Presenting items based on activity rates

• US 8,595,084 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Mohan, Sunil
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US13/620,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11, 705 729- 735, 705 261- 272, 707706-788
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to monitor an activity level with respect to queries submitted to an online marketplace over a certain time period to calculate an activity rate, to determine that a predicted change in the activity rate has crossed a specified threshold rate, and to display a landing page identifying at least one of items or item groups associated with the queries on a display based on the determining.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring an activity level with respect to queries submitted to an online marketplace over a certain time period to calculate an activity rate;

determining, using one or more processors, that a predicted change in the activity rate has crossed a specified threshold rate, the determining including forecasting that the activity level measured during a first time period will transgress an average activity level by a selected amount within a second time period subsequent to the first time period; and

displaying a landing page identifying at least one of items or item groups associated with the queries on a display based on the determining.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the activity level comprises:

monitoring, in association with a query term included in the queries, at least one of a number of queries, a number of items viewed, a number of item types viewed, a number of groups viewed, a number of group types viewed, a number of bids, a bid amount, a number of items watched, a type of item watched, a number of immediate purchases made, an amount of immediate purchases made, a term included in a viewed item title, a term included in a viewed item description, associated demographics, an item tag, an item category, or an item attribute.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the predicted change has crossed the specified threshold rate comprises:

determining that the predicted change has crossed the specified threshold rate in one of a first direction to indicate increased interest, or a second direction to indicate decreased interest.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the landing page comprises:

selecting the at least one of items or item groups from a plurality of items or item groups based at least in part on determining that the at least one of items or item groups has an item title, an item description, an item category, an item attribute, or an item tag in common with the queries.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the landing page comprises:

presenting one or more images, each of the one or more images corresponding to a different category of a common item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the landing page comprises:

adjusting an order of display of the at least one of items or item groups based at least in part on a presentation factor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the adjusting of the order of display comprises:

receiving the presentation factor from a user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the landing page comprises:

presenting a merchandising promotion for the at least one of items or item groups.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the merchandising promotion comprises:

at least one of a sale, a current news story, an informational document, an auction, a catalog of products, a collection of similar items, offers to previous buyers, or offers to previously interested potential buyers.

10. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors to execute an item presenting module, the item presenting module configured to;

monitor an activity level with respect to queries submitted to an online marketplace over a certain time period to calculate an activity rate;

determine that a predicted change in the activity rate has crossed a specified threshold rate, the determining including forecasting that the activity level measured during a first time period will transgress an average activity level by a selected amount within a second time period subsequent to the first time period; and

display a landing page identifying at least one of items or item groups associated with the queries on a display based on the determining.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the item presenting module is configured to:

monitor, in association with a query term included in the queries, at least one of a number of queries, a number of items viewed, a number of item types viewed, a number of groups viewed, a number of group types viewed, a number of bids, a bid amount, a number of items watched, a type of item watched, a number of immediate purchases made, an amount of immediate purchases made, a term included in a viewed item title, a term included in a viewed item description, associated demographics, an item tag, an item category, or an item attribute.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the item presenting module is configured to:

determine that the predicted change has crossed the specified threshold rate in one of a first direction to indicate increased interest, or a second direction to indicate decreased interest.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the item presenting module is configured to:

select the at least one of items or item groups from a plurality of items or item groups based at least in part on determining that the at least one of items or item groups has an item title, an item description, an item category, an item attribute, or an item tag in common with the queries.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the item presenting module is configured to:

present one or more images, each of the one or more images corresponding to a different category of a common item.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the item presenting module is configured to:

adjust an order of display of the at least one of items or item groups based at least in part on a presentation factor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the item presenting module is configured to:

receive the presentation factor from a user.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the item presenting module is configured to:

determine the activity level based at least in part on a number of user interactions stemming from search results of the queries.

18. A non-transitory storage device storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

monitoring an activity level with respect to queries submitted to an online marketplace over a certain time period to calculate an activity rate;

determining that a predicted change in the activity rate has crossed a specified threshold rate, the determining including forecasting that the activity level measured during a first time period will transgress an average activity level by a selected amount within a second time period subsequent to the first time period; and

displaying a landing page identifying at least one of items or item groups associated with the queries on a display based on the determining.