Method and system for providing real time offers to a user based on obsolescence of possessed items

• US 7,822,647 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: West Corporation
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Mussman, David C, Barker, Thomas B, West, Gary L, Adornato, Rocco L, Katz, Ronald A
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; William J.
• Application Number:
  US12/131,278
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1449- 1454, 705 26- 27
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• 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 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

In a remote communication environment, a method for real-time presentation of information to one or more users accessing one or more websites using an electronic communications device. Various aspects of the method comprise at least the following. Communication is established via the electronic communications device between the user and the website to conduct one or more primary transactions. One or more electronic identifiers associated with the user are obtained. One or more further or additional data elements related to the user are obtained from a third party using the at least one electronic identifier. Based at least on the electronic identifier and the further data element, the information is selected for presentation to the user in real time with the primary transaction. The information is presented to the user in real time with the primary transaction.

Claims

1. A method for providing real-time offers to a user of an electronic communication device comprising:

obtaining data of a transaction initiated by a user for a purchase of a first good or service upon receiving a search for the first good or service in a search engine, the data relating to an identity of the user;

during the course of the user initiated transaction for the first good or service, determining at least one good or service currently possessed by the user;

generating, by a computer, an offer for sale of a second good or service to the user based on the data relating to an identity of the user and an obsolescence of the at least one good or service possessed by the user, wherein obsolescence is measured by passage of time; and

presenting the offer for sale of the second good or service to the user during a course of the user initiated transaction for the first good or service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining data of a transaction comprises:

determining a type of the transaction; and

determining the identity of the user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining if a limitation is placed on the user based on the identity; and

conducting the transaction if no restriction is placed on the identity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an offer for sale of a second good or service to the user comprises:

performing an inventory check to determine if a second product or service is available.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a purchase of the second good or service is made by the user; and

confirming the purchase and sending the purchase to an order fulfillment system if the purchase is made.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether to generate an offer for sale of a further product or service; and

updating at least one database with a criteria used in determining whether to generate an offer for sale.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining data of a transaction comprises:

receiving the data at the search engine; and

processing the transaction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an offer for sale of a second good or service to the user based on the data comprises:

comparing the data with data of at least one of a Website database or a remote database.

9. A system for providing real-time offers to users of a system, comprising:

an interface configured for receiving a transaction from a user for purchase of a first good or service based on a search conducted using a search engine; and

an upsell system configured for;

collecting data of the transaction relating to the user;

determining, during the course of the transaction, at least one good or service currently possessed by the user;

determining at least one offer for sale of a second good or service for the user based on the data of the transaction relating to the user and an obsolescence of the at least one good or service possessed by the user, wherein obsolescence is based on a passage of time; and

providing the offer for sale of the second good or service to the user during a course of the transaction for the first good or service.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an identification data unit for obtaining the identity of the user and of the first good or service for purchase in the transaction.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a database coupled to the upsell system for storing the data relating to the user.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one possessed good or service is a prior purchase by the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the obsolescence of the at least one possessed good or service is part of historical data of the prior purchase.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the offer for sale is specific to the user.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the identity of the user is obtained from at least one of a contact between the user and the search engine, a registration by the user, or a verification by the user.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the identification data unit obtains the identity automatically or non-automatically.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the identification data unit obtains the identity automatically from an automatic name identification of the user.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the identification data unit obtains the identity non-automatically from at least one data entry by the user.

19. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a possession database for storing data relating to the first good or service.