# US 10,769,664 B2 · Automated merchandising based on social media chatter

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- Number: US 10,769,664 B2
- Document ID: US10769664B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/057,321
- Filed: 2016-03-01
- Published: 2017-09-07
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-01
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Marco Deluca; Leho Nigul
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10769664B2

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0261: {based on user location}
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 10/44: Identification of trends within social networks, e.g. identification of trending topics
- G06Q 30/0603: {Catalogue creation or management}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

In an approach to automated merchandising, one or more computer processors detect access to an electronic store by a user. The one or more computer processors determine a location of the user. The one or more computer processors retrieve a plurality of social media communications associated with the location of the user, where social media communications include one or more publically available entries made by one or more users of one or more social media applications. The one or more computer processors determine whether the retrieved social media communications are associated with one or more merchandise associated with the electronic store. In response to determining the retrieved social media communications are associated with the one or more merchandise associated with the electronic store, the one or more computer processors determine a position of the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for generating a web page, the method comprising:
detecting, by one or more computer processors, access to a web page associated with an electronic store by a user via a computing device;
determining, by the one or more computer processors, a geo-location of the computing device via a global positioning service (GPS) device within the computing device;
mining, by the one or more computer processors, one or more social media applications for social media communications associated with the geo-location of the computing device, wherein social media communications include one or more publicly available entries made by one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications;
retrieving, by the one or more computer processors, a first quantity of social media communications based on a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications within a first pre-defined radius of the geo-location of the computing device;
retrieving, by the one or more computer processors a second quantity of social media communications based on a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications between the first pre-defined radius and a second pre-defined radius of the geo-location of the computing device;
retrieving, by the one or more computer processors a third quantity of social media communications based on a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications between the second pre-defined radius and a third pre-defined radius of the geo-location of the computing device, wherein the first pre-defined radius is smaller than the second pre-defined radius and the second pre-defined radius is smaller than the third pre-defined radius;
determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the retrieved social media communications are associated with one or more merchandise associated with the electronic store;
responsive to determining the retrieved social media communications are associated with the one or more merchandise associated with the electronic store, determining, by the one or more computer processors, the retrieved social media communications are negative using one or more natural language processing techniques;
determining, by the one or more computer processors, a current position of a reference to the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels associated with the electronic store by determining prominence of the reference to the one or more merchandise in a push notification using the one or more natural language processing techniques; and
generating, by the one or more computer processors, a web page associated with the electronic store by adjusting, by the one or more computer processors, based on the negative retrieved social media communications, a placement of the reference to the one or more merchandise to appear in a less prominent position in the one or more communication channels than the current position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
displaying, by the one or more computer processors, the web page to the user.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining a current position of a reference to the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels further comprises calculating, by the one or more computer processors, a merchandise score, wherein the merchandise score is based on a relevance of the retrieved social media communications to a product category accessed by the user.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining a current position of a reference to the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels further comprises determining, by the one or more computer processors, prominence of the reference to the one or more merchandise in at least one of: a web page, one or more search results, an email, a catalog, a text message, or a coupon.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving a plurality of social media communications associated with the geo-location of the computing device further comprises:
retrieving, by the one or more computer processors, a number of social media communications that varies based on a distance between a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications and the geo-location of the computing device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining a position of the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels further comprises:
determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the retrieved social media communications are positive or negative;
responsive to determining the retrieved social media communications are positive, adjusting, by the one or more computer processors, a placement of the reference to the one or more merchandise to a more prominent position in a communication channel than a current position; and
responsive to determining the retrieved social media communications are negative, eliminating, by the one or more computer processors, the reference to the one or more merchandise.

### Claim 7

A computer program product for generating a web page, the computer program product comprising:
one or more computer readable storage device and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage device, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to detect access to a web page associated with an electronic store by a user via a computing device;
program instructions to determine a geo-location of the computing device via a global positioning service (GPS) device within the computing device;
program instructions to mine one or more social media applications for social media communications associated with the geo-location of the computing device, wherein social media communications include one or more publicly available entries made by one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications;
program instructions to retrieve a first quantity of social media communications based on a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications within a first pre-defined radius of the geo-location of the computing device;
program instructions to retrieve a second quantity of social media communications based on a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications between the first pre-defined radius and a second pre-defined radius of the geo-location of the computing device;
program instructions to retrieve a third quantity of social media communications based on a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications between the second pre-defined radius and a pre-defined third radius of the geo-location of the computing device, wherein the first pre-defined radius is smaller than the second pre-defined radius and the second pre-defined radius is smaller than the third pre-defined radius;
program instructions to determine whether the retrieved social media communications are associated with one or more merchandise associated with the electronic store;
responsive to determining the retrieved social media communications are associated with the one or more merchandise associated with the electronic store, program instructions to determine the retrieved social media communications are negative using one or more natural language processing techniques;
program instructions to determine a current position of a reference to the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels associated with the electronic store by determining prominence of the reference to the one or more merchandise in a push notification using the one or more natural language processing techniques; and
program instructions to generate a web page associated with the electronic store by adjusting, based on the negative retrieved social media communications, a placement of the reference to the one or more merchandise to appear in a less prominent position in the one or more communication channels than the current position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The computer program product of claim 7, the stored program instructions further comprising:
program instructions to display the web page to the user.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to determine a current position of a reference to the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels comprise program instructions to calculate a merchandise score, wherein the merchandise score is based on a relevance of the retrieved social media communications to a product category accessed by the user.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to determine a current position of a reference to the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels comprise program instructions to determine prominence of the reference to the one or more merchandise in at least one of: a web page, one or more search results, an email, a catalog, a text message, or a coupon.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to retrieve a plurality of social media communications associated with the geo-location of the computing device comprise program instructions to retrieve a number of social media communications that varies based on a distance between a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications and the geo-location of the computing device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to determine a position of the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels comprise:
program instructions to determine whether the retrieved social media communications are positive or negative;
responsive to determining the retrieved social media communications are positive, program instructions to adjust a placement of the reference to the one or more merchandise to a more prominent position in a communication channel than a current position; and
responsive to determining the retrieved social media communications are negative, program instructions to eliminate the position of the reference to the one or more merchandise.

### Claim 13

A computer system for generating a web page, the computer system comprising:
one or more computer processors;
one or more computer readable storage device;
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage device for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to detect access to a web page associated with an electronic store by a user via a computing device;
program instructions to determine a geo-location of the computing device via a global positioning service (GPS) device within the computing device;
program instructions to mine one or more social media applications for social media communications associated with the geo-location of the computing device, wherein social media communications include one or more publicly available entries made by one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications;
program instructions to retrieve a first quantity of social media communications based on a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications within a first pre-defined radius of the geo-location of the computing device;
program instructions to retrieve a second quantity of social media communications based on a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications between the first pre-defined radius and a second pre-defined radius of the geo-location of the computing device;
program instructions to retrieve a third quantity of social media communications based on a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications between the second pre-defined radius and a third pre-defined radius of the geo-location of the computing device, wherein the first pre-defined radius is smaller than the second pre-defined radius and the second pre-defined radius is smaller than the third pre-defined radius;
program instructions to determine whether the retrieved social media communications are associated with one or more merchandise associated with the electronic store;
responsive to determining the retrieved social media communications are associated with the one or more merchandise associated with the electronic store, program instructions to determine the retrieved social media communications are negative using one or more natural language processing techniques;
program instructions to determine a current position of a reference to the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels by determining prominence of the reference to the one or more merchandise in a push notification using the one or more natural language processing techniques; and
program instructions to generate a web page associated with the electronic store by adjusting a placement of the reference to the one or more merchandise to appear in a less prominent position in the one or more communication channels than the current position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The computer system of claim 13, the stored program instructions further comprising:
program instructions to display the web page to the user.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The computer system of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to determine a current position of a reference to the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels comprise program instructions to calculate a merchandise score, wherein the merchandise score is based on a relevance of the retrieved social media communications to a product category accessed by the user.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The computer system of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to retrieve a plurality of social media communications associated with the geo-location of the computing device comprise program instructions to retrieve a number of social media communications that varies based on a distance between a geo-location of the one or more other individuals using one or more social media applications and the geo-location of the computing device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The computer system of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to determine a position of the one or more merchandise in one or more communication channels comprise:
program instructions to determine whether the retrieved social media communications are positive or negative;
responsive to determining the retrieved social media communications are positive, program instructions to adjust a placement of the reference to the one or more merchandise to a more prominent position in a communication channel than a current position; and
responsive to determining the retrieved social media communications are negative, program instructions to eliminate the position of the reference to the one or more merchandise.