtaining information relating to a price for the specified product or service;

a Price Adjustment Engine for using said information and the data in the database to determine an adjusted price for the specified product or service; and

offering the specified product or service to the user, at said adjusted price, from the identified one of said entities.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the Product Price Finder determines information the user has about a price for the specified product or service, and uses the information the user has to determine the adjusted price for the identified product or service.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the Product Price Finder obtains information relating to a price for the specified product or service includes from said computer network communications and from one or more Web sites.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein:

the database includes a set of rules for determining adjusted prices for goods and services offered to users; and

the Price Adjustment Engine used said set of rules to determine the adjusted price for the specified product or service.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the database includes a respective one set of rules for each of the entities to determine adjusted prices for goods or services offered by said each of the entities.

16. An article of manufacture comprising:

one or more tangible program storage devices tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by one or more processing units to perform method steps for adjusting prices for goods and services offered using a computer network, said method steps comprising;

storing in a database data relating to goods and services offered by a number of entities using the computer network;

monitoring communications, using the computer network, to identify an interest of a user;

using said interest of the user and the data in the database to identify one of said entities to offer a specified product or service to the user;

obtaining information relating to a price for the specified product or service;

using said information and the data in the database to determine an adjusted price for the specified product or service; and

offering the specified product or service to the user, at said adjusted price, from the identified one of said entities.

17. The article of manufacture according to claim 16, wherein the obtaining information relating to a price for the specified product or service includes determining information the user has about a price for the specified product or service, and using said determined information the user has to determine the adjusted price for the identified product or service.

18. The article of manufacture according to claim 16, wherein the database includes a respective one set of rules for each of the entities to determine adjusted prices for goods or services offered by said each of the entities.

19. The article of manufacture according to claim 16, wherein the offering the specified product or service to the user includes sending an identification of the user to the identified one of said entities.

20. The article of manufacture according to claim 16, wherein the using said interest of the user and the data stored in the database includes:

using the monitored Internet communications to create a representation of the user'"'"'s interest; and

searching the database, using said representation, for a match of the user'"'"'s interest.