Sending targeted product offerings based on personal information

• US 8,396,743 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Consolidated Transaction Processing LLC (Equitable IP Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Divan Industries, LLC (Innovation Management Sciences, LLC)
• Inventors: Alvin, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holly, John H
• Application Number:
  US13/401,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/14.1, 705/26.1, 705/38, 705/7.25, 705/50, 705/80, 705/59, 705/27.1, 705/34, 709/221, 709/223, 709/224, 235/380, 715/853, 715/855
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• 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 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

Targeted products are offered over a communications network. Product data for a plurality of products from a plurality of distributors for the products is received. Customer data from a plurality of customers comprising personal information about customers is received. Using the data, at least one user-specific product offering from the plurality of products is generated. Automated messages comprising the at least one user-specific product offering to the one or more customers are then sent.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for targeted product offering, the method comprising:

receiving product data for a plurality of products from a plurality of distributors for the products via a communications network;

receiving customer data from a plurality of customers, the customer data comprising location information associated with customers, the customer location information derived from an IP address associated with the customer;

generating, at least in part from the personal information concerning a customer location, at least one user-specific product offering from the plurality of products; and

sending, by a computer, automated messages comprising the at least one user-specific product offering to the one or more customers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user-specific product offering includes at least of:

a coupon, an electronic coupon, a promotional offer, an exclusive sale, an incentive, a rebate, and competitive pricing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the product data comprises product description, quantity available and price for each of the products for each of the distributors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer data comprises at least one of:

IP (Internet Protocol) address, IP host name, customer name, billing address, email address and purchase patterns.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dynamically adjusting pricing of the product offerings based on at least in part information stored in the database.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically adjusting pricing of the product offerings in the electronic catalogs based on a plurality of factors including at least one of:

an amount of web-site traffic, sales for a particular category, and sales for a particular product.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deriving the customer location data from a billing address associated with the customer.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program product for, when executed by a processor, performing a method for targeted advertising, the method comprising:

receiving product data for a plurality of products from a plurality of distributors for the products via a communications network;

receiving customer data from a plurality of customers, the customer data comprising location information about customers, the customer location information derived from an IP address associated with the customer;

generating, at least in part from the personal information concerning a customer location, at least one user-specific product offering from the plurality of products; and

sending automated messages comprising the at least one user-specific product offering to the one or more customers.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one user-specific product offering includes at least of:

a coupon, an electronic coupon, a promotional offer, an exclusive sale, an incentive, a rebate, and competitive pricing.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the data comprises product description, quantity available and price for each of the products for each of the distributors.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the customer data including customer name, billing address, email address and purchase patterns.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising dynamically adjusting pricing of the product offerings based on at least in part information stored in the database.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising dynamically adjusting pricing of the product offerings in the electronic catalogs based on a plurality of factors including at least one of:

an amount of web-site traffic, sales for a particular category, and sales for a particular product.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of distributors comprise a plurality of individual vendors.

15. A targeted advertising system, the system comprising:

a database to receive product data for a plurality of products from a plurality of distributors for the products via a communications network, the database also receiving customer data from a plurality of customers, the customer data comprising location information associated with customers, the customer location information derived from an IP address associated with the customer;

a communication interface to generate, at least in part from the location information, at least one user-specific product offering from the plurality of products; and

a computer service sub-system to send automated messages comprising the at least one user-specific product offering to the one or more customers.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one user-specific product offering includes at least of:

a coupon, an electronic coupon, a promotional offer, an exclusive sale, an incentive, a rebate, and competitive pricing.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the product data comprises product description, quantity available and price for each of the products for each of the distributors.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the customer data comprises at least one of:

IP (Internet Protocol) address, IP host name, customer name, billing address, email address and purchase patterns.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising at least one of:

deriving the customer location data from a billing address associated with the customer.

20. A method for targeted product offering, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer, product data for a plurality of products from a plurality of distributors for the products via a communications network, the product data comprising data corresponding to identical products for sale by more than one of the distributors;

receiving customer data from a plurality of customers, the customer data comprising location information about customers, the customer location information derived from an IP address associated with the customer;

generating, at least in part from the personal information, at least one user-specific product offering from the plurality of products; and

output the at least one user-specific product offering for display to the one or more customers.