Providing alternative items for unavailable items

A system, comprising:

• at least one computing device;
• and
• at least one application executable in the at least one computing device, wherein when executed the at least one application causes the at least one computing device to at least:
• determine that a particular item associated with a user account is unavailable;
• identify a plurality of available items that are included in a same item category as the particular item;
• for individual available items of the plurality of available items;
• assign a respective weight to individual factors of a plurality of factors associated with the individual available items based at least in part on a level of importance associated with the individual factors, the plurality of factors comprising one or more item attributes of the individual available items, a comparison of words within item titles between the particular item and the individual available items, and a comparison of ratios between a quantity associated with the particular item and a quantity associated with the individual available items, the respective weight being used to assess a level of similarity between the particular item and the individual available items, and the respective weight being one of a positive weight or a negative weight;
• generate a respective score for the available item based at least in part on a sum of weights assigned to the plurality of factors, the respective score being used to generate a hierarchical ranking of the plurality of available items;
• identify a plurality of alternate items from the plurality of available items based at least in part on the hierarchical ranking and user preference data associated with the user account;
• and
• generate a user interface comprising an item listing for the particular item, the item listing comprising a first user interface object corresponding to the particular item and a plurality of second user interface objects corresponding to the plurality of alternate items, the plurality of second user interface objects being arranged on the user interface according to the hierarchical ranking, and individual second user interface objects being configured such that a user interaction with a respective second user interface object triggers a modification of a user interface view to include a user interface element that indicates why a corresponding alternate item associated with the individual second user interface objects was presented as an alternate to the particular item.

A method, comprising:

• rendering, via a client device, a user interface comprising a first user interface object corresponding to an unavailable item and a plurality of second interface objects corresponding to a plurality of alternative items that are similar to the unavailable item, the plurality of alternative items being selected according to a respective score associated with individual alternative items of the plurality of alternative items, the respective score being determined by:
• assigning a respective weight to individual factors of a plurality of factors associated with the individual alternative items based at least in part on a level of importance associated with the individual factors, the plurality of factors comprising one or more item attributes of the individual alternative items, a comparison of words within item titles between the unavailable item and the individual alternative items, and a comparison of ratios between a quantity associated with the unavailable item and a quantity associated with the individual alternative items, the respective weight being used to assess a level of similarity between the unavailable item and the individual alternative items, and the respective weight being one of a positive weight or a negative weight;
• and
• generating a respective score for the individual alternative items based at least in part on a sum of weights assigned to the plurality of factors, the respective score being used to generate a hierarchical ranking of the plurality of alternative items,
• and the plurality of second user interface objects being arranged on the user interface according to the hierarchical ranking;
• identifying, via the client device, a user interaction with a particular second user interface object of the plurality of second user interface objects, the particular second user interface object being associated with a particular alternative item of the plurality of alternative items;
• and
• modifying, via the client device, the user interface to include a user interface element that provides additional information about the particular alternative item, the additional information include an indication as to why the particular alternative item was selected as an alternate to the unavailable item.