MANAGING LEAD-BASED FEEDBACK IN A NETWORK COMMERCE SYSTEM

• US 20080243695A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Heidema, Jason M., Shirk, Valerie K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted

Abstract

A network commerce system comprises a product sale listing searchable by a consumer and comprising one or more products provided by a third-party. A lead tracking module is operable to track consumer leads provided to the third-party vendor. A communications module enables the consumer and third-party vendor to communicate; and a feedback module enables at least one of the consumer and the third-party vendor to leave feedback regarding a lead tracked via the lead tracking module based on a handshake.

Claims

1. A network commerce system, comprising:

a sale listing searchable by a consumer and comprising one or more products or services provided by a third-party vendor;

a lead tracking module operable to track consumer leads provided to the third-party vendor;

a communication module enabling the consumer and third-party vendor to communicate; and

a feedback module enabling at least one of the consumer and the third-party vendor to leave feedback regarding a lead tracked via the lead tracking module based on a handshake.

2. The network commerce system of claim 1, further comprising a payment module operable to manage payment from a consumer to a third-party vendor.

3. The network commerce system of claim 2, wherein the payment module is further operable to bill the third-party vendor a percentage of a completed transaction.

4. The network commerce system of claim 2, wherein the payment module is further operable to bill the third-party vendor on a pay-per-lead basis.

5. The network commerce system of claim 4, wherein the pay-per-lead basis is based on establishing a minimum level of communication between the consumer and the third-party vendor.

6. The network commerce system of claim 5, wherein the communication between the consumer and third-party vendor comprises at least one of e-mail message, a text message, a voice call, or a video call.

7. The network commerce system of claim 1, wherein the product sale listing is in pay-per-lead format.

8. The network commerce system of claim 1, wherein the handshake comprises payment.

9. The network commerce system of claim 1, wherein the handshake comprises confirmation of a completed transaction.

10. The network commerce system of claim 9, wherein confirmation of a completed transaction comprises confirmation from both the consumer and the third-party vendor.

11. A method of operating a network commerce system, comprising:

presenting a sale listing searchable by a consumer and comprising one or more products or services provided by a third-party vendor;

tracking consumer leads provided to the third-party vendor;

providing a communication system for the consumer and third-party vendor to communicate; and

receiving feedback from at least one of the consumer and the third-party vendor regarding a tracked consumer lead based on a handshake.

12. The method of operating a network commerce system of claim 11, wherein the communications system is external to the network commerce system.

13. The method of operating a network commerce system of claim 11, further comprising managing payment from a consumer to a third-party vendor.

14. The method of operating a network commerce system of claim 13, wherein managing payment comprises billing the third-party vendor a percentage of a completed transaction.

15. The method of operating a network commerce system of claim 13, wherein managing payment comprises billing the third-party vendor on a pay-per-lead basis.

16. The network commerce system of claim 15, wherein the pay-per-lead basis is based on establishing a minimum level of communication between the consumer and the third-party vendor, wherein the communication between the consumer and third-party vendor comprises at least one of e-mail message, a text message, a voice call, or a video call.

17. The method of operating a network commerce system of claim 11, wherein the handshake comprises at least one of payment and confirmation of a completed transaction.

18. The method of operating a network commerce system of claim 17, wherein confirmation of a completed transaction comprises confirmation from both the consumer and the third-party vendor.

19. A machine-readable medium with instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computerized system to:

present a sale listing searchable by a consumer and comprising one or more products or services provided by a third-party vendor;

track consumer leads provided to the third-party vendor;

provide a communication system for the consumer and third-party vendor to communicate; and

receive feedback from at least one of the consumer and the third-party vendor regarding a tracked consumer lead based on a handshake.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the communications system is external to the network commerce system.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, the instructions when executed further operable to manage payment from a consumer to a third-party vendor.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein managing payment comprises at least one of billing the third-party vendor a percentage of a completed transaction and billing the third-party vendor on a pay-per-lead basis.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the pay-per-lead basis is based on establishing a minimum level of communication between the consumer and the third-party vendor, wherein the communication between the consumer and third-party vendor comprises at least one of e-mail message, a text message, a voice call, or a video call.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the handshake comprises at least one of payment and confirmation of a completed transaction.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein confirmation of a completed transaction comprises confirmation from both the consumer and the third-party vendor.

26. A data structure, comprising:

a first set of data comprising identities of parties to a network commerce system, the parties including third party vendors providing sale listings;

a second set of data associated with the first set of data and comprising consumer leads provided to the third party vendors; and

a third set of data associated with the first set of data and comprising handshake data indicating a level of interaction between the consumer and third party vendor sufficient to enable feedback;

the first, second, and third data sets stored on a machine-readable medium.

27. The data structure of claim 26, wherein the handshake comprises at least one of payment and confirmation of a completed transaction.

28. The data structure of claim 27, wherein confirmation of a completed transaction comprises confirmation from both the consumer and the third-party vendor.