Automated feedback cancellation in a network-based transaction facility

• US 7,885,850 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Hanif, Amjad, Burke, Brian, Logan, Jonathan Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Diaz; Susanna M
• Application Number:
  US11/241,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,957 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A request to cancel feedback pertaining to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility is generated when a user submitting the feedback has not participated in a dispute resolution process or other process of the facility. In another embodiment, a request to cancel such feedback is generated when a user submitting the feedback has been suspended from the facility within a certain time period of that user'"'"'s initial use of the facility, or indefinitely suspended within a certain time period of leaving the feedback. In yet another embodiment, a user is required to view a tutorial before leaving his first negative or neutral feedback. In another embodiment, a user is presented with an interstitial page reminding him of the effects of leaving negative or neutral feedback.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a feedback cancellation request receiver that is executable by said processor to receive a request to cancel feedback left by a user pertaining to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility;

a feedback cancellation criteria evaluator that is executable by said processor to determine whether one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied;

a feedback cancellation recorder that is executable by said processor to cancel said feedback by marking said feedback pertaining to said transaction as non-scored responsive to said one or more feedback cancellation criteria being satisfied; and

a feedback user interface generator that is executable by said processor to generate a user interface that presents a plurality of feedback, said presentation of the plurality of feedback includes said feedback pertaining to said transaction presented as non-scored and other feedback presented as scored.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a feedback cancellation request processor to determine whether said user has previously left feedback pertaining to said transaction, and wherein

said feedback cancellation recorder cancels said previously left feedback.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said feedback cancellation request processor informs a party of said transaction of said cancelled feedback.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feedback cancellation criteria includes whether said user has participated in a dispute resolution procedure and wherein said dispute resolution procedure includes a communication by said user that said user has not received an item that said user has ordered using said network-based transaction facility.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feedback cancellation criteria includes whether said user has participated in a dispute resolution procedure and wherein said dispute resolution procedure includes a communication by said user that said user has not received payment for an item that said user has sold using said network-based transaction facility.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feedback cancellation criteria includes said user being suspended within a second time period, the second time period being initiated by said user initially using said facility and wherein said first and second time periods comprise at least 90 days.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feedback user interface generator is to generate a tutorial for said user when said user leaves negative or neutral feedback for the first time.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said feedback user interface generator is to generate an interstitial page informing said user about effects of leaving negative or neutral feedback, and further wherein said interstitial page suggests alternatives to feedback.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feedback cancellation criteria evaluator further is to determine whether a valid item number has been entered, and whether said valid item number relates to more than one transaction.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feedback cancellation recorder is to remove the feedback pertaining to the transaction by marking the feedback pertaining to the transaction as removed.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said removal comprises:

marking said feedback so that said feedback is not displayed to users; and

recalculating feedback scores and statistics for each party to said transaction.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feedback user interface generator is to generate a user interface that presents a system administrator message that indicates that said feedback has been withdrawn;

and wherein said feedback cancellation recorder is to recalculate feedback statistics if said feedback statistics were previously updated based on said feedback.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said feedback cancellation request receiver is to determine that more than one transaction is associated with said item number, and further wherein said feedback cancellation request receiver is to access a database to identify the correct transaction.

14. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, via a network, a request to cancel feedback left by a user pertaining to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility;

automatically determining whether one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied, said determining done through said use of at least one processor;

automatically canceling the feedback pertaining to said transaction responsive to the one or more feedback cancellation criteria being satisfied, said cancelling done through said use of at least one processor, said canceling including marking said feedback pertaining to said transaction as non-scored; and

generating a user interface presenting a plurality of feedback, said presenting said plurality of feedback including presenting said feedback pertaining to said transaction as non-scored and presenting other feedback that is scored.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether said user has previously left feedback pertaining to said transaction; and

canceling said previously left feedback.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising informing a party of said transaction of said canceled feedback.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said feedback cancellation criteria includes whether said user has participated in a dispute resolution procedure and wherein said dispute resolution procedure includes a communication by said user that said user has not received an item that said user has ordered using said network-based transaction facility.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said feedback cancellation criteria includes whether said user has participated in a dispute resolution procedure and wherein said dispute resolution procedure includes a communication by said user that said user has not received payment for an item that said user has sold using said network-based transaction facility.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, said feedback cancellation criteria includes said user being suspended within a second time period, the second time period being initiated by said user initially using said facility and wherein said first and second time periods comprises at least 90 days.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising generating a tutorial for said user when said user leaves negative or neutral feedback for the first time.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, further comprising generating an interstitial page informing said user about the effects of leaving negative or neutral feedback and suggesting alternatives to said feedback.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising determining whether a valid item number has been entered, and whether said item number relates to more than one transaction.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further wherein said canceling the feedback pertaining to the transaction includes removing the feedback by marking the feedback pertaining to the transaction as removed.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein said removing comprises:

marking said feedback so that said feedback is not displayed to users; and

recalculating feedback scores and statistics for each party to said transaction.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said generating further comprises

generating said user interface presenting a system administrator message indicating that said feedback pertaining to said transaction has been withdrawn;

and further comprising;

recalculating feedback statistics if said statistics were previously updated base on score associated with said feedback comment.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising determining that more than one transaction is associated with said item number, and accessing a database to identify the correct transaction.

27. A computer system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, to receive a request to cancel feedback pertaining to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility, said processor to determine whether one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied, said processor to cancel said feedback by marking said feedback pertaining to said transaction as non-scored responsive to the determination that one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied, said processor to generate a user interface that presents a plurality of feedback, said plurality of feedback includes said feedback pertaining to said transaction presented as non-scored and other feedback presented as scored.

28. The computer system of claim 27, wherein said feedback cancellation criteria includes whether said user has participated in a dispute resolution procedure and wherein said dispute resolution procedure comprises a communication by said user that said user has not received an item that said user has ordered using said computer system.

29. The computer system of claim 27, wherein said feedback cancellation criteria includes whether said user has participated in a dispute resolution procedure and wherein said dispute resolution procedure comprises a communication by said user that said user has not received payment for an item that said user has sold using said computer system.

30. A tangible non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed on a processor, cause said processor to:

receive, via a network, a request to cancel feedback left by a user that pertains to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility;

automatically determine whether one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied;

automatically cancel said feedback that pertains to said transaction responsive to said one or more feedback cancellation criteria determined as satisfied, said automatic cancel is to mark said feedback that pertains to said transaction as non-scored; and

generate a user interface to present a plurality of feedback, the presentation of the plurality of feedback includes said feedback that pertains to said transaction presented as non-scored and other feedback presented as scored.

31. An apparatus comprising:

first means for receiving a request to cancel feedback left by a user pertaining to a transaction in a network-based transaction facility;

second means for determining whether one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied; and

third means for automatically canceling said feedback pertaining to said transaction responsive to the determining said one or more feedback cancellation criteria are satisfied, said automatic canceling including marking said feedback pertaining to said transaction as non-scored; and

a fourth means for generating a user interface that presents a plurality of feedback, said presentation of the plurality of feedback includes said feedback that pertains to said transaction presented as non-scored and other feedback presented as scored.