System, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for evaluating search results for personalized product substitutions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017193582-A1
Application number	US-201514986235-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 31, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system, method and computer product for allowing a processing device to generate search engine results to locate personalized product substitutions, filter the search results based on product characteristics and customer and retailer preferences, and provide personalized substitution recommendations to online grocery shoppers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a product database stored on a server; a user interface on a customer device accessible to a customer, wherein the customer places an order comprising a plurality of products; and a processing device of the server, wherein the processing device is in communication with the user interface, the processing device including:
an order unit configured to receive the online order, determine that at least one product of the plurality of products is not available for delivery, and send to a search engine unit a search request to locate in the database at least one substitute product,
the search engine unit configured to:
initiate a search on the product database,
generate a list of search results including a plurality of substitute products,
assign a weight to each of the plurality of substitute products based on at least one substitute preference, and
transmit to a recommender unit the list of search results, and

the recommender unit configured to rank the list of search results based on the assigned weights, and present the one or more substitute products of the list of search results to the customer on the customer device based on the ranking.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of substitute products are selected based on at least one of:
product data associated with the at least one product that is not available for delivery, customer data comprising at least one personal preference of the customer, and retailer data associated with a retailer.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one substitute preference is associated with the customer.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one substitute preference is associated with a retailer.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the recommender unit is further configured to present an option to the customer for selecting no substitute for the unavailable product.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the product database contains historical data regarding past purchases of all products offered for sale by a retailer, wherein the past purchase include all purchases made by all users.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the product database contains historical data regarding past substitutions offered to the customer.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the product database is searched using a cobought model algorithm.

9 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by an order unit, an online order from a customer via a customer device, wherein the online order comprises a plurality of products; determining, by the order unit, that at least one product of the plurality of products is not available for delivery; sending, by the order unit to a search engine unit, a search request to locate in a product database stored on a server, at least one substitute product; initiate, by the search engine unit, a search on the product database; generating, by the search engine unit, a list of search results including a plurality of substitute products; assigning, by the search engine unit, a weight to each of the plurality of substitute products based on at least one substitute preference; transmitting, by the search engine unit to a recommender unit, the list of search results; ranking, by the recommender unit, the list of search results based on the assigned weights; presenting, by the recommender unit, one or more substitute products of the list of search results to the customer on the customer device based on the ranking.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of substitute products are selected based on at least one of:
product data associated with the at least one product that is not available for delivery, customer data comprising at least one personal preference of the customer, and retailer data associated with a retailer.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one substitute preference is associated with the customer.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one substitute preference is associated with a retailer.

13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising presenting, by the recommender unit, an option to the customer for selecting no substitute for the unavailable product.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the product database contains historical data regarding past purchases of all products offered for sale by a retailer, wherein the past purchase include all purchases made by all users.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the product database contains historical data regarding past substitutions offered to the customer.

16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the product database is searched using a cobought model algorithm.

17 . A non-transitory information recording medium on which a computer readable program is recorded that causes a computer to function as a system comprising:
a product database stored on a server; a user interface on a customer device accessible to a customer, wherein the customer places an order comprising a plurality of products; and a processing device of the server, wherein the processing device is in communication with the user interface, the processing device including:
an order unit configured to receive the online order, determine that at least one product of the plurality of products is not available for delivery, and send to a search engine unit a search request to locate in the database at least one substitute product,
the search engine unit configured to:
initiate a search on the product database,
generate a list of search results including a plurality of substitute products,
assign a weight to each of the plurality of substitute products based on at least one substitute preference, and

transmit to a recommender unit the list of search results, and the recommender unit configured to rank the list of search results based on the assigned weights, and present the one or more substitute products of the list of search results to the customer on the customer device based on the ranking.

18 . The non-transitory information recording medium of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of substitute products are selected based on at least one of:
product data associated with the at least one product that is not available for delivery, customer data comprising at least one personal preference of the customer, and retailer data associated with a retailer.

19 . The non-transitory information recording medium of claim 17 , wherein the at least one substitute preference is associated with the customer.

20 . The non-transitory information recording medium of claim 17 , wherein the at least one substitute preference is associated with a retailer.

21 . The non-transitory information recording medium of claim 17 , wherein the recommender unit is further configured to present an option to the customer for selecting no substitute for the unavailable product.

22 . The non-transitory information recording medium of claim 17 , wherein the product database contains historical data regarding past purchases of all products offered for sale by a retailer, wherein the past purchase include all purchases made by all users.

23 . The non-transitory information recording medium of claim 17 , wherein the product database contains historical data regarding past substitutions offered to the customer.

24 . The non-transitory information recording medium of claim 17 , wherein the product dat

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Guo Stephen Dean
• Jain Mukesh
• Caster Kristy Ann
• Yuan Mindi
• Pavlidis Ioannis

Classifications

• G06Q30/0633

  Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087) · CPC title

• G06Q30/0627 Primary

  by specifying product or service characteristics, e.g. product dimensions · CPC title

• G06Q30/0631

  Recommending goods or services · CPC title

• G06F17/30528

  Physics · mapped topic