METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR FACILITATING SHOPPING
A shopper is presented with a customized online store whose inventory is defined by the shopper. In one embodiment, specification of the inventory is conducted in a bricks and mortar store—either during checkout, or by the shopper walking the aisles and scanning items with a barcode scanner pen or the like. The inventory may be defined—at least in part—by scanning items in the shopper's home. A variety of other novel features are also disclosed.
1 . A method comprising:
sensing a shopper at plural locations in a bricks and mortar store, using plural shelf-mounted sensors;
discerning, based on the sensor data, potential interests of the shopper; and
taking an action based on said discerned potential interests of the shopper.
2 . The method of claim 1 in which the action includes identifying, to the shopper, one or more products for purchase.
3 . The method of claim 2 in which said identifying is performed in an online environment, after the user has left the bricks and mortar store, rather in the bricks and mortar store.
4 . The method of claim 1 in which the action includes presenting an online display to the shopper that is based, at least in part, on said discerned interests.
5 . The method of claim 1 in which the action includes presenting a graphical online display to the shopper, wherein certain items are featured more prominently in the graphical online display, based at least in part on said discerned interests.
6 . The method of claim 1 in which the sensing comprises sensing a card presented by the shopper.
7 . The method of claim 1 in which said shelf-mounted sensors are associated with products for sale in the store.
8 . The method of claim 7 that includes:
sensing the shopper at a first location, using a first shelf-mounted sensor associated with a first type of product; and
sensing the shopper at a second location, using a second shelf-mounted sensor associated with a second type of product;
wherein the shopper purchases a product of the first type, but does not purchase a product of the second type, while the shopper is in the store.
9 . The method of claim 7 that includes sensing the shopper at a first location, using a first shelf-mounted sensor associated with a first type of product, wherein the shopper does not purchase a product of the first type while the shopper is in the store.
10 . A system comprising:
plural shelf-mounted sensors, distributed in a bricks and mortar store;
a device linked to the sensors, to collect sensor data therefrom; and
a processor configured to identify, from the collected sensor data, potential interests of a shopper in the store.