Facilitating the sale of ad items via the internet

• US 7,191,147 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AdPay, Inc. (Ancestry.com Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: AdPay, Inc. (Ancestry.com Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rieger, Michael H., Heene, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunham; Jason B.
• Application Number:
  US10/866,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/1, 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/14.51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating the sale of classified ad items are provided. According to one embodiment, a linkage is created between a print advertisement and an online counterpart. Consumers are encouraged to view and/or purchase online an item for sale in the print classified ad. For example, a graphic, text, icon or other indicia may indicate the item is also accessible in an online environment. According to another embodiment, ad data for an e-commerce enabled online classified advertisement is originated by a periodical publisher via a call center and passed to the e-commerce system. In another embodiment, consumers placing an order for an advertisement are provided with multiple e-commerce selling format options that define the manner in which an e-commerce application will attempt to sell the subject of the ad. For example, the consumer may select a fixed price, a negotiated price, or an auction selling format.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(A) as part of an advertisement order entry process associated with a periodical publisher,

(1) receiving information associated with a classified advertisement, including, but not limited to, contact information for a seller of a subject of the classified advertisement, a text description of the subject, and a price of the subject of the classified advertisement and further including an option to enhance the online classified advertisement with pictures and multimedia; and

(2) providing to the seller information regarding an e-commerce option relating to selling the subject of the classified advertisement in an online auction according to which an e-commerce application will attempt to sell the subject of the classified advertisement in an online environment; and

(B) responsive to the advertisement order entry process,

(1) storing the information associated with the classified advertisement within a first database associated with the ad placement software and enabling an e-commerce transaction relating to the subject of the classified advertisement to be completed online by transferring the information associated with the classified advertisement from the first database to a second database associated with an e-commerce application;

(2) causing a house ad to be printed in the periodical that encourages prospective sellers of products or services to order e-commerce enabled online classified advertisements;

(3) creating an online presence for the subject of the classified ad in the form of an online version of the classified advertisement by transferring the information associated with the classified advertisement from the first database to the second database or a third database associated with an online classified advertisement system;

(4) creating an e-commerce transaction capability with respect to the subject of the classified advertisement by creating a web page for the online version of the classified advertisement and by adding e-commerce linkage information to the online version of the classified ad to cause a hyperlink to the e-commerce application to be displayed as part of the online version of the classified advertisement;

(5) causing the classified advertisement to be printed in a classified section of a periodical;

(6) facilitating the completion of an e-commerce transaction with respect to the subject of the classified advertisement by enabling interaction between a prospective buyer of the subject of the classified advertisement and a seller of the subject of the classified advertisement via the online environment in the form of supporting one or more types of electronic communication being exchanged between the prospective buyer and the seller; and

(7) associating with the printed classified advertisement, an indication that the subject of the classified advertisement is available for purchase in the online environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the house ad educates consumers about the indication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the periodical comprises a newspaper.

4. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which when executed by one or more processors cause a method to be performed comprising:

(A) as part of an advertisement order entry process associated with a periodical publisher,

(1) receiving information associated with a classified advertisement, including, but not limited to, contact information for a seller of a subject of the classified advertisement, a text description of the subject, and a price of the subject of the classified advertisement and further including an option to enhance the online classified advertisement with pictures and multimedia, and

(2) providing to the seller information regarding an e-commerce option relating to selling the subject of the classified advertisement in an online auction according to which an e-commerce application will attempt to sell the subject of the classified advertisement in an online environment; and

(B) responsive to the advertisement order entry process,

(1) storing the information associated with the classified advertisement within a first database associated with the ad placement software and enabling an e-commerce transaction relating to the subject of the classified advertisement to be completed online by transferring the information associated with the classified advertisement from the first database to a second database associated with an e-commerce application,

(2) causing a house ad to be printed in the periodical that encourages prospective sellers of products or services to order e-commerce enabled online classified advertisements,

(3) creating an online presence for the subject of the classified ad in the form of an online version of the classified advertisement by transferring the information associated with the classified advertisement from the first database to the second database or a third database associated with an online classified advertisement system,

(4) creating an e-commerce transaction capability with respect to the subject of the classified advertisement by creating a web page for the online version of the classified advertisement and by adding e-commerce linkage information to the online version of the classified ad to cause a hyperlink to the e-commerce application to be displayed as part of the online version of the classified advertisement,

(5) causing the classified advertisement to be printed in a classified section of a periodical;

(6) facilitating the completion of an e-commerce transaction with respect to the subject of the classified advertisement by enabling interaction between a prospective buyer of the subject of the classified advertisement and a seller of the subject of the classified advertisement via the online environment in the form of supporting one or more types of electronic communication being exchanged between the prospective buyer and the seller, and

(7) associating with the printed classified advertisement, an indication that the subject of the classified advertisement is available for purchase in the online environment.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the house ad educates consumers about the indication.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the periodical comprises a newspaper.