Website trial service
Techniques are provided herein to provide a trial for membership-based webservices. Specifically, artificial data and/or user data from alternative webservices are obtained to temporarily populate records useful for a webservice trial. In this manner, the trial may make use of a common codebase accessed by actual members, resulting in an efficient and realistic trial experience.
1 . A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium, comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to:
operate a webserver in communication with a membership-based webservice, a user computing device of a requestor, and a source webservice hosting an existing account of the requestor, wherein the source webservice and the membership-based webservice are different providers of web services providing a common set of functionalities and that utilize login credentials to secure membership accounts;
receive, by the webserver and from the computing device of the requestor, a request to obtain trial-based access to the membership-based webservice, the trial-based access allowing the requestor to try out a guest version of the membership-based webservice, the guest version providing webpage views on one or more webpages of the membership-based webservice to simulate webpage views provided to members of the membership-based webservice;
identify, by the membership-based webservice and based on the request, the requestor as currently having a non-member status with the membership-based webservice based on the requestor having neither a membership-based account with the membership-based webservice nor a commitment to obtain membership to the membership-based webservice;
identify, by the membership-based webservice and based on the request, login credentials used by the requestor to access the existing account at the source webservice;
access, by the webserver utilizing the login credentials of the requestor, the source webservice via a website to collect information about the existing account of the source webservice;
navigate, using navigation instructions specific to the source webservice, the existing account of the requestor to obtain user account information;
capture and import the user account information from the existing account of the requestor at the source webservice;
predict, based on the user account information imported to the membership-based webservice, features of the membership-based webservice that will interest the requestor while the requestor tries the guest version of the membership-based webservice;
create, by the membership-based webservice, a temporary account providing the computing device of the requestor with the trial-based access to only the guest version of the membership-based webservice;
populate, by the membership-based webservice executing the one or more webpages of the membership-based webservice, the temporary account with the features, with actual data obtained from the user account information of the requestor, and with mock data of the membership-based webservice, the populating including supplementing the actual data with the mock data to complete execution of the features in the guest version of the membership-based webservice;
present, to the computing device of the requestor and by the membership-based webservice executing the one or more webpages of the membership-based webservice, the guest version of the membership-based webservice on the one or more webpages including the features, the actual data and the mock data to personalize presentation of the temporary account to the requestor while the guest version of the membership-based webservice is accessed by the computing device of the requestor;
determine, by the membership-based webservice, an ending of the trial-based access to the membership-based webservice; and
remove, after determining the ending of the trial-based access, the temporary account from the membership-based webservice including removing all of the actual data and the mock data from the membership-based webservice to enhance user privacy with respect to the membership-based webservice.
2 . The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more computers to:
track a number of visits of the temporary account to the membership-based webservice; and
block use of the temporary account based on exceeding a maximum threshold of trial runs.
3 . The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more computers to:
track one or more interactions of the guest version of the membership-based webservice; and
display the one or more interactions to a user of the trial-based access without propagating the one or more interactions into production data of the membership-based webservice.
4 . The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more computers to:
identify a temporary time allotment for storing the user account information, the mock data, or both;
temporarily store the user account information, the mock data, or both for the temporary time allotment; and
remove the user account information, the mock data, or both after the temporary time allotment is exceeded.
5 . The computer-readable medium of claim 4 , comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more computers to:
identify a completion of use of the trial-based access based upon logout; and
identify the temporary time allotment based upon the completion of use.
6 . The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more computers to:
retrieve the user account information from the source webservice by:
obtaining the navigation instructions specific to the source webservice;
navigating the source webservice in accordance with the navigation instructions; and
while navigating the source webservice, collecting the user account information.
7 . The computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the navigation instructions comprise a macro or a robotic process automation script that, when executed, causes automated navigation of the source webservice.
8 . The computer-readable medium of claim 6 , comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more computers to:
transform the user account information from a first format associated with the source webservice to a second format expected by the membership-based webservice.
9 . The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more computers to:
transform the user account information by aggregating portions of the user account information to create new data that is temporarily stored for use by the membership-based webservice.
10 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
operating a webserver in communication with a membership-based webservice, a user computing device of a requestor, and a source webservice hosting an existing account of the requestor, wherein the source webservice and the membership-based webservice are different providers of web services providing a common set of functionalities and that utilize login credentials to secure membership accounts;
receiving, by the webserver and from the computing device of the requestor, a request to obtain trial-based access to the membership-based webservice, the trial-based access allowing the requestor to try out a guest version of the membership-based webservice, the guest version providing webpage views on one or more webpages of the membership-based webservice to simulate webpage views provided to members of the membership-based webservice;
identifying, by the membership-based webservice and based on the request, the requestor as currently having a non-member status with the membership-based webservice based on the requestor having neither a membership-based account with the membership-based webservice nor a commitment to obtain membership to the membership-based webservice;
identifying, by the membership-based webservice and based on the request, login credentials used by the requestor to access the existing account at the source webservice;
accessing, by the webserver utilizing the login credentials of the requestor, the source webservice via a website to collect information about the existing account of the source webservice;
navigating, using navigation instructions specific to the source webservice, the existing account of the requestor to obtain user account information;
capturing and importing the user account information from the existing account of the requestor at the source webservice;
predicting, based on the user account information imported to the membership-based webservice, features of the membership-based webservice that will interest the requestor while the requestor tries the guest version of the membership-based webservice;
creating, by the membership-based webservice, a temporary account providing the computing device of the requestor with the trial-based access to only the guest version of the membership-based webservice;
populating, by the membership-based webservice executing the one or more webpages of the membership-based webservice, the temporary account with the features, with actual data obtained from the user account information of the requestor, and with mock data of the membership-based webservice, the populating including supplementing the actual data with the mock data to complete execution of the features in the guest version of the membership-based webservice;
presenting, to the computing device of the requestor and by the membership-based webservice executing the one or more webpages of the membership-based webservice, the guest version of the membership-based webservice on the one or more webpages including the features, the actual data and the mock data to personalize presentation of the temporary account to the requestor while the guest version of the membership-based webservice is accessed by the computing device of the requestor;
determining, by the membership-based webservice, an ending of the trial-based access to the membership-based webservice; and
removing, after determining the ending of the trial-based access, the temporary account from the membership-based webservice including removing all of the actual data and the mock data from the membership-based webservice to enhance user privacy with respect to the membership-based webservice.
11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising:
tracking a number of visits of the temporary account to the membership-based webservice; and
blocking use of the temporary account based on exceeding a maximum threshold of trial runs.
12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising:
identifying the requestor as currently having the non-member status with the membership-based webservice based on a cookie residing on a computer of the requestor.
13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising:
identifying a temporary time allotment for storing the user account information, the mock data, or both;
temporarily storing the user account information, the mock data, or both for the temporary time allotment; and
removing the user account information, the mock data, or both after the temporary time allotment is exceeded.
14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , comprising:
identifying a completion of use of the trial-based access based upon logout; and
identifying the temporary time allotment based upon the completion of use.
15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising:
retrieving the user account information from the source webservice by:
obtaining the navigation instructions specific to the source webservice;
navigating the source webservice in accordance with the navigation instructions; and
while navigating the source webservice, collecting the user account information;
wherein the navigation instructions comprise a macro or a robotic process automation script that, when executed, causes automated navigation of the source webservice.
16 . The computer-implement method of claim 15 , comprising:
transforming the user account information from a first format associated with the source webservice to a second format expected by the membership-based webservice.
17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , comprising:
transforming the user account information by aggregating portions of the user account information to create new data that is temporarily stored for use by the membership-based webservice.
18 . A system, comprising:
a membership-based webservice in communication with a webservice data repository;
the webservice data repository, wherein the webservice data repository comprises data useful for facilitating functions of the membership-based webservice; and
webservice trial logic configured to:
operate a webserver in communication with the membership-based webservice, a user computing device of a requestor, and a source webservice hosting an existing account of the requestor, wherein the source webservice and the membership-based webservice are different providers of web services providing a common set of functionalities and that utilize login credentials to secure membership accounts;
receive, by the webserver and from the computing device of the requestor, a request to obtain trial-based access to the membership-based webservice, the trial-based access allowing the requestor to try out a guest version of the membership-based webservice, the guest version providing webpage views on one or more webpages of the membership-based webservice to simulate webpage views provided to members of the membership-based webservice;
identify, by the membership-based webservice and based on the request, the requestor as currently having a non-member status with the membership-based webservice based on the requestor having neither a membership-based account with the membership-based webservice nor a commitment to obtain membership to the membership-based webservice;
identify, by the membership-based webservice and based on the request, login credentials used by the requestor to access the existing account at the source webservice;
access, by the webserver utilizing the login credentials of the requestor, the source webservice via a website to collect information about the existing account of the source webservice;
navigate, using navigation instructions specific to the source webservice, the existing account of the requestor to obtain user account information;
capture and import the user account information from the existing account of the requestor at the source webservice;
predict, based on the user account information imported to the membership-based webservice, features of the membership-based webservice that will interest the requestor while the requestor tries the guest version of the membership-based webservice;
create, by the membership-based webservice, a temporary account providing the computing device of the requestor with the trial-based access to only the guest version of the membership-based webservice;
populate, by the membership-based webservice executing the one or more webpages of the membership-based webservice, the temporary account with the features, with actual data obtained from the user account information of the requestor, and with mock data of the membership-based webservice, the populating including supplementing the actual data with the mock data to complete execution of the features in the guest version of the membership-based webservice;
present, to the computing device of the requestor and by the membership-based webservice executing the one or more webpages of the membership-based webservice, the guest version of the membership-based webservice on the one or more webpages including the features, the actual data and the mock data to personalize presentation of the temporary account to the requestor while the guest version of the membership-based webservice is accessed by the computing device of the requestor;
determine, by the membership-based webservice, an ending of the trial-based access to the membership-based webservice; and
remove, after determining the ending of the trial-based access, the temporary account from the membership-based webservice including removing all of the actual data and the mock data from the membership-based webservice to enhance user privacy with respect to the membership-based webservice.
19 . The system of claim 18 , comprising a data collection service configured to:
receive the credentials for the source webservice;
in response to the request for trial data:
access the source webservice using the credentials;
navigate the source webservice using the navigation instructions specific to the source webservice; and
while navigating the source webservice, capture the trial data from the source webservice.
20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the data collection service is configured to navigate a plurality of pages of the source webservice in an automated fashion using a macro or robotic process automation script, wherein each of the plurality of pages comprises a portion of the trial data.