VECTOR-BASED DATA STORAGE METHODS AND APPARATUS
A control circuit selects at least one particular one of a plurality of products to present to a particular customer as a candidate for automatic periodic shipping as a function, at least in part, of partiality vectors for that particular customer and vectorized characterizations for each of a plurality of products. These vectorized characterizations can each indicate a measure regarding an extent to which a corresponding one of the products accords with a corresponding one of the plurality of partiality vectors. The foregoing information can be stored in a memory to which the control circuit operably couples.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a memory having stored therein:
information including a plurality of partiality vectors for a particular customer;
vectorized characterizations for each of a plurality of products, wherein each of the vectorized characterizations indicates a measure regarding an extent to which a corresponding one of the products accords with a corresponding one of the plurality of partiality vectors;
a control circuit operably coupled to the memory and configured to select at least one particular one of the plurality of products to present to the particular customer as a candidate for automatic periodic shipping as a function, at least in part, of the partiality vectors and the vectorized characterizations.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a least some of the partiality vectors are based, at least in part, upon prior purchases made by the customer.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the partiality vectors include at least one partiality vector that is knowingly based upon at least one value of the particular customer.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the at least one partiality vector that is knowingly based upon at least one value of the particular customer is not also based upon any prior purchase made by the customer.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
select a particular one of the plurality of products to also ship to the particular customer without charge to the particular customer and without the particular customer having ordered the particular one of the plurality of products as a function, at least in part, of the partiality vectors and the vectorized characterizations.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
predict that the particular customer will keep the particular one of the plurality of products upon receipt thereof based upon the partiality vectors and the vectorized characterizations notwithstanding that it is not known if the particular customer has ever previously made a purchasing decision regarding the particular one of the plurality of products.
7 . A method comprising:
providing a retail shopping facility having items available on-site for retail sale;
accessing information including a plurality of partiality vectors for a particular customer and vectorized characterizations for each of a plurality of products, wherein each of the vectorized characterizations indicates a measure regarding an extent to which a corresponding one of the products accords with a corresponding one of the plurality of partiality vectors;
using the information to identify an identified product to present to the particular customer as a candidate for automatic periodic shipping, wherein the identified product may or may not comprise one of the items available at the retail shopping facility;
when the particular customer selects to receive the particular product via the automatic period shipping, thereafter shipping the identified product to a customer address corresponding to the particular customer on an automated periodic basis.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the partiality vectors include at least one partiality vector that is knowingly based upon at least one value of the particular customer.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one partiality vector that is knowingly based upon at least one value of the particular customer is not also based upon any prior purchase made by the customer.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
selecting a particular one of the plurality of products to also ship to the particular customer without charge to the particular customer and without the particular customer having ordered the particular one of the plurality of products as a function, at least in part, of the partiality vectors and the vectorized characterizations.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein shipping the particular one of the plurality of products to the customer address further comprises providing information to the particular customer that explains how the particular one of the plurality of products specifically accords with at least one partiality of the particular customer.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein providing information to the particular customer that explains how the particular one of the plurality of products specifically accords with at least one partiality of the particular customer comprises providing information to the particular customer that explains how the particular one of the plurality of products specifically serves a particular value.
13 . The method of claim 7 further comprising:
providing the particular customer with an opportunity to return the identified product following an automated periodic shipment thereof.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein providing the particular customer with the opportunity to return the identified product following an automated periodic shipment thereof includes providing the particular customer with an opportunity to halt future automated periodic shipments of the identified product.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the opportunity to halt future automated periodic shipments of the identified product comprises at least one of:
an opportunity to only-temporarily halt future automated periodic shipments of the identified product; and
opportunity to non-temporarily halt future automated periodic shipments of the identified product.
17 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:
providing the particular customer with an opportunity to indicate at least one reason for returning the identified product; and
using the at least one reason to update the plurality of partiality vectors for the particular customer.
18 . The method of claim 7 further comprising:
providing the particular customer with an opportunity to halt future automated periodic shipments of the identified product.
19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising:
updating the plurality of partiality vectors for the particular customer in response to the particular customer halting future automated periodic shipments of the identified product.