Apparatus and method for providing a marketing service
Apparatus and method for providing a marketing service are described. In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium includes: (1) a preferences module that is configured to collect a set of preferences of a user; (2) a monitoring module that is configured to monitor a web site based on the set of preferences so as to identify relevant content; and (3) a notification module that is configured to generate a message alerting the user of the relevant content.
1. A tangible computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a set of instructions executable by a computing device comprising:
a preferences module configured to collect a set of preferences of a user, the preferences module monitoring the rate at which messages specifically directed to and personalized for the user are opened by the user to selectively adjust a desired message frequency rate at which the messages are sent to the user, each of the messages having a beacon, wherein the messages relate to products desired by the user;
a monitoring module configured to monitor a web site based on the set of preferences so as to identify relevant content of the website relating to the products desired by the user, the relevant content of the website to be provided to the user; and
a notification module configured to generate a message alerting the user of the relevant content;
wherein the set of preferences includes a message format selected by the user, and the notification module is configured to generate the message based on the desired message format, the desired message format being one of a plurality of formats, selectable by the user, each of the plurality of formats having a unique content layout and length.
2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the preferences module is configured to collect the set of preferences by providing a user interface that allows the user to sign up for a notification including at least one of a first indication that a first product is back in stock and a second indication that a second product has newly arrived.
3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the preferences module is configured to collect the set of preferences by monitoring browsing behavior of the user while visiting the web site.
4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the relevant content concerns a second product when a time period elapses, the second product an alternate to a first product.
5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the set of preferences includes a set of product preferences, and the monitoring module is configured to monitor the web site based on the set of product preferences so as to identify a set of recommended products.
6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring module is configured to monitor the web site by crawling the web site so as to identify the relevant content.
7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the notification module is configured to generate the message by incorporating the relevant content into a message template.
8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the notification module is configured to generate the message by incorporating a navigation link to the web site.
9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the set of preferences includes a delivery option desired by the user, and the notification module is configured to transmit the message to the user based on the desired delivery option.
10. A computer implemented method comprising:
identifying, using a computing device, a set of product preferences of a user, the identifying including monitoring the rate at which messages specifically directed to and personalized for the user are opened by the user to selectively adjust a desired message frequency rate at which the messages are sent to the user, each of the messages having a beacon, wherein the messages relate to products desired by the user;
collecting product information related to a merchant;
monitoring a website based on the set of product preferences to identify relevant content of the website relating to the products desired by the user, the relevant content of the website to be provided to the user;
analyzing the product information so as to match the set of product preferences with a set of products offered by the merchant;
alerting the user of the set of products; and
generating a message based on a desired message format selected by the user, wherein the set of preferences includes the desired message format, the desired message format being one of a plurality of formats, selectable by the user, each of the plurality of formats having a unique content layout and length.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the identifying includes collecting the set of product preferences while the user is visiting a web site operated by the merchant.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the collecting the set of product preferences includes monitoring browsing behavior of the user while visiting the web site.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the collecting the product information includes crawling the web site.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the collecting the product information includes collecting the product information from the merchant via a data feed.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the alerting the user includes generating a set of messages alerting the user of the set of products.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising identifying a set of message preferences of the user, and wherein the generating the set of messages include generating the set of messages based on the set of message preferences.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the set of message preferences includes a desired message frequency, and the alerting the user further includes transmitting the set of messages to the user at the desired message frequency.
18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the alerting the user includes delivering a communication alerting the user of the set of products.
19. The method of claim 10 , further comprising tracking the set of products in a pool of recommendations.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising managing the pool of recommendations by controlling a size of the pool or recommendations based on the set of product preferences.
21. The method of claim 10 , wherein the merchant is a first merchant, and further comprising:
collecting product information related to a second merchant;
analyzing the product information related to the second merchant so as to match the set of product preferences with a set of products offered by the second merchant; and
alerting the user of the set of products offered by the second merchant.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the first merchant and the second merchant define a group of cooperating merchants.