Automatic resolution of the explore-exploit decision in omnichannel settings
A method including tracking usage data for users using a first channel and a second channel. The method also can include performing a classification of first users of the users into a first group and second users of the users into a second group. The classification can be based on the usage data. The method additionally can include, for each impression of a content element of content elements being displayed on a website to a user of the users, tracking impression response data including (a) whether the user is grouped into the first group or the second group, and (b) response data including: (i) a first response by the user to the content element in the first channel, and (ii) a second response by the user to the content element in the second channel. The method further can include receiving a request from a first user of the users to display a webpage of the website. The method additionally can include generating the webpage to include a selected content element from among the content elements. The selected content element can be selected based on the classification of the first user and the impression response data for the content elements. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are disclosed.
1. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computing instructions configured to run on the one or more processors and perform:
tracking usage data for users using a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel is one or more physical stores associated with a website, and wherein the second channel is the web site;
performing a classification of first users of the users into a first group and second users of the users into a second group, the classification being based on the usage data;
for each impression on the second channel of a content element of content elements being displayed to a user of the users, tracking impression response data, wherein the impression response data comprises: (a) whether the user is grouped into the first group or the second group, and (b) response data comprising: (i) a first response by the user in the first channel in response to the impression on the second channel of the content element, and (ii) a second response by the user in the second channel in response to the impression on the second channel of the content element;
receiving a request from a first user of the users to display a webpage of the second channel; and
generating the webpage to comprise a selected content element from among the content elements, the selected content element being selected based on the classification of the first user and the impression response data for the content elements.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the classification of the first users into the first group is conditioned on: (a) a quantity of conversions using the first channel for each of the first users in the first group is greater than or equal to a first threshold during a first time period, and (b) a quantity of conversions using the second channel for each of the first users in the first group being less than a second threshold during the first time period;
the usage data comprises information regarding the quantity of the conversions using the first channel for each of the first users and the quantity of the conversions using the second channel for each of the second users; and
the classification of the second users into the second group is conditioned on the quantity of the conversions using the second channel for each of the second users in the second group being greater than or equal to the second threshold during the first time period.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the first threshold is one.
4. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the second threshold is one.
5. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the first time period is approximately three months.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the content elements comprises information regarding one or more items available on the second channel.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein, for each impression on the second channel of the content element being displayed to the user of the users, tracking the impression response data comprises:
tracking the first response by the user in the first channel in response to the impression on the second channel of the content element based on whether or not the user performed a first channel conversion associated with the content element, wherein the first channel conversion is performed when the user purchased at least one item displayed in the content element in the first channel within a second time period of the content element being displayed on the second channel to the user; and
tracking the second response by the user in the second channel in response to the impression on the second channel of the content element based on whether or not the user performed a second channel conversion associated with the content element, wherein the second channel conversion is performed when the user purchased at least one item displayed in the content element in the second channel within a third time period of the content element being displayed on the second channel to the user.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:
the second time period is approximately seven days; and
the third time period is approximately seven days.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein generating the webpage to comprise the selected content element from among the content elements comprises:
for each content element of the content elements:
generating a first posterior distribution for a first channel conversion being performed for the each content element by users in the classification of the first user, based on the impression response data for the each content element;
generating a first random sample from the first posterior distribution;
generating a second posterior distribution for a second channel conversion being performed for the each content element by users in the classification of the first user, based on the impression response data for the each content element;
generating a second random sample from the second posterior distribution;
selecting a maximum of the first random sample and the second random sample; and
determining a weighting for the each content element based on the maximum of the first random sample and the second random sample; and
selecting the selected content element from among the content elements such that the weighting of the selected content element is a maximum of the weightings of the content elements.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first threshold is one; and
the second threshold is one.
11. A method being implemented via execution of computing instructions configured to run at one or more processors and stored at one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, the method comprising:
tracking usage data for users using a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel is one or more physical stores associated with a website, and wherein the second channel is the website;
performing a classification of first users of the users into a first group and second users of the users into a second group, the classification being based on the usage data;
for each impression on the second channel of a content element of content elements being displayed to a user of the users, tracking impression response data, wherein the impression response data comprises: (a) whether the user is grouped into the first group or the second group, and (b) response data comprising: (i) a first response by the user in the first channel in response to the impression on the second channel of the content element, and (ii) a second response by the user in the second channel in response to the impression on the second channel of the content element;
receiving a request from a first user of the users to display a webpage of the second channel; and
generating the webpage to comprise a selected content element from among the content elements, the selected content element being selected based on the classification of the first user and the impression response data for the content elements.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the classification of the first users into the first group is conditioned on: (a) a quantity of conversions using the first channel for each of the first users in the first group is greater than or equal to a first threshold during a first time period, and (b) a quantity of conversions using the second channel for each of the first users in the first group being less than a second threshold during the first time period;
the usage data comprises information regarding the quantity of the conversions using the first channel for each of the first users and the quantity of the conversions using the second channel for each of the second users; and
the classification of the second users into the second group is conditioned on the quantity of the conversions using the second channel for each of the second users in the second group being greater than or equal to the second threshold during the first time period.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the first threshold is one.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the second threshold is one.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the first time period is approximately three months.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
each of the content elements comprises information regarding one or more items available on the second channel.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein, for each impression on the second channel of the content element being displayed to the user of the users, tracking the impression response data comprises:
tracking the first response by the user in the first channel in response to the impression on the second channel of the content element based on whether or not the user performed a first channel conversion associated with the content element, wherein the first channel conversion is performed when the user purchased at least one item displayed in the content element in the first channel within a second time period of the content element being displayed on the second channel to the user; and
tracking the second response by the user in the second channel in response to the impression on the second channel of the content element based on whether or not the user performed a second channel conversion associated with the content element, wherein the second channel conversion is performed when the user purchased at least one item displayed in the content element in the second channel within a third time period of the content element being displayed on the second channel to the user.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the second time period is approximately seven days; and
the third time period is approximately seven days.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the webpage to comprise the selected content element from among the content elements comprises:
for each content element of the content elements:
generating a first posterior distribution for a first channel conversion being performed for the each content element by users in the classification of the first user, based on the impression response data for the each content element;
generating a first random sample from the first posterior distribution;
generating a second posterior distribution for a second channel conversion being performed for the each content element by users in the classification of the first user, based on the impression response data for the each content element;
generating a second random sample from the second posterior distribution;
selecting a maximum of the first random sample and the second random sample; and
determining a weighting for the each content element based on the maximum of the first random sample and the second random sample; and
selecting the selected content element from among the content elements such that the weighting of the selected content element is a maximum of the weightings of the content elements.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the first threshold is one; and
the second threshold is one.