Managing an electronic seal of certification

• US 7,424,457 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2003
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SquareTrade, Inc. (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SquareTrade, Inc. (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Quinn, John, Libonate, Katherine, Khaishgi, Ahmedulla, Abernethy, Steven D., Tseng, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Worjloh; Jalatee
• Application Number:
  US10/714,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/37, 705/50, 705/80, 77/3
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing a seal of certification including compliance with requirements for such a seal of certification in electronic commerce including an online marketplace, particular sectors of an online marketplace and a web site and dynamic display of a media object representative of such a seal of certification and systems and methods for applying, customizing, displaying and administering such seals of certification.

Claims

1. A method of communicating a commitment made by an online entity in an online marketplace to a selling practice, the commitment communicated to a potential buyer in the online marketplace, the method comprising:

accepting the commitment by the online entity in the online marketplace to the selling practice prior to any interaction in the online marketplace between the online entity and the potential buyer, wherein the selling practice comprises providing a buyer guarantee to address post-sale buyer dissatisfaction, and wherein the online entity selects a guarantee level;

monitoring compliance of the online entity with the commitment to the selling practice during previous interactions with previous buyers, prior to any interaction in the online marketplace between the online entity and the potential buyer;

when the entity fails to comply with the commitment to the selling practice, automatically restricting display of the online entity as a result of a search engine; and

when the entity complies with the commitment to the selling practice, delivering a media object to a device for presentment to the potential buyer, the media object representative of the commitment and comprising an electronic seal of certification.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the selling practice comprises use of an online payment system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the buyer guarantee is monetary.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the buyer guarantee is service delivery monetarily backed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the buyer guarantee comprises a guarantee provided by a third party.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein differing levels of the guarantee level have different prices to the online entity.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein accepting the commitment comprises accepting the commitment online.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering a non-unique second media object supplied by a system associated with an online marketplace.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the media object which is representative of the commitment is unique to the online entity and presented together with the second media object supplied by the system of the online marketplace.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the potential buyer to request information regarding the commitment using the media object; and

delivering information representative of the commitment to the potential buyer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the media object to include a marketplace identification or a business name for the online entity.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the media object to include information specific to a program within an online marketplace.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the media object to include a particular sub-marketplace of the marketplace.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the media object to include information for a specific result displayed through the search engine.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the media object as a portion of results from the search engine.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring compliance comprises monitoring historical or current marketplace data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the marketplace data comprises a reputation rating of the online entity.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the marketplace data comprises sales characteristics of the online entity.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the commitment to the selling practice further comprises a commitment to participate in a post-sale online dispute resolution process.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the commitment to the selling practice further comprises at least one of a commitment to participate in a post-sale online dispute resolution process or a commitment to disclose a post-sale service policy.

21. A method of communicating a commitment made by an online entity in an online marketplace to a selling practice, the commitment communicated to a potential buyer in the online marketplace, the method comprising:

accepting the commitment by the online entity in the online marketplace to the selling practice prior to any interaction in the online marketplace between the online entity and the potential buyer;

monitoring compliance of the online entity with the commitment to the selling practice during previous interactions with previous buyers, prior to any interaction in the online marketplace between the online entity and the potential buyer;

when the entity fails to comply with the commitment to the selling practice, automatically restricting display of the online entity as a result of a search engine; and

when the entity complies with the commitment to the selling practice, delivering a media object to a device for presentment to the potential buyer, the media object representative of the commitment and comprising an electronic seal of certification,

wherein the delivering is optional with the online entity.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the selling practice comprises use of an online payment system.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the selling practice comprises providing a buyer guarantee to address post-sale buyer dissatisfaction.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the buyer guarantee is monetary.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the buyer guarantee is service delivery monetarily backed.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the buyer guarantee comprises a guarantee provided by a third party.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the online entity selects a guarantee level.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein differing levels of the guarantee level have different prices to the online entity.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein accepting the commitment comprises accepting the commitment online.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising delivering a non-unique second media object supplied by a system associated with an online marketplace.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the media object which is representative of the commitment is unique to the online entity and presented together with the second media object supplied by the system of the online marketplace.

32. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

allowing the potential buyer to request information regarding the commitment using the media object; and

delivering information representative of the commitment to the potential buyer.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the allowing step is accomplishing by allowing the potential buyer to click on the media object.

34. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying the media object to include a marketplace identification or a business name for the online entity.

35. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying the media object to include information specific to a program within an online marketplace.

36. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying the media object to include a particular sub-marketplace of the marketplace.

37. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying the media object to include information for a specific result displayed through the search engine.

38. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying the media object as a portion of results from the search engine.

39. The method of claim 21, wherein monitoring compliance comprises monitoring historical or current marketplace data.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the marketplace data comprises a reputation rating of the online entity.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the marketplace data comprises sales characteristics of the online entity.

42. The method of claim 21, wherein the commitment to the selling practice comprises a commitment to participate in a post-sale online dispute resolution process.

43. The method of claim 21, wherein the commitment to the selling practice comprises at least one of a commitment to participate in a post-sale online dispute resolution process, a commitment to disclose a post-sale service policy, or a commitment to a buyer guarantee that addresses post-sale buyer dissatisfaction.

44. A method of communicating a commitment made by an online entity in an online marketplace to a selling practice, the commitment communicated to a potential buyer in the online marketplace, the method comprising:

accepting the commitment by the online entity in the online marketplace to the selling practice prior to any interaction in the online marketplace between the online entity and the potential buyer;

monitoring compliance of the online entity with the commitment to the selling practice during previous interactions with previous buyers, prior to any interaction in the online marketplace between the online entity and the potential buyer;

when the entity fails to comply with the commitment to the selling practice, automatically restricting display of the online entity as a result of a search engine; and

when the entity complies with the commitment to the selling practice, delivering a media object to a device for presentment to the potential buyer, the media object representative of the commitment and comprising an electronic seal of certification,

allowing the potential buyer to request information regarding the commitment using the media object; and

delivering information representative of the commitment to the potential buyer, wherein the allowing step is accomplishing by allowing the potential buyer to click on the media object.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the selling practice comprises use of an online payment system.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the selling practice comprises providing a buyer guarantee to address post-sale buyer dissatisfaction.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the buyer guarantee is monetary.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the buyer guarantee is service delivery monetarily backed.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the buyer guarantee comprises a guarantee provided by a third party.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the online entity selects a guarantee level.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein differing levels of the guarantee level have different prices to the online entity.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein the delivering is optional with the online entity.

53. The method of claim 44, wherein accepting the commitment comprises accepting the commitment online.

54. The method of claim 44, further comprising delivering a non-unique second media object supplied by a system associated with an online marketplace.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the media object which is representative of the commitment is unique to the online entity and presented together with the second media object supplied by the system of the online marketplace.

56. The method of claim 44, further comprising displaying the media object to include a marketplace identification or a business name for the online entity.

57. The method of claim 44, further comprising displaying the media object to include information specific to a program within an online marketplace.

58. The method of claim 44, further comprising displaying the media object to include a particular sub-marketplace of the marketplace.

59. The method of claim 44, further comprising displaying the media object to include information for a specific result displayed through the search engine.

60. The method of claim 44, further comprising displaying the media object as a portion of results from the search engine.

61. The method of claim 44, wherein monitoring compliance comprises monitoring historical or current marketplace data.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the marketplace data comprises a reputation rating of the online entity.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein the marketplace data comprises sales characteristics of the online entity.

64. The method of claim 44, wherein the commitment to the selling practice comprises a commitment to participate in a post-sale online dispute resolution process.

65. The method of claim 44, wherein the commitment to the selling practice comprises at least one of a commitment to participate in a post-sale online dispute resolution process, a commitment to disclose a post-sale service policy, or a commitment to a buyer guarantee that addresses post-sale buyer dissatisfaction.