Methods and systems for social shopping on a network-based marketplace

• US 8,244,599 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Sundaresan, Neelakantan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pond, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US11/860,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20080208714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,785 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for social shopping on a network-based marketplace. Specifically, the method receives a request, over a network, from a user in a community of users. The request is for an activity associated with a listing for sale in a network-based marketplace. The network-based marketplace is used by the community of users to transact listings of a single domain that is of interest to the community of users. The method updates a listing reputation score for the listing based on a user reputation score for the user. Finally, the method updates the user reputation score based on the listing reputation score.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one processor for executing;

a receiving module to receive, over a network at a social shopping platform, a request from a user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform includes a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, plurality of communities includes the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

a processing application to identify the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request for an activity associated with a listing that describes an item for sale in the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings of items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users; and

a reputation module to update a listing reputation score for the listing based on a user reputation score for the user and based upon the activity associated with the listing, the reputation module further to update the user reputation score based on the listing reputation score.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the listing reputation score is displayed on a user interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the listing is selected from a group of listings consisting of a listing for a good and a listing for a service.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity associated with the listing is selected from a group consisting of voting for the listing, voting against the listing, posting a comment for the listing, bidding on the listing, buying the listing, submitting a winning bid for the listing, and posting the listing to the first network-based marketplace.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity associated with the listing is associated with an activity constant that is used to update the user reputation score.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the reputation module is to update the listing reputation score responsive to the receipt of the request, and wherein the reputation module is to update the user reputation score responsive to the receipt of the request.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the listing reputation score is updated before the user reputation score, and wherein the listing reputation score is based on at least one of a reputation of a seller of the listing, a net count of votes for the listing, a count of continents for the listing, and a count of bids for the listing.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the listing for sale is selected from a group consisting of a listing that offers a good for purchase and a listing that offers a good for auction.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the reputation module is to update the listing reputation score and the user reputation score responsive to receipt of the request.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a request, over a network at a social shopping platform, from a user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform including a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, the plurality of communities including the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

identifying the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request for an activity associated with a listing for sale in the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users;

updating a listing reputation score for the listing based on a user reputation score for the user and based upon the activity associated with the listing; and

updating the user reputation score based on the listing reputation score.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a user interface that displays the listing reputation score.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the listing for sale is selected from a group consisting of a listing for a good and a listing for a service.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the activity associated with the listing is selected from a group of activities consisting of voting for the listing, voting against the listing, posting a comment for the listing, bidding on the listing, buying the listing, submitting a winning bid for the listing, and posting the listing to the first network-based marketplace.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the activity associated with the listing is associated with an activity constant that is used to update the user reputation score.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the updating the listing reputation score is responsive to the receiving, and wherein the updating the user reputation score is responsive to the receiving.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the listing reputation score is updated before the user reputation score, and wherein the listing reputation score is based at least one of a reputation of a seller of the listing, a net count of votes for the listing, a count of comments for the listing, and a count of bids for the listing.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the listing for sale is selected from a group consisting of offering the listing for purchase and offering the listing for auction.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the updating the listing reputation score and the updating the user reputation score is responsive to receipt of the request.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a request, over a network at a social shopping platform, from a user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform including a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, the plurality of communities including the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

identify the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request thr an activity associated with a listing for sale in the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users;

update a listing reputation score for the listing based on a user reputation score for the user and based upon the activity associated with the listing; and

update the user reputation score based on the listing reputation score.

20. A system comprising:

a first means for receiving a request, over a network in a social shopping platform, from a first user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform includes a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, the plurality of communities includes the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

at least one processor;

a processing application that is executable by the at least one processor to identify the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request to initiate an activity with a second user, in the first community of users, in the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users;

a second means for updating a first user reputation score for the first user based on a second user reputation score for the second user and to based upon the activity initiated, the second means further update the second user reputation score based on the first user reputation score.

21. A system comprising:

at least one processor for executing;

a receiving module to receive a request, over a network in a social shopping platform, from a user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform includes a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, the plurality of communities includes the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

a processing application to identify the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request for an activity associated with a component accessed via the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users; and

a reputation module to update a component reputation score for the component based on a user reputation score for the user and based upon the activity associated with the component, the reputation module further to update a reputation score for the user based on the component reputation score.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the component includes at least one user interface element for display on the first network-based marketplace, and wherein the activity is selected from a group consisting of contributing the at least one user interface element to the first network-based marketplace and voting to approve or disapprove the at least one user interface element.

22. The system of claim wherein the component includes an application that provides a service for the first community of users on the network-based marketplace, and wherein the activity is selected from a group consisting of contributing the application to the first network-based marketplace and voting to approve or disapprove the application.

24. A method comprising:

receiving a request, over a network at a social shopping platform, from a user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform including a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, the plurality of communities including the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

identifying the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request being for an activity associated with a component accessed via the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users;

updating a component reputation score for the component based on a user reputation score for the user and based upon the activity associated with the component; and

updating a reputation score for the user based on the component reputation score.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the component includes an application that provides a service for the first community of users on the first network-based marketplace, and wherein the activity is selected from a group consisting of contributing the application to the first network-based marketplace and voting to approve or disapprove the application.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the component includes at least one user interface element for display on the first network-based marketplace, and wherein the activity is selected from a group consisting of contributing the at least one user interface element to the first network-based marketplace and voting to approve or disapprove the at least one user interface element.

27. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a request, over a network at a social shopping platform, from a user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform includes a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, the plurality of communities includes a first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

identify the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request for an activity associated with a component accessed via the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users;

update a component reputation score for the component based on a user reputation score for the user and based upon the activity associated with the component; and

update a reputation score for the user based on the component reputation score.

28. A system comprising:

a first means for receiving a request, over a network at a social shopping platform, from a user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform includes a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, the plurality of communities includes the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

at least one processor;

a processing application that is executable by the at least one processor to identify the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request for an activity associated with a component accessed via the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users; and

a second means for updating a component reputation score for the component based on a user reputation score for the user and based upon the activity associated with the component, the second means further to update a reputation score for the user based on the component reputation score.

29. A system comprising:

at least one processor for executing;

a receiving module to receive a request, over a network at a social shopping platform, from a first user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform includes a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, the plurality of communities includes the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

a processing application to identify the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request to initiate an activity with a second user, in the first community of users, in the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users; and

a reputation module to update a first user reputation score for the first user based on a second user reputation score for the second user and based upon the activity initiated, the reputation module further to update the second user reputation score based on the first user reputation score.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the activity is selected from a group consisting of referring a user to the first community of users and requesting help from a user in the first community of users.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the first user reputation score is based on the second user reputation score being scaled by a value that corresponds to the activity.

32. A method comprising:

receiving a request, over a network at a social shopping platform, from a first user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform including a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, the plurality of communities including the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

identifying the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request to initiate an activity with a second user, in the first community of users, in the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe a plurality of items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users;

updating a first user reputation score for the first user based on a second user reputation score for the second user and based upon the activity initiated; and

updating the second user reputation score based on the first user reputation score.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the activity is selected from a group consisting of referring a user to the first community of users and requesting help from a user in the first community of users.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the first user reputation score is based on the second user reputation score being scaled by a value that corresponds to the activity.

35. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a request, over a network at a social shopping platform, from a first user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform includes a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities the plurality of communities includes the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

identify the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request to initiate an activity with a second user, in the first community of users, in the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe a plurality of items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users;

update a first user reputation score for the first user based on a second user reputation score for the second user and based upon the activity initiated; and

update the second user reputation score based on the first user reputation score.

36. A system comprising:

a first means for receiving a request, over a network at a social shopping platform, from a first user in a first community of users, the social shopping platform includes a plurality of network-based marketplaces respectively associated with a plurality of communities, the plurality of communities includes the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace;

at least one processor;

a processing application that is executable by the at least one processor to identify the first network-based marketplace from the plurality of network-based marketplaces based on the request, the request to initiate an activity with a second user, in the first community of users, in the first network-based marketplace that is used by the first community of users to transact listings that describe items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users; and

a second means for updating a first user reputation score for the first user based on a second user reputation score for the second user and based upon the activity initiated, the second means further to update the second user reputation score based on the first user reputation score.