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 in a generalized search engine. 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 with a separate merchant via an application programming interface.
1. A method comprising:
presenting an input field on a user interface of a generalized search entity, wherein the generalized search entity uses a generalized search engine that indexes and searches both merchant websites and non-merchant websites;
receiving input from a user in the input field to yield user input, wherein the user input is textual;
correlating the user input against a product database of products for sale from a merchant 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 website;
receiving a search interaction associated with the non-merchant website; and
transitioning the user to the non-merchant website;
when the determination indicates the purchase intent:
receiving, via an application programming interface, data associated with an item from a merchant site, the item being selected based on the user input;
presenting a purchase-related search result comprising a buy now option associated with the item;
receiving a user interaction associated with the buy now option; and
based on the user interaction, processing a payment for the item via stored payment information for the user at the generalized search entity to yield purchasing data; and
communicating the purchasing data via the application programming interface to the merchant site, whereby the merchant site can manage delivery of the item.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
requesting search data via the application programming interface based on the user input.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generalized search entity and the merchant site are different entities.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generalized search entity and the merchant site each have a different ways of interacting with users.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein communicating the purchasing data via the application programming interface to the merchant site enables communication between two applications on a device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generalized search entity is accessed via an application on one of a mobile device and a computing device.
7. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a computer-readable storage medium 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 uses a generalized search engine that indexes and searches both merchant websites and non-merchant websites;
receiving input from a user in the input field to yield user input, wherein the user input is textual;
correlating the user input against a product database of products for sale from a merchant to yield a correlation;
determining, via a processor, and without further user interaction after the user input, 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 search intent is made based on the correlation;
when the determination indicates the search intent:
presenting a search result comprising a non-merchant website;
receiving a search interaction associated with the non-merchant website; and
transitioning the user to the non-merchant website;
when the determination indicates the purchase intent:
receiving, via an application programming interface, data associated with an item from a merchant site, the item being selected based on the user input;
presenting a purchase-related search result comprising a buy now option associated with the item;
receiving a user interaction associated with the buy now option; and
based on the user interaction, processing a payment for the item via stored payment information for the user at the generalized search entity to yield purchasing data; and
communicating the purchasing data via the application programming interface to the merchant site, whereby the merchant site can manage delivery of the item.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform a further operation comprising:
requesting search data via the application programming interface based on the user input.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the generalized search entity and the merchant site are different entities.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the generalized search entity and the merchant site each have a different means of interacting with users.
11. The system of claim 7 , wherein communicating the purchasing data via the application programming interface to the merchant site enables communication between two applications on a device.
12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the generalized search engine is accessed via an application on one of a mobile device and a computing device.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium 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 websites and non-merchant websites;
receiving input from a user in the input field to yield user input, wherein the user input is textual;
correlating the user input against a product database of products for sale from a merchant 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 website;
receiving a search interaction associated with the non-merchant website; and
transitioning the user to the non-merchant website;
when the determination indicates the purchase intent:
receiving, via an application programming interface, data associated with an item from a merchant site, the item being selected based on the user input;
presenting a purchase-related search result comprising a buy now option associated with the item;
receiving a user interaction associated with the buy now option; and
based on the user interaction, processing a payment for the item via stored payment information for the user at the generalized search entity to yield purchasing data; and
communicating the purchasing data via the application programming interface to the merchant site, whereby the merchant site can manage delivery of the item.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , the instructions causing the processor to perform further operations comprising:
requesting search data via the application programming interface based on the user input.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the generalized search entity and the merchant site are different entities.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the generalized search entity and the merchant site each have a different means of interacting with users.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein communicating the purchasing data via the application programming interface to the merchant site enables communication between two applications on a device.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the generalized search engine is accessed via an application on one of a mobile device and a computing device.