Method, medium, and system for adjusting product ranking scores based on an adjustment factor

• US 8,065,199 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Dumon, Oliver G., Sun, Ken, Rehman, Muhammad Faisal, McDonald, Ryan, Netzloff, Julie
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg; Yogesh C
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, MATTHEW E
• Application Number:
  US12/476,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.7, 705/26.64
• US Class Current: 705/26.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90335 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

Methods and systems for evaluating business rules for the purpose of promoting or demoting an item listing are presented. Consistent with an example embodiment, a conditional statement of a business rule that includes one or more expressions involving an item attribute and/or a seller attribute for an item listing is evaluated. If the conditional statement evaluates true, an adjustment factor set forth in the business rule is applied to a ranking score assigned to the item listing. The item listing is then presented in a search results page in a position relative to other item listings based upon the adjusted ranking score.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

selecting a plurality of products in response to a search request by a buyer;

determining an initial ranking score for each product in the plurality of products;

determining whether a conditional statement of a business rule is satisfied, wherein the conditional statement provides that the conditional statement is satisfied if a first product in the plurality of products is to be shipped to the buyer free of charge;

if the conditional statement is satisfied then adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with an adjustment factor specified in the business rule and if the conditional statement is not satisfied then refraining from adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with the adjustment factor specified in the business rule; and

presenting the plurality of products in a search results page positioned relative to one another based, at least in part, on the initial ranking score for each of the plurality of products and at least one of the initial ranking score and the adjusted initial ranking score for the first product;

wherein the steps above are performed using a computer processor.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with an adjustment factor specified in the business rule includes increasing the initial ranking score with the adjustment factor to reflect a promotion for the product.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the promotion for the product results in a higher probability that the product will be presented in a position higher to products in the plurality of products that are not to be shipped to a buyer free of charge.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with an adjustment factor specified in the business rule includes multiplying the initial ranking score of the first product by the adjustment factor.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of products in a search results page positioned relative to one another based, at least in part, on the initial ranking score for each of the plurality of products and at least one of the initial ranking score and the increased initial ranking score for the first product includes presenting the plurality of products in a list that is ordered based, at least in part, on the initial ranking score for each of the plurality of products and at least one of the initial ranking score and the adjusted initial ranking score for the first product.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a second conditional statement of the business rule is satisfied, wherein the second conditional statement provides that the second conditional statement is satisfied if the first product in the plurality of products is offered by a seller having a seller trust score that exceeds a threshold score; and

if the second conditional statement is satisfied then adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with a second adjustment factor specified in the business rule and if the conditional statement is not satisfied then refraining from adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with the second adjustment factor specified in the business rule.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with a second adjustment factor specified in the business rule includes increasing the initial ranking score to reflect a promotion for the product.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a second conditional statement of the business rule is satisfied, wherein the second conditional statement provides that the second conditional statement is satisfied if the first product in the plurality of products is to be shipped to the buyer at a cost that exceeds a median, mean, or mode cost of shipping for products determined to be similar to the first product; and

if the second conditional statement is satisfied then adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with a second adjustment factor specified in the business rule and if the conditional statement is not satisfied then refraining from adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with the second adjustment factor specified in the business rule.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with a second adjustment factor specified in the business rule includes decreasing the initial ranking score to reflect a demotion for the product.

10. A system comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory connected to the at least one processor, the at least one memory configured with instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the following steps;

select a plurality of products in response to a search request by a buyer;

determine an initial ranking score for each product in the plurality of products;

determine whether a conditional statement of a business rule is satisfied, wherein the conditional statement provides that the conditional statement is satisfied if a first product in the plurality of products is to be shipped to the buyer free of charge;

if the conditional statement is satisfied then adjust the initial ranking score of the first product with an adjustment factor specified in the business rule and if the conditional statement is not satisfied then refrain from adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with the adjustment factor specified in the business rule; and

present the plurality of products in a search results page positioned relative to one another based, at least in part, on the initial ranking score for each of the plurality of products and at least one of the initial ranking score and the adjusted initial ranking score for the first product.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory is configured with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to increase the initial ranking score with the adjustment factor to reflect a promotion for the product.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the promotion for the product results in a higher probability that the product will be presented in a position higher to products in the plurality of products that are not to be shipped to a buyer free of charge.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory is configured with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to multiply the initial ranking score of the first product by the adjustment factor.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory is configured with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to present the plurality of products in a list that is ordered based, at least in part, on the initial ranking score for each of the plurality of products and at least one of the initial ranking score and the adjusted initial ranking score for the first product.

15. The system of claim 10, herein the memory is configured with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

determine whether a second conditional statement of the business rule is satisfied, wherein the second conditional statement provides that the second conditional statement is satisfied if the first product in the plurality of products is offered by a seller having a seller trust score that exceeds a threshold score; and

if the second conditional statement is satisfied then adjust the initial ranking score of the first product with a second adjustment factor specified in the business rule and if the conditional statement is not satisfied then refrain from adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with the second adjustment factor specified in the business rule.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory is configured with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to increase the initial ranking score to reflect a promotion for the product.

17. The system of claim 10, herein the memory is configured with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

determine whether a second conditional statement of the business rule is satisfied, wherein the second conditional statement provides that the second conditional statement is satisfied if the first product in the plurality of products is to be shipped to the buyer at a cost that exceeds a median, mean, or mode cost of shipping for products determined to be similar to the first product; and

if the second conditional statement is satisfied then adjust the initial ranking score of the first product with a second adjustment factor specified in the business rule and if the conditional statement is not satisfied then refrain from adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with the second adjustment factor specified in the business rule.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the memory is configured with additional instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to decrease the initial ranking score to reflect a demotion for the product.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

select a plurality of products in response to a search request by a buyer;

determine an initial ranking score for each product in the plurality of products;

determine whether a conditional statement of a business rule is satisfied, wherein the conditional statement provides that the conditional statement is satisfied if a first product in the plurality of products is to be shipped to the buyer free of charge;

if the conditional statement is satisfied then adjust the initial ranking score of the first product with an adjustment factor specified in the business rule and if the conditional statement is not satisfied then refrain from adjusting the initial ranking score of the first product with the adjustment factor specified in the business rule; and

present the plurality of products in a search results page positioned relative to one another based, at least in part, on the initial ranking score for each of the plurality of products and at least one of the initial ranking score and the adjusted initial ranking score for the first product.