Method for providing shopping service and system supporting for the same

Abstract

A method for providing a shopping service and a system thereof are provided. A method for providing a shopping service according to some embodiments may include the step of receiving a request from a user for a product page of a specific product and the step of providing a product page including an option section in response to the received request. In this case, a plurality of options for a specific product displayed in the option section may include important options and general options, and important options may be displayed in an expanded state in the option section, while general options may be displayed in a collapsed state in the option section. According to this method, user convenience regarding the selection of product options can be significantly improved.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for providing a shopping service and a system supporting the same, and more specifically, to a method for improving user convenience regarding the selection of product options when providing a shopping service and a system supporting the same. Background Technology

[0002] With the popularization of online shopping services, a wide variety of products are being sold online. Among these products, there are some that come with multiple options (or attributes). For example, in the case of electronic products such as computers, there are a significant number of options to choose from (e.g., CPU, graphics card, memory capacity, storage capacity, etc.). Furthermore, as user (consumer) preferences become more diverse, the number of options added to products is on the rise.

[0003] However, if the number of options is too large, the layout of the options page becomes overly complex, and excessive scrolling is required when selecting an option, which may cause inconvenience to the user. Prior art literature

[0004] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0105543 (Published September 17, 2015) The problem to be solved

[0005] The technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a shopping service method that can improve user convenience regarding the selection of product options and a system that supports the same.

[0006] Another technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide various methods / criteria for determining important options.

[0007] Another technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide various methods / criteria for determining the number of important options.

[0008] The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned technical problems will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art of the present disclosure from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0009] A method for providing a shopping service according to some embodiments of the present disclosure for solving the technical problem described above may include, performed by at least one computing device, a step of receiving a request from a user for a product page of a specific product and a step of providing said product page including an option section in response to said request. In this case, a plurality of options for said specific product displayed in said option section may include important options and general options, said important options may be displayed in an expanded state in said option section, and said general options may be displayed in a collapsed state in said option section.

[0010] In some embodiments, the important option may be determined based on the amount of user operation that has already occurred in each of the plurality of options.

[0011] In some embodiments, the important option may be determined based on the degree to which selection items are distributed in the users' option selection history for the plurality of options.

[0012] In some embodiments, the important option may include a first option related to the quantity attribute of the specific product.

[0013] In some embodiments, the items of the first option may be displayed in a list form within the area of ​​the first option.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first option is further related to other attributes of the specific product in addition to the quantity attribute, and items of the other attributes are displayed in a tab form within the area of ​​the first option, and items of the quantity attribute may be displayed in a list form within the area of ​​the first option.

[0015] In some embodiments, the number of important options may be determined based on the length of the product page or the length of the area occupied by the option section on the product page.

[0016] In some embodiments, the number of important options is determined based on the characteristics of the specific product, and the characteristics of the specific product may include at least one of the category to which the specific product belongs and the number of the plurality of options.

[0017] In some embodiments, the number of important options may be determined based on the amount of user operation already performed in the option section of the specific product.

[0018] In some embodiments, a User Interface (UI) element may be placed in the option section to fix the state of the corresponding option in an expanded or collapsed state.

[0019] In some embodiments, the plurality of options includes a first option belonging to the important option and a second option belonging to the general option, and the shopping service providing method may further include the step of receiving a user operation to change the second option to an expanded state and, in response to the user operation, the step of displaying the second option in an expanded state and displaying the first option in a collapsed state.

[0020] In some embodiments, the plurality of options includes a first option belonging to the important option, a second option belonging to the general option, and a third option associated with the second option, and the shopping service providing method may further include the step of receiving a user operation to change the state of the second option to an expanded state and the step of displaying the second option and the third option together in an expanded state in response to the user operation.

[0021] In some embodiments, the shopping service providing method may further include the steps of: receiving a user operation to select a second item of a second option while a first item of a first option among a plurality of options is selected—where the first option and the second option each correspond to different attributes of the specific product and the first item and the second item each correspond to attribute values—; if the first item and the second item are not included in the combination of possible attribute values, automatically changing the selected item of the second option from the second item to a third item—where the first item and the third item are included in the combination of possible attribute values—and placing a UI (User Interface) element indicating that the selected item of the second option has been changed in the area of ​​the second option.

[0022] A shopping service providing system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure for solving the technical problem described above comprises one or more processors and a memory for storing a computer program executed by said one or more processors, and said computer program may include instructions for receiving a request from a user for a product page of a specific product and for providing said product page including an option section in response to said request. In this case, a plurality of options for said specific product displayed in said option section may include important options and general options, said important options may be displayed in an expanded state in said option section, and said general options may be displayed in a collapsed state in said option section.

[0023] A computer program according to some embodiments of the present disclosure for solving the technical problem described above may be stored in a computer-readable recording medium to execute the steps of receiving a request from a user for a product page of a specific product and providing said product page including an option section in response to said request. In this case, a plurality of options for said specific product displayed in said option section may include important options and general options, said important options may be displayed in an expanded state in said option section, and said general options may be displayed in a collapsed state in said option section. Effects of the invention

[0024] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the product options section may be provided to the user by being included in the product page rather than being provided as a separate page. In this case, the user does not need to go through the hassle (inconvenience) of moving from the product page to the options page to select product options and then returning to the product page to purchase the product, thereby improving user (consumer) convenience regarding the shopping service.

[0025] In addition, among the various options of a product, important options may be displayed in an expanded state in the option section, while general options may be displayed in a collapsed state. In this case, the complexity of the screen layout of the option section is reduced, and user convenience in selecting important options can be improved. Furthermore, by displaying important options in an expanded state, a quick selection of important options can be naturally induced, and as a result, the effect of shortening the user's product purchase time can also be achieved.

[0026] In addition, by considering the amount of user interaction already performed in the option area and the degree of dispersion of selection items, options that many users deliberate over extensively during selection can be accurately determined as important options.

[0027] In addition, by considering the length of the product page, the length of the option section, and the characteristics of the product, the appropriate number of important options displayed in an expanded state can be accurately determined.

[0028] In addition, when a user operation to change the first option in the folded state to the unfolded state is received, the second option in the unfolded state may be automatically changed (displayed) to the folded state. In this case, the complexity of the screen configuration of the option section can be maintained without increasing, and the user's concentration on the first option can be naturally enhanced.

[0029] In addition, by providing a UI (User Interface) element (e.g., a button) to fix the current state of the option (e.g., expanded state or collapsed state), the degree of freedom of user operation for the option section can be greatly improved.

[0030] In addition, if a conflict arises with other option selections as a user changes the selection of a specific option, at least one option selection can be automatically adjusted to resolve the conflict. Accordingly, user convenience regarding product option selection can be further enhanced.

[0031] The effects according to the technical concept of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary environment in which a shopping service provision method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure can be performed. FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a method for providing a shopping service according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is an exemplary drawing to explain the problem when an option page is provided separately. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a product page that may be referenced in some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 illustrates another example of a product page that may be referenced in some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 illustrates another example of a product page that may be referenced in some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is an exemplary drawing showing a case in which a plurality of important options are displayed in an expanded state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is an exemplary drawing illustrating a case in which an option in an unfolded state is automatically changed to a collapsed state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is an exemplary drawing illustrating a case where a User Interface (UI) element is provided to fix the current state of an option according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 10 and 11 are exemplary drawings illustrating cases in which at least one option selection is adjusted to resolve conflicts between different option selections according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary computing device capable of implementing a user terminal and / or a shopping service server according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0033] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The advantages and features of the present disclosure and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the attached drawings. However, the technical concept of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments but can be implemented in various different forms. The following embodiments are provided merely to complete the technical concept of the present disclosure and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present disclosure, and the technical concept of the present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the claims.

[0034] In describing the various embodiments of the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known configurations or functions could obscure the essence of the present disclosure, such detailed description is omitted.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, terms used in the following embodiments (including technical and scientific terms) may be used in a meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains, but this may vary depending on the intent of those skilled in the art, case law, the emergence of new technology, etc. The terms used in this disclosure are for describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0036] In the following embodiments, singular expressions include plural concepts unless the context clearly specifies them as singular. Additionally, plural expressions include singular concepts unless the context clearly specifies them as plural.

[0037] In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. used in the following embodiments are used merely to distinguish one component from another, and the essence, order, or sequence of the said component is not limited by such terms.

[0038] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary environment in which a shopping service provision method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure can be performed.

[0040] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the shopping service provision method according to the embodiments can be performed in an environment where a shopping service server (12) provides shopping services through a user terminal (11). For example, the user can use the shopping service through a web browser and / or a dedicated app installed on the terminal (11).

[0041] A shopping service server (12) is a computing device / system that provides shopping services. For example, the shopping service server (12) can provide shopping (commerce) services for various products to users through a web browser and / or a dedicated app.

[0042] Additionally, the shopping service server (12) can store and manage various data / information related to the shopping service (e.g., product purchase history, option selection history, monitoring history / information regarding user operation events, etc.) in a storage (e.g., database). Depending on the case, the term "user operation" may be named as "user input," "user action / movement," etc.

[0043] In addition, the shopping service server (12) can support and perform various functions (e.g., login, payment, etc.) necessary to provide smooth shopping services.

[0044] In some embodiments, a shopping service server (12) may provide a product page (e.g., web page, app page) of a specific product that includes an option section in response to a user's request. For instance, when a user terminal (11) receives a user operation (input) requesting a product page of a specific product (i.e., a connection request), the shopping service server (12) may receive such a request from the user terminal (11). Then, the shopping service server (12) may provide the product page requested through the user terminal (11). At this time, important options of the specific product may be displayed (placed) in the option section in an expanded state (i.e., the initial state is expanded), and general options may be displayed (placed) in the option section in a collapsed state (i.e., the initial state is collapsed). By doing so, the complexity of the screen configuration of the option section (e.g., initial screen configuration) may be reduced, and user convenience regarding the selection of options for the specific product may be improved. The details of these embodiments will be explained in more detail shortly with reference to the drawings from FIG. 2 onwards.

[0045] Since the shopping service server (12) is a computing device / system that provides shopping services to users, it may be named as a 'shopping service providing device / system', 'product page providing device / server / system', 'option information providing device / server / system', etc. depending on the case.

[0046] In addition, the unfolded / folded state may be named as 'expanded / shrinked state', 'open / closed state', etc. depending on the case.

[0047] The shopping service server (12) may be implemented with at least one computing device. For example, all functions of the shopping service server (12) may be implemented in a single computing device, or the first function of the shopping service server (12) may be implemented in a first computing device and the second function may be implemented in a second computing device. Alternatively, specific functions of the shopping service server (12) may be implemented in multiple computing devices.

[0048] A computing device may include any device equipped with computing functions, and for an example of such a device, refer to FIG. 12. Since a computing device is a collection of various components (e.g., memory, processor, etc.) that interact, it may be referred to as a 'computing system' depending on the case. Of course, the term computing system may also encompass the concept of a collection of multiple computing devices that interact.

[0049] Next, the user terminal (11) is a computing device used by the user to receive shopping services from the shopping service server (12). For example, the user can access a product page of a specific product and make a purchase through a web browser and / or a dedicated app installed on the terminal (11).

[0050] The user terminal (11) may be a mobile computing device such as a smartphone or tablet, for example, or a fixed computing device such as a desktop. Refer to FIG. 12 for an example of a computing device.

[0051] In some embodiments, the user terminal (11) may provide (display) a product page of a specific product to the user, including an option section, in response to the user's request. In this case, important options of the specific product may be displayed (placed) in the option section in an expanded state, and general options may be displayed (placed) in the option section in a collapsed state. By doing so, the complexity of the screen configuration of the option section (e.g., initial screen configuration) may be reduced, and the convenience of selecting options for the specific product may be improved. The user terminal (11) may provide the requested product page with the support of the shopping service server (12), but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Details of the embodiments will be described in more detail shortly with reference to the drawings from FIG. 2 onwards.

[0052] Since the user terminal (11) is also a computing device / system that provides shopping services to the user, it may be named as a 'shopping service providing device / terminal / system', 'product page providing device / terminal / system', 'option information providing device / terminal / system', etc., depending on the case. That is, depending on the implementation method, perspective, etc., the user terminal (11) may be considered as a device / system that provides shopping services, and the shopping service server (12) may be considered as a device / system that provides shopping services.

[0053] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the shopping service server (12) and the user terminal (11) can communicate through a network. Here, the network can be implemented as any type of wired or wireless network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a mobile radio communication network, or Wibro (Wireless Broadband Internet).

[0054] Up to now, with reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary environment in which a shopping service provision method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure can be performed has been described. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 2 and subsequent drawings, a shopping service provision method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0055] The shopping service provision method described below may be performed by at least one computing device. For example, all steps / operations of the shopping service provision method described below may be performed by either the shopping service server (12) or the user terminal (11), and some steps / operations may be performed by the shopping service server (12) and other steps / operations may be performed by the user terminal (11). Alternatively, specific steps / operations of the shopping service provision method described below may be performed cooperatively by the shopping service server (12) and the user terminal (11).

[0056] In the following, for the sake of convenience of understanding, each step / operation of the shopping service provision method will be explained from the perspective of the user terminal (11). Accordingly, if the subject of a specific step / operation is omitted, it can be understood that it is performed by the user terminal (11). However, the user terminal (11) may perform the specific step / operation with the support of the shopping service server (12), and even if the subject of the specific step / operation is described as the user terminal (11), the shopping service server (12) may perform the corresponding step / operation depending on the implementation method.

[0057] FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a method for providing a shopping service according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, this is merely a preferred embodiment for achieving the purpose of the present disclosure, and it is understood that some steps may be added or deleted as necessary.

[0058] As illustrated in FIG. 2, a shopping service provision method according to embodiments may start at step S21, which involves receiving a request from a user for a product page of a specific product. For example, a user terminal (11) may receive (input) a user operation requesting a product page of a specific product from a user, and a shopping service server (12) may receive a request for the product page from the user terminal (11).

[0059] In step S22, a product page of a specific product containing an option section is provided to the user in response to the request. For example, if the shopping service server (12) provides (transmits) the requested product page to the user terminal (11), the user terminal (11) can provide (display) the product page to the user (e.g., display the product page on a screen).

[0060] If an option section is included in a product page, the inconvenience associated with additional page navigation and user operations can be eliminated, thereby improving user convenience. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, let us assume that the option section is located on a separate page (33, i.e., the option page) from the product page (31). In this case, the user must go through the inconvenience of moving from the product page (31) to the option page (33) to select product options and then returning to the product page (31) to purchase the product (e.g., at least two additional user operations (32, 34) are required). However, if the option section is located on the product page (e.g., 31), the user can view and select product options through simple user operations, such as scrolling down, without moving pages, thus greatly improving user convenience.

[0061] Meanwhile, as the number of product attributes to be selected increases, the number of options inevitably increases as well. If item information for all options is displayed collectively in the option section, the screen layout of the option section becomes complex and the length of the product page may become excessively long (e.g., excessive scrolling down is required on the product page).

[0062] To prevent the above problem, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, at least one option among the options of a specific product is determined to be a key option, and only the key option may be displayed (placed) in an expanded state in the option section (i.e., the initial state is an expanded state). And options that do not correspond to the key option (i.e., general options) may be displayed (placed) in a collapsed state (i.e., the initial state is an expanded state). However, in some cases (e.g., when the length of the product section is not long), all options may be displayed in an expanded state.

[0063] To facilitate better understanding, the display / configuration method of the product page and option section will be further explained with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

[0064] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a product page that may be referenced in some embodiments of the present disclosure. In FIG. 4 and subsequent drawings, items drawn with bold lines (e.g., 49-2) represent selected items (e.g., items selected by the user, items set as default, etc.).

[0065] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the illustrated product page (41) is configured to include a product section (42) and an option section (43). Of course, the product page (41) may also be configured to include other sections.

[0066] The product section (42) displays (includes) product information such as product images, product names (44), and product prices. At this time, the product name (44) may include selection items for options (e.g., 256GB, 8GB). In other words, the product name (44) may be updated whenever the selection items for options are changed (e.g., the UI (User Interface) element representing the product name (44) is updated).

[0067] In some embodiments, the product image displayed in the product section (42) (i.e., the product image displayed at the top of the product page (41)) may be determined based on the user's selections. That is, if the user's selections are changed, the product image may also be changed (updated) accordingly (e.g., if the color option selection is changed from white to black, a black laptop image is displayed in the product section).

[0068] Options (45 to 48) of the product are displayed (placed) in the option section (43). Here, the reference number (e.g., 45) pointing to each option may refer to the area occupied by each option within the option section (43) (or product page (41)).

[0069] The types of options (45 to 48) may be classified, for example, into important options and general options, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Each of the options (45 to 48) may correspond to (be related to) one product attribute (e.g., color, storage capacity, quantity, etc.) or may correspond to (be related to) multiple attributes (see 54 in FIG. 5). FIG. 4 illustrates an example where all individual options correspond to (be related to) one product attribute.

[0070] Each of the options (45 to 48) may have a plurality of selectable items (e.g., 49-1 to 49-3). Here, each of the items (e.g., 49-1 to 49-3) may be understood to correspond to an attribute value of the product. For example, if a specific option (45) relates to a storage capacity attribute, the items (49-1 to 49-3) of the specific option (45) may correspond to storage capacity values ​​(e.g., 128GB, 256GB, etc.). As illustrated, the items (e.g., 49-1 to 49-3) may be displayed in the form of a chip (i.e., displayed using a chip-shaped UI element), but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0071] In some embodiments, a UI element (49-4) for calling (or navigating to) an option page (e.g., 33 in FIG. 3) or a page showing the option selection status may be placed in the option section (43). In this case, the option page (or option selection status page) may be displayed on the user terminal (11) as a user operation to select the UI element (49-4) is received. The UI element (e.g., 49-4) may, depending on the case, be named as a 'GUI (Graphical User Interface) element', 'GUI / UI object', 'screen / graphic object / element', etc.

[0072] As described above, when providing the requested product page (41) to the user, the user terminal (11) may display the important options (45) in an expanded state and the general options (46 to 48) in a collapsed state. By doing so, the complexity of the screen configuration of the option section (43) is reduced, the convenience of selecting the important options (45) is improved, and as a quick selection of the important options (45) is naturally induced, the effect of shortening the product purchase time of the user (consumer) can also be achieved.

[0073] Specific methods for determining important options (e.g., 45), their number, etc. will be described later.

[0074] FIG. 5 illustrates another example of a product page that may be referenced in some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 assumes a case where an option (55) related to the quantity of a product (i.e., quantity attribute) is determined to be a key option.

[0075] As illustrated in FIG. 5, in the example product page (51), options related to the quantity of the product (55, i.e., important options) are displayed in an expanded state in the option section (52), and other options (53, 54) are displayed in a collapsed state.

[0076] As described, the items of the quantity-related options (55) may be displayed in a list form within the area of ​​the options (55). However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0077] In some embodiments, when the number of product attributes is greater than or equal to a threshold (e.g., 3), quantity-related options (e.g., 55) may be displayed in an expanded state and as a list, and other options (e.g., 53) may be displayed in a collapsed state and in other forms (e.g., as a chip or tab).

[0078] FIG. 6 illustrates another example of a product page that may be referenced in some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 also assumes a case where an option (64) related to quantity (i.e., quantity attribute) is determined to be a key option.

[0079] As illustrated in FIG. 6, in the example product page (61), options related to the quantity of the product (64, i.e., important options) are displayed in an expanded state in the option section (62), and other options (63) are displayed in a collapsed state.

[0080] As illustrated, one individual option (64) may be associated with two (or three or more) attributes. FIG. 6 illustrates, as an example, a case where the individual option (64) is associated with a quantity attribute and a capacity attribute.

[0081] In the above case, items of capacity attributes (or attributes other than quantity) are displayed in a tab format within the option (64) area (e.g., items of tab elements listed horizontally), and items of quantity attributes can be displayed in a list format within the option (64) area (e.g., items of list elements listed vertically). By doing so, items of various attributes can be displayed within the limited option (64) area, and the complexity of the screen composition of the option section (62) can be effectively prevented. The attributes (e.g., capacity, quantity) displayed in one option (64) area may be related attributes.

[0082] In some embodiments, when the number of product attributes is greater than or equal to a threshold (e.g., 3), a specific option (e.g., 64) may be determined to be associated with multiple attributes. Then, one of the multiple attributes may be displayed as a tab within the area of ​​the option (e.g., 64), and another attribute (e.g., quantity) may be displayed as a list within the area of ​​the option (e.g., 64). Also, a specific option (e.g., 64) may be displayed in an expanded state, and another option (e.g., 63) may be displayed in a collapsed state and in a different form (e.g., chip form).

[0083] Below, we will explain the important options and the methods / criteria for determining their number.

[0084] The specific method / criteria for determining important options may vary depending on the example.

[0085] In some embodiments, options related to the quantity of a product (i.e., quantity attribute) may be determined as important options. For example, options for selecting the quantity of a product (e.g., see 55 in FIG. 5), options related to multiple attributes including the quantity of a product (e.g., see 64 in FIG. 6), etc., may be determined as important options. This can be understood as being because the quantity of a product usually has the greatest impact on the total purchase amount and is one of the attributes that users consider the most when purchasing a product.

[0086] In some other embodiments, important options may be determined based on the amount of user operations that have occurred in the option area. For example, the amount of user operations that have occurred in each of the areas of multiple options may be measured (e.g., by monitoring user operation events generated by multiple users to measure the amount of user operations per option), and options where the measured amount is above a threshold (e.g., the top K options with the highest amount of user operations) may be determined as important options. This is because a high amount of user operations in the area of ​​a specific option implies that users have given a lot of thought to selecting that option.

[0087] In some other embodiments, an important option may be determined based on the time that the option state is maintained in an expanded state (e.g., average maintenance time for multiple users), the time that gaze (or cursor) is maintained over the option area (e.g., if a specific option is displayed in an expanded state in the center of the screen, it may be determined that the gaze is on that option), the number of times the option selection item has been changed, etc. (e.g., an option whose maintenance time and number of changes are above a threshold is determined as an important option).

[0088] In some other embodiments, important options may be determined based on the degree of influence that product attributes have on the total purchase amount (or product price). For example, if the degree of influence that a specific attribute has on the total purchase amount is greater than or equal to a threshold, options related to that attribute (e.g., options related to the top K attributes with the highest influence) may be determined as important options. The degree of influence that product attributes have on the total purchase amount may be determined (calculated) based on the extent to which the total purchase amount changes as the attribute value changes, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0089] In some other embodiments, important options may be determined based on the number of users whose amount of user interaction in the option area exceeds a threshold. For example, options where the number of such users exceeds a threshold may be determined as important options.

[0090] In some other embodiments, important options may be determined based on the degree of dispersion of option selection items. For example, the degree of dispersion of users' selection items among multiple options may be determined by analyzing users' option selection history. Then, among the multiple options, options with a dispersion degree greater than or equal to a threshold (e.g., the top K options with high dispersion) may be determined as important options.

[0091] In some other embodiments, important options may be determined based on the type of user. For example, important options for a specific type of user may be determined by analyzing historical data of that type of user (e.g., history related to user interaction events, history of option selections, etc.). User types may be classified based, for example, on demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age group, etc.), but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0092] In some other embodiments, an important option may be determined based on the number of items the option has. For example, an option with a relatively large number of items may be determined as an important option (e.g., to induce a quick selection for complex options), or an option with a relatively small number of items may be determined as an important option (e.g., to display more options in an expanded state).

[0093] In some other embodiments, important options may be determined based on various combinations of the embodiments described above. For example, important options may be determined by comprehensively considering the volume of user operations in the option area and the degree of dispersion of selection items.

[0094] Next, the specific method / criteria for determining the number of important options (e.g., maximum number) may also vary depending on the embodiment. Here, the number of important options refers to the number of options whose initial state is set to an expanded state.

[0095] In some embodiments, the number of important options may be determined to be one. This can be understood as being for displaying as many options as possible within the screen (display) of a limited user terminal (11).

[0096] In some other embodiments, the number of important options may be determined based on the length (i.e., vertical length) of the product page (or product section). For example, the shorter the length of the product page (or product section), the more important options may be increased. Conversely, the number of important options may be decreased. This can be understood as a measure to prevent user fatigue caused by excessive scrolling down.

[0097] In some other embodiments, the number of important options may be determined based on the length (i.e., vertical length) of the option section. For example, the longer the area occupied by the option section on a product page (e.g., if the maximum length of the product page is fixed and the length of the product section is short), the number of important options may increase. Conversely, the number of important options may decrease.

[0098] In some other embodiments, the number of important options may be determined by considering the length of the option section and the length of the option area in the expanded state together. For example, the number of important options may increase as the number of options that can be displayed in the expanded state within an option section of a fixed length increases. Conversely, the number of important options may decrease.

[0099] In some other embodiments, the number of important options may be determined based on the characteristics of the product. Here, the characteristics of the product may include, for example, the category to which the product belongs, the number of attributes, etc. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the number of important options may increase as the number of attributes increases for a product. Alternatively, the number of important options for a product belonging to a specific category may be greater than that for a product in another category. As a specific example, products belonging to the electronics category usually have a greater number of attributes than products in categories such as daily necessities. Therefore, the number of important options for products belonging to the electronics category may be determined to be greater than that for products in other categories. FIG. 7 illustrates a case where the number of important options for a product belonging to the electronics category (e.g., a laptop) is determined to be '3' (e.g., see three options (45 to 47) displayed in an expanded state).

[0100] In some other embodiments, the number of important options may be determined based on the amount of user interaction previously performed in the options section. For example, the greater the amount of user interaction previously performed in the options section of a particular product, the greater the number of important options for that product may be. Conversely, the number of important options may be reduced.

[0101] In some other embodiments, the number of important options may be determined based on the screen (display) size (e.g., length) of the user terminal (11) (e.g., dynamically determined / adjusted). For instance, the longer the screen (display) of the user terminal (11), the more important options may be increased. Conversely, the number of important options may be decreased.

[0102] In some other embodiments, the number of important options may be determined based on various combinations of the embodiments described above. For example, the number of important options for a specific product may be determined by comprehensively considering two or more of the factors described above.

[0103] So far, we have explained the important options and the specific methods / criteria for determining their number.

[0104] Referring again to Fig. 2, the explanation will be provided.

[0105] In step S23, the option section is controlled based on user operation regarding the option section. However, the specific control method may vary depending on the embodiments.

[0106] In some embodiments, a second option (e.g., important option) in an expanded state may be automatically changed to a collapsed state in response to a user operation that changes a first option in a collapsed state to an expanded state. For example, let us assume that a user operation is received to change a second option (46) in an expanded state on a product page (41) illustrated in FIG. 4. In this case, the user terminal (11) may display the second option (46) in an expanded state as shown in FIG. 8, and at the same time automatically display (change) the first option (45) that was in an expanded state to a collapsed state. By doing so, the complexity of the screen configuration of the option section (43) can be maintained without increasing, and the user's focus on the newly expanded option (46) can be naturally enhanced.

[0107] In the preceding embodiments, depending on the case, a third option associated with a first option may be determined, and the state of the third option may be automatically changed to an expanded state together with the first option. Alternatively, a fourth option associated with a second option may be determined, and the state of the fourth option may be automatically changed to a closed state together with the second option. By doing so, user convenience regarding option selection may be further enhanced. The association (degree of association) between options may be determined in any way. For example, the association (degree of association) between options may be predefined (calculated).

[0108] In some other embodiments, even if a user operation to change the first option in a folded state to an unfolded state is received, the unfolded state of the second option (e.g., important option) may remain unchanged. For example, if the first option is an option associated with the second option, the unfolded state of the second option may remain unchanged. However, if the first option is not an option associated with the second option, the state of the second option may be changed to a folded state. As another example, if the total number of options in an unfolded state is less than a threshold value (e.g., maximum number of important options), the unfolded state of the second option may remain unchanged.

[0109] In some other embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a UI element (91, e.g., a button) for fixing the current state of an option (e.g., expanded state or collapsed state) may be placed within the option section. For example, one or more UI elements (91) configured to be movable may be placed in the option section, or such UI elements (e.g., 91) may be placed for each option. In these embodiments, the user may fix the state of a specific option (e.g., 45) to an expanded state or a collapsed state by manipulating (e.g., clicking) the UI element (91). By doing so, the degree of freedom of user manipulation of the option section may be greatly improved.

[0110] In some other embodiments, the selection item of the second option may be automatically changed as the selection item of the first option is changed. For example, let us assume that, as illustrated in FIG. 10, among the plurality of options (45 to 48) displayed in the option section (43), the selection item of the fourth option (48) (e.g., 'Core i5') exists, and a user operation (102) is received to change the selection item of the first option (45) from the second item (49-2) to the third item (49-3). Then, let us assume that the selection items (e.g., 49-3) of the two options (45, 48) conflict with each other. Here, conflicting selection items may mean, for example, that the selection items are not included in the combination of possible attribute values ​​of the corresponding product (e.g., that a product consisting of such a combination of attribute values ​​does not exist, or that a product consisting of such a combination of attribute values ​​exists but is out of stock, etc.). In this case, the user terminal (11) can automatically change the selection item of the fourth option (48, e.g., the option selected later) (or another option (e.g., 46, etc.)) to another item (whereby the changed item is, for example, an item that does not conflict with item (49-3)). Then, the user terminal (11) can place a UI element (101) indicating that the selection item of the fourth option (48) has been changed in the area of ​​the corresponding option (48). FIG. 10 illustrates an example where the UI element (101) is a text object (element), but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In some cases, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the state of the fourth option (48) may be automatically changed (displayed) to an expanded state and the items (111, 112) of the corresponding option (48) may be displayed. By doing so, the user can more intuitively recognize that the selection item of the corresponding option (48) has been changed (see 112).

[0111] In some other embodiments, the option section may be controlled based on various combinations of the embodiments described above.

[0112] Up to now, a method for providing a shopping service according to several embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 11. As described above, the product option section may be provided to the user by being included in the product page (e.g., 41) rather than being provided as a separate page. In this case, the user does not need to go through the hassle (inconvenience) of moving from the product page to the option page to select product options and then returning to the product page to purchase the product, thereby improving the convenience of the user (consumer) for the shopping service.

[0113] In addition, among the various options of a product, important options may be displayed in an expanded state in the option section, while general options may be displayed in a collapsed state. In this case, the complexity of the screen layout of the option section is reduced, and user convenience in selecting important options can be improved. Furthermore, by displaying important options in an expanded state, a quick selection of important options can be naturally induced, and as a result, the effect of shortening the user's product purchase time can also be achieved.

[0114] In addition, by considering the amount of user interaction already performed in the option area and the degree of dispersion of selection items, options that many users deliberate over extensively during selection can be accurately determined as important options.

[0115] In addition, by considering the length of the product page, the length of the option section, and the characteristics of the product, the appropriate number of important options displayed in an expanded state can be accurately determined.

[0116] In addition, when a user operation to change the first option in the folded state to the unfolded state is received, the second option in the unfolded state may be automatically changed (displayed) to the folded state. In this case, the complexity of the screen configuration of the option section can be maintained without increasing, and the user's concentration on the first option can be naturally enhanced.

[0117] In addition, by providing UI elements (e.g., buttons) to fix the current state of the option (e.g., expanded state or collapsed state), the degree of freedom of user operation for the option section can be greatly improved.

[0118] In addition, if a conflict arises with other option selections as a user changes the selection of a specific option, at least one option selection can be automatically adjusted to resolve the conflict. Accordingly, user convenience regarding product option selection can be further enhanced.

[0119] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 12, an exemplary computing device (120) capable of implementing the user terminal (11) and / or shopping service server (12) described above will be described.

[0120] FIG. 12 is an exemplary hardware configuration diagram showing a computing device (120).

[0121] As illustrated in FIG. 12, the computing device (120) may include one or more processors (121), a bus (123), a communication interface (124), a memory (122) for loading a computer program (126) executed by the processor (121), and a storage (125) for storing the computer program (126). However, FIG. 12 illustrates only the components related to the embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs will understand that other general-purpose components (e.g., a display, other input / output devices, etc.) may be included in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 12. That is, the computing device (120) may include various additional components in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 12. Furthermore, depending on the case, the computing device (120) may be configured in a form in which some of the components illustrated in FIG. 12 are omitted. Each component of the computing device (120) will be described below.

[0122] The processor (121) can control the overall operation of each component of the computing device (120). The processor (121) may be configured to include at least one of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), MPU (Micro Processor Unit), MCU (Micro Controller Unit), GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), NPU (Neural Processing Unit), or any form of processor well known in the art of the present disclosure. Additionally, the processor (121) may perform operations for at least one application or program for executing operations / methods according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The computing device (120) may have one or more processors.

[0123] Next, the memory (122) may store various data, commands and / or information. The memory (122) may load a computer program (126) from storage (125) to execute steps / operations / methods according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The memory (122) may be implemented as volatile memory such as RAM, but the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0124] Next, the bus (123) can provide communication functions between components of the computing device (120). The bus (123) can be implemented as various types of buses, such as an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus.

[0125] Next, the communication interface (124) may support wired and wireless internet communication of the computing device (120). Additionally, the communication interface (124) may support various communication methods other than internet communication. To this end, the communication interface (124) may be configured to include a communication module well known in the art of the present disclosure.

[0126] Next, the storage (125) may store one or more computer programs (126) non-temporarily. The storage (125) may be configured to include non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), flash memory, a hard disk, a removable disk, or any form of computer-readable recording medium well known in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

[0127] Next, the computer program (126) may include instructions that cause the processor (121) to perform steps / operations / methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure when loaded into memory (122). That is, the processor (121) may perform steps / operations / methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure by executing the loaded instructions.

[0128] For example, a computer program (126) may include instructions to perform the action of receiving a request from a user for a product page of a specific product, the action of providing a product page of a specific product including an option section in response to the request, and the action of controlling the option section based on user operation on the option section.

[0129] As another example, a computer program (126) may include instructions to perform at least some of the steps / actions / methods described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 11.

[0130] As illustrated, a user terminal (11) and / or a shopping service server (12) according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. That is, shopping service providing devices / systems according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0131] Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the computing device (120) illustrated in FIG. 12 may refer to a virtual machine implemented based on cloud technology. For example, the computing device (120) may be a virtual machine running on one or more physical servers included in a server farm. In this case, at least some of the processor (121), memory (122), and storage (125) illustrated in FIG. 12 may be virtual hardware, and the communication interface (124) may also be implemented as a virtualized networking element such as a virtual switch.

[0132] Up to now, with reference to FIG. 12, an exemplary computing device (120) capable of implementing a user terminal (11) and / or a shopping service server (12) according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described.

[0133] Various embodiments of the present disclosure and effects according to those embodiments have been described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. The effects according to the technical concept of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below.

[0134] Furthermore, just because the above embodiments describe a plurality of components being combined into one or operating in combination, the technical concept of the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. That is, within the scope of the purpose of the technical concept of the present disclosure, all such components may be selectively combined into one or more combinations to operate.

[0135] The technical concept of the present disclosure described above may be implemented as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer program recorded on a computer-readable recording medium may be transmitted to another computing device via a network such as the Internet and installed on said computing device, thereby being used on said computing device.

[0136] Although operations are depicted in a specific order in the drawings, it should not be understood that the operations must necessarily be executed in the specific order depicted or in a sequential order, or that all depicted operations must be executed to obtain the desired result. In certain situations, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the technical concept of the present disclosure may be implemented in other specific forms without altering the technical concept or essential features thereof. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of protection of the present disclosure shall be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical concepts within the equivalent scope shall be interpreted as being included within the scope of rights of the technical concept defined by the present disclosure. Explanation of the symbols

[0137] 11: User terminal 12: Shopping service server S21, S22, S23: Steps 31, 41, 51, 61: Product Page 32, 34, 102: User interaction 33: Option page 42: Product Section 43, 52, 62: Option Section 44: Product Name 45, 46, 47, 48, 53, 54, 62, 63, 64: Options 49-1, 49-2, 49-3, 111, 112: Items 49-4, 91, 101: UI elements 120: Computing device 121: Processor 122: Memory 123: Bus 124: Communication Interface 125: Storage 126: Computer program

Claims

Claim 1 A method for providing a shopping service, comprising: receiving a request from a user for a product page of a specific product, performed by at least one computing device; and in response to the request, providing the product page including an option section, wherein a plurality of options for the specific product displayed in the option section include important options and general options, wherein the important options are determined based on the amount of user operation already performed in the area of ​​each option included in the product page among the plurality of options, wherein the important options are displayed in an expanded state in the option section, and the general options are displayed in a collapsed state in the option section. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A shopping service provision method according to claim 1, wherein the important option is determined based on the degree to which selection items are distributed in the user's option selection history regarding the plurality of options. Claim 4 A method for providing a shopping service, wherein, in claim 1, the important option includes a first option related to the quantity attribute of the specific product. Claim 5 A method for providing a shopping service, wherein, in paragraph 4, the items of the first option are displayed in a list form within the area of ​​the first option. Claim 6 A method for providing a shopping service according to claim 4, wherein the first option is further related to other attributes of the specific product in addition to the quantity attribute, items of the other attributes are displayed in a tab form within the area of ​​the first option, and items of the quantity attribute are displayed in a list form within the area of ​​the first option. Claim 7 A shopping service provision method according to claim 1, wherein the number of important options is determined based on the length of the product page or the length of the area occupied by the option section on the product page. Claim 8 A method for providing a shopping service according to claim 1, wherein the number of important options is determined based on the characteristics of the specific product, and the characteristics of the specific product include at least one of the category to which the specific product belongs and the number of the plurality of options. Claim 9 A shopping service provision method according to claim 1, wherein the number of important options is determined based on the amount of user operation already performed in the option section of the specific product. Claim 10 A method for providing a shopping service according to claim 1, wherein a UI (User Interface) element for fixing the state of a corresponding option in an expanded state or a collapsed state is placed in the option section. Claim 11 A method for providing a shopping service according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of options include a first option belonging to the important option and a second option belonging to the general option, and further comprising the step of receiving a user operation to change the second option to an expanded state; and the step of displaying the second option in an expanded state and displaying the first option in a collapsed state in response to the user operation. Claim 12 A shopping service providing method according to claim 11, wherein the step of displaying the first option in a folded state includes the step of displaying the first option in a folded state when the first option is not an associated option of the second option, and when the first option is an associated option of the second option, the state of the first option is maintained in an unfolded state. Claim 13 A method for providing a shopping service according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of options include a first option belonging to the important option, a second option belonging to the general option, and a third option associated with the second option, and further comprising the step of receiving a user operation to change the state of the second option to an expanded state; and the step of displaying the second option and the third option together in an expanded state in response to the user operation. Claim 14 A method for providing a shopping service according to claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a user operation to select a second item of a second option while a first item of a first option among the plurality of options is selected, wherein the first option and the second option each correspond to different attributes of the specific product and the first item and the second item each correspond to attribute values; the step of automatically changing the selected item of the second option from the second item to a third item when the first item and the second item are not included in the combination of possible attribute values, wherein the first item and the third item are included in the combination of possible attribute values; and the step of placing a UI (User Interface) element indicating that the selected item of the second option has been changed in the area of ​​the second option. Claim 15 A shopping service providing system comprising: one or more processors; and memory for storing a computer program executed by the one or more processors, wherein the computer program comprises: an action of receiving a request from a user for a product page of a specific product; and instructions for an action of providing the product page including an option section in response to the request, wherein a plurality of options for the specific product displayed in the option section include important options and general options, wherein the important options are determined based on the amount of user operation already performed in the area of ​​each option included in the product page among the plurality of options, wherein the important options are displayed in an expanded state in the option section, and the general options are displayed in a collapsed state in the option section. Claim 16 A computer program stored in a computer-readable recording medium to execute the steps of: receiving a request from a user for a product page of a specific product, combined with a processor of a computer; and providing the product page including an option section in response to the request, wherein a plurality of options for the specific product displayed in the option section include important options and general options, wherein the important options are determined based on the amount of user operation already performed in the area of ​​each option included in the product page among the plurality of options, wherein the important options are displayed in an expanded state in the option section, and the general options are displayed in a collapsed state in the option section.

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