System for customizing computer displays in accordance with user preferences

An electronic shopping system comprising:

• user data relating to a computer user's navigational choices and personal characteristics;
• merchant data relating to a merchant's products or services;
• general display variables independent of said merchant data indicating which elements of a computer display may be varied;
• actual display variables that conform to constraints imposed by said general display variables, at least one of said actual display variables selected in accordance with a user preference indicated by said user data;
• and
• means for selecting values for said actual display variables in accordance with preferences indicated by said user data and in accordance with merchant data.

A method for customizing a computer display, said method comprising the steps of:

• monitoring a computer user's navigational inputs;
• storing at least some information regarding said computer user's navigational inputs;
• monitoring a plurality of computer display characteristics that are independent of content;
• analyzing said information regarding said computer user's navigational inputs and personal characteristics to determine said computer user's preferences regarding said plurality of computer display characteristics;
• locating content relating to products and services offered by a plurality of merchants;
• determining which elements of a computer display independent of content may be varied;
• and
• selecting values for said variable computer display elements, said values selected in accordance with said computer user's preferences regarding said plurality of computer display characteristics and said content.

A method for customizing user displays from one user to another in a computer network, said method comprising the steps of:

• monitoring a first user's navigational inputs;
• storing at least some first user information regarding said first user's navigational inputs;
• analyzing said first user information to determine said first user's preferences for display characteristics and elements independent of content;
• monitoring a second user's navigational inputs;
• storing at least some second user information regarding said second user's navigational inputs;
• analyzing said second user information to determine said second user's preferences for display characteristics and elements independent of content;
• customizing a display seen by said first user to provide said first user's preferences for display characteristics and elements independent of content more prominently in said display;
• customizing a display seen by said second user to provide said second user's preferences for display characteristics and elements independent of content more prominently in said display;
• and
• wherein said first user's display is unique from said second user's display in the same computer network.