Content providing system, method thereof, and computer program

Abstract

To provide a system for, a method of, and a program for specifying a source site from two or more websites.SOLUTION: A system according to the present invention has a server apparatus 105 for associating a content or content information relating to an item with a website identifier of a source website, a source website server apparatus 110 for providing a content to a user and for managing a source website from which the user purchase an item through his use of the content, and a target website server apparatus 115 for acquiring content information of the source website and for managing the source website providing the content to the user. The server apparatus has an association identifier for use in association of the source website with the target website, and transmits a website association identifier to the target website server apparatus. The target website server apparatus transits the website association identifier and the content information to the server apparatus in response to use by the user of content in the target website.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system, a method, and a computer program for providing content.

Background Art

[0002] In online sales, on a website, content related to products / services is provided to users, and users can determine whether to purchase by checking the content. Users can purchase products / services related to the content after checking the content on a website where store staff or the like provides the content. When a user checks the content and purchases a product / service, the contribution degree of the sale of the product / service is calculated for the provider of the content such as store staff, that is, for each provider of the content, the sum of the contribution degrees of one or two or more products / services is calculated based on the contribution degree of each product / service. Incentives (such as in-house evaluations, money, prizes, products, etc.) are given to the content providers according to the total contribution degree.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for calculating a contribution degree based on both product sales on a website and product sales in a physical store by content provided by the staff of the physical store.

[0004] Also, in a system including a first website (also referred to as a source site) using a first e-commerce system and a second website (also referred to as a target site) using a second e-commerce system different from the first e-commerce system, the first website, as a source site, generates and / or manages content and sells products related to the content, etc., and the second website, as a target site, receives the content of the source site and sells products related to the content, etc. In such a system where the same product / service is sold on at least two or more websites, the contribution degree is calculated based on the sales at the source site without considering the sales at the target site.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In a system where each of two or more websites provides content and products / services related to the content, it has been difficult to identify which of the two or more websites is the source site and which is the target site.

[0007] For a content provider who provides certain content, the calculation of the contribution degree in one website and a physical store has been realized. However, the calculation of the contribution degree based on the sales performance of all two or more websites has not been possible.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a server device that associates an item or information about the item, content information that is content related to the item or information about the content related to the item, and a site identifier of a source site; a source site server device that provides the content to a user and manages the source site where the user purchases the item by using the content; and a target site server device that acquires the content information of the source site and manages a target site that provides the content to the user. The server device has an association identifier that associates the source site and the target site, and transmits the site association identifier to the target site server device. The target site server device can transmit the site association identifier and the content information to the server device in response to the user using the content at the target site.

[0009] In the system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the user using the content at the target site can include the user purchasing the item by referring to the content in the target site server device.

[0010] In the system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the server device associates a source site item identifier that identifies an item at the source site with a content identifier that identifies content related to the item. The target site server device associates the source site item identifier with a target site item identifier that is an identifier of the item at the target site specified by the source site item identifier. The target site server device further obtains, from the server device, the source site item identifier related to the content based on the content information, and can specify the source site item identifier of the content based on the target site item identifier related to the content according to the use of the content at the target site.

[0011] In the system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the target site server device can transmit the source site item identifier to the server device in response to specifying the source site item identifier of the content.

[0012] In the system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the server device can specify that the user at the target site has used the content based on the site-related identifier, the content information, and the identifier of the target site and the source site item identifier.

[0013] A server device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a source site server device that provides content to a user and manages a source site where the user purchases an item by using the content, and a target site server device that acquires the content information of the source site and communicates with a target site server device that manages a target site that provides the content to the user. The server device has an association identifier that associates an item or information about the item, content information that is content related to the item or information about the content related to the item, and a site identifier of the source site, and associates the source site and the target site. The site association identifier is transmitted to the target site server device, and at the target site, in response to the user using the content, the site association identifier, the content information, and the site identifier of the site managed by the target site server device are configured to be received from the target site server device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

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Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] [System Configuration] FIG. 1 shows a system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 includes a server device 105, a source site server device 110, a target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125. The server device 105 manages the source site server device 110 and the target site server device 115, and some or all of the functions provided by the source site server device 110 and the target site server device. The server device 105, the source site server device 110, the target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125 are connected via a network 199. The network 199 may be realized by various networks such as the Internet or a public telephone line, or by a combination of some or all of those networks. The network 199 may be realized by wired, wireless, or a combination thereof.

[0016] The source site server device 110 and the target site server device provide a website that sells products and / or services as items. The source site server device 110 and the target site server device can further provide content in the sale of items. A user can access the website provided by the source site server device 110 or the target site server device via their user terminal 120 to view the content. Items related to the content are displayed on the website together with the content, or are displayed on the website in relation to the content, such as being displayed on the website when the content is selected on the website. The user can purchase the products / services displayed as items on the website of the source site server device 110 or the target site server device via their user terminal 120.

[0017] The server device 105 can receive and store content related to a predetermined item from a content provider via the content provider terminal 125. In this case, after logging in to the service of the server device 105, the content provider transmits the content, and the server device 105 can identify the source site associated with the content provider. In other embodiments, the content provider can transmit the content to the server device 105 together with information identifying the source site. Thereby, the server device 105 can identify the source site associated with the content.

[0018] In other embodiments, the source site server device 110 can receive and store content related to a predetermined item from a content provider via the content provider terminal 125. The source site server device 110 can transmit the content and / or content-related information, which is information about the content (e.g., content identifier, content creation date and time, date and time when the content was updated, date and time when the content was provided, etc.), to the server device 105. The server device 105 can receive and store the content and / or content-related information. Also, since the server device 105 can identify the source site server device 110 as the communication source, it can also identify the source site.

[0019] The target site server device 115 requests the acquisition of the content of the source site server device 110 from the source site server device 110 or the server device 105. The target site server device 115 can receive the requested content and display it on the website of the target site server device 115. The target site server device 115 can sell the product / service, which is an item, using the displayed content.

[0020] The site provided by the source site server device 110 is associated with the content of the content provider terminal 125. The source site server device 110 provides the site that first provides the content, in other words, provides the source site. The target site server device 115 receives the content from the source site server device 110 and provides the same content as the source site. The target site server device 115 provides the content as a destination on the site as viewed from the source site server device 110. Such a site is called a target site because the content is provided from the source site server device 110. The server devices 110 and 115 can be the source site server device or the target site server device depending on whether they are the provider or the recipient of the content.

[0021] Figure 2 shows the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The server apparatus 105, the source site server apparatus 110, the target site server apparatus 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125 each include at least a processor 205, a memory 210, a storage 215, an input / output device 220, and a communication device 225 as shown in Figure 2. In apparatuses 105, 110, 115, 120, and 125, the processor 205 loads and executes a computer program stored in the storage 215 into the memory 210. The input / output device 220 includes a touch panel on a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and a display device, etc. A user can input information to the computer by means of a keyboard, a touch panel, etc., and can check the information output to the display device. Apparatuses 105, 110, 115, 120, and 125 can communicate with at least one of the other apparatuses via the communication device 225 and can transmit and receive data with them.

[0022] [Content Registration] Figure 3 shows a processing flow related to content registration. The content provider terminal 125 is used by a store staff who provides an item, which is a product or a service, or a content provider who is an advertisement provider. The content provider can create content such as text, still images, moving images, and audio for explaining the item by using the content provider terminal 125 or an imaging device (not shown) that can be wirelessly or wiredly connected to the content provider terminal 125 (step 300).

[0023] The content provider terminal 125 can transmit item information such as an item identifier for identifying an item and the content to the source site server device 110 (step 305). When receiving the content, the source site server device 110 can associate the identifier of the site of the source site server device 110 with the content. In one embodiment, the content provider terminal 125 can also transmit the content to the server device 105. In this case, the server device 105 can identify the site previously associated with the content provider by the content provider logging in to the system of the server device 105, whereby the associated site is identified as the source site. In other embodiments, when the content provider transmits the content to the server device 105, the content provider may transmit information specifying the source site. In other embodiments, the content provider terminal 125 can transmit the content only to the server device 105. The content provider can register and have in advance the content provider identifier of the website managed by the source site server device 110 in the server device 105. The content provider may log in to the website managed by the source site server device 110 using the content provider identifier. Thereby, after logging in, since the content is transmitted, the server device 105 or the source site server device 110 can more easily identify the content provider based on the content provider identifier specified by the login. In other embodiments, when the content provider terminal 125 transmits the content, the content may be associated with one or two or more pieces of item information.

[0024] The server device 105 and / or the source site server device 110 can generate a content identifier (step 310). The server device 105 and / or the source site server device 110 associates and registers the transmitted content and item information (for example, item identifier, etc.) with the content identifier (step 315). When the source site server device 110 generates a content identifier, the source site server device 110 can transmit the content identifier associated with the item information and the content to the server device 105. Thereby, the server device 105 and the source site server device 110 can use a common content identifier.

[0025] In this embodiment, the server device 105 and / or the source site server device 110 may register a source site identifier together with the content identifier. Thereby, the site where the content was first registered can be easily specified.

[0026] FIG. 4 shows an example of items of data managed by content registration. When the content is registered, the server device 105 and / or the source site server device 110 manages information about the content and the like as data (hereinafter referred to as content registration data). The management of the data may be realized by a database system. The content registration data can include a content identifier, an item identifier, content, a source site identifier, and a content provider identifier.

[0027] In the example of FIG. 4, five contents are registered. The contents with content identifiers "contentID001", "contentID002", and "contentID003" are contents about the same item (item identifier: "item001"). The contents with content identifiers "contentID001" and "contentID002" are contents provided by the same content provider (content identifier: "provider001"), but the source sites are different. The contents with content identifiers "contentID001" and "contentID002" were first registered at the source site with source site identifier: "site001" and the source site with source site identifier: "site002", respectively.

[0028] The contents with content identifiers "contentID003", "contentID004", and "contentID005" were first registered at the source site with source site identifier: "site001" by the provider with content provider identifier: "provider002". As can be understood from the contents with content identifiers "contentID004" and "contentID005", the contents were created for the same item (item identifier: "item002") by the provider with content provider identifier: "provider001". In other embodiments, a certain content may be associated with two or more items.

[0029] The column "Content" in the table contains information indicating the content, and the content file itself (such as a text, jpeg file, or mp4 file for video or audio) or a file path specifying the registration destination of the content may be registered.

[0030] [Provision of Content] FIG. 5 shows a processing flow related to content provision. A user can access a source site server device 110 that provides a source site using a user terminal 120 and search for content (step 500). The search for content can be realized by keyword search, image search, etc. In other embodiments, the source site server device 110 can display an item on the source site and also display one or more pieces of content related to the item. In this case, content related to the item identifier of the item for which display is requested is searched. In other embodiments, content may be searched using the name or preferences of the content provider as search conditions. In other embodiments, the user terminal 120 may access the server device 105 with or without going through the source site server device 110 to search for content. Regardless of whether the content search is executed by either the server device 105 or the source site server device 110, the information necessary for the content search is input at the user terminal 120 and can be transmitted from the user terminal 120 to each server device. The source site server device 110 displays the searched content on the source site (step 505).

[0031] [Registration of Items at the Target Site] The target site can provide the items provided at the source site. The target site and the source site can sell the same items. Also, the target site can display the content registered at the source site to promote the sale of items.

[0032] FIG. 6 shows a processing flow related to the registration of an item at a target site. The target site server device 115 can register an item at the target site (step 600). When registering an item, the target site server device 115 generates an item identifier for the item to be registered at the target site (step 605). In other embodiments, the registration of the item may be performed by the server device 105. In this case, the server device 105 can receive the information necessary for registering the item and register it. Also, the server device 105 may generate an item identifier. Note that the registration of an item at the source site may also be performed in the same manner as at the target site. The administrator of the target site server device 115 checks whether the registered item is sold at the source site. If it is sold, the administrator obtains the item identifier of the item at the source site from the server device 105 or the source site server device 110. The administrator registers the item identifier at the source site and the item identifier at the target site in association with each other in the target site server device 115 (step 610). In this embodiment, when registering the item identifiers at the source site and the target site, a source site identifier for specifying the source site where the associated item is registered may be registered.

[0033] When an item is registered, the target site server device 115 manages information indicating the correspondence of the item, etc. as data (hereinafter referred to as item correspondence data). The management of the data may be realized by a database system. The item correspondence data includes the item identifier at the source site, the item identifier at the target site, and the source site identifier.

[0034] FIG. 7 shows an example of items of data managed by registering items at the source site in the target site. When an item is registered in the target site, the target site server device 115 manages the item identifier at the source site, the item identifier at the target site, and the source site identifier. In FIG. 7, items with source site item identifiers: "item001" and "item002" are shown to be sold at the target site, at the source site specified by the source site item identifier: "site001". Also, the item with the source site item identifier: "item003" is shown to be sold at the target site, at the source site specified by the source site item identifier: "site002".

[0035] The item correspondence data may be managed by the server device 105 instead of the target site server device 115. In this case, the server device 105 can receive data necessary for the item correspondence data from the target site server device 115. In the present embodiment, the item correspondence data can have a target site identifier in addition to the items shown in FIG. 7. Thereby, the item identifier at the source site and the item identifier at the target site can be associated with each other.

[0036] In another embodiment, the item correspondence data may be created after the item is registered, rather than when the item is registered at the target site. For example, the administrator of the target site can create the item correspondence data after registering the item.

[0037] [Registration of Site-Related Identifiers] If the item at the target site exists at the source site, the target site server device 115 can provide the content associated with the item at the target site and also provide the content associated with the item at the source site. The target site server device 115 or the server device 105 can identify the source site and the target site of the content by using the site-related identifier.

[0038] The target site server device 115 can refer to the content at the source site. The reference to the content at the source site can be made by the target site server device 115 specifying the content or the content identifier of the source site. In another embodiment, when the item correspondence data (FIG. 7) is registered in advance, when a user refers to a certain item at the target site, the target site server device 115 and / or the server device 105 identify the source item identifier associated with the target site item identifier in the item correspondence data (FIG. 7). The target site server device 115 and / or the server device 105 identify the item identifier in the content registration data (FIG. 4) that matches the source site item identifier (identify the item identifier in the content registration data that matches the source site item identifier in the item correspondence data). The target site server device 115 and / or the server device 105 can further identify the content identifier and the content associated with the item identifier in the identified content registration data in the content registration data (FIG. 4). The target site server device 115 can provide the identified content to the user by referring to the content at the source site. The target site server device 115 can obtain the content of the source site from the server device 105 and / or the source site server device 110 that manages the content.

[0039] The target site server device 115 and / or the server device 105 can register site-related identifier data (Fig. 8) that manages site-related identifiers. The site-related identifier data may be registered in advance by an administrator, or when the target site server device acquires necessary information from the source site, etc., the target site server device 115 and / or the server device 105 may use the site of the source site identifier in the content registration data (Fig. 4) accessed by the target site server device 115 as the source site, and the site managed by the target site server device 115 as the target site, and register the data in the site-related identifier data. That is, the site-related identifier data can associate the source site and the target site.

[0040] Figure 8 shows an example of items of site-related identifier data. The site-related identifier data includes a site-related identifier, a source site identifier, and a target site identifier. In the site-related identifier "relationship001", it is identified that the site with the source site identifier "site001" is the source site, and the site with the target site identifier "site002" is the target site. Similarly, in the site-related identifiers "relationship002" and "relationship003", it is identified that the site with the source site identifier "site001" is the source site, and the sites with the target site identifiers "site003" and "site004" are the target sites, respectively. Also, in the site-related identifiers "relationship004" and "relationship005", it is identified that the site with the source site identifier "site002" is the source site, and the sites with the target site identifiers "site001" and "site003" are the target sites, respectively. Here, as understood from the content registration data in Figure 4 and the item correspondence data in Figure 7, the content identifier is unique data across all sites. On the other hand, the item identifier is unique data within one site. That is, regarding the item identifier, the item identifier of the source site is unique within the source site, and the item identifier of the target site is unique within the target site.

[0041] Referring to the content registration data (Figure 4) and the site-related identifier data (Figure 8), when the target site acquires the content of the source site, the source site identifier in the content registration data (Figure 4), the source site identifier in the site-related identifier data (Figure 8) corresponding to the source site identifier, and the target site identifier in the site-related identifier data (Figure 8) of the target site attempting to acquire the content are confirmed. Based on the relationship between the source site and the target site, the site-related identifier is specified. For example, based on the source site identifier: "Site001" and the target site identifier: "Site004", the site-related identifier: "relationhip003" is specified. By using the site-related identifier data, the server device 105, the source site server device 110, and / or the target site server device 115 can more easily specify the source site and the target site of a certain content. Also, when the site is provided by the http protocol or the like, the page of the site does not include the source site identifier and the target site identifier, and can include the site-related identifier as necessary information. For example, when the get method or the post method is used, if a third party checks the URL or the html source, they can know the site-related identifier, but cannot know the source site identifier and the target site identifier. Since the system and the server device convert the site-related identifier and perform internal processing using the source site identifier and the target site identifier, the source site identifier and the target site identifier are not disclosed externally. Therefore, by using the site-related identifier, information leakage can be prevented, contributing to improved security.

[0042] In other embodiments, the site-related identifier data (FIG. 8) can have a content identifier in addition to the site-related identifier, the source site identifier, and the target site identifier. As a result, each server device can identify the relationship between the source site and the target site for each content, and can determine the site-related identifier by specifying the content identifier and either the source site identifier or the target site identifier.

[0043] [Sale of Items] FIG. 9 shows a processing flow related to the sale of items. The server device 115 acquires an item and content related to the item, where the content is the content managed by the server device 115 as the source site, by referring to the content registration data shown in FIG. 4 in which the source site identifier is the site identifier of the server device 115 (step 900). The item is specified when the user of the user terminal 120 requests the server device 115 to display or acquire the item. The server device 115 acquires content related to the item that is not managed by the server device 115 as the source site (content as the target site) (step 905). Specifically, the server device 115 identifies that the item identifier of the target item is the same as the target site item identifier in the item correspondence data (FIG. 7), and acquires the source site item identifier related to the identified target site item identifier. The server device 115, or the server device 115 and the server device 105 (in this case, the server device 105 receives the source site item identifier acquired from the server device 115), identifies the item identifier in the content registration data (FIG. 4) that matches the acquired source site item identifier, and acquires the content, the content identifier, and the source site identifier in the row of the item identifier corresponding to the identified item identifier.

[0044] The server device 115 transmits an item, the content of the source site and the target site, and the site-related identifier to the user terminal 120, and the user terminal 120 receives the item, the content of the source site and the target site, and displays them on the screen (step 910). When there are two or more items, the two or more items and the content related to the two or more items may be grouped and displayed on the user terminal 120. In another embodiment, the target site server device 115 may request the server device 105 to transmit an item, the content of the source site and the target site, to the user terminal 120.

[0045] The user can refer to the content via the user terminal 120. The user terminal 120 transmits the identifier of the referred content to the server device 115 and / or the server device 105. After referring to the content, the user can purchase the item (step 915). When purchasing an item, the user terminal 120 may transmit the identifier of the referred content, the item identifier, and the site-related identifier to the server device 115 and / or the server device 105. The user's referring to the content and shopping based on the content means that the content has been used. The server device 115 transmits the identifier of the item to be purchased to the server device 105. For example, when the item is a novel or a movie, the user can check the content summarizing the content of the item and decide to purchase the item. Also, when the item is a fashion item such as shoes or clothes, the user can check a still image or a moving image representing a coordination including the item under consideration for purchase and decide to purchase the item.

[0046] In another embodiment, when the item identifier at the source site is different from the item identifier at the target site, the server device 115 can specify the target site item identifier of the item correspondence data in FIG. 7 that matches the item identifier at the target site, and obtain the source site item identifier corresponding to the target site item identifier. In this case, the server device 115 transmits the source site item identifier to the server device 105, and the server device 105 can use the item identifier of the source site as the item identifier for the entire site.

[0047] The target site server device 115 executes a purchase process for the item regarding the item identifier of the item to be purchased. If necessary, the purchase process may be executed using the name, address, payment means, etc. of the user registered in advance.

[0048] The target site server device 115 determines the referenced content based on the item identifier of the item to be purchased and the content identifier of the referenced content (step 920). The user can refer to one or more pieces of content before purchasing the item. If there are two or more pieces of referenced content, the content last referenced before item purchase can be set as the content referenced once. In another embodiment, when there are N or more pieces of referenced content, the number of times the content is referenced may be calculated as being referenced 1 / N times. The number of times the content is referenced may be obtained by other methods such as weighting. When the referenced content is determined, the target site server device 115 can transmit the site identifier managed by the server device 115, the content identifier of the referenced content, and the site-related identifier to the server device 105. Thereby, the server device 105 can determine whether the referenced content is the content of the source site or the content of the target site from the content registration data in FIG. 4 and the site-related identifier data in FIG. 9 based on the site identifier, the content identifier, and the site-related identifier.

[0049] The target site server device 115 and / or the server device 105 can calculate the contribution degree of the content regarding the item purchase (step 1025). The contribution degree can be the total number of times the content is referenced for each content. In other embodiments, the contribution degree may be obtained by calculations such as weighting based on the total number of times the content is referenced for each content. The target site server device 115 and / or the server device 105 can more easily confirm which content of either the source site or the target site is referenced from the site-related identifier data in FIG. 9 based on the site identifier, content identifier, and site-related identifier of the site where the item is purchased.

[0050] The processes described with reference to FIGS. 3, 5, 6, 8, and 10 above may be realized as a method by one or more of the hardware of the server device 105, the source site server device 110, the target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125. Further, this method may be realized as a computer program for these one or more hardware, and the computer program may be executed by one or more of the hardware of the server device 105, the source site server device 110, the target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125. When the computer program stored in at least a part of the server device 105, the source site server device 110, the target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, one or more content provider terminals 125, and other devices is executed, the computer program causes those devices or terminals to execute part or all of the processes in the above embodiments.

[0051] [Embodiment] Figure 10 shows an embodiment of the present invention for purchasing a product / service by referring to content. The user terminal 120 specifies the content to be referred to and transmits the content identifier of the specified content to the site server devices 110 / 115 (step 1002). In this embodiment, the user terminal 120 has previously acquired the content identifier. For example, the content is previously displayed on the user terminal 120. The site server devices 110 / 115 specify a site-related identifier from the constants set as fixed values (step 1004). The site server devices 110 / 115 specify a site-related identifier based on the site-related identifier data (Figure 8) in which its own site identifier is designated as the target site. In other embodiments, the site server devices 110 / 115 may specify a site-related identifier based on the site-related identifier data that is a combination of the target site identifier in which its own site identifier is designated as the target site and the source site identifier in which a certain site identifier is designated as the source site.

[0052] As an example of specifying a site-related identifier using both the target site identifier and the source site identifier, the following is an example. The content identifier is unique for all sites. The site server devices 110 / 115 access the content registration data (Figure 4) stored in at least one of the server device 105, the site server device 110, and the site server device 115, and specify the content identifier in the content registration data based on the received content identifier. The site server devices 110 / 115 specify the source site identifier associated with the specified content identifier in the content registration data. The site server devices 110 / 115 specify its own site identifier as the target site identifier, and can search for a predetermined site-related identifier from the site-related identifier data based on the combination of the specified source site identifier and the target site identifier.

[0053] The site server devices 110 / 115 transmit the site-related identifier and the content identifier to the server device 105 (step 1006). The server device 105 acquires the item identifier associated with the content identifier from the content registration data (Figure 4) based on the content identifier (step 1008). The server device 105 transmits the transmitted site-related identifier and content identifier and the acquired item identifier to the user terminal 120 via the site server devices 110 / 115 or without passing through the site server devices 110 / 115 (step 1010).

[0054] The user terminal 120 stores the received site-related identifier, content identifier, and item identifier (step 1012). The user terminal 120 transmits the item identifier to the site server devices 110 / 115 (step 1014). The site server devices 110 / 115 identify the source site item identifier related to the received item identifier (step 1016). For example, the site server devices 110 / 115 access the item correspondence data (Figure 7) stored in at least one of the server device 105, the site server device 110, and the site server device 115, use the received item identifier as the target site item identifier, and identify the source site item identifier related to the received item identifier in the item correspondence data. The site server devices 110 / 115 transmit the source site item identifier to the user terminal 120 (step 1016). The user terminal 120 stores the source site item identifier in association with the site-related identifier, content identifier, and item identifier (this item identifier is used as the target site item identifier) stored in advance in step 1012 (step 1020).

[0055] The user can purchase items related to the content viewed via the user terminal 120. For example, the user terminal 120 uses means such as an e-commerce site to present the user with content related to the item, and the e-commerce site can prompt the user to purchase an item related to the content after the user views the content. When a purchase is made, the user terminal 120 transmits information identifying the user and a target site item identifier to the site server device 110 / 115 (step 1022). Thereby, the site server device 110 / 115 can perform processes related to the purchase process, settlement process, delivery, etc. of the item corresponding to the target site item identifier based on the information identifying the user and the target site item identifier.

[0056] The user terminal 120 transmits a site-related identifier, a source site item identifier, and a content identifier to the server device 105 (step 1024). The server device 105 can determine the purchased item, the source site and target site of the content based on the received site-related identifier, source site item identifier, and content identifier. Also, the server device 105 can identify the content provider from the content provider identifier in the content registration data (Figure 4) based on the content identifier. Since the server device 105 can identify that the content has been sold at the source site or target site from the site-related identifier, it can measure the contribution degree of the content provider for each of the source site and target site. In step 1024, the user terminal 120 may transmit the sales amount to the server device 105. Thereby, the server device 105 can measure the contribution degree based on the sales amount.

[0057] In each of the above-described embodiments, the server device 105, the source site server device 110, the target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125 may be realized by respective hardware, or some or all of them may be realized as integrated hardware.

[0058] [Others] In the above embodiments, some or all of some of the elements described as being realized by hardware can be realized by software, and it will be understood that some or all of some of the elements described as being realized by software can be realized by hardware.

[0059] In the processing or processing order described above, in a certain processing, the processing or processing order can be freely changed as long as there is no contradiction in the processing or processing order, such as using data that should not yet be available for use in that processing.

[0060] Regarding each of the embodiments described above, some or all of each embodiment may be combined and realized as one embodiment.

[0061] Each of the embodiments described above is an exemplification for explaining the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist thereof.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0062] 105: Server device 110: Source site server device 115: Target site server device 120: One or more user terminals 125: One or more content provider terminals

Claims

1. A system comprising: a server device that associates an item or information about the item with content information that is content related to the item or information about the content related to the item, and a site identifier of a source site; a source site server device that provides the content to a user and manages a source site where the user purchases the item by using the content; a target site server device that acquires the content information of the source site and manages a target site that provides the content to the user, wherein the server device has an association identifier that associates the source site with the target site, and transmits the site association identifier to the target site server device; and the target site server device transmits the site association identifier and the content information to the server device in response to a user using the content at the target site.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the user using the content at the target site includes the user purchasing the item by referring to the content in the target site server device.

3. The server device associates a source site item identifier that identifies an item at the source site with a content identifier that identifies content related to the item; the target site server device associates the source site item identifier with a target site item identifier that is an identifier of the item at the target site specified by the source site item identifier; and the target site server device further acquires, from the server device, a source site item identifier related to the content based on the content information, and specifies the source site item identifier of the content based on the target site item identifier related to the content in response to use of the content at the target site.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the target site server device transmits the source site item identifier to the server device in response to identifying the source site item identifier of the content.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the server device identifies that the user at the target site has used the content based on the site-related identifier, the content information, the identifier of the target site, and the source site item identifier.

6. A source site server device that provides content to a user and manages a source site where the user purchases an item by using the content, and a server device that communicates with a target site server device that acquires the content information of the source site and provides the content to the user, associates an item or information about the item, content information that is the content related to the item or information about the content related to the item, and a site identifier of the source site, has a related identifier that associates the source site with the target site, and transmits the site-related identifier to the target site server device, a server device configured to receive, from the target site server device, the site-related identifier, the content information, and the site identifier of the site managed by the target site server device in response to the user using the content at the target site.

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