Service for automatically detecting and responding to transition events that occur during browsing of an electronic catalog
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of monitoring user browsing activity, comprising:
- monitoring selections made by a user during browsing of an electronic catalog of items that are available for purchase, said items arranged in the electronic catalog in item categories;
concurrently with said monitoring, generating scores that represent levels of affinity the user has for at least one of;
(a) specific items selected by the user in the electronic catalog, and (b) specific item categories accessed by the user in the electronic catalog, each score comprising one or more values represented in a computer memory;
detecting an event in which the user discontinues browsing of an item or item category in which the user has at least a threshold level of affinity, as determined based on one or more of said scores; and
determining, in response to said event and based at least partly on an output of a pseudo-random algorithm, whether to provide to the user a time-limited purchase incentive that corresponds to the item or item category, said pseudo-random algorithm inhibiting the user from predicting whether the time-limited purchase incentive will be provided;
wherein the method, including monitoring the selections, generating the scores, detecting the event, and determining whether to provide the time-limited purchase incentive, is performed automatically by a system that comprises one or more computers.
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Abstract
An electronic catalog system includes automated processes for detecting and handling specific types of browsing events, such as non-conversion events in which users browse but fail to purchase specific items. In one embodiment, when a user engages in a threshold level of browsing activity with respect to an item without making a purchase of that item or a substitute item, and a favorable change in the item'"'"'s state thereafter occurs (e.g., the price is reduced or the item becomes available), the user is automatically notified of the state change. In another embodiment, when a user transitions away from an item or item category after engaging in a threshold level of browsing activity, a determination is made whether to present to the user a time-limited purchase incentive that is tied to that item or item category.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of monitoring user browsing activity, comprising:
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monitoring selections made by a user during browsing of an electronic catalog of items that are available for purchase, said items arranged in the electronic catalog in item categories; concurrently with said monitoring, generating scores that represent levels of affinity the user has for at least one of;
(a) specific items selected by the user in the electronic catalog, and (b) specific item categories accessed by the user in the electronic catalog, each score comprising one or more values represented in a computer memory;detecting an event in which the user discontinues browsing of an item or item category in which the user has at least a threshold level of affinity, as determined based on one or more of said scores; and determining, in response to said event and based at least partly on an output of a pseudo-random algorithm, whether to provide to the user a time-limited purchase incentive that corresponds to the item or item category, said pseudo-random algorithm inhibiting the user from predicting whether the time-limited purchase incentive will be provided; wherein the method, including monitoring the selections, generating the scores, detecting the event, and determining whether to provide the time-limited purchase incentive, is performed automatically by a system that comprises one or more computers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for monitoring user browsing activity, comprising:
a computer system comprising one or more computers, said computer system programmed to at least; monitor selections made by a user during browsing of an electronic catalog of items that are available for purchase, said items arranged in the electronic catalog in item categories; concurrently with said monitoring, generate scores that represent levels of affinity the user has for at least one of;
(a) specific items selected by the user in the electronic catalog, and (b) specific item categories accessed by the user in the electronic catalog, each score comprising one or more values represented in a computer memory;an event in which the user discontinues browsing of an item or item category in which the user has at least a threshold level of affinity, as determined based on one or more of said scores; and determine, for said event and based at least partly on an output of a pseudo-random algorithm, whether to provide to the user a time-limited purchase incentive that corresponds to the item or item category, said pseudo-random algorithm inhibiting the user from predicting whether the time-limited purchase incentive will be provided. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. Physical computer storage comprising a computer-readable medium, said physical computer storage storing computer code that instructs a computer system to perform a method that comprises:
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monitoring selections made by a user during browsing of an electronic catalog of items that are available for purchase, said items arranged in the electronic catalog in item categories; concurrently with said monitoring, generating scores that represent levels of affinity the user has for at least one of;
(a) specific items selected by the user in the electronic catalog, and (b) specific item categories accessed by the user in the electronic catalog, each score comprising one or more values represented in a computer memory;detecting an event in which the user discontinues browsing of an item or item category in which the user has at least a threshold level of affinity, as determined based on one or more of said scores; and determining, in response to said event and based at least partly on an output of a pseudo-random algorithm, whether to provide to the user a time-limited purchase incentive that corresponds to the item or item category, said pseudo-random algorithm inhibiting the user from predicting whether the time-limited purchase incentive will be provided. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification