US 7,069,271 B1 · Methods and apparatus for implementing internet storefronts to provide integrated functions

Abstract

A rapidly deployable, integrated online sales system consisting of a core storefront application that executes on a conventional web database server, a guided buying and sales configuration module for selling products and services, a content management module, a recommendation system for making recommendations during a shopping session, an advertising management system, a profiling system for customizing customer interactions based on the site visitor's demonstrated interests, and reporting system that provides an analysis of a user's behavior to create the valuable reports. The various components of the desired system are first assembled as a pre-integrated prototype system on a source computer that can be rapidly recreated using pre-written operating system installation scripts which execute during the deployment process, prompting the installer to provide data values used to modify the content of pre-written configuration template files to accommodate the special needs of each individual installation.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An integrated online sales system which comprises, in combination,

a web database server connected to the Internet for storing product, customer and sales transaction data, and
means for installing and managing the integrated operation of a cooperating set of separate application program modules comprising:
a storefront application which executes on said web database server,
a content management application for creating and updating product data stored on said database server,
a recommendation system for analyzing said customer and sales transaction data for predicting the preferences of individual customers and making specific real-time recommendations during a shopping session,
an advertising management application for selectively presenting advertising to each customers during a shopping session, and
a reporting system for analyzing said sales transaction data to generate reports.

4 more elements

A method for rapidly deploying an integrated online sales system for performing online sales transactions which comprises, in combination, the steps of:

providing a web database server connected to the Internet for storing product, customer and sales transaction data in database tables, and
providing an integrated set of one or more pre-written operating system installation scripts to perform the steps of:
installing a storefront application for execution on said web database server,
installing a content management application for creating and updating product data stored in said database tables,
installing a profiling application for accumulating customer profile data describing the activity of individual customers during shopping sessions,
installing a recommendation application for analyzing said customer profile data and said sales transaction data to predicting the preferences of individual customers and for making specific real-time recommendation to customers during a shopping session,
installing an advertising management application for selectively presenting advertising to each customers during a shopping session, and
installing a reporting application for analyzing said sales transaction data to generate reports.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus for implementing internet storefronts to provide integrated functions

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for implementing internet storefronts to provide integrated functions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10