Real-time user generated virtual shopping parties

• US 10,055,777 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Poshmark Inc. (Naver Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Poshmark Inc. (Naver Corporation)
• Inventors: Chandra, Manish, Golwala, Gautam, Pungaliya, Chetan
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Ig Tai
• Application Number:
  US14/216,961
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Virtual shopping parties on a peer-to-peer marketplace are facilitated. A virtual party initiated is reserved by a user of the peer-to-peer marketplace. The virtual party comprises a specific set of items available to a specific set of users during a specific time span. A theme is set for the virtual shopping party dictating parameters for whether an item can be added to the virtual shopping party. The theme also dictates parameters for who can add an item to the virtual shopping party. Invitations are sent for the virtual shopping party to the specific set of users, based on the theme. A customized feed is then presented to each of the set of users that join the virtual shopping party.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, in a marketplace server, for facilitating a virtual shopping party in a peer-to-peer marketplace, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a marketplace server a request to reserve a virtual shopping party initiated by a user of the peer-to-peer marketplace, the virtual shopping party comprising a specific set of items available to a specific set of users during a specific time span, the specific set of users being matched based on a social affinity by grouping scores of characteristics of the specific set of users;

setting a theme for the virtual shopping party, the theme dictating parameters for whether items can be added to and removed from the virtual shopping party, according to a set of moderation rules, the theme also dictating parameters for who can add items to and remove item from the virtual shopping party, according to the set of moderation rules;

sending a push notification based on a synchronization protocol to user devices of each of the specific set of users representing invitations for the virtual shopping party, based on the theme, according to the set of moderation rules;

allowing any of the specific set of users to join the virtual shopping party by adding any of the specific set of users that respond to the push notification to a priority queue and allowing each of the specific set of users to join the party based on each users position in the queue, wherein the positions in the queue are assigned based on the social affinity of each user and according to the set of moderation rules during the specific time span;

determining whether a state of a product feed of each of the user devices of the specific set of users is out of synchronization with the marketplace server as the users are allowed to join the virtual shopping party;

synchronizing the state of any of the user devices of the specific set of users that are out of synchronization with the marketplace server;

receiving item details in real time associated with qualifying items to be added to the virtual shopping party that meet the set of moderation rules, from any of the specific set of users that are added to the virtual shopping party; and

presenting in real time, a customized feed to each of the set of users that are added to the virtual shopping party, the feed comprising the specific set of items as personalized for each attendee of the party, the customization based on compatibility between qualifying items added to the party by any of the specific set of added users and currency according to the set of moderation rules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the theme for the virtual shopping party comprises:

setting the theme for the virtual shopping party, the theme dictating whether an item can be added to the virtual shopping party based on at least one of product type, product category, brand, price range, and product condition.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

organizing items into one or more virtual showrooms that are personalized for a user based on characteristics of an item and preferences of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

granting a role assignment to one or more users; and

assigning privileges with respect to the virtual party to the one or more users based on the role assignment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

granting the role assignment comprises granting a creator role to the one or more users; and

assigning a privilege to create a party and a privilege to invite attendees to the one or more users granted the creator role.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

granting the role assignment that comprises granting an attendee role to the one or more users; and

assigning a privilege to attend a party to the one or more users granted the attendee role.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

presenting in real time the customized feed comprises organizing the feed of items for each attendee of the party based on compatibility between items added to the party, an affinity between each user who added specific items, and each attendee.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, adding any of the specific set of users that respond to the push notification to the priority queue further comprises:

regulating a volume of the specific set of users at the virtual shopping party at a specific time during the specific time span of the virtual shopping party; and

assigning any of the specific set of users that respond to the push notification a position in the priority queue based on when any of the specific set of users attempted to enter the virtual shopping party and at least one of tenure, past order, past sales, past products added, size of closet, and number of followers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the invitations for the virtual shopping party includes a code to invitees of the virtual shopping party and the marketplace server regulates entry to users that present the code.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

regulating items and attendees participating in the virtual shopping party based on at least one of frequency of adding items, quality of items added, and reports from attendees.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions that, when loaded into computer memory and executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method in an order state server, for facilitating a virtual shopping party in a peer-to-peer marketplace, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a marketplace server a request to reserve a virtual shopping party initiated by a user of the peer-to-peer marketplace, the virtual shopping party comprising a specific set of items available to a specific set of users during a specific time span, the specific set of users being matched based on a social affinity by grouping scores of characteristics of the specific set of users;

setting a theme for the virtual shopping party, the theme dictating parameters for whether items can be added to and removed from the virtual shopping party, according to a set of moderation rules, the theme also dictating parameters for who can add items to and remove items from the virtual shopping party, according to the set of moderation rules;

sending a push notification based on a synchronization protocol to user devices of each of the specific set of users representing invitations for the virtual shopping party, based on the theme, according to the set of moderation rules;

allowing any of the specific set of users to join the virtual shopping party by adding any of the specific set of users that respond to the push notification to a priority queue and allowing each of the specific set of users to join the party based on each users position in the queue, wherein the positions in the queue are assigned based on the social affinity of each user and according to the set of moderation rules during the specific time span;

determining whether a state of a product feed of each of the user devices of the specific set of users is out of synchronization with the marketplace server as the users are allowed to join the virtual shopping party;

synchronizing the state of any of the user devices of the specific set of users that are out of synchronization with the marketplace server;

receiving item details in real time associated with qualifying items to be added to the virtual shopping party that meet the set of moderation rules, from any of the specific set of users that are added to the virtual shopping party; and

presenting in real time, a customized feed to each of the set of users that are added to the virtual shopping party, the feed comprising the specific set of items as personalized for each attendee of the party, the customization based on compatibility between qualifying items added to the party by any of the specific set of added users and currency according to the set of moderation rules.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein in the method, setting the theme for the virtual shopping party comprises:

setting the theme for the virtual shopping party, the theme dictating whether an item can be added to the virtual shopping party based on at least one of product type, product category, brand, price range, and product condition.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

organizing items into one or more virtual showrooms that are personalized for a user based on characteristics of an item and preferences of the user.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

granting a role assignment to one or more users; and

assigning privileges with respect to the virtual party to the one or more users based on the role assignment.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein in the method:

granting the role assignment comprises granting a creator role to the one or more users; and

assigning a privilege to create a party and a privilege to invite attendees to the one or more users granted the creator role.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

granting the role assignment comprises granting an attendee role to the one or more users; and

assigning a privilege to attend a party to the one or more users granted the attendee role.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein in the method:

presenting in real time the customized feed comprises organizing the feed of items for each attendee of the party based on compatibility between items added to the party, an affinity between each user who added specific items, and each attendee.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method of adding any of the specific set of users that respond to the push notification to the priority queue further comprises:

regulating a volume of the specific set of users at the virtual shopping party at a specific time during the specific time span of the virtual shopping party; and

assigning any of the specific set of users that respond to the push notification a position in the priority queue based on when any of the specific set of users attempted to enter the virtual shopping party and at least one of tenure, past order, past sales, past products added, size of closet, and number of followers.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein in the method the invitations for the virtual shopping party include a code to invitees of the virtual shopping party and the marketplace server regulates entry to users that present the code.

20. A social merchandising server to match items to users in a peer-to-peer marketplace, the social merchandising server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, comprising;

a first module to receive a request to reserve a virtual shopping party initiated by a user of the peer-to-peer marketplace, the virtual shopping party comprising a specific set of items available to a specific set of users during a specific time span, the specific set of users being matched based on a social affinity by grouping scores of characteristics of the specific set of users;

a second module to set a theme for the virtual shopping party, the theme dictating parameters for whether items can be added to and removed from the virtual shopping party, according to a set of moderation rules, the theme also dictating parameters for who can add items to and remove items from the virtual shopping party, according to the set of moderation rules;

a third module to send a push notification based on a synchronization protocol to user devices of each of the specific set of users representing invitations for the virtual shopping party, based on the theme, according to the set of moderation rules;

a fourth module to allow any of the specific set of users to join the virtual shopping party by adding any of the specific set of users that respond to the push notification to a priority queue and allowing each of the specific set of users to join the party based on each users position in the queue, wherein the positions in the queue are assigned based on the social affinity of each user and according to the set of moderation rules during the specific time span, determine whether a state of a product feed of each of the user devices of the specific set of users is out of synchronization with the marketplace server as the users are allowed to join the virtual shopping party, and receive item details in real time associated with qualifying items to be added to the virtual shopping party that meet the set of moderation rules, from any of the specific set of users that are added to the virtual shopping party;

a fifth module to synchronize the state of any of the user devices of the specific set of users that are out of synchronization with the marketplace server; and

a sixth module to present in real time a customized feed to each of the set of users that are added to the virtual shopping party, the feed comprising the specific set of items as personalized for each attendee of the party, the customization based on compatibility between qualifying items added to the party by any of the specific set of added users and currency according to the set of moderation rules.