Method and apparatus for generating a sale offer over an electronic network system

• US 8,515,855 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyklos Entertainment Srl
• Original Assignee: Black Tower SA
• Inventors: Forlai, Luigi
• Primary Examiner(s): Subramanian, Narayanswamy
• Application Number:
  US13/190,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20120022933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 37, 705 26- 272
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for presenting sale offers over an electronic network system. In one implementation, a method may comprise storing, in a database, a sale offer including terms to purchase a good or service at a predetermined offer price, the predetermined offer price being a discounted price less than a market value of the offered good or service in a commercial marketplace. The method may also comprise setting, using at least one processor, parameters for presenting the sale offer, the parameters including a limited duration during which the sale offer may be accepted, the limited duration being based on an available quantity of the offered good or service. Further, the method may include presenting the sale offer to an individual who visits at least one website accessible over the electronic network system, the individual matching a targeted group of individuals.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for presenting sale offers to individuals over an electronic network system, the method comprising:

storing, in a database, a sale offer including terms to purchase a good or service at a predetermined offer price, the predetermined offer price being a discounted price less than a market value of the offered good or service in a commercial marketplace;

setting, using at least one processor, parameters for presenting the sale offer, the parameters specifying (i) at least one web site for displaying the sale offer, (ii) a limited duration during which the sale offer may be accepted while displayed on the at least one web site, and (iii) profile information for targeting a group of individuals for receiving the sale offer when visiting the at least one web site, the limited duration being based on an available quantity of the good or service for the sale offer;

presenting, based on the parameters and at a time unpredictable to the targeted group of individuals, the sale offer to an individual from the targeted group of individuals who visits the at least one web site, the available quantity of the good or service for the sale offer being unpredictable to the individual;

completing, after presenting the sale offer on the at least one web site, a sale of the offered good or service in response to an acceptance of the sale offer by the individual from the targeted group of individuals, the acceptance by the individual being communicated through the at least one web site within the limited duration; and

inhibiting the acceptance of the sale offer by the individual or targeted group of individuals through the at least one web site after the limited duration expires.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the discounted price is less than a cost involved in providing the product or service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the discounted price is essentially free or equal to a delivery price.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on the at least one web site, an amount of time remaining for accepting the sale offer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the limited duration is further based on a limited time period for accepting the sale offer and the limited time period is a selected number of seconds, minutes, or hours.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the discounted price is set to a value that increases the probability of acceptance of the sale offer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the discounted price is set to a value that increases traffic to the at least one web site.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

offsetting costs associated with providing the offered good or service at the discounted price based on revenue generated from the at least one web site.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein offsetting costs associated with providing the offered good or service at the discounted price reduces risk to the seller of the goods or services.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the limited duration is further based on a limited time period, and the method further comprises:

notifying the individual of the limited time period for accepting the sale offer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting payment information and providing an identifier to verify payment for the completed sale.

12. A computerized system for presenting sale offers to individuals over an electronic network system, the system comprising:

a database that stores a sale offer including terms to purchase a good or service at a predetermined offer price, the predetermined offer price being a discounted price less than a market value of the offered good or service in a commercial marketplace; and

one or more processors in communication with the database for;

setting parameters for presenting the sale offer stored in the database, the parameters specifying a limited duration during which the sale offer may be accepted over the electronic network system, and information for targeting a group of individuals for receiving the sale offer over the electronic network system, the limited duration being based on an available quantity of the good or service for the sale offer;

presenting, based on the parameters and at a time unpredictable to the group of individuals, the sale offer to an individual who visits at least one web site accessible over the electronic network system, the individual matching the targeted group of individuals, the available quantity of the good or service for the sale offer being unpredictable to the individual;

completing, after presenting the sale offer to the individual over the electronic network system, a sale of the offered good or service in response to an acceptance of the sale offer by the individual, the acceptance being communicated from the individual through the at least one web site within the limited duration; and

inhibiting the acceptance of the sale offer by the individual or targeted group of individuals through the at least one web site after the limited duration expires.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the discounted price is less than a cost involved in providing the product or service.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the discounted price is essentially free or equal to a delivery price.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the limited duration is further based on a limited time period for accepting the sale offer and the limited time period is a selected number of seconds, minutes, or hours.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the discounted price is set to a value that increases the probability of acceptance of the sale offer.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the discounted price is set to a value that increases traffic to the at least one web site.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the limited duration is further based on a limited time period, and the one or more processors are further for:

notifying the individual of the limited time period for accepting the sale offer.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further for:

inhibiting the acceptance of the sale offer through the at least one web site after the limited time period expires or when the available quantity of the good or service for the sale offer is sold out.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further for:

collecting payment information and provides an identifier to verify payment for the completed sale.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a set of instructions, executable by at least one processor, to perform a computer-implemented method for presenting sale offers to individuals over an electronic network system, the method comprising:

storing, in a database, a sale offer including terms to purchase a good or service at a predetermined offer price, the predetermined offer price being a discounted price less than a market value of the offered good or service in a commercial marketplace;

setting parameters for presenting the sale offer, the parameters specifying a limited duration during which the sale offer may be accepted over the electronic network system, and information for targeting a group of individuals for receiving the sale offer over the electronic network system, the limited duration being based on an available quantity of the good or service for the sale offer;

presenting, based on the parameters and at a time unpredictable to the targeted group of individuals, the sale offer to an individual who visits at least one web site accessible over the electronic network system, the individual matching the targeted group of individuals, the available quantity of the good or service for the sale offer being unpredictable to the individual;

completing, after presenting the sale offer to the individual over the electronic network system, a sale of the offered good or service in response to an acceptance of the sale offer by the individual matching the targeted group of individuals, the acceptance being communicated from the individual within the limited duration; and

inhibiting the acceptance of the sale offer by the individual or targeted group of individuals through the at least one web site after the limited duration expires.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the discounted price is less than a cost involved in providing the product or service.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the discounted price is essentially free or equal to a delivery price.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set of instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the following step:

displaying, on the at least one web site, an amount of time remaining for accepting the sale offer.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the discounted price is set to a value that increases the probability of acceptance of the sale offer.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the discounted price is set to a value that increases traffic to the at least one web site.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein costs associated with providing the offered good or service at the discounted price are offset based on revenue generated from the at least one web site.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the limited duration is further based on a limited time period, and the set of instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the following step:

notifying the individual of the limited time period for accepting the sale offer.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the set of instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the following step:

inhibiting the acceptance of the sale offer through the at least one web site after the limited time period expires or when the available quantity of the good or service for the sale offer is sold out.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the set of instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the following step:

collecting payment information and providing an identifier to verify payment for the completed sale.