An online commerce system

Abstract

An online commerce system wherein the content server serves media content to the content viewer and the content viewer displays received media content. The content server serves to the content viewer commerce data that is usable to cause call-to-action indicia associated with an item for sale to be displayed with the media content. The commerce application is arranged to implement a user interface such that in response to selection of call-to-action indicia, a user is able to interact with the user interface to purchase an item. The commerce application facilitates access to an online commerce platform to action purchase of the item using the commerce application. The commerce management system interacts with the commerce application to receive the item purchase data indicative of purchase of an item and interfaces with at least one online commerce platform to effect purchase of the item using the item purchase data.

Description

[0001] AN ONLINE COMMERCE SYSTEM

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an online commerce system that facilitates online purchase of products and services by a user.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] It is known to provide an online commerce system that facilitates online purchase of products and services by displaying call-to-action indicia adjacent displayed media content, and directing a user to a web page associated with an ecommerce store when the user clicks the call-to-action indicia so that the user may purchase the item.

[0006] However, while this arrangement enables a user to purchase an item referred to or displayed in the media content, the efficiency and user experience of the process is poor.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an online commerce system comprising: a content server; and a content viewer associated with a user computing device, the content viewer in data communication with the content server and arranged to implement a commerce application; the content server arranged to serve media content to the content viewer and the content viewer arranged to display received media content; the content server also arranged to serve commerce data to the content viewer, the commerce data usable to cause call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale to be displayed with the media content at the content viewer; the commerce application arranged to implement a user interface such that in response to selection of call-to-action indicia, a user is able to interact with the user interface to purchase an item; and the commerce application arranged to facilitate access to an online commerce platform so as to action purchase of the item using the commerce application.

[0009] In an embodiment, the online commerce system comprises a commerce management system in data communication with the content viewer and the at least one online commerce platform; the commerce management system comprising: at least one software interface component arranged to: interact with the commerce application to receive the item purchase data indicative of purchase of an item; and interface with at least one online commerce platform to effect purchase of the item using the item purchase data.

[0010] In an embodiment, the at least one software interface comprises at least one application programming interface (API). In this embodiment, the at least one API includes: a cart API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage placement of items in a purchase cart at the at least one commerce platform; a checkout API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage a checkout process; a shipping API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage capture of shipping details; and / or a payments API arranged to interface with at least one payment gateway to manage a payment process.

[0011] In an embodiment, the system comprises catalogue data indicative of multiple catalogue items associated with call-to-action indica displayed with the media content, the catalogue data derived from data stored at the at least one commerce platform and the catalogue data stored online separately to the at least one commerce platform; wherein the catalogue data is accessible by the commerce application so that information indicative of items available for sale and associated with call-to-action indicia is readily usable by the commerce application.

[0012] In an embodiment, the catalogue data is stored at the commerce management system.

[0013] In an embodiment, the online commerce system comprises an embedded commerce creator usable to associate an item available for purchase on the at least one commerce platform with media content so that call-to-action indicia is viewable on the content viewer and the item is purchasable using the commerce application.

[0014] In an embodiment, the embedded commerce creator is stored at the commerce management system.

[0015] In an embodiment, the commerce data includes data indicative of the commerce application for execution by the content viewer.

[0016] In an alternative embodiment, the commerce application is stored at the user computing device.

[0017] In an alternative embodiment, the commerce data includes data indicative of an online location from which data indicative of the commerce application and / or data usable to cause call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale will be retrieved.

[0018] In an embodiment, the commerce data comprises an application script that may comprise JavaScript code executable on the user computing device, for example using a JavaScript engine associated with the content viewer.

[0019] In an embodiment, the content server comprises a web server.

[0020] In an embodiment, the content server comprises an advertising content server. The advertising server may be arranged to serve VAST / VPAID format advertising media data and commerce data in response to an ad unit request from the content viewer.

[0021] In an embodiment, the content server comprises a data server associated with an application executed on the user computing device.

[0022] In an embodiment, the content viewer comprises a web browser.

[0023] In an embodiment, the content viewer comprises a component arranged to display advertising content. In an embodiment, the content viewer is incorporated into an application executed on the user computing device. The application may be a social media application.

[0024] In an embodiment, the online commerce system comprises an analytics component arranged to produce analytics data that may comprise shopping interaction information and / or transaction information.

[0025] In an embodiment, the user interface is displayed as an overlay to displayed media content.

[0026] In an embodiment, the media content comprises video content, image content and / or text content.

[0027] In an embodiment, the call-to-action indicia comprises an icon and / or text.

[0028] In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a content server for an online commerce system: the content server in data communication with a content viewer and arranged to: serve media content for display at the content viewer in response to a request for media content from the content viewer; and serve commerce data to the content viewer, the commerce data usable to cause call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale to be displayed with the media content at the content viewer; wherein the commerce data is usable by a commerce application associated with the content viewer to facilitate access to an online commerce platform and purchase of the item using the commerce application.

[0029] In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a commerce management system for an online commerce system; the commerce management system in data communication with: a content viewer associated with a user and arranged to implement a commerce application that causes call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale to be displayed with media content, the commerce application implementing a user interface for receiving item purchase data indicative of purchase of an item; and at least one online commerce platform usable to purchase an item; the commerce management system comprising: at least one software interface component arranged to: interact with the commerce application to receive the item purchase data; and interface with at least one online commerce platform to effect purchase of the item using the item purchase data.

[0030] In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of purchasing an item online, the method comprising: providing a content server; and providing a content viewer associated with a user computing device, the content viewer in data communication with the content server and arranged to implement a commerce application; serving media content from the content server to the content viewer; displaying received media content at the content viewer; serving commerce data from the content server to the content viewer, the commerce data usable to cause call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale to be displayed with the media content at the content; displaying call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale with the media content at the content viewer; facilitating selection of call-to-action indicia by a user; receiving from the user item purchase data indicative of an item desired to be purchased by the user and associated with the selected call-to-action indicia; and communicating with an online commerce platform using the item purchase data so as to action purchase of the item using the commerce application.

[0031] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0032] The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of an online commerce system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the online commerce system shown in Figure 1 , showing functional components of a commerce management system of the online commerce system;

[0034] Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of purchasing a product or service using the online commerce system shown in Figures 1 and 2;

[0035] Figures 4 to 8 are representations of overlay screens presented to a user during a purchasing process of an in-video purchasing embodiment;

[0036] Figures 5 to 11 are representations of overlay screens presented to a user during a purchasing process of an in-text purchasing embodiment;

[0037] Figures 12 to 16 are representations of screens displayed to a user by an embedded commerce creator of the system shown in Figures 1 and 2;

[0038] Figure 17 is a representation of an analytics reporting dashboard produced by an analytics component of the system shown in Figures 1 and 2; and

[0039] Figure 18 is a representation of transaction reporting information displayed to a user by an analytics component of the system shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0040] Description of an Embodiment of the Invention

[0041] In the present specification, for ease of reference, it will be understood that an ‘item’ available for purchase is intended to mean a product that is available for purchase and / or a service that is available for purchase.

[0042] Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, an example online commerce system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0043] Unlike online commerce systems known hitherto, the present online commerce system 10 is arranged to enable a user to purchase an item as the user views online media content, without the need for redirection to a website of an ecommerce system, for example associated with the provider of the item. The online media content may be in the form of one or more of online video content, online image content and online text content.

[0044] With the present online commerce system 10, a user is able to view online media content and select call-to-action indicia displayed adjacent an item referred to or displayed in the media content in order to commence a purchasing process for the item. The purchasing process is managed by a commerce application that implements a commerce user interface as a media overlay, in this example displayed over the media content. The user interacts with the commerce user interface and the commerce application interacts, in this example indirectly through a commerce management system 30, with a remote ecommerce system and a remote payment system in order to effect purchase of an item without the need to be directed to or access a website associated with the seller of the item. In this way, the user is provided with a seamless item purchase and checkout experience that occurs as the user consumes the online media content.

[0045] The online commerce system 10 facilitates purchase of an item from an ecommerce platform 12 associated with a seller of the item, and in this example each ecommerce platform 12 stores records 13 associated with multiple items available for purchase from one seller. However, it will be understood that an ecommerce platform that stores item records of multiple different sellers is envisaged.

[0046] In order to effect purchase of an item, the online commerce system 10 also interacts with a payment gateway 14 arranged to manage a process of receiving payment from a user, such as payment from a credit card.

[0047] In the present example, the online commerce system 10 includes a content server 16 arranged to provide content to a user computing device 22 when requested by the user computing device 22.

[0048] The content served to the user computing device 22 by the content server 16 includes media content 18 that may include any one or more of video content, image content and text content, and commerce data 20 usable to cause call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale to be displayed with the media content at a content viewer 26.

[0049] The commerce data 20 may include data indicative of a commerce application that is executed at the user computing device, for example by the content viewer 26, to manage an online purchase process using an overlay user interface. In the present example, the data indicative of a commerce application is in the form of a commerce application script, for example JavaScript code, that is executable on the user computing device 22, for example using a JavaScript engine.

[0050] In an alternative arrangement, instead of serving data indicative of the commerce application from the content server 16 to the user computing device 22, the commerce application may be stored at the user computing device and the content server 16 arranged to serve commerce data, for use by the commerce application, the commerce data indicative of one or more items associated with the served media content 18 that are to be made available for purchase with the media content.

[0051] In a further alternative implementation, the commerce data 20 includes data indicative of an online location from which data indicative of the commerce application and / or data indicative of the relevant item(s) to be made available for sale will be retrieved.

[0052] In the present example, the content server 16 is a web server and the content viewer 26 is a web browser that includes a JavaScript engine 28 arranged to execute JavaScript code, although it will be understood that any suitable content server content viewer are envisaged.

[0053] For example, if the content to be served to the content viewer 26 is advertising content, an ad unit comprising VAST / VPAID format advertising media data and commerce data 20, for example including JavaScript code, may be served from an advertising server in response to an ad unit request from the content viewer that may comprise a web browser or an application such as a social media application. In this way, the present online commerce system may be integrated with viewable online content by incorporating calls-to-action in served advertising content.

[0054] The web browser 26 receives media content 18 from the web server 16 and displays the media content 18 in the web browser. The web browser 26 also receives a JavaScript commerce application script that is used by the JavaScript engine 28 to implement a commerce application that: causes call-to-action indicia associated with an action to purchase an item to be displayed; implements a user interface, in this example as an overlay to the displayed media content 18, that enables a user to interact with the commerce application; and facilitates access, in this example indirectly, to an online ecommerce platform so that the user is able to purchase the item using the overlay user interface.

[0055] In the present example, the content server 16 communicates with the user computing device 22 through a wide area network such as the Internet 24.

[0056] The user computing device 22 may be any suitable computing device capable of accessing content online and implementing a commerce application that manages an online purchase using an overlay user interface, such as a smartphone, tablet computer, personal computer or laptop computer.

[0057] The content server 16 may be any computing device able to act as a content server, such as a dedicated server computing device or a personal computer configured for server functionality.

[0058] In the present example, the commerce application implemented by the content viewer 26 implements an overlay user interface and communicates with a remote commerce management system 30 that interacts with the commerce platforms 12 and the payment gateways 14 to effect purchase of an item.

[0059] In the present example, the commerce management system 30 is implemented using a suitable computing device that has a processor 32, a data storage device 34 for storing programs 36 to be implemented by the processor 32 and program data 38 used by and produced by the programs 36, and a memory 40.

[0060] Referring to Figure 2, a representation of the online commerce system 10 is shown that includes functional components 50 implemented by the commerce management system 30. The functional components 50 include at least one API 51 arranged to communicate with the commerce application and interface with the commerce platforms 12, in the present example through a commerce platform integration component 62, and the payment gateways 14, in the present example through a payment gateway integration component 64. The present APIs 51 are unlike conventional APIs in that the intention is not to access a database, but rather to perform dynamic integration with APIs associated with the commerce platforms 12 and payment gateways 14.

[0061] In the present embodiment, the functional components 50 include: a product API 52 arranged to interface with a commerce platform 12 to obtain information indicative of items for sale that is used by the commerce application to display item information on the overlay user interface, such as a product stock keeping unit (SKU), title, description, variant(s) and price for the item; a cart API 54 arranged to interface with the commerce platform 12 to manage placement of items in a purchase cart at the commerce platform 12; a checkout API 56 arranged to interface with the commerce platform 12 to manage a checkout process; a shipping API 58 arranged to interface with the commerce platform 12 to manage capture of shipping details; and a payments API 60 arranged to interface with a payment gateway 14 to manage a payment process.

[0062] The functional components 50 also include access data 66 necessary to enable the APIs 51 to access and interact with the commerce platforms 12 and the payment gateways 14, the access data 66 for example including encrypted keys and connection data that may include information indicative of a host domain, store ID, merchant ID and so on.

[0063] In the present example, API access to the commerce platforms 12 is enabled because the commerce platforms 12 use headless APIs that facilitate interaction with the commerce platforms 12.

[0064] It will be understood that differences may exist between the commerce platform APIs and / or payment gateways 14, and consequently it may be necessary to provide APIs 51 at the commerce management system 30 that are specific to respective commerce platforms 12 and / or payment gateways 14.

[0065] The functional components 50 also include catalogue data 68 that for example includes information indicative of multiple catalogue item records 70. Each catalogue item record 70 may include basic data associated with an item available for sale in the commerce platforms 12, such as text describing the item, a visual representation of the item and a purchase price for the item.

[0066] It will be understood that the catalogue data 68 is data derived from the commerce platforms 12 and in this way an at least partial mirror of an item catalogue present on the commerce platforms 12 is stored at the commerce management system 30. This enables the commerce application at the user computing device 22 to efficiently access information indicative of items available for sale and display the information on the overlay user interface. The commerce management system 30 may be arranged to periodically refresh the catalogue data 68 stored at the commerce management system 30 so that the commerce management system 30 always has an up-to-date record of the items available for sale at the commerce platforms 12, and importantly information indicative of an item not currently available for sale at the commerce platforms 12 is not displayed at the overlay user interface. In contrast, with a conventional ecommerce system associated with online media content, it is possible that an item purportedly for sale is displayed to a user but after clicking on call-to- action indicia and transferal of the user to a commerce-related website associated with the item, the user is informed that the item is not actually available for sale, for example because all such items have been sold.

[0067] The functional components 50 also include an embedded commerce creator 72 that is usable to add items available for purchase on the commerce platforms 12 to online content so that information indicative of the items are displayed on the content viewer and purchasable using the commerce application.

[0068] The functional components 50 also include an analytics component 74 arranged to produce analytics data 76 associated with item purchases, in the present example data indicative of:

[0069] Call-to-action clicks; - Items added to a cart;

[0070] - Cart views by users;

[0071] - Cart item updates;

[0072] - Views of terms and conditions;

[0073] - Checkout commencements;

[0074] - Checkout closings;

[0075] - Shipping calculations;

[0076] - Shipping selections; and

[0077] - Checkout completions.

[0078] An example analytics reporting dashboard 180 that includes shop interaction information 182 and transaction information 184 is shown in Figure 17. An example of transaction reporting information 190 associated with transactions completed using the online commerce system 10 is shown in Figure 18.

[0079] An example method of purchasing a product or service using the online commerce system will now be described in relation to flow diagram 80 shown in Figure 3, and diagrammatic representations of overlay screens presented to a user during a purchasing process, as shown in Figures 4 to 8.

[0080] The present example is described in relation to purchase of a product that is shown in a video displayed to a user on a web browser.

[0081] Using a computing device 22, a user first accesses a website by providing the web browser 26 with a website address, and in response the web server 16 associated with the website serves data indicative of media content 18 and commerce data 20 in the form of a commerce application script to the web browser 26, as indicated by steps 82 and 84. The web browser 26 then displays media content 104 as shown in Figure 4, and executes the commerce application script so as to implement a commerce application that includes an overlay user interface, as indicated at step 86. The commerce application then retrieves data indicative of items that are for example associated with the media content and available for purchase using the catalogue data 68 at the commerce management system 30, and displays call-to-action indicia 106, 108 in the overlay user interface, as indicated at steps 88 and 90 and shown in Figure 4. As the user views the media content 104, in this example video content, if the user wishes to purchase an item associated with displayed call-to-action indicia 106, 108, the user selects the relevant call-to-action indicia, in the present example in the form of a shopping icon 106 and a shop button 108, for example by clicking on the shopping icon 106 or the shop button 108 using a mouse, as indicated at step 92. In response to selection of an item by selecting call-to-action indicia 106, 108, the commerce application communicates with APIs 51 at the commerce management system 30, in this example through the Internet 24, to retrieve and provide the commerce application with data indicative of the selected item for display in the overlay user interface. The commerce application then facilitates purchase of the item by the user interacting with the overlay user interface, the commerce application interacting with the APIs 51 and the APIs 51 interacting with a commerce platform 12 and a payment gateway 14, as indicated at steps 94 to 98.

[0082] In particular, as shown in Figure 5, after selection by a user of call-to-action indica associated with an item desired to be purchased, the overlay user interface displays a payment screen 109 that shows item information 110 such as a picture of the item, descriptive text of the item and an item price; and payment details fields 112 usable by the user to enter payment details such as credit card details. After the user has viewed and completed the payment details fields 112, the user selects a confirm payment details button 114.

[0083] After confirmation of the payment details, the overlay user interface displays a purchaser details screen 116, as shown in Figure 6. Using the purchaser details screen 116, the user enters personal details into personal details fields 118, and selects a confirm personal details button 120.

[0084] After confirmation of the personal details, the overlay user interface displays a review details screen 122, as shown in Figure 7. The review details screen 122 displays the entered payment and personal details, and the user confirms the payment and personal details by selecting a confirm purchase button 124.

[0085] After the user has confirmed the purchase, the overlay user interface displays a confirm purchase screen 126, as shown in Figure 8. While the above example is described in relation to video content, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to any online content, including image content, text content and a combination of video, image and / or text content.

[0086] For example, an alternative example is shown in Figures 9 to 11 wherein the media content 18 served to the content viewer 26 is text or predominantly text.

[0087] Figures 9 and 10 show text 132 displayed in the content viewer 26, in this example a web browser, and item information 134 and associated call-to-action indicia 136 in a user interface overlay. As with the embodiment shown in Figures 3 to 8, selection of the call-to-action indicia 136 causes the commerce application to implement an overlay user interface 140 that displays item information 142 and enables a user to interact with the commerce application to provide purchase and personal details and complete purchase of the item, as shown in Figure 11 . As with the embodiment shown in Figures 3 to 8, the purchasing process is actioned using the APIs 51 that interact with the commerce application, the commerce platforms 12 and the payment gateways 14.

[0088] It will be understood that while the above examples are described in relation to a content viewer 22 in the form of a web browser, it will be understood that alternative content viewers are envisaged. For example, the content viewer 22 may be implemented as part of an application, for example executed on a smartphone or personal computing device, the important aspect being that the content viewer 22 is able to display received media content 18 and execute a commerce application that manages display of call-to-action indicia, facilitates interaction with a user using a user interface and interacts with a remote commerce management system 30 in order to effect purchase of an item using a remote commerce platform 12 and a remote payment gateway 14.

[0089] It will also be understood that the while the above examples are described in relation to delivery of media content 18 and commerce data 20 from a web server, it will be understood that other sources of media content are envisaged. For example, the content server 16 may be associated with an advertising material source such that the media content comprises video, images and / or text associated with an advertisement to be displayed on a web page or in an application, such as in a social media application. With this arrangement, the web page or social media application may use VAST / VPAID protocols to obtain and display advertisements on the web page or in the application.

[0090] Functionality of the embedded commerce creator 72 component of the commerce management system 30 shown in Figure 2 will now be described with reference to Figures 12 to 16.

[0091] In the present example, a user desiring to add embedded purchasing functionality to media content associated with the user accesses the embedded commerce creator 72, for example using a web browser. After user authentication, the user is presented with an embedded content creation user interface.

[0092] After selection of the relevant media content, in this example a video, an add interaction page 150 of the creation user interface is displayed, as shown in Figure 12. Using the add interaction page 150, the user selects an add shoppable pin button 152 and selects a location on the media content at which call-to-action indicia 154 will be displayed. After selection of the call-to-action indicia location, a settings page 156, as shown in Figure 13, is displayed. Since in the present example, the media content is video, the settings page 156 enables a user to select the timing of appearance and disappearance of the call-to-action indicia 154 using a time bar 157 that is manipulatable by the user to select start 158 and end 160 timing positions for the call- to-action indicia 154.

[0093] Using the settings page 156, the user can also select an item to be associated with the call-to-action indicia 154 by selecting a browse item link 162. Selection of the browse item link 162 causes a catalogue selection screen 164 to be displayed, as shown in Figure 14. Using the catalogue selection screen 164, the user is able to select a relevant catalogue of items 166, then, using an item selection screen 168 as shown in Figure 15, to select an item 170 to be associated with the call-to-action indicia 154. After selection of the item 170, the settings page 156 is again displayed, with the associated item 170 identified in a selected product box 172. The item selection is confirmed and saved using a save button 174.

[0094] It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

[0095] In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

[0096] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are determined to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

The claims defininq the invention are as follows:1 . An online commerce system comprising: a content server; a content viewer associated with a user computing device, the content viewer in data communication with the content server and arranged to implement a commerce application; and a commerce management system in data communication with the content viewer and at least one online commerce platform; the content server arranged to serve media content to the content viewer and the content viewer arranged to display received media content; the content server also arranged to serve commerce data to the content viewer, the commerce data usable to cause call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale to be displayed with the media content at the content viewer; the commerce application arranged to implement a user interface such that in response to selection of call-to-action indicia, a user is able to interact with the user interface to purchase an item; the commerce application arranged to facilitate access to the commerce management system so as to action purchase of the item from an online platform using the commerce application; and the commerce management system comprising: at least one software interface component arranged to: interact with the commerce application to receive the item purchase data indicative of purchase of an item; and interface with at least one online commerce platform to effect purchase of the item using the item purchase data.

2. The online commerce system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one software interface comprises at least one application programming interface (API).

3. The online commerce system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one API includes: a cart API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage placement of items in a purchase cart at the at least one commerce platform; a checkout API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platformto manage a checkout process; a shipping API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage capture of shipping details; and / or a payments API arranged to interface with at least one payment gateway to manage a payment process.

4. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising catalogue data indicative of multiple catalogue items associated with call- to-action indica displayed with the media content, the catalogue data derived from data stored at the at least one commerce platform and the catalogue data stored online separately to the at least one commerce platform; wherein the catalogue data is accessible by the commerce application so that information indicative of items available for sale and associated with call-to-action indicia is readily usable by the commerce application.

5. The online commerce system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the catalogue data is stored at the commerce management system.

6. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising an embedded commerce creator usable to associate an item available for purchase on the at least one commerce platform with media content so that call-to- action indicia is viewable on the content viewer and the item is purchasable using the commerce application.

7. The online commerce system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the embedded commerce creator is stored at the commerce management system.

8. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the commerce data includes data indicative of the commerce application for execution by the content viewer.

9. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the commerce application is stored at the user computing device.

10. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, whereinthe commerce data includes data indicative of an online location from which data indicative of the commerce application and / or data usable to cause call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale will be retrieved.11 . The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the commerce data comprises an application script.

12. The online commerce system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the application script comprises JavaScript code executable on the user computing device.

13. The online commerce system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the content viewer comprises a JavaScript engine to execute the JavaScript code.

14. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the content server comprises a web server.

15. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the content server comprises an advertising content server.

16. The online commerce system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the advertising server is arranged to serve VAST / VPAID format advertising media data and commerce data in response to an ad unit request from the content viewer.

17. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the content server comprises a data server associated with an application executed on the user computing device.

18. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the content viewer comprises a web browser.

19. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the content viewer comprises a component arranged to display advertising content.

20. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,wherein the content viewer is incorporated into an application executed on the user computing device.21 . The online commerce system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the application is a social media application.

22. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the online commerce system comprises an analytics component arranged to produce analytics data.

23. The online commerce system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the analytics data comprises shopping interaction information and / or transaction information.

24. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user interface is displayed as an overlay to displayed media content.

25. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the media content comprises video content, image content and / or text content.

26. The online commerce system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the call-to-action indicia comprises an icon and / or text.

27. A commerce management system for an online commerce system; the commerce management system in data communication with: a content viewer associated with a user and arranged to implement a commerce application that causes call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale to be displayed with media content, the commerce application implementing a user interface for receiving item purchase data indicative of purchase of an item; and at least one online commerce platform usable to purchase an item; the commerce management system comprising: at least one software interface component arranged to: interact with the commerce application to receive the item purchase data; and interface with at least one online commerce platform to effectpurchase of the item using the item purchase data.

28. The commerce management system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the at least one API includes: a cart API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage placement of items in a purchase cart at the at least one commerce platform; a checkout API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage a checkout process; a shipping API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage capture of shipping details; and / or a payments API arranged to interface with at least one payment gateway to manage a payment process.

29. The commerce management system as claimed in claim 27 or claim 28, comprising catalogue data indicative of multiple catalogue items associated with call- to-action indica displayed with the media content, the catalogue data derived from data stored at the at least one commerce platform and the catalogue data stored online separately to the at least one commerce platform; wherein the catalogue data is accessible by the commerce application so that information indicative of items available for sale and associated with call-to-action indicia is readily usable by the commerce application.

30. The commerce management system as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 29, comprising an embedded commerce creator usable to associate an item available for purchase on the at least one commerce platform with media content so that call-to- action indicia is viewable on the content viewer and the item is purchasable using the commerce application.31 . A method of purchasing an item online, the method comprising: providing a content server; providing a content viewer associated with a user computing device, the content viewer in data communication with the content server and arranged to implement a commerce application; providing a commerce management system in data communication with the content viewer and at least one online commerce platform, the commercemanagement system comprising at least one software interface component; serving media content from the content server to the content viewer; displaying received media content at the content viewer; serving commerce data from the content server to the content viewer, the commerce data usable to cause call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale to be displayed with the media content at the content; displaying call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale with the media content at the content viewer; facilitating selection of call-to-action indicia by a user; receiving from the user item purchase data indicative of an item desired to be purchased by the user and associated with the selected call-to-action indicia; and communicating with the commerce management system using the item purchase data so as to action purchase of the item using the commerce application; the at least one software interface component arranged to: interact with the commerce application to receive the item purchase data indicative of purchase of an item; and interface with at least one online commerce platform to effect purchase of the item using the item purchase data.

32. The methos as claimed in claim 32, wherein the at least one software interface comprises at least one application programming interface (API).

33. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the at least one API includes: a cart API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage placement of items in a purchase cart at the at least one commerce platform; a checkout API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage a checkout process; a shipping API arranged to interface with the at least one commerce platform to manage capture of shipping details; and / or a payments API arranged to interface with at least one payment gateway to manage a payment process.

34. The method as claimed in any one of claims 32 to 34, comprising storing catalogue data indicative of multiple catalogue items associated with call-to-action indica displayed with the media content, the catalogue data derived from data stored atthe at least one commerce platform and the catalogue data stored online separately to the at least one commerce platform; and facilitating access to the catalogue data by the commerce application so that information indicative of items available for sale and associated with call-to-action indicia is readily usable by the commerce application.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34, comprising storing the catalogue data at the commerce management system.

36. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 35, comprising using an embedded commerce creator to associate an item available for purchase on the at least one commerce platform with media content so that call-to-action indicia is viewable on the content viewer and the item is purchasable using the commerce application.

37. The method as claimed in claim 36, comprising storing the embedded commerce creator at the commerce management system.

38. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 37, wherein the commerce data includes data indicative of the commerce application for execution by the content viewer.

39. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 37, comprising storing the commerce application at the user computing device.

40. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 37, wherein the commerce data includes data indicative of an online location from which data indicative of the commerce application and / or data usable to cause call-to-action indicia associated with at least one item for sale will be retrieved.41 . The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 40, wherein the commerce data comprises an application script.

42. The method as claimed in claim 41 , wherein the application script comprises JavaScript code executable on the user computing device.

43. The method as claimed in claim 42, wherein the content viewer comprises a JavaScript engine to execute the JavaScript code.

44. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 43, wherein the content server comprises a web server.

45. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 44, wherein the content server comprises an advertising content server.

46. The method as claimed in claim 45, comprising arranging the advertising server to serve VAST / VPAID format advertising media data and commerce data in response to an ad unit request from the content viewer.

47. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 46, wherein the content server comprises a data server associated with an application executed on the user computing device.

48. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 47, wherein the content viewer comprises a web browser.

49. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 48, wherein the content viewer comprises a component arranged to display advertising content.

50. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 49, comprising incorporating the content viewer into an application executed on the user computing device.51 . The method as claimed in claim 50, wherein the application is a social media application.

52. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 51 , comprising displaying the user interface as an overlay to displayed media content.

53. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 52, wherein the media content comprises video content, image content and / or text content.

54. The method as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 52, wherein the call-to-action indicia comprises an icon and / or text.

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