Method and system for distribution of user generated content

• US 8,321,300 B1
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bazaarvoice Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bazaarvoice Incorporated
• Inventors: Maag, Andrew, Bockius, Chad, Barton, Brantley, Decker, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): AN, IG TAI
• Application Number:
  US12/243,679
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/30, 705/34, 705/26.1, 705/26.35, 705/26.61, 705/26.7, 705/27.1
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation

Abstract

Systems and methods for distributing user-generated content are disclosed. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention may allow content to be generated by a user at a manufacturer'"'"'s site with respect to a corresponding product and this content distributed to one or more retailers who sell that product such that the user-generated content may be incorporated into the retailer'"'"'s site or brick and mortar location in conjunction with that product to allow consumers shopping at that retailer to access or view such user-generated content.

Claims

1. A method for distributing generated content, comprising:

receiving at a content distribution system, via a network from a manufacturer of a first product;

user-generated content corresponding to the first product, wherein the user-generated content was provided by visitors through a manufacturer web site; and

a product identifier indicating that the user-generated content corresponds to the first product of the manufacturer;

associating the user-generated content corresponding to the first product with one or more second products sold by a retailer;

distributing the user-generated content corresponding to the first product via the network from the content distribution system to the retailer, wherein the distributed user-generated content is configured to be incorporated into a portion of a web site of the retailer corresponding to the one or more second products; and

charging the manufacturer a fee based on the distribution of the user-generated content to the retailer, wherein the fee is further based upon at least one of an amount of user-generated content, a number of times the user-generated content is viewed, or a number of sales of the one or more second products by the retailer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is generated at a web site of the manufacturer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the content is generated using a content generation tool.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content distribution system hosts the user generated content.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising moderating the user-generated content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein incorporating user-generated content into the portion of the web site of the retailer comprises displaying the user-generated content on the web site of the retailer in conjunction with the one or more second products.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising formatting the user-generated content based upon the web site of the retailer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising distributing the user-generated content to the manufacturer wherein the distributed user-generated content is incorporated into a portion of a web site of the manufacturer corresponding to the first product.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the user-generated content comprises matching the first product to the one or more second products.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein associating the one or more products comprises mapping the product identifier corresponding to the first product to one or more product identifiers corresponding to the one or more products of the retailer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the matching is done manually.

12. A content distribution system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory, coupled to the one or more processors, storing instructions executable by the content distribution system, using the one or more processors, to cause the content distribution system to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a manufacturer of a first product;

user-generated content corresponding to the first product, wherein the user-generated content was provided by visitors through a web site of the manufacturer; and

a product identifier indicating that the user generated content corresponds to the first product of the manufacturer;

associating the user-generated content corresponding to the first product with the one or more second products sold by a retailer;

distributing the user-generated content corresponding to the first product to the retailer, wherein the distributed user-generated content is configured to be incorporated into a portion of the web site of the retailer corresponding to the one or more second products; and

charging the manufacturer a fee based on the distribution of the user-generated content to the retailer, wherein the fee is further based upon at least one of an amount of user-generated content, a number of times the user-generated content is viewed, or a number of sales of the one or more second products by the retailer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the content is generated using a content generation tool.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the content distribution system hosts the user-generated content.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein operations further comprise moderating the user-generated content.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the distributed user-generated content is configured to be displayed on the web site of the retailer in conjunction with the one or more second products.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise formatting the user-generated content based upon the web site of the retailer.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise distributing the user-generated content to the manufacturer wherein the distributed user-generated content is configured to be incorporated into a portion of a web site of the manufacturer corresponding to the first product.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein associating the user-generated content comprises matching the first product to the one or more second products.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein associating the one or more products comprises mapping the product identifier corresponding to the first product to one or more product identifiers corresponding to the one or more products of the retailer.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the matching is done manually.