Techniques for product selection

• US 8,190,486 B1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Engage3, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Myworld, Inc.
• Inventors: Ouimet, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian, Mila
• Application Number:
  US12/804,268
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Techniques for selecting a product are disclosed. A user-specific product value specific to a user is determined for each of at least a subset of a set of a plurality of products. The user-specific product value is based at least in part on a user-specific product attribute value associated with a product attribute specific to the user. A product is selected from the set of a plurality of products, the selection is based at least in part on the determined user-specific product values.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a product for purchase by a consumer from a retailer, comprising:

providing a website for the consumer to create a shopping list with weighted product attributes for a plurality of products;

determining a baseline product value for each of the plurality of products;

determining a product value specific to the consumer, wherein the product value is based on the baseline product value and the weighted product attributes associated with the products specific to the consumer;

determining a product score based on the product value;

rank ordering the shopping list based on the product score;

providing the rank-ordered shopping list to the consumer to assist with purchasing decisions; and

utilizing the rank ordered shopping list to control the purchasing decisions between the consumer and retailer by enabling the consumer to select the product for purchase from the retailer based in part on the product score.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a graphical user interface for receiving the weighted product attributes from the consumer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an adjustable sliding scale controller; and

receiving an indication of the weighted product attributes from the consumer using the adjustable sliding scale controller.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein different positions of the adjustable sliding scale controller correspond to different degrees of consumer preference for the weighted product attributes.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the sliding scale controller is color coded to indicate a range of weighted product attributes.

6. The method of claim 1, further including determining the product value by PV0*(1+X_A1 %)*(1+X_A2 %)*(1+X_A3 %)* . . . *(1+X_An %), where PV0 is the baseline product value and X_An as a percentage increase or decrease in value of the product to the consumer, given the weighted product attributes An.

7. The method of claim 1, further including assigning monetary units of measure to the baseline product value and product value.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the baseline product value is a national average price or regional average price.

9. The method of claim 1, further including utilizing the rank ordered shopping list to enable the consumer to consider the product for purchase from the retailer based on the weighted product attributes, product value, or product score.

10. A method of selecting a product for purchase by a consumer from a retailer, comprising:

providing a plurality of weighted product attributes for a plurality of products;

determining a baseline product value for each of the plurality of products;

determining a product value for the consumer based on the baseline product value and the weighted product attributes;

determining a product score based on the product value;

rank ordering the shopping list based on the product score; and

controlling transactions between the consumer and retailer by enabling the consumer to evaluate the product for purchase from the retailer based in part on the product score.

11. The method of claim 10, further including providing a website for the consumer to create the shopping list with the weighted product attributes for the products.

12. The method of claim 10, further including providing the rank-ordered shopping list to the consumer to assist with purchasing decisions.

13. The method of claim 10, further including displaying a graphical user interface for receiving the weighted product attributes from the consumer.

14. The method of claim 13, further including modifying the weighted product attributes through the graphical user interface.

15. The method of claim 10, further including:

displaying an adjustable sliding scale controller; and

receiving an indication of the weighted product attributes from the consumer using the adjustable sliding scale controller.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein different positions of the adjustable sliding scale controller correspond to different degrees of consumer preference for the weighted product attributes.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the sliding scale controller is color coded to indicate a range of weighted product attributes.

18. The method of claim 10, further including determining the product value by PV0*(1+X_A1 %)*(1+X_A2 %)*(1+X_A3 %)* . . . *(1+X_An %), where PV0 is the baseline product value and X_An as a percentage increase or decrease in value of the product to the consumer, given the weighted product attributes An.

19. The method of claim 10, further including utilizing the rank ordered shopping list to enable the consumer to consider the product for purchase from the retailer based on the weighted product attributes, product value, or product score.

20. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer processor having a computer readable program code embodied in a computer usable medium for selecting a product for purchase by a consumer from a retailer, comprising:

providing a plurality of weighted product attributes for a plurality of products;

determining a baseline product value for each of the plurality of products;

determining a product value for the consumer based on the baseline product value and the weighted product attributes;

determining a product score based on the product value;

rank ordering the shopping list based on the product score; and

controlling transactions between the consumer and retailer by enabling the consumer to evaluate the product for purchase from the retailer based in part on the product score.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further including providing the rank ordered shopping list to the consumer to assist with purchasing decisions.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, further including displaying a graphical user interface for receiving the weighted product attributes from the consumer.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, further including modifying the weighted product attributes through the graphical user interface.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, further including:

displaying an adjustable sliding scale controller; and

receiving an indication of the weighted product attributes from the consumer using the adjustable sliding scale controller.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein different positions of the adjustable sliding scale controller correspond to different degrees of consumer preference for the weighted product attributes.

26. The computer program product of claim 20, further including determining the product value by PV0*(1+X_A1 %)*(1+X_A2 %)*(1+X_A3 %)* . . . *(1+X_An %), where PV0 is the baseline product value and X_An as a percentage increase or decrease in value of the product to the consumer, given the weighted product attributes An.

27. The computer program product of claim 20, further including utilizing the rank ordered shopping list to enable the consumer to consider the product for purchase from the retailer based on the weighted product attributes, product value, or product score.