Methods and systems to facilitate a purchase of an item on a network-based marketplace

• US 8,560,397 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Chong, Choon, Okubo, Trisha Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US13/525,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272, 705/319
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• 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 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A method and system to the generation of a virtual gift on a network-based marketplace platform. The network-based marketplace platform receives a request from a second user. The request identifies an item that is published-on a user interface that is hosted by the network-based marketplace platform. The item is also offered for sale on the network-based marketplace platform. The network-based marketplace platform generates a virtual gift based on the item. The virtual gift includes an image of the item. Finally, the network-based marketplace platform communicates interface information that includes the virtual gift to a network-based social platform.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a network-based marketplace platform, a request from a second user identifying an item that is being published on a user interface that is hosted by the network-based marketplace platform, the item further being offered for sale on the network-based marketplace platform, the receiving done at least in part through the use of one or more processors;

generating, at the network-based marketplace platform, a virtual gift based on the item that is identified, the virtual gift including an image of the item; and

communicating interface information to a network-based social platform, the interface information including the virtual gift.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the request includes receiving a selection from the second user via an interface provided by the network-based social platform to the second user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating the interface information to include the virtual gift.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the generating the interface information further comprises generating a message that is being sent from the second user to a first user and a name of the second user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the generating the interface information further comprises suppressing display of the name of the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating item interface information that enables a first user to purchase the item on the network-based marketplace for a predetermined price.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating item interface information that enables the first user to purchase the item on the network-based marketplace by entering a winning bid.

8. The method of claim 1, further including receiving a request to purchase the item for sale on the network-based marketplace, wherein the receiving the request includes receiving a request to purchase the item for a predetermined price.

9. The method of claim 1, further including communicating predetermined search results that include a plurality of items for sale on the network-based marketplace.

10. A system to facilitate a purchase of an item on a network-based marketplace, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

a receiving module, that is executable by the at least one processor, to receive, at a network-based marketplace platform, a request from a second user, the request identifies an item that is published-on a user interface that is hosted by the network-based marketplace platform, the item is further offered for sale on the network-based marketplace platform; and

a processing module, that is executable by the at least one processor, to generate, at the network-based marketplace platform, a virtual gift based on the item, the virtual gift includes an image of the item, the processing module is further to communicate the interface information to a network-based social platform, the interface information includes the virtual gift.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the receiving module receives a selection from the second user via an interface provided by the network-based social platform to the second user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing module generates interface information to include the virtual gift.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing module generates interface information that includes a message from the second user to a first user and a name of the second user.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing module generates interface information that suppresses display of the name of the second user that sent the virtual gift to a first user.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing module generates item interface information that enables a first user to purchase the item on the network-based marketplace for a predetermined price.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing module generates the item interface information that enables a first user to purchase the item on the network-based marketplace by entering on a winning bid.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the receiving module receives a request to purchase the item for sale on the network-based marketplace and wherein the receiving module receives a request to purchase the item for a predetermined price.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing module communicates predetermined search results that include a plurality of items for sale on the network-based marketplace.

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

receive a request from a second user that identifies an item that is published-on a user interface that is hosted by the network-based marketplace platform, the item further is offered for sale on the network-based marketplace platform;

generate a virtual gift based on the item, the virtual gift includes an image of the item; and

communicate interface information to a network-based social platform, the interface information includes the virtual gift.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19, wherein the receipt of the request includes receiving a selection from the second user via an interface provided by the network-based social platform to the second user.

21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 20, further cause the machine to generate the interface information to include the virtual gift.

22. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 21, wherein the generation of the interface information further comprises generation of a message that is sent from the second user to a first user and a name of the second user.

23. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 21, wherein the generation of the interface information further comprises a suppression of a display of the name of the second user.

24. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 21, further comprising generation of item interface information that enables a first user to purchase the item on the network-based marketplace for a predetermined price.

25. A system comprising:

a means for executing at least a receiving module and a processing module;

a receiving module configured to receive a request from a second user, the request being received at a network based marketplace platform, the request identifying an item that is published on a user interface that is hosted by the network-based marketplace platform, the item is further offered for sale on the network-based marketplace platform; and

a processing module configured to generate, at the network-based marketplace platform, a virtual gift based on the item, the virtual gift including an image of the item, wherein the processing module is further configured to communicate the interface information to a network-based social platform, the interface information including the virtual gift.