Automated Connector Intermediaries for Internet Commerce
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Internet commerce systems face challenges in effectively connecting buyers and sellers, as traditional salespeople are not available to proactively guide users to websites, leading to low click-through rates on advertisements and missed opportunities for direct-to-consumer marketing.
Innovation Solution
A system that identifies and connects Internet users with shared interests through user profiles and a database of connectors, allowing vendors to propagate offers to these users, enabling transactions and providing incentives for user engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional salespeople are used to guide users to websites, then user engagement and click-through rates improve, but operational costs and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces automated intermediaries (bots, chatbots, virtual assistants) that act as mediators between users and websites, performing the guiding function traditionally done by salespeople without human intervention. These automated intermediaries analyze user behavior, provide recommendations, and guide users to relevant websites, maintaining high engagement while eliminating the need for human salesforce infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to receive guidance and recommendations through self-service automated interfaces. Users interact with chatbots or virtual assistants that autonomously analyze their needs and provide website recommendations without requiring human salespeople, thereby maintaining productivity while reducing operational complexity and costs.
2Quantity of substance
If banner advertisements and pop-up advertisements are used to promote websites, then marketing reach increases, but click-through rates decrease
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniform blanket advertising, the system delivers personalized marketing messages tailored to each user's specific interests, behavior patterns, and preferences. The automated intermediaries analyze individual user profiles and present relevant website recommendations at optimal moments, making the marketing approach locally optimized for each user rather than applying a single generic approach to all users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where automated intermediaries continuously monitor user responses to marketing messages and adjust future recommendations accordingly. By analyzing click-through behavior, time spent on pages, and interaction patterns, the system refines its marketing approach in real-time, improving click-through rates while maintaining broad reach through iterative optimization.
3Loss of energy
If automated systems are used to connect users with websites, then operational costs decrease, but user engagement and trust may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The automated intermediaries are designed to build trust through transparent, consistent, and helpful interactions. Rather than cold automated responses, these systems simulate natural conversation, explain recommendations clearly, and maintain user-friendly interfaces that foster confidence. The intermediaries act as reliable mediators that users can depend on for personalized guidance, maintaining trust while operating autonomously.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, the invention is a method. The method includes providing an offer to a connector. The method also includes receiving responses from users to the offer, the users having received the offer from the connector. The method further includes completing the transaction with the users.In another embodiment, the invention is an apparatus. The apparatus includes a set of profiles of users. The apparatus further includes a database of connectors, connectors of the database selected from the users based on the profiles associated with the users. The apparatus also includes an interface between vendors and the database. The interface is to receive queries from the vendors and to return connector identities responsive to the queries.In yet another embodiment, the invention is a machine-readable medium embodying instructions. The instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method. The method includes providing an offer to a connector. The method also includes receiving responses from users to the offer, the users having received the offer from the connector. The method further includes completing the transaction with the users.In still another embodiment, the invention is a method. The method includes receiving an offer as a connector from a vendor. The method also includes propagating the offer to associated users through a network.