Presenting mobile offers to members of a social network

• US 8,589,247 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valentine Communications LLC
• Original Assignee: Ewinwin Incorporated
• Inventors: Mesaros, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALAVECINO, KATHLEEN GAGE
• Application Number:
  US13/517,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Mechanisms are provided to facilitate buying and selling products utilizing social pricing. Sellers initiate sale of a product with volume discounts for a limited time. In other words, the more people that buy a product, the lower the price for the group. Buyers have a real incentive to become prosumers that not only purchase a product but also promote purchase by others. A social pricing system brokers interaction between sellers and buyer groups, and provisions mechanisms to aid promotion of products by consumers utilizing social networks and other online activities.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon instructions executable by a processor to perform a method for promoting an offer, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the at least one buyer to view information about a product or service of interest and a geographic location;

retrieving stored information from a social network associated with the at least one buyer related to at least one merchant associated with the product or service of interest and the geographic location;

presenting feedback to the at least one buyer from at least one member of the social network that has consented to share the feedback, wherein the feedback is presented such that the identity of the at least one member is made known to the at least one buyer;

displaying a map for the geographic location, the map including information about the at least one merchant;

allowing the at least one merchant to present an offer to the at least one buyer, wherein the offer is based on location information of a mobile device associated with the at least one buyer and information contained within a buyer profile that includes the feedback provided by the at least one member of the social network, the at least one buyer having previously provided consent to share location information of the mobile device with a third party;

displaying a time of expiration of the offer;

displaying a purchase price of the product or service offered for sale through the offer, wherein the purchase price is a discount from a regular list price; and

promoting the offer to members of a social network, wherein an interaction between one or more members of the social network and the promoted offer is recorded.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, the instructions being further executable to:

accept orders for the offer when terms and conditions regarding the offer are accepted; and

store interactions between members of the social network with respect to the promoted offer.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, the instructions being further executable to analyze interactions between members of the social network to identify a connection between the members.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the analysis of interactions occurs over time.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the analysis of interactions identifies a measure of influence one member of the social network has over another member of the social network.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the analysis of interactions is inferred.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the analysis of interactions is mathematically measured.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the analysis of interactions includes a consideration of demographic information.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, the instructions being further executable to generate a heat map associated with the analysis of interactions.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, the instructions being further executable to present information associated with an order for the offer, the information including comments made by other buyers of the good or service associated with the offer.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the comments are associated with the good or service.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the comments are associated with the merchant offering the good or service.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the interaction includes comments, promotional activities, sharing of an offer, feedback, a rating, a link, or an actual purchase by a member of the social network.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, the instructions being further executable to generate a code corresponding to the offer when the offer is accepted and an order placed by the at least one buyer is approved.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the code is redeemed at the merchant by being displayed on the mobile device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein a code associated with the offer is made available to the at least one buyer by way of the mobile device and is presented at the merchant location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein one or more of the comments made by other buyers of the good or service associated with the offer are shared on the social network.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the offer is a proposal or an incentive.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the purchase price of the product or service offered for sale through the offer differs between the at least one buyer and another buyer.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the feedback is an online action taken by the at least one member.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the action includes a preference or ranking for the at least one merchant or an item that is shared with a plurality of members of the social network.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the action includes downloading a particular application.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the action includes an online review created and posted for review regarding the merchant.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the feedback includes the offer presented to the buyer and information related to redeeming the offered.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the offer includes at least one of a link, a coupon, or a code.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the buyer profile also includes demographic information that influences whether the offer is presented.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the geographic location is close in proximity to a geographical location associated with the at least one buyer.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the offer is promoted by way of a programmed setting influenced by a selection made by the merchant.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising collecting data regarding whether a member of the social network that received the offer clicked or did not click on a link forwarded by the at least one member.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the purchase price is expressed as a discount off a regular list price.