System and method for providing a single input field having multiple processing possibilities
Disclosed herein are methods for providing a buy option to search results. That one location for a search field can be a website, an application, a search bar in a web browser, etc. Rather than navigating to a website to perform a search in the context of that website, a user can instead navigate to or open a generalized search field. Via the generalized search field, the system can analyze the input from the user and the resulting context. A buy button can be included a search result to the user input in the input search field. Payment for an item can be processing using a payment account registered with the system with delivery coordinated from a separate merchant. This approach reduces the number of interactions, starting when the user opens a browser or application, to get to a purchase or a search result.
1. A method comprising:
presenting an input field on a user interface of a generalized search entity, wherein the generalized search entity processes data using a generalized search engine that indexes and searches both merchant sites and non-merchant sites;
receiving, from a user, user input in the input field, wherein the user input comprises a text-based query;
correlating the text-based query against a product database of products for sale from merchants to yield a correlation;
determining, via a processor, that the user input is associated with one of a search intent and a purchase intent to yield a determination, wherein the determination of whether the user input indicates the purchase intent or the search intent is made based on the correlation;
when the determination indicates the search intent:
presenting a search result comprising a non-merchant site;
receiving a search interaction associated with the non-merchant site; and
transitioning the user to the non-merchant site; and
when the determination indicates the purchase intent:
presenting a purchase-related search result comprising a buy option associated with the user input;
receiving a purchase interaction associated with the buy option; and
managing a purchase of an item associated with the purchase interaction based on payment information stored at the generalized search entity, wherein delivery of the item is handled via a merchant site separate from the generalized search entity.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the merchant sites and non-merchant sites are websites.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is on a mobile device.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
processing a payment for the purchase of the item from the generalized search entity to the merchant site.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the generalized search entity charges a fee for managing the purchase of the item.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generalized search entity and the merchant site communicate via an application programming interface for managing the purchase and delivery of the item.
7. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
presenting an input field on a user interface of a generalized search entity, wherein the generalized search entity processes data using a generalized search engine that indexes and searches both merchant sites and non-merchant sites;
receiving, from a user, user input in the input field, wherein the user input comprises a text-based query;
correlating the text-based query against a product database of products for sale from merchants to yield a correlation;
determining, via a processor, that the user input is associated with one of a search intent and a purchase intent to yield a determination, wherein the determination of whether the user input indicates the purchase intent or the search intent is made based on the correlation;
when the determination indicates the search intent:
presenting a search result comprising a non-merchant site;
receiving a search interaction associated with the non-merchant site; and
transitioning the user to the non-merchant site; and
when the determination indicates the purchase intent:
presenting a purchase-related search result comprising a buy option associated with the user input;
receiving a purchase interaction associated with the buy option; and
managing a purchase of an item associated with the purchase interaction based on payment information stored at the generalized search entity, wherein delivery of the item is handled via a merchant site separate from the generalized search entity.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the merchant sites and non-merchant sites are websites.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the user interface is on a mobile device.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the computer-readable storage device stores further instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:
processing a payment for the purchase of the item from the generalized search entity to the merchant site.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the generalized search entity charges a fee for managing the purchase of the item.
12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the generalized search entity and the merchant site communicate via an application programming interface for managing the purchase and delivery of the item.
13. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
presenting an input field on a user interface of a generalized search entity, wherein the generalized search entity processes data using a generalized search engine that indexes and searches both merchant sites and non-merchant sites;
receiving, from a user, user input in the input field, wherein the user input comprises a text-based query;
correlating the text-based query against a product database of products for sale from merchants to yield a correlation;
determining, via a processor, that the user input is associated with one of a search intent and a purchase intent to yield a determination, wherein the determination of whether the user input indicates the purchase intent or the search intent is made based on the correlation;
when the determination indicates the search intent:
presenting a search result comprising a non-merchant site;
receiving a search interaction associated with the non-merchant site; and
transitioning the user to the non-merchant site; and
when the determination indicates the purchase intent:
presenting a purchase-related search result comprising a buy option associated with the user input;
receiving a purchase interaction associated with the buy option; and
managing a purchase of an item associated with the purchase interaction based on payment information stored at the generalized search entity, wherein delivery of the item is handled via a merchant site separate from the generalized search entity.
14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13 , wherein the merchant sites and non-merchant sites are websites.
15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13 , wherein the user interface is on a mobile device.
16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13 , the computer-readable storage device storing further instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:
processing a payment for the purchase of the item from the generalized search entity to the merchant site.
17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the generalized search entity charges a fee for managing the purchase of the item.
18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13 , wherein the generalized search entity and the merchant site communicate via an application programming interface for managing the purchase and delivery of the item.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the purchase interaction is from the user and the purchase interaction is a first interaction of the user on the user interface following the user input.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the presenting of the purchase-related search result comprising the buy option associated with the user input occurs without any further user interaction after the user input.