U.S. patent application number 13/184001 was filed with the patent office on 2012-11-15 for social marketplace affiliate front end.
Invention is credited to Henry Haitian Chen, Manish C. Mehta, Ronald Vincent Rose, Steven Tedjamulia, Rodney T. Whisnant.
Application Number | 20120290432 13/184001 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47142508 |
Filed Date | 2012-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120290432 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tedjamulia; Steven ; et
al. |
November 15, 2012 |
Social Marketplace Affiliate Front End
Abstract
A method and system are disclosed for managing social commerce
within a social media environment. Social commerce data associated
with an affiliate's social commerce storefront is processed to
generate user activity data, which corresponds to the interactions
of a plurality of users of the social commerce storefront. The user
activity data is then processed to generate social commerce
analysis data, which comprises search terms used by the plurality
of users. In turn, the social commerce analysis data is processed
to generate social commerce recommendations, which are then used to
incent the users to purchase products available for sale in the
affiliate's social commerce storefront.
Inventors: |
Tedjamulia; Steven; (Austin,
TX) ; Mehta; Manish C.; (Austin, TX) ; Rose;
Ronald Vincent; (Austin, TX) ; Whisnant; Rodney
T.; (Austin, TX) ; Chen; Henry Haitian;
(Austin, TX) |
Family ID: |
47142508 |
Appl. No.: |
13/184001 |
Filed: |
July 15, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61485767 |
May 13, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/26.7 ;
705/26.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0282 20130101;
G06Q 30/0631 20130101; G06Q 50/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/26.7 ;
705/26.1 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20120101
G06Q030/00 |
Claims
1. A computer-implementable method for automating the
administration of social commerce, comprising: processing social
commerce data to generate user activity data, the social commerce
activity data corresponding to a plurality of users of a social
commerce site, the social commerce site associated with an
affiliate, the affiliate associated with a provider of a set of
available products; processing the user activity data to generate
social commerce analysis data corresponding to the plurality of
users use of the social commerce site; and providing the social
commerce analysis data to the affiliate.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the social commerce analysis data
comprises product purchase data corresponding to the purchase of a
set of purchasable products by individual users of the plurality of
users, the set of purchasable products comprising a subset of the
set of available products.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the social commerce analysis data
is processed to generate social commerce recommendation data, the
social commerce recommendation data provided to the affiliate.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the social commerce
recommendation data comprises search term data used by individual
users of the plurality of users, the search term data corresponding
to the purchase of a set of purchasable products by the individual
users, the set of purchasable products comprising a subset of the
set of available products.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the search term data is provided
to the affiliate, the search term data used by the affiliate to
generate content data corresponding to the set of purchasable
products, the content data provided by the affiliate to the social
commerce site.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the search term data is provided
to the affiliate, the search term data used by the affiliate to
generate content data corresponding to the set of purchasable
products, the content data provided by the affiliate to an
affiliate site associated with an affiliate network, the content
data processed by the affiliate site to generate linked data
linking the content data to the social commerce site.
7. A system comprising: a processor; a data bus coupled to the
processor; and a computer-usable medium embodying computer program
code, the computer-usable medium being coupled to the data bus, the
computer program code interacting with a plurality of computer
operations and comprising instructions executable by the processor
and configured for: processing social commerce data to generate
user activity data, the social commerce activity data corresponding
to a plurality of users of a social commerce site, the social
commerce site associated with an affiliate, the affiliate
associated with a provider of a set of available products;
processing the user activity data to generate social commerce
analysis data corresponding to the plurality of users use of the
social commerce site; and providing the social commerce analysis
data to the affiliate.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the social commerce analysis data
comprises product purchase data corresponding to the purchase of a
set of purchasable products by individual users of the plurality of
users, the set of purchasable products comprising a subset of the
set of available products.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the social commerce analysis data
is processed to generate social commerce recommendation data, the
social commerce recommendation data provided to the affiliate.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the social commerce
recommendation data comprises search term data used by individual
users of the plurality of users, the search term data corresponding
to the purchase of a set of purchasable products by the individual
users, the set of purchasable products comprising a subset of the
set of available products.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the search term data is
provided to the affiliate, the search term data used by the
affiliate to generate content data corresponding to the set of
purchasable products, the content data provided by the affiliate to
the social commerce site.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the search term data is
provided to the affiliate, the search term data used by the
affiliate to generate content data corresponding to the set of
purchasable products, the content data provided by the affiliate to
an affiliate site associated with an affiliate network, the content
data processed by the affiliate site to generate linked data
linking the content data to the social commerce site.
13. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the
computer program code comprising computer executable instructions
configured for: processing social commerce data to generate user
activity data, the social commerce activity data corresponding to a
plurality of users of a social commerce site, the social commerce
site associated with an affiliate, the affiliate associated with a
provider of a set of available products; processing the user
activity data to generate social commerce analysis data
corresponding to the plurality of users use of the social commerce
site; and providing the social commerce analysis data to the
affiliate.
14. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the social
commerce analysis data comprises product purchase data
corresponding to the purchase of a set of purchasable products by
individual users of the plurality of users, the set of purchasable
products comprising a subset of the set of available products.
15. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the social
commerce analysis data is processed to generate social commerce
recommendation data, the social commerce recommendation data
provided to the affiliate.
16. The computer usable medium of claim 15, wherein the social
commerce recommendation data comprises search term data used by
individual users of the plurality of users, the search term data
corresponding to the purchase of a set of purchasable products by
the individual users, the set of purchasable products comprising a
subset of the set of available products.
17. The computer usable medium of claim 16, wherein the search term
data is provided to the affiliate, the search term data used by the
affiliate to generate content data corresponding to the set of
purchasable products, the content data provided by the affiliate to
the social commerce site.
18. The computer usable medium of claim 16, wherein the search term
data is provided to the affiliate, the search term data used by the
affiliate to generate content data corresponding to the set of
purchasable products, the content data provided by the affiliate to
an affiliate site associated with an affiliate network, the content
data processed by the affiliate site to generate linked data
linking the content data to the social commerce site.
19. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer
executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a
server at a remote location.
20. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer
executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a
customer on an on-demand basis.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/485,767, filed
May 13, 2011, entitled "Social Marketplace." U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/485,767 includes exemplary systems and methods
and is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] Embodiments of the invention relate generally to information
handling systems. More specifically, embodiments of the invention
provide a method and system for managing social commerce within a
social media environment.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] As the value and use of information continues to increase,
individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and
store information. One option available to users is information
handling systems. An information handling system generally
processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or
data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing
users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because
technology and information handling needs and requirements vary
between different users or applications, information handling
systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how
the information is handled, how much information is processed,
stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the
information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The
variations in information handling systems allow for information
handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or
specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline
reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In
addition, information handling systems may include a variety of
hardware and software components that may be configured to process,
store, and communicate information and may include one or more
computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
[0006] These same information handling systems have played a key
role in the rapid growth of electronic commerce on the Internet.
One known aspect of electronic commerce is affiliate networks,
which allow online merchants to reach a larger audience through
participation in various affiliate programs. Typically, potential
customers are referred to the merchant's website from an
affiliate's web site, which receives a share of any resulting sale
as compensation for the referral. Various affiliate network
services and benefits generally include referral tracking,
reporting tools, payment processing, and access to a large base of
participants. Over time, affiliate networks have made progress in
simplifying the process of registering affiliate participants fore
or more merchant affiliate programs. However, affiliates still face
integration challenges when attempting to provide their users a
customized subset of the merchant's website.
[0007] In recent years, information handling systems have also been
instrumental in the widespread adoption of social media into the
mainstream of everyday life. Social media commonly refers to the
use of web-based technologies for the creation and exchange of
user-generated content for social interaction. As such, it
currently accounts for approximately 22% of all time spent on the
Internet. More recently, various aspects of social media have
become an increasingly popular for enabling customer feedback, and
by extension, have likewise evolved into a viable marketing channel
for vendors. This new marketing channel, sometimes referred to as
"social marketing," has proven to not only have a higher customer
retention rate than traditional marketing channels, but to also
provide higher demand generation "lift."
[0008] Currently, social marketing is typically limited to
providing a link from a social media environment to the home page
of a merchant's website, where a referred user can then search for
a recommended product. In some cases, the user may be referred to a
predetermined product page or listing. However, no known ability is
currently available for a social marketer to refer a user to a
customized subset of a merchant's products. Furthermore, social
marketers generally lack real-time integration with the merchant's
site. As a result, they typically have to rely upon the merchant's
traditional methods of referral tracking, reporting, accounting and
payment processing. Moreover, there is a lack of simplified
integration between merchant websites, affiliate networks, and
social media environments, which pose challenges in realizing the
promise of social marketing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] A method and system are disclosed for managing social
commerce within a social media environment. In various embodiments,
a social commerce marketplace system is implemented for affiliates
of a merchant to conduct social commerce within a social commerce
environment. In these and other embodiments, social commerce data
associated with an affiliate's social commerce storefront is
processed to generate user activity data, which corresponds to the
interactions of a plurality of users of the social commerce
storefront. The user activity data is then processed to generate
social commerce analysis data, which is then provided to the
affiliate. In these various embodiments, the social commerce
analysis data comprises product purchase data associated with the
purchase of products by users of the affiliate's social commerce
storefront.
[0010] In certain of these embodiments, the social commerce
analysis data is further processed to generate social commerce
recommendations. In one embodiment, the social commerce
recommendation comprises one or more search terms related to one or
more products available for purchase at the affiliate's social
commerce storefront. In this embodiment, the recommendation is used
to incent the user to purchase the one or more products. In various
other embodiments, the search terms are provided to the affiliate,
who then uses them as key words when generating SEO content
corresponding to products that are available for purchase in their
social commerce storefront. In these and other embodiments, the SEO
content data may be provided to an affiliate site associated with
an affiliate network, which provides corresponding links to the
affiliate's social commerce network.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The present invention may be better understood, and its
numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those
skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The
use of the same reference number throughout the several figures
designates a like or similar element.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a generalized illustration of the components of an
information handling system as implemented in the system and method
of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing the
implementation of a social commerce marketing system;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram showing a high-level
architecture of a social commerce marketplace system;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram showing a plurality of
social commerce modules implemented within a plurality of host
environments;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a generalized flow chart of social commerce
initiation operations performed on behalf of an affiliate;
[0017] FIGS. 6a-d are generalized depictions of social commerce
initiation operations performed on behalf of an affiliate within a
plurality of user interface windows;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
social commerce operations;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
social commerce advertising network management operations;
[0020] FIGS. 9a-b show the creation of an affiliate offer within a
user interface window;
[0021] FIG. 10 shows the display of affiliate offers within a user
interface window;
[0022] FIG. 11 shows the display of affiliate network feeds and
associated offers within a user interface window;
[0023] FIG. 12 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
content syndication operations;
[0024] FIG. 13 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
billboard management operations;
[0025] FIG. 14 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
search engine optimization (SEO) management operations;
[0026] FIG. 15 shows the display of a product and associated
promotional information within a user interface window;
[0027] FIG. 16 shows an affiliate's blog comprising purchasable
product and associated promotional information displayed within a
user interface window;
[0028] FIG. 17 shows an affiliate's blog comprising social commerce
content associated with a purchasable product displayed within a
user interface window;
[0029] FIG. 18 shows the display of a product and associated social
commerce analysis data within a user interface window;
[0030] FIG. 19 shows the display of a product and associated search
engine optimization (SEO) performance data within a user interface
window;
[0031] FIG. 20 shows the display of search engine optimization
(SEO) prioritization data within a user interface window;
[0032] FIG. 21 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
electronic mail (email) and customer relationship management (CRM)
management operations;
[0033] FIG. 22 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
small to medium business (SMB) social commerce management
operations; and
[0034] FIG. 23 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
organic search operations.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] A method and system are disclosed for managing social
commerce within a social media environment. For purposes of this
disclosure, an information handling system may include any
instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to
compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate,
switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce,
handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data
for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example,
an information handling system may be a personal computer, a
network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary
in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The
information handling system may include random access memory (RAM),
one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit
(CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other
types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the
information handling system may include one or more disk drives,
one or more network ports for communicating with external devices
as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a
keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling
system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit
communications between the various hardware components.
[0036] FIG. 1 is a generalized illustration of an information
handling system 100 that can be used to implement the system and
method of the present invention. The information handling system
100 includes a processor (e.g., central processor unit or "CPU")
102, input/output (I/O) devices 104, such as a display, a keyboard,
a mouse, and associated controllers, a hard drive or disk storage
106, and various other subsystems 108. In various embodiments, the
information handling system 100 also includes network port 110
operable to connect to a network 140, which is likewise accessible
by a service provider server 142. The information handling system
100 likewise includes system memory 112, which is interconnected to
the foregoing via one or more buses 114. System memory 112 further
comprises operating system (OS) 116 and in various embodiments may
also comprise a social commerce marketplace system 118, a plurality
of social commerce affiliate management modules 120, a plurality of
merchant/network management modules 122, and a merchant online
cart/checkout system 124. In one embodiment, the information
handling system 100 is able to download the social commerce
marketplace system 118, the plurality of social commerce affiliate
management modules 120, the plurality of merchant/network
management modules 122, and the merchant online cart/checkout
system 124 from the service provider server 142. In another
embodiment, the social commerce marketplace system 118, the
plurality of social commerce affiliate management modules 120, the
plurality of merchant/network management modules 122, and the
merchant online cart/checkout system 124 is provided as a service
from the service provider server 142.
[0037] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing the
implementation of a social commerce marketing system in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a social
commerce marketplace system 118 is implemented with a plurality of
social commerce affiliate management modules 120, a plurality of
merchant/network management modules 122, a merchant online
cart/checkout system 124. In these and other embodiments, the
plurality of social commerce affiliate management modules 120 are
accessed and used by a plurality of affiliates 214. Likewise, the
plurality of social commerce affiliate management modules 120
comprises a blog/site management module 218, a social network
management module 222, and a mobile delivery management module 222.
The plurality of social commerce affiliate management modules 120
likewise comprises a hosting management module 224, a social
commerce management module 226, and a marketing management module
228.
[0038] In one embodiment, the blog/site management module 214 is
used by the plurality of affiliates 214 to manage the posting and
linking of social commerce content from the affiliate's online blog
or website to the social commerce marketplace system 118. In
another embodiment, the social network management module 220 is
used by the plurality of affiliates 214 to manage the linkages
between one or more social media environments and the social
commerce marketplace system 118. In yet another embodiment, the
mobile delivery management module 222 is used by the plurality of
affiliates 214 to manage the delivery of social commerce content to
a mobile device. In still another embodiment, the hosting
management module 224 is used by the plurality of affiliates 214 to
manage the hosting environment(s) of a customized social commerce
storefront associated with the affiliate and the merchant. In one
embodiment, the social commerce management module 226 is used by
the plurality of affiliates 214 to perform social commerce
management operations as described in greater detail herein. In yet
another embodiment, the marketing management module 228 is used by
the plurality of affiliates 214 to perform social commerce
marketing operations, as likewise described in greater detail
herein.
[0039] In various embodiments, the plurality of merchant/network
management modules 122 are accessed and used by a plurality of
merchant administrators 230. In these and other embodiments, the
plurality of merchant/network management modules 122 comprises a
merchant/network management module 234, and a social commerce
moderation module 236. Likewise, the plurality of merchant/network
management modules 122 comprises a social commerce reporting module
238, a targeting module 240, and an incentives module 242.
[0040] In one embodiment, the merchant/network management module is
used by is used by the plurality of merchant administrators 230 to
manage a plurality of affiliate social commerce storefronts and a
plurality of affiliate networks 204. In another embodiment, the
moderation management module 236 is used by the plurality of
merchant administrators 230 to monitor and moderate social commerce
content and associated social media content related to the
plurality of affiliates 214. In yet another embodiment, the social
commerce reporting module 238 is used by the plurality of merchant
administrators 230 to administer and deliver a plurality of social
commerce reports as described in greater detail herein. In one
embodiment, the targeting module 240 is used by the plurality of
merchant administrators 230 to perform targeted advertising and
promotion operations familiar to those of skill in the art and
described in greater detail herein. In another embodiment, the
incentives module 242 is used by the plurality of merchant
administrators 230 to manage the accounting and payment of
incentives to the plurality of affiliates 214 as compensation for
referring customers to the merchant. As described in greater detail
herein, the plurality of social commerce affiliate management
modules 120 and the plurality of merchant/network management
modules 122 may include additional modules and the foregoing is not
intended to limit the spirit, scope or intent of the invention.
[0041] Referring now to FIG. 2, a plurality of users, such as
customers 202, are referred by a plurality of affiliate networks
204 to the social commerce marketplace system 118 as described in
greater detail. Once referred, the customers 202 are presented with
a customized social commerce storefront that is associated with an
individual affiliate of the plurality of affiliates 214 and the
merchant. In various embodiments, each of the customized social
commerce storefronts comprises a micro catalog 208 of purchasable
products, which is a subset of a master catalog 210 comprising a
set of available products. In these and other embodiments, and as
likewise described in greater detail herein, the customized social
commerce storefronts comprise social commerce content related to
the purchasable products. In these various embodiments, the
customers 202 review the social commerce content and select
individual purchasable products for purchase. Once selected, an
online purchase transaction familiar to skilled practitioners of
the art is completed with the merchant online cart/checkout system
124.
[0042] FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram showing a high-level
architecture of a social commerce marketplace system as implemented
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In this
embodiment, the architecture a social commerce marketplace system
118 comprises infrastructure 302, data 304, application 306 and
presentation 308 layers. As shown in FIG. 3, the infrastructure 302
layer comprises feeds from affiliate networks 316, as described in
greater detail herein, and other networks 318, such as advertising
networks known to those of skill in the art. The infrastructure 302
layer likewise comprises a local application fabric 314, as
likewise known to those of skill in the art, a plurality of
application programming interfaces (APIs) 312, and a plurality of
databases 310, as described in greater detail herein. The data 304
layer likewise comprises repository classes 320, which are used for
the exchange of data between the data 304 and infrastructure 302
layers.
[0043] Likewise, the application 306 layer comprises host
environments 322, which in turn comprise a tenancy management
module 324, a product catalog management module 326, and a product
search module 328. The host environments 322 likewise comprise a
stores management module 330, a commission management module 332,
and a caching module 334. Likewise, the host environments 322
comprise an auditing module 336, a notifications module 338, a
search engine optimization (SEO) module 340, a security management
module 342, a moderation management module 344, and other modules
346 as described in greater detail herein.
[0044] In one embodiment, the tenancy management module 324 is used
by merchant administrators to manage a plurality of affiliate
tenancies in a virtual environment. In another embodiment, the
product catalog management module 326 is used to manage available
products in a master catalog and purchasable products, which are
subsets of the available products, in micro catalogs as described
in greater detail herein. In yet another embodiment, the product
search module 328 is used with various other modules in the
initiation, provisioning, and management of affiliate storefronts.
In still another embodiment, the commission management module 332
is used to track, account, and pay commissions to affiliates as
compensation for referring customers to the merchant. In one
embodiment, the caching module 334 is used to cache social commerce
content and other data related to conducting social commerce
operations.
[0045] In another embodiment, the auditing module 336 is used to
audit social commerce transactions that are performed within the
social commerce marketplace system. In yet another embodiment, the
notifications module 338 is use to manage notifications to
affiliates as well as users referred by the affiliates to the
social commerce marketplace system. In still another embodiment,
the SEO module 340 is used to perform SEO operations known to
skilled practitioners of the art. In this embodiment, the SEO
operations, as described in greater detail herein, are performed to
optimize the identification of a purchasable product according to
the search terms used by either an affiliate or a user of a social
media environment. In one embodiment, the security module is used
to maintain the security of the social commerce marketplace system.
In another embodiment, the moderation module 344 is used to monitor
and moderate social commerce content and associated social media
content related to a plurality of affiliates. In yet another
embodiment, the other modules 346 comprise additional modules, as
described in greater detail herein, that operate within the host
environments 322.
[0046] In various embodiments, the presentation 308 layer comprises
a Representational State Transfer (REST) application program
interface (API) 348 known to skilled practitioners of the art. In
these and other embodiments, the presentation 308 layer likewise
comprises a controller module 350 a presentation model 352, a
presentation view 354, and a plurality of administration 356 and
affiliate storefront 358 site. In these various embodiments, the
controller module 350 interacts with the presentation model 354 and
presentation view 354, which likewise interact with each other, to
present different aspects of the plurality of administration 356
and affiliate storefront 358 sites. Likewise, the presentation view
354 module provides feedback to the controller module 350.
[0047] Referring now to FIG. 3, the presentation 308 layer
comprises manager classes 350 and the application 306 layer
comprises domain services. The manager classes 360 provide
presentation layer data to the service contracts module 362, which
is then used for the management of the domain service 364. In turn,
the domain services 364 provide application layer data to the
repository contracts module 366, where it is used for the
management of the repository classes 320. Likewise, the service
contracts module 362 and the repository contracts module 366 are
managed and bounded by a dependencies module 368. In turn, the
dependencies module 368 is managed with the logging 370, caching
372, and auditing 374 management modules.
[0048] FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram showing a plurality of
social commerce modules implemented within a plurality of host
environments in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In
this embodiment, the host environments 322 comprise social media
store 401, affiliate storefront 402, blog 403, templates 404,
content 406, notifications 410, uniform resource locator (URL) 411,
reputation 412, and search engine optimization (SEO) 417 management
modules. Likewise, the host environments 322 comprise catalog 426,
links 435, web analytics 438, fraud 442, payment 448,
administration 454, and reports 463 management modules.
[0049] In one embodiment, the social media store 401 management
module is used to manage a social commerce storefront that is
associated with an affiliate's presence and activities within a
social media environment. In another embodiment, the affiliate
storefront 402 management module is used to manage a social
commerce storefront that is associated with an affiliate's web site
or online blog. In yet another embodiment, the blog 403 management
module is used to manage an affiliate's blog activities as it
relates to social commerce activities, processes and operations as
described in greater detail herein. In still another embodiment, as
likewise described in greater detail herein, the templates 404
management module is used for the automated configuration of social
commerce storefront pages. In one embodiment, the notifications 410
management module is used for the management of notifications to
affiliates and users associated with affiliates, such as users of
an affiliate's online social commerce presence. In various
embodiments, the affiliate's online presence may comprise a blog, a
website, or a community of interest or conversation thread in a
social media environment. In another embodiment, the URL 411
management module is used to manage URL links between the host
environments 322 and the affiliate's various online social commerce
presences.
[0050] In yet another embodiment, the content 405 management module
further comprises articles 406, podcast 407, pictures 408, and
video 409 management sub-modules. In this and other embodiments,
the articles 406, podcast 407, pictures 408, and video 409
management sub-modules are used by affiliates to manage their
respective, associated content as it relates to social commerce
operations. In still another embodiment, the reputation 412
management module comprises points 413, badges 414, activity 415,
and score 416 management sub-modules. In this and other
embodiments, the reputation 412 management module comprises points
413, badges 414, activity 415, and score 416 management sub-modules
are used by the merchant to manage reputation data associated with
affiliates. As used herein, reputation data refers to data
associated with social commerce activities performed by an
affiliate. As an example, an affiliate may receive points from a
merchant for each item of social commerce content they product.
Likewise, badges may be awarded upon achievement of various point
tiers or frequency of activity. Likewise, each social commerce
content item may receive a score that is associated with the
achievement of the points and badges. It will be appreciated that
many such examples are possible and the foregoing is not intended
to limit the spirit, scope, or intent of the invention.
[0051] In one embodiment, the SEO management 417 module comprises
backlinks 418, rank 419, competition 420, search application
program interface (API) 421, keyword density 422, keyword placement
423, keyword insertion 424, and content comparison 425 management
sub-modules. In this and other embodiments the various sub-modules
of the SEO management 417 module are used by affiliates and the
merchants to perform SEO operations familiar to those of skill in
the art. As an example, the backlinks 418 management sub-module may
be used to determine prior web site locations that a user has
visited prior to being referred to an affiliate's social commerce
storefront. Likewise, the rank 419 management sub-module may be
used to determine the search engine rank assigned to the
affiliate's social commerce storefront as well as the individual
search engine ranking of the search terms that resulted in the
referral. As another example, the competition 420 management
sub-module may be used by the merchant to rank the search engine
popularity of their competitors, or alternatively, the frequency
that a competitor's web site is returned as a result of a search by
a user of a social media environment. Likewise, the search API 421
management sub-module may be used by the merchant and affiliates
alike to gain access to various search engines in order to receive
search metadata. As yet another example, the keyword density 422,
placement 423, and insertion 424 management sub-modules may
likewise be used by the merchant and the affiliates to optimize
searches through the use of predetermined keywords within related
social commerce content. As still another example, the content
comparison 425 sub-module may be used to compare various items of
social commerce content to determine which items perform better
than others during SEO operations.
[0052] In another embodiment, the catalog 426 management module
comprises filter 427, search 428, price 429, taxonomy 430, import
431, differential 432, categories 433, and deals 434 management
sub-modules. In this and other embodiments, the filter 427, search
428, price 429, taxonomy 430, import 431, differential 432,
categories 433, and deals 434 management sub-modules are used by
the affiliate for managing their social commerce storefronts. For
example, the filter 427, search 428, price 429, differential 432,
deals 434, and import 431 management sub-modules may be used
individually, or in combination, to identify and populate a set of
purchasable products within a micro catalog from a set of available
products contained in a master catalog. Likewise, the taxonomy 430
and categories 433 management sub-modules may be used to understand
the interrelationship of various purchasable products and how they
are categorized within the affiliate's social commerce storefront.
It will be appreciated that many such examples are possible and the
foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit, scope, or intent of
the invention.
[0053] In yet another embodiment, the links 435 management module
comprises network 436 and system 437 management sub-modules, which
are used to manage the linkages between the various systems,
modules, and sub-modules of the social commerce marketplace system
and various affiliate and advertising networks. In still another
embodiment, the web analytics 438 module comprises web crawling
439, listening 440, and analytics 441 management sub-modules. In
this and other embodiments the web crawling 439, listening 440, and
analytics 441 management sub-modules are used by the merchant to
perform web analytics operations familiar to skilled practitioners
of the art. As an example, the merchant may use the web crawling
439 management sub-module to perform web crawling operations to
discover conversation threads associated with its products. Once
discovered, the listening 440 management sub-module may be used to
monitor the conversations threads, which are then analyzed with the
analytics 441 management sub-module to determine their relevance
and possible effect on social commerce operations. Those of skill
in the art will be knowledgeable of many such examples.
Accordingly, the foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit,
scope, or intent of the invention.
[0054] In one embodiment, the fraud 442 management module comprises
an abuse reporting 443, traffic 444, links 445, Internet Protocol
(IP) 446, and dashboard 447 management sub-modules. In this and
other embodiments, the abuse reporting 443, traffic 444, links 445,
Internet Protocol (IP) 446, and dashboard 447 management
sub-modules are used by the merchant to identify, mitigate, and
prevent fraudulent behavior within the social commerce market place
system. As an example, the traffic 444, links 445, and IP 446
management sub-modules may be used to identify the source of
fraudulent behavior. Once identified, it may be reported by the
abuse reporting 443 management sub-module and then displayed for
review within a user interface by the dashboard 447 sub-module.
[0055] In another embodiment, the payment 448 module comprises a
traffic 449, payment 450, 1099 Form 451, buyers 452, and payment
processor 453, management sub-modules. In this and other
embodiments, the traffic 449, payment 450, 1099 451, buyers 452,
and payment processor 453, management sub-modules are used by the
merchant for the management of payment to affiliates. As an
example, the buyers 452 and traffic 449 management sub-modules may
be used to identify individual buyers and the traffic they generate
at an affiliate's social commerce storefront. In turn, the payment
450 and payment processor 453 sub-modules may be used to track the
payments made by the buyers, which are then processed by various
payment processors. Likewise, the same sub-modules may be used to
track commission payments made by the merchant to individual
affiliates. The output of those sub-modules may then be processed
by the 1099 Form 451 sub-module for managing reporting of the
commission payments to the affiliate to the Internal Revenue
Service (RIS).
[0056] In yet another embodiment, the administration 454 module
comprises companies 455, target 456, users 457, roles 458, deals
459, moderation 460, profile 461, and email 462 management
sub-modules. In this embodiment, the companies 455, target 456,
users 457, roles 458, deals 459, moderation 460, profile 461, and
email 462 management sub-modules are used by the merchant to
administer the various users of the social commerce marketplace
system. As an example, the target 456 management sub-module may be
used, individually or in conjunction with, the target 456, users
457, profile 461, and roles 458 management sub-modules to identify
specific users of a social media environment. Once identified,
their social media interactions may be monitored by the moderation
460 management sub-module, and in turn the email 462 and deals 459
management sub-modules may be used individually, or in combination,
to target predetermined users.
[0057] In still another embodiment, the reports module 463
comprises traffic abuse 463, traffic 465, search engines 466, users
467, content status 468, and competitors 469 reporting sub-modules.
In this embodiment, the traffic abuse 463, traffic 465, search
engines 466, users 467, content status 468, and competitors 469
reporting sub-modules are used by the merchant to generate various
reports related to social commerce operations, which in turn may be
provided to an affiliate. As an example, the content status 468
reporting sub-module may report on the status of various items of
social commerce content and the search engines 466 reporting
sub-module may report on the search results it generates. In turn,
the traffic reporting 465 sub-module may be used to report on the
social commerce traffic resulting from the search results and the
users 467 reporting sub-module may provide reports related to the
various users referred to the social commerce site. Likewise, the
traffic abuse reporting sub-module 464 may be used to report on
various traffic abuses related to the social commerce marketplace
system, while the competitors 469 reporting sub-module may provide
reports related to competitive activity from competitors. It will
be appreciated that many such examples are possible and the
foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit, scope or intent of
the invention.
[0058] FIG. 5 is a generalized flow chart of social commerce
initiation operations performed on behalf of an affiliate in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment,
affiliate social commerce operations are begun in step 502,
followed by a candidate affiliate providing information to a
merchant in step 504 to register as an affiliate. The merchant then
uses the provided information to create a social commerce
storefront for the affiliate in step 506. The affiliate then
proceeds to select a product to add to their social commerce
storefront in step 508. In various embodiments, the product is
selected from a plurality of available products contained in a
master catalog. The selected product is then added to the
affiliate's social commerce storefront in step 510. In various
embodiments, a selected product becomes a purchasable product once
it is added to the affiliate's social commerce storefront.
[0059] The affiliate then views their social commerce storefront in
step 512, followed by a determination being made in step 514
whether to add an additional product. If so, then the process is
continued, proceeding with step 508. Otherwise, an article related
to one or more of the purchasable products is written in step 516
and then posted to the affiliate's social commerce storefront. The
ongoing sales results of the affiliate's social commerce storefront
is then tracked in step 518, as well as the ongoing ranking of its
performance relative to other affiliate social commerce storefronts
in step 520. Ongoing conversion of organic searches resulting in
sale is likewise tracked in step 522, followed by affiliate social
commerce initiation operations being ended in step 524.
[0060] FIGS. 6a-d are generalized depictions of social commerce
initiation operations performed on behalf of an affiliate within a
plurality, of user interface windows in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a social commerce
storefront management module, as described in greater detail
herein, is implemented within a window 604 of a user interface (UI)
602. As shown in FIG. 6a, the UI window 604 comprises data entry
fields 606 for a candidate affiliate to provide information to
initiate the creation of a social commerce storefront. Referring
now to FIG. 6b, the affiliate then provides additional information
610 associated with their social commerce storefront. As shown in
FIG. 6c, the affiliate selects the category 614 of their social
commerce storefront, and as likewise shown in FIG. 6d, selects
products 614 to be displayed for purchase within their social
commerce storefront.
[0061] FIG. 7 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
social commerce operations as implemented in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, social commerce
operations are begun in step 702, followed by the affiliate
managing the integration of the social commerce storefront in step
704 with a social media environment, such as a social network. In
various embodiments, the integration may be with an affiliate web
site or blog. The affiliate then launches the social commerce
storefront in step 706, followed by the importation of friends,
family, and associates from one or more social media environments
(e.g., a social network) in step 708. The friends, family and
associates are then matched with products that are appropriate to
their interests in step 710, followed by a determination in step
712 whether to create a promotional offer for them. If so, then a
promotional offer is created in step 714 and the process is
continued, proceeding with step 712. Otherwise, a determination is
made in step 716 whether the affiliate will offer to provide an
offer to pay a commission to the friends, family or associates in
return for referrals. If so, then then a commission offer is
prepared in step 718 and the process is continued, proceeding with
step 716. Otherwise the promotion offers(s), the commission
offer(s), or both, are displayed to the friends, family and
associates in-line within the social media environment in step 720.
Ongoing activity at the affiliate's social commerce storefront, and
the corresponding success of the offer(s), is tracked in step 722
and social commerce operations are then ended in step 724.
[0062] FIG. 8 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
social commerce advertising network management operations as
implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In
this embodiment, advertising network operations are begun in step
802, followed by ongoing operations in step 804 for affiliate and
enterprise channels to manage their online advertisements. In step
806 the affiliate and enterprise channels perform ongoing
operations to select online advertisements for purchase, followed
by corresponding ongoing operations in step 808 to place the
purchased online advertisements in predetermined online locations.
In steps, 812, 814, 816, and 818, the affiliate and enterprise
channels perform ongoing operations respectively display the online
advertisements in social commerce storefronts, online newsletters,
social media channels, online billboards, and enterprise sites.
Ongoing operations are then performed in step 820 to correlate
sales to the placement of the online advertisements, followed by
advertising network operations being ended in step 822.
[0063] FIGS. 9a-b show the creation of an affiliate offer within a
user interface window in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. In this embodiment, a social commerce storefront deals
management module, as described in greater detail herein, is
implemented within a window 904 of a user interface (UI) 902. As
shown in FIG. 9a, the Ul window 904 comprises an `Offers` tab 906,
a data entry field 908 for information related to the merchant and
the affiliate making the offer, and associated data entry fields
910 corresponding to details of the purchasable product. Likewise,
the UI window 904 comprises data entry fields 912 corresponding to
details of the offer, as well as an offer display window 914 that
provides a preview of the offer as it will appear when presented
within a social media environment. As likewise shown in FIG. 9a,
data display field 916 displays summary information corresponding
to a related offer, and as shown in FIG. 9b, a corresponding offer
display window 918 providing a preview of the related offer, as
well as data display fields 920 displaying summary information
corresponding to other offers.
[0064] FIG. 10 shows the display of affiliate offers within a user
interface window implemented in accordance with an embodiment of
the invention. In this embodiment, a social commerce storefront
deals management module, as described in greater detail herein, is
implemented within a window 1004 of a user interface (UI) 1002. As
shown in FIG. 10, the UI window 1004 comprises an `Offers` tab
1006, as well a listing 1008 of a plurality of offers and related
information 1010.
[0065] FIG. 11 shows the display of affiliate network feeds and
associated offers within a user interface window implemented in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment,
a social commerce storefront deals management module, as described
in greater detail herein, is implemented within a window 1104 of a
user interface (UI) 1102. As shown in FIG. 11, the UI window 1104
comprises an `Offers` tab 906, as well a listing 1108 of a
plurality of advertising network feeds corresponding to referrals
resulting from associated offers, and related information 1110.
[0066] FIG. 12 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
content syndication operations as implemented in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, content
syndication operations are begun in step 1202, followed by the
ongoing generation of search engine optimization (SEO) content by
an affiliate, a professional author, or both, in step 1204. Ongoing
syndication operations are then performed in step 1206 to syndicate
the SEO content other sites and establish corresponding links.
Then, in step 1208, ongoing operations are performed to post the
SEO content to other content marketplaces known to skilled
practitioners of the art. A determination is then made in step 1210
whether enterprises (e.g., corporations) elect to accept the SEO
content. If so, then ongoing operations are performed by the
enterprises in step 1212 to accept the SEO content for online
publication. As an example, a corporation may elect to post
predetermined SEO content on their internal web site for review by
employees.
[0067] However, if it is determined in step 1210 that enterprises
do not elect to accept the SEO content, or if they do so in step
1212, then a determination is made in step 1214 whether other
affiliates elect to accept the SEO content for online publication.
If so, then ongoing operations are performed by affiliates in step
1216 to accept the SEO content for publication in step 1217. For
example, another affiliate may elect to publish SEO content that is
complementary to content they generate themselves. However, if it
is determined in step 1214 that other affiliates do not elect to
accept the SEO content, or if they do so in step 1216, then ongoing
operations are performed in step 1218 for enterprises, affiliates,
or both, to post a "bounty" (i.e., an offer for compensation) for
content creation. Thereafter, ongoing operation are performed in
step 1220 to track authors, the content they generate, their
corresponding reputation ratings, and the monetary value they
receive as compensation for providing the content. Content
syndication operations are then ended in step 1222.
[0068] FIG. 13 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
billboard management operations as implemented in accordance with
an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, online
billboard management operations familiar to those of skill in the
art are begun in step 1320, followed by the ongoing aggregation of
the most popular product content in step 1304. A micro site, such
as a small, specialized web site, is then created in step 1306,
followed by ongoing operations in step 1309 to determine high
rankings for challenging key words used in searches for product
information. Ongoing operations are then performed in step 1310 to
drive traffic to affiliate social commerce storefronts, such as
using the high ranking challenging key words in search engine
optimization (SEO) operations known to skilled practitioners of the
art. Thereafter, ongoing operations are performed in step 1312 to
determine high ranking niche focus key words, followed by ongoing
operations being performed by affiliates in step 1314 to drive
traffic to their storefronts, and accordingly, receive compensation
from a merchant for doing so. In step 1316, ongoing operations are
performed by the merchant to challenge small affiliates to
challenge the sales performance of larger affiliates. Online
billboard management operations are then ended in step 1318.
[0069] FIG. 14 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
search engine optimization (SEO) management operations as
implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In
this embodiment, SEO management operations are begun in step 1402,
followed by an affiliate using key words in step 1404 to perform
search operations within a merchant's master catalog to identify
candidate products to promote in their social commerce storefront.
In step 1406, the same key words are used by the affiliate to
perform sales forecast operations related to the candidate
products. Then, in step 1408, the key words are used to perform a
competitive back link analysis. As an example, the affiliate may
submit the key words to a search engine to see which competitive
products are returned, their search engine ranking and
prioritization, as well as their associated links.
[0070] The affiliate then adds a candidate product to their social
commerce storefront in step 1410, where it becomes a purchasable
product, followed by the affiliate viewing their social commerce
storefront in step 1412. A determination is then made in step 1414
whether to add an additional purchasable product to their social
commerce storefront. If so, then the process is continued,
proceeding with step 1408. Otherwise, ongoing operations are
performed in step 1416 to create SEO content. As an example, the
SEO content may contain key words associated with predetermined
product. A user using those key words in a search would be
presented with a search engine link to the SEO content, which in
turn would be linked to the product page within the affiliate's
social commerce storefront. Ongoing operations are then performed
in step 1418 to track SEO performance related to the SEO content
and the associated products within the affiliate's social commerce
storefront. In step 1420, the affiliate receives ongoing reminders
to generate additional SEO content and to continue to improve the
SEO performance of the content they produce.
[0071] Ongoing operations are performed in step 1422 to rank the
SEO performance of the affiliate's social commerce storefront. In
various embodiments, social commerce data associated with an
affiliate's social commerce storefront is processed to generate
user activity data, which corresponds to the interactions of a
plurality of users of the social commerce storefront. The user
activity data is then processed to generate social commerce
analysis data, which is then provided to the affiliate. In these
and other embodiments, the social commerce analysis data comprises
product purchase data associated with the purchase of products by
users of the affiliate's social commerce storefront. In certain of
these embodiments, the social commerce analysis data is further
processed to generate social commerce recommendations. In one
embodiment, the social commerce recommendation comprises one or
more search terms related to one or more products available for
purchase at the affiliate's social commerce storefront. In this
embodiment, the recommendation is used to incent the user to
purchase the one or more products. In various other embodiments,
the search terms are provided to the affiliate, who then uses them
as key words when generating SEO content corresponding to products
that are available for purchase in their social commerce
storefront. In these and other embodiments, the SEO content data
may be provided to an affiliate site associated with an affiliate
network, which provides corresponding links to the affiliate's
social commerce network. SEO operations are then ended in step
1424.
[0072] FIG. 15 shows the display of a product and associated
promotional information within a user interface window in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment,
a social commerce storefront management module, as described in
greater detail herein, is implemented within a window 1504 of a
user interface (UI) 1502. As shown in FIG. 15, the UI window 1504
comprises a `Shop` tab 1506, a plurality of product data 1508
corresponding to a graphical image 1510 of the product, and offer
icons 1512 linked to related offers. In various embodiments, the
plurality of product data 1508 contains key words that are used in
search engine optimization (SEO) operations familiar to those of
skill in the art to increase the likelihood of a user being
referred to the product displayed within the UI window 1504 when
using predetermined search terms.
[0073] FIG. 16 shows an affiliate's blog comprising purchasable
product and associated promotional information displayed within a
user interface window in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. In this embodiment, a social commerce storefront
management module, as described in greater detail herein, is
implemented within a window 1604 of a user interface (UI) 1602 to
generate a social commerce storefront associated with an
affiliate's blog. As shown in FIG. 16, the UI window 1604 comprises
a `My Store` tab 1606, which comprises a data display sub-window
1614 displaying a promotional offer, and a plurality of data
display sub-windows 1616 displaying purchasable products and
associated product information. The UI window 1604 likewise
comprises a graphical image 1608 of the affiliate, associated
information 1610 about the affiliate, graphical images 1612 linked
to associates of the affiliate, and a plurality of advertisements
1618. In various embodiments, data display sub-window 1614 and the
plurality of data display sub-windows 1616 contain key words that
used in search engine optimization (SEO) operations to increase the
likelihood of a user being referred to promotional offers or
products within the affiliate's social commerce storefront.
[0074] FIG. 17 shows an affiliate's blog comprising social commerce
content associated with a purchasable product displayed within a
user interface window in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. In this embodiment, an affiliate's blog is implemented
within a window 1704 of a user interface (UI) 1702. As shown in
FIG. 17, the UI window 1704 comprises a `Blog` tab 1706 and a first
blog entry 1708 associated with a first product available for
purchase in the affiliate's social commerce storefront, and a link
1710 to a streaming video corresponding to the first product. The
UI window 1704 likewise comprises a second blog entry 1712
associated with a second product available for purchase in the
affiliate's social commerce storefront. Likewise, the UI window
1704 comprises data display sub-windows 1714, 1716, 1718, and 1720,
which respectively contain information related to the social
commerce storefront, advertisements, links to social media
environments, and recent activity. In various embodiments, first
blog entry 1708 and second blog entry 1712 comprise search engine
optimization (SEO) content that further comprises key words used in
SEO operations to increase the likelihood of a user being referred
to promotional offers or products within the affiliate's social
commerce storefront.
[0075] FIG. 18 shows the display of a product and associated social
commerce performance data within a user interface window in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment,
a social commerce storefront management module, as described in
greater detail herein, is implemented within a window 1804 of a
user interface (UI) 1802 to display social commerce analysis data
associated with an affiliate's social commerce storefront. As shown
in FIG. 18, the UI window 1804 comprises a `My Store` tab 1806,
which comprises a plurality of product data 1810 associated with a
graphical image 1808 of a product, and a plurality of status data
1812 corresponding to the current status of associated social
commerce content. In one embodiment, the plurality of status data
1812 comprises a reminder or other incentive for the affiliate to
generate social commerce content. The UI window 1804 likewise
comprises a plurality of menu icons 1814, a plurality of social
commerce storefront metrics 1816, and a plurality of corresponding
social commerce analysis data 1818.
[0076] FIG. 19 shows the display of a product and associated search
engine optimization (SEO) performance data within a user interface
window in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In this
embodiment, a social commerce storefront management module, as
described in greater detail herein, is implemented within a window
1904 of a user interface (UI) 1902 to display social commerce
analysis data associated with a product available for purchase in
an affiliate's social commerce storefront. As shown in FIG. 19, the
UI window 1904 comprises a `Products` tab 1906, which comprises a
plurality of product data 1910 associated with a graphical image
1908 of a product. The UI window 1904 likewise comprises a `Monthly
Estimated Commissions` 1912 data display window and a search engine
optimization (SEO) data display window 1918. As likewise shown in
FIG. 19, the `Monthly Estimated Commissions` 1912 data display
window comprises a plurality of social commerce analysis data 1914
related to metrics that need to be achieved to reach a
predetermined commission goal, and an interactive graphic 1916 that
adjusts the metrics accordingly. Likewise, the search engine
optimization (SEO) data display window 1918 comprises a plurality
of SEO key words, their corresponding traffic and SEO ranking, and
corresponding competition rankings.
[0077] FIG. 20 shows the display of search engine optimization
(SEO) prioritization data within a user interface window in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment,
key words 2004 associated with a target product available for
purchase in an affiliate's social commerce storefront are entered
within a user interface (UI) 2002 of a store front. A search is
performed with the key words 2004 and a first search engine result
2004 is returned for the target product along with subsequent
search engine results 2006 for other products. In various
embodiments, the affiliate iteratively performs SEO operations to
determine which key words return the highest results and then
includes those terms when generating SEO social commerce
content.
[0078] FIG. 21 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
electronic mail (email) and customer relationship management (CRM)
management operations as implemented in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, email and CRM
management operations are begun in step 2102, followed by affiliate
uploading social commerce storefront customer data into an email
and CRM application in step 2104. An email invitation is then sent
to target customers in step 2106 inviting them to register for
rebates and a newsletter generated by the affiliate. A
determination is then made in step 2108 whether the target
customers elect to register for the newsletter. If so, then ongoing
operations are performed in step 2110 to register the customers for
the newsletter. Thereafter, or if it is determined in step 2108
that the target customers elected not to register for the
newsletter, then a determination is made in step 2112 whether the
target customers elect to register for the rebate. If so, then
ongoing operations are performed in step 2114 to register the
target customers for the rebate.
[0079] Thereafter, or if it is determined in step 2112 that the
target customers elected not to register for the rebate, then
ongoing operations are performed in step 2116 to capture customer
buying behavior. Then, in step 2118, ongoing operations are
performed to match products available for purchase in the
affiliate's social commerce store with the respective interests of
target customers. In various embodiments, the matching is performed
by analyzing the use of key words by the target customers when
performing online searches for products. In step 2120, ongoing
operations are performed using social commerce analysis data
described in greater detail herein to generate custom offers for
target customers. Then, in step 2122, ongoing operations are
performed to send the special offers to the target customers,
followed by ongoing operations being performed in step 2124 to
track the reception of the special offers and their corresponding
sales results. In step 2126, ongoing operations are performed to
allow customers convert the rebates received via email. Email and
CRM management operations are then ended in step 2128.
[0080] FIG. 22 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
small to medium business (SMB) social commerce management
operations as implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. In this embodiment, SMB social commerce management
operations are begun in step 2202, followed by the browsing of a
merchant's master catalog by a SMB in step 2204 to identify
products to be purchased in bulk. Bulk purchase of the selected
products is then made by the SMB in step 2206, and product data
associated with the bulk purchase products is then uploaded in step
2208 into the SMB's social commerce storefront.
[0081] In step 2210, the uploaded bulk products are activated
within the SMB's social commerce storefront to make them
purchasable products, followed by ongoing search engine
optimization (SEO) operations being performed in step 2112 to
maximize sales opportunities. Ongoing inventory and shipping
operations associated with sale of the bulk products are then
performed in step 2214, followed by ongoing vendor and fraud
detection operations being performed in step 2216. In step 2218,
ongoing operations are performed to manage the SMB's social
commerce storefront and sales activities. Then, in step 2220, SMB
social commerce management operations are ended.
[0082] FIG. 23 is a generalized flow chart of the performance of
organic search operations as implemented in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, organic search
operations are begun in step 2302, followed by an affiliate
performing ongoing operations to generate search engine
optimization (SEO) content in step 2304. In step 2306, the
affiliate performs ongoing operations to syndicate the SEO content
to other sites, with associated links to the affiliate's social
commerce storefront. In step 2308, an enterprise selects desired
syndicated product content, followed by placing a syndicated
content widget on a product page within their enterprise web site
in step 2310.
[0083] Then, in step 2312, the affiliate's SEO content is displayed
within the enterprise's site, followed by the enterprise's product
pages receiving higher SEO rankings in step 2314 as a result.
Likewise, the affiliate receives the links to the enterprise
product pages in step 2316, and as a result, receives higher search
engine rankings as well. In step 2318, both the affiliate and the
enterprise experience ongoing increased conversion rates. Organic
search operations are then ended in step 2330.
[0084] The present invention is well adapted to attain the
advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein. While the
present invention has been depicted, described, and is defined by
reference to particular embodiments of the invention, such
references do not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such
limitation is to be inferred. The invention is capable of
considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and
function, as will occur to those ordinarily skilled in the
pertinent arts. The depicted and described embodiments are examples
only, and are not exhaustive of the scope of the invention.
[0085] For example, the above-discussed embodiments include
software modules that perform certain tasks. The software modules
discussed herein may include script, batch, or other executable
files. The software modules may be stored on a machine-readable or
computer-readable storage medium such as a disk drive. Storage
devices used for storing software modules in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention may be magnetic floppy disks, hard
disks, or optical discs such as CD-ROMs or CD-Rs, for example. A
storage device used for storing firmware or hardware modules in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention may also include a
semiconductor-based memory, which may be permanently, removably or
remotely coupled to a microprocessor/memory system. Thus, the
modules may be stored within a computer system memory to configure
the computer system to perform the functions of the module. Other
new and various types of computer-readable storage media may be
used to store the modules discussed herein. Additionally, those
skilled in the art will recognize that the separation of
functionality into modules is for illustrative purposes.
Alternative embodiments may merge the functionality of multiple
modules into a single module or may impose an alternate
decomposition of functionality of modules. For example, a software
module for calling sub-modules may be decomposed so that each
sub-module performs its function and passes control directly to
another sub-module.
[0086] Consequently, the invention is intended to be limited only
by the spirit and scope of the appended claims, giving full
cognizance to equivalents in all respects.
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