Method and apparatus for product display
View Patent ↗Systems and methods are provided for receiving from a customer a selection of a product category. At least one product is determined that is associated with the selected product category. A substitute product for the determined product is selected. In one embodiment, a signal is transmitted to display the selected substitute product.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, over the Internet and from a customer of a web site available via the Internet, a request to display a type of product;
selecting, by use of a processor of a computing device operable to facilitate the customer's interaction with the web site, a substitute product for the product from a plurality of substitute products for the product,
in which a plurality of manufacturers have agreed to pay for display of a respective substitute product of the plurality of substitute products,
in which selecting is based directly on expected revenue from the mere display of the selected substitute product;
displaying, by use of the processor and on the web site, the substitute product adjacent to at least one other product which corresponds to the type of product;
receiving, over the Internet and from the customer, a selection of the substitute product; and
allowing the customer to purchase the substitute product.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing an offer to the customer to switch from a product selected by the customer to the substitute product.
3. The method of claim 2 , in which the step of providing an offer is performed after a customer has indicated willingness to complete a purchase transaction.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a substitution success rate.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving data indicating a substitute product and a product category for which the product is to be displayed.
6. The method of claim 5 , in which the data is received from a manufacturer of the substitute product.
7. The method of claim 1 , in which the step of displaying the substitute product comprises:
displaying the substitute product in a frame of a web browser.
8. The method of claim 7 , in which the frame is located in a constant location in a browser window.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an expected revenue per substitution by multiplying a manufacturer payment expected per display of the substitute product by both
a manufacturer payment expected per purchase of the substitute product and
a substitution success rate.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the selecting is based on the expected revenue per substitution.
11. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving from a customer a request to display a type of product;
selecting a substitute product for the product from a plurality of substitute products for the product,
in which a plurality of manufacturers have agreed to pay for display of a respective substitute product of the plurality of substitute products,
in which selecting is based directly on expected revenue from the mere display of the selected substitute product;
displaying the substitute product adjacent to at least one other product which corresponds to the type of product;
receiving from the customer a selection of the substitute product; and
allowing the customer to purchase the substitute product.
12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , the method further comprising:
providing an offer to the customer to switch from a product selected by the customer to the substitute product.
13. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , in which the step of providing an offer is performed after a customer has indicated willingness to complete a purchase transaction.
14. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , the method further comprising:
calculating a substitution success rate.
15. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , the method further comprising:
receiving data indicating a substitute product and a product category for which the product is to be displayed.
16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , in which the data is received from a manufacturer of the substitute product.
17. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , in which the step of displaying the substitute product comprises:
displaying the substitute product in a frame of a web browser.
18. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , in which the frame is located in a constant location in a browser window.
19. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , the method further comprising:
determining an expected revenue per substitution by multiplying a manufacturer payment expected per display of the substitute product by both
a manufacturer payment expected per purchase of the substitute product and
a substitution success rate.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the selecting is based on the expected revenue per substitution.
21. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct the processor to:
receive from a customer a request to display a type of product;
select a substitute product for the product from a plurality of substitute products for the product,
in which a plurality of manufacturers have agreed to pay for display of a respective substitute product of the plurality of substitute products,
in which selecting is based directly on expected revenue from the mere display of the selected substitute product;
display the substitute product adjacent to at least one other product which corresponds to the type of product;
receive from the customer a selection of the substitute product; and
allow the customer to purchase the substitute product.