System to provide price adjustments based on indicated product interest

• US 8,781,894 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Bemer, Keith, Palmer, Timothy A., Sammon, Russell P.
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US13/909,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.46, 705/14.34, 705/14.51, 705/14.1, 705/26.1
• US Class Current: 705/14.34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history

Abstract

A system to provide price adjustments based on indicated product interest includes reception of an indication from a customer of interest in a first product, reception of an indication from a customer of interest in a second product, determination of a price adjustment for the second product based on the indication of interest in the first product, and transmission of the price adjustment to the customer. By virtue of the foregoing features, a retailer may be willing to provide a price adjustment for the second product which would otherwise not be provided. Moreover, such a price adjustment may incent the customer to purchase the second product in a case that the second product would not otherwise be purchased, thereby potentially increasing a total profit received by the retailer.

Claims

1. A method for selling products, comprising:

receiving, by a processing device, an indication of interest of a customer in a first product;

receiving, by the processing device, an indication of interest of the customer in a second product, in which the indication of interest in the second product comprises at least one of;

an indication that the customer is located in a retail store, physically near to the second product in the retail store,

an indication that the customer has viewed a representation of the second product for a period of time, and

a selection by the customer of the second product;

determining, by the processing device, a price adjustment for the second product based on the indication of interest of the customer in the first product; and

after receiving the indication of interest of the customer in the first product, after receiving the indication of interest of the customer in the second product, and before receiving from the customer a request to purchase the second product, transmitting, by the processing device, an indication of the price adjustment to the customer;

receiving, by the processing device and from the customer, a request to purchase the first product and the second product; and

charging, by the processing device, the customer for the second product based on the price adjustment.

2. A method comprising:

receiving, by a kiosk device in a retail store, an indication of interest of a customer in a first product;

receiving, by the kiosk device, an indication of a request by the customer for information regarding a second product, in which the request for information identifies the second product;

determining, by a processing device in communication with the kiosk device, a price adjustment for the second product based on the indication of interest of the customer in the first product; and

after receiving indication of interest of the customer in the first product, after receiving the indication of the request by the customer for information regarding the second product, and before receiving from the customer a request to purchase the second product, displaying, by the kiosk device, an indication of the price adjustment to the customer at the kiosk;

receiving, by the kiosk device and from the customer a request to purchase the first product and the second product; and

charging, by the kiosk device, the customer for the second product based on the price adjustment.

3. A method comprising:

offering a handheld device to a customer at a retail store;

receiving by the handheld device an indication of interest of the customer in a first product in the retail store;

receiving by the handheld device an indication of interest of the customer in a second product in the retail store, in which the indication of interest in the second product comprises one or more of the following;

a request for information regarding the second product, in which the request identifies the second product,

the customer scanning a bar code that is associated with the second product,

an indication that the customer is evaluating the second product in the retail store,

an indication that the customer is physically near the second product in the retail store, and

an indication that the customer is physically near the second product in the retail store for a predetermined amount of time;

determining by a processing device in communication with the handheld device, a price adjustment for the second product based on the indication of interest of the customer in the first product;

displaying, by at least one of the processing device and the handheld device and after the receiving of the indications of interest in the first and second products, the price adjustment to the customer;

receiving, by the handheld device and from the customer a request to purchase the first product and the second product; and

charging, by at least one of the processing device and the handheld device, the customer for the second product based on the price adjustment.

4. The method of claim 3, in which displaying comprises:

displaying the price adjustment to the customer via the handheld device.

5. The method of claim 3, in which displaying comprises:

displaying the price adjustment to the customer at a point-of-sale terminal in the retail store.

6. The method of claim 3, in which the handheld device comprises a personal digital assistant.

7. The method of claim 3, in which the handheld device comprises a bar-code scanner.

8. The method of claim 3, in which the indication of interest in the first product comprises the customer accepting the handheld device at the retail store.

9. The method of claim 3, in which the indication of interest in the first product comprises the customer scanning a bar code that is associated with the first product.

10. The method of claim 3, in which the indication of interest in the first product comprises an indication of a location of the customer in the retail store.

11. The method of claim 3, in which the indication of interest in the first product comprises an indication that the customer is evaluating the first product in the retail store.

12. The method of claim 3, in which the indication of interest in the first product comprises an indication that the customer is physically near the first product in the retail store.

13. The method of claim 3, in which the indication of interest in the first product comprises an indication that the customer is physically near the first product in the retail store for a predetermined amount of time.