Real-time offers and dynamic price adjustments presented to mobile devices

• US 8,732,018 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valentine Communications LLC
• Original Assignee: Ewinwin Incorporated
• Inventors: Mesaros, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US13/105,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20110213653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.49, 705/14.53, 705/14.66, 705/14.72
• US Class Current: 705/14.66
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation

Abstract

The demand aggregation system includes deal room sponsored by a third party host. The third party host facilitates commercial transactions between a plurality of buyers and at least one seller. In exchange for sponsorship of such a deal room, the third party host can receive an incentive such as a percentage of sales, seller discount or the like. Furthermore, mechanisms are provided to aid discovery of sellers and/or offers that can be included in a group buying event for a buying group. The buying group receives a greater discount as the total purchase amount in the group buying event increases.

Claims

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

tracking a current purchasing volume associated with a live offer for a product or service provided by a first merchant;

tracking an offer price;

tracking a time associated with a purchase;

receiving updated information related to a live offer for a similar product or service from a second merchant, wherein the updated information triggers an automatic price adjustment to the offer provided by the first merchant and wherein the updated information includes a quantity purchased over a set period of time;

verifying resource availability data associated with the first merchant, wherein the resource availability data indicates at least one of a real time spare capacity or inventory of a product or service provided by the first merchant that is expressed numerically, and a time period associated with the spare capacity or available inventory;

determining at least one suitable recipient of the offer for the product or service based upon information associated with a set of buyer profiles; and

providing the offer to the at least one suitable recipient by way of a mobile device associated with the at least one suitable recipient.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the price adjustment is an increase in the price.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the price adjustment is a discounted price.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the discounted price is contingent upon acceptance of the offer for the product or service with spare capacity by a predetermined number of suitable recipients or by an aggregate volume received within a displayed time period.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the updated information includes real-time information associated with the live offer for a similar product or service from the second merchant.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the trigger is set by the second merchant.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the trigger is set by a seller of the good or service and is influenced by purchases over time of at least one product or service recipient.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the determination of the suitable recipient includes a consideration of a transaction history in the buyer profile.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the buyer profile information includes demographics data in the buyer profile and a stored preference associated with a buyer.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the buyer profile information includes location information included in the buyer profile updated by way of a mobile device associated with a buyer.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the buyer profile information includes a search related to a product or service category of interest as indicated by a buyer.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the buyer profile includes an updated location associated with a mobile device of a buyer and a visual representation of at least one interested party.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the at least one suitable recipient may accept the offer and provide payment information through a registered account.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the offer is transmitted to a third-party account associated with the suitable recipient.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the updated information related to a live offer includes information related to a purchase volume.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the updated information related to a live offer includes information related to updated purchases.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the mobile device associated with the at least one suitable recipient is a wearable device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the wearable device is a watch.

19. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

executing computer readable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium to;

track a current purchasing volume associated with a live offer for a product or service provided by a first merchant, tracking an offer price;

track a time associated with a purchase;

receive updated information related to a live offer for a similar product or service from a second merchant, wherein the updated information triggers an automatic price adjustment to the offer provided by the first merchant and wherein the updated information includes a quantity purchased over a set period of time, the instructions executed by use of a processing device;

executing computer readable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium to;

verify resource availability data associated with the first merchant, wherein the resource availability data indicates at least one of a real time spare capacity or inventory of a product or service provided by the first merchant that is expressed numerically, and

a time period associated with the spare capacity or available inventory;

executing computer readable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium to examine a set of buyer profiles for identifying at least one suitable recipient of the offer for the product or service based upon information associated with a set of buyer profiles, the instructions executed by use of a processing device;

executing computer readable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium to provide the offer to the at least one suitable recipient by way of a mobile device associated with the at least one suitable recipient, the instructions executed by use of a processing device.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the offer includes a price for the product or service that differs from a market price for the product or service offered by the merchant.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein a price included in the offer for the product or service varies depending on a status of the at least one suitable recipient from amongst a group of suitable recipients.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein a price included in the offer for the product or service varies depending on a behavior of the at least one suitable recipient from amongst a group of suitable recipients.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein a price included in the offer for the product or service is contingent upon a predetermined number of suitable recipients accepting the offer for the product or service or by an aggregate volume.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein a price included in the offer for the product or service is contingent upon the at least one suitable recipient accepting the offer for the product or service within a predetermined time specified in the offer.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein a price included in the offer for the product or service is contingent upon the at least one suitable recipient accepting the offer for the product or service during a time in which a spare capacity condition exists for the merchant.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising determining the at least one suitable recipient based upon a transaction stored in the buyer profile.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising determining the at least one suitable recipient based upon demographic data stored in the buyer profile.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising determining the at least one suitable recipient based upon a location of the suitable recipient stored in the buyer profile.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising determining the at least one suitable recipient based upon activity associated with the suitable recipient.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising determining the at least one suitable recipient based upon a set of contacts associated with the suitable recipient.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising determining the at least one suitable recipient based upon activity associated with a contact included in a set of contacts of the at least one suitable recipient.

32. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon computer executable instructions, the instructions being executable by a processor to perform a method for:

tracking a current purchasing volume associated with a live offer for a product or service provided by a first merchant;

tracking an offer price;

tracking a time associated with a purchase;

receiving updated information related to a live offer for a similar product or service from a second merchant, wherein the updated information triggers an automatic price adjustment to the offer provided by the first merchant and the updated information includes a quantity purchased over a set period of time;

verifying resource availability data associated with the first merchant, wherein the resource availability data;

indicates at least one of a real time spare capacity or inventory of a product or service provided by the first merchant that is expressed numerically, and a time period associated with the spare capacity or available inventory,

indicates current excess capacity or inventory of a product or service offered by the first merchant;

examining a set of buyer profiles;

determining at least one eligible recipient of the offer for the product or service with current excess capacity based upon the examined set of buyer profiles; and

delivering an offer based upon the resource availability data, the offer provided to the at least one eligible recipient by way of a mobile device associated with the at least one suitable recipient.

33. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon computer executable instructions, the instructions being executable by a processor to perform a method for:

tracking a current purchasing volume associated with a live offer for a product or service provided by a first merchant;

tracking an offer price;

tracking a time associated with a purchase;

receiving updated information related to a live offer for a similar product or service from a second merchant, wherein the updated information triggers an automatic price adjustment to the offer provided by the first merchant and wherein the updated information includes information related to a purchase volume;

verifying resource availability data associated with the first merchant, wherein the resource availability data indicates at least one of a real time spare capacity or inventory of a product or service provided by the first merchant that is expressed numerically, and a time period associated with the spare capacity or available inventory;

determining at least one suitable recipient of the offer for the product or service based upon information associated with a set of buyer profiles; and

providing the offer to the at least one suitable recipient by way of a mobile device associated with the at least one suitable recipient.

34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the price adjustment is an increase in the price.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the price adjustment is a discounted price.

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the discounted price is contingent upon acceptance of the offer for the product or service with spare capacity by a predetermined number of suitable recipients or by an aggregate volume received within a displayed time period.

37. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the updated information includes real-time information associated with the live offer for a similar product or service from the second merchant.

38. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the trigger is set by the second merchant.

39. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the trigger is set by a seller of the good or service and is influenced by purchases over time of at least one product or service recipient.

40. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the determination of the suitable recipient includes a consideration of a transaction history in the buyer profile.

41. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the buyer profile information includes demographics data in the buyer profile and a stored preference associated with a buyer.

42. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the buyer profile information includes location information included in the buyer profile updated by way of a mobile device associated with a buyer.

43. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the buyer profile information includes a search related to a product or service category of interest as indicated by a buyer.

44. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the buyer profile includes an updated location associated with a mobile device of a buyer and a visual representation of at least one interested party.

45. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the updated information includes a quantity purchased over a set period of time.

46. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 45, wherein the at least one suitable recipient may accept the offer and provide payment information through a registered account.

47. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the offer is transmitted to a third-party account associated with the suitable recipient.

48. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the updated information related to a live offer includes information related to updated purchases.

49. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the mobile device associated with the at least one suitable recipient is a wearable device.

50. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 49, wherein the wearable device is a watch.