Product-Description-Improvement Apparatus And Method
A computer-implemented method is disclosed for obtaining improved product descriptions via crowd-sourcing. Within the method, a point-of-sale system forming part of a computer system may initiate a point-of-sale transaction involving a customer. The computer system may identify a first product description describing a first instance of a product being purchased as part of the point-of-sale transaction. The computer system may invite the customer to improve the first product description. In response to such an invitation, the computer system may receive, from a computing device corresponding to the customer, a second product description comprising an improved description of the first instance of the product. The second product description may then be stored by the computer system. The second product description may be vetted to ensure a certain level of quality. Subsequently, the second product description may be passed to other customers when they purchase other instances of the product.
1 . A computer-implemented method for obtaining improved product descriptions, the method comprising:
completing, by a point-of-sale system forming part of a computer system, a sale of a product to a first human customer;
sending, by the computer system as part of the completing, a first product description to a first computing device of the first human customer, the first product description describing the product;
inviting, by the computer system, the first human customer to improve the first product description;
receiving, by the computer system from the first human customer via the first computing device, a second product description comprising an improved description of the product; and
storing, by the computer system, the second product description.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the point-of-sale system is contained within a brick-and-mortar store corresponding to a retailer.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the completing comprises receiving the first human customer within the brick-and-mortar store.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the computer system comprises a first instance of an application installed on the first computing device.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the sending comprises sending, by the computer system, first receipt data documenting the sale to the first instance of the application.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the first receipt data includes the first product description.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the inviting comprises displaying, by the first instance of the application on the first computing device in proximity to the first product description, an option to improve upon the first product description.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the second product description comprises more characters than the first product description.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the first product description comprises at least one abbreviation; and
the second product description comprises at least one complete word expanding upon the least one abbreviation.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the second product description comprises a photograph of the product taken by the first human customer.
11 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising presenting, by the first instance of the application, the second product description to the first human customer.
12 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising identifying, by the computer system after the storing, a another instance of the product as being purchased by a second human customer.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising supplying, by the computer system via a second instance of the application installed on a second computing device corresponding to the second human customer, second receipt data.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the supplying further comprises supplying, as part of the second receipt data, the second product description.
15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising conducting, by the computer system prior to the supplying, a quality review of the second product description.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first computing device comprises a mobile telephone.
17 . A computer-implemented method for obtaining improved product descriptions, the method comprising:
completing, by a point-of-sale system forming part of a computer system, a sale of a product to a first human customer;
identifying, by the computer system, a first product description describing the product;
delivering, by the computer system to the first human customer via a first instance of an application running on a first computing device of the first human customer, first receipt data documenting the sale, the first receipt data comprising the first product description;
inviting, by the computer system, the first human customer to improve the first product description;
receiving, by the computer system from the first human customer via the first computing device, a second product description comprising an improved description of the the product; and
storing, by the computer system, the second product description.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising
identifying, by the computer system after the storing, another instance of the product as being purchased by a second human customer; and
supplying, by the computer system to the second human customer via a second instance of the application installed on a second computing device corresponding to the second human customer, second receipt data comprising the second product description.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising conducting, by the computer system prior to the supplying, a quality review of the second product description.
20 . A computer system comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more memory devices operably connected to the one or more processors; and
the one or more memory devices collectively storing
a data store storing a plurality of product descriptions relating to a plurality of products,
an output module programmed to include one or more first product descriptions of the plurality of product descriptions within one or more receipts delivered to one or more human customers,
an interface module programmed to invite the one or more human customers to improve the one or more first product descriptions, and
the interface module further programmed to receive from the one or more human customers one or more second product descriptions, each of the one or more second product descriptions comprising an improvement over a corresponding description of the one or more first product descriptions.