System and method for conducting self-modifying semi-opaque sales
View Patent ↗Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for semi-opaque sales with bundles of items. An example bundle can include hotel lodging and a bonus service, status, or item associated with that hotel. An system can identify a first bundle of a first base and bonus item, and a second bundle of a second base and bonus item. The system can present a semi-opaque offer comprising the first bundle, the second bundle, and a discount price, wherein the semi-opaque offer does not identify which of the first bundle and the second bundle will be sold at the discount price to the user upon acceptance of the semi-opaque offer, and wherein the discount price is a full price of the first base item. After receiving acceptance of the semi-opaque offer from the user, the system can disclose that the user has purchased the first bundle at the discount price.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a system, at least one purchase inquiry parameter over the Internet via a graphical user interface of a computer-based application on a user device;
generating, by the system, a semi-opaque offer based on the at least one purchase inquiry parameter, the semi-opaque offer comprising an item and a discount price;
determining a time period after which at least one term of the semi-opaque offer will change;
transmitting, by the system, the semi-opaque offer to the user device for display on the graphical user interface of the user device, the semi-opaque offer indicating the time period, wherein the semi-opaque is configured such that when the semi-opaque offer is displayed on the graphical user interface, the semi-opaque offer does not indicate how the semi-opaque offer will change after the time period; and
upon an expiration of the time period without receiving an acceptance of the semi-opaque offer from the user device, iteratively modifying, by the system, the semi-opaque offer by changing the at least one term of the semi-opaque offer to yield a modified semi-opaque offer, selecting a next change to the modified semi-opaque offer, setting a next time period after which the modified semi-opaque offer will change according to the next change when acceptance of the modified semi-opaque offer is not received; and transmitting the modified semi-opaque offer to the user device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the item comprises a base item and at least one bonus item.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the changing the at least one term of the semi-opaque offer comprises removing a bonus item.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the changing the at least one term of the semi-opaque offer comprises modifying a detail of one of the base item or the at least one bonus item.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the detail of the base item comprises at least one of timing, an item class, or a level of service.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the changing the at least one term of the semi-opaque offer comprises increasing the discount price.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time period is static.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time period is dynamically determined.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the time period is determined based on at least one of item availability, a target profit margin, characteristics of a user, occupancy, or a pool of available discounts.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the semi-opaque offer is presented to a user in response to a purchase inquiry.
11. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving at least one purchase inquiry parameter over the Internet via a graphical user interface of a computer-based application on a user device;
generating a semi-opaque offer based on the at least one purchase inquiry parameter, the semi-opaque offer comprising an item and a discount price;
determining a time period after which at least one term of the semi-opaque offer will change;
transmitting the semi-opaque offer to the user device for presentation on the graphical user interface of the user device, the semi-opaque offer indicating the time period, wherein the semi-opaque is configured such that when the semi-opaque offer is displayed on the graphical user interface, the semi-opaque offer does not indicate how the semi-opaque offer will change after the time period; and
upon an expiration of the time period without receiving an acceptance of the semi-opaque offer from the user device, iteratively modifying the semi-opaque offer by changing the at least one term of the semi-opaque offer to yield a modified semi-opaque offer, selecting a next change to the modified semi-opaque offer, setting a next time period after which the modified semi-opaque offer will change according to the next change when acceptance of the modified semi-opaque offer is not received; and transmitting the modified semi-opaque offer to the user device.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the item comprises a base item and at least one bonus item.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the changing the at least one term of the semi-opaque offer comprises removing a bonus item.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the changing the at least one term of the semi-opaque offer comprises modifying a detail of one of the base item or the at least one bonus item.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the detail of the base item comprises at least one of timing, an item class, or a level of service.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the changing the at least one term of the semi-opaque offer comprises increasing the discount price.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the time period is static.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the time period is dynamically determined.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the time period is determined based on at least one of item availability, a target profit margin, characteristics of a user, occupancy, or a pool of available discounts.
20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device having stored therein instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving at least one purchase inquiry parameter over the Internet via a graphical user interface of a computer-based application on a user device;
generating a semi-opaque offer based on the at least one purchase inquiry parameter, the semi-opaque offer comprising an item and a discount price;
determining a time period after which at least one term of the semi-opaque offer will change;
transmitting the semi-opaque offer to the user device for presentation on the graphical user interface of the user device, the semi-opaque offer indicating the time period, wherein the semi-opaque is configured such that when the semi-opaque offer is displayed on the graphical user interface, the semi-opaque offer does not indicate how the semi-opaque offer will change after the time period; and
upon an expiration of the time period without receiving an acceptance of the semi-opaque offer from the user device, iteratively modifying the semi-opaque offer by changing the at least one term of the semi-opaque offer to yield a modified semi-opaque offer, selecting a next change to the modified semi-opaque offer, setting a next time period after which the modified semi-opaque offer will change according to the next change when acceptance of the modified semi-opaque offer is not received; and transmitting the modified semi-opaque offer to the user device.