Location-Based Incentive Application for Mobile Shopping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pricing comparison websites on mobile devices only provide price information from random online retailers, lacking additional details and incentives relevant to users when shopping in real-time.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that determines targeted incentives based on a user's location and specified item, using a location-based incentive application with modules for geographic location identification, item identification, and incentive communication, offering promotions, discounts, and recommendations from local merchants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If pricing comparison websites use search engines to collect pricing information from random online retailers, then pricing information can be obtained, but the information lacks additional details and incentives that may be of interest to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments information collection into multiple specialized modules: location identification module determines geographic location, item identification module identifies the item of interest, and incentive module collects targeted incentives from local merchants. This segmentation allows comprehensive information gathering without overwhelming system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device acts as an intermediary between the user and multiple information sources (local merchants, online retailers, location services). The device consolidates information from these various sources and presents it in a unified interface, reducing the complexity burden on individual components.
2Loss of information
If the system provides comprehensive pricing and incentive information from multiple sources, then information completeness improves, but the time to process and present information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by determining the user's geographic location and identifying the item of interest before collecting pricing and incentive information. This preliminary context establishment enables targeted information retrieval, reducing the time needed to process and present relevant data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of information retrieval from generic search queries to location-specific and item-specific parameters. By using the determined geographic location and identified item as search parameters, the system efficiently filters and retrieves only relevant pricing and incentive information, minimizing processing time.
3Ease of operation
If pricing information is provided without location context, then simplicity is maintained, but relevance to the user's current shopping situation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device performs multiple functions within a single unified system: location determination, item identification, pricing information collection, and incentive retrieval. This multi-functionality maintains ease of operation for the user while adapting to location-specific contexts and providing relevant shopping information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by providing location-specific incentives and pricing information tailored to the user's geographic context. Local merchants receive priority for incentive display based on proximity to the user's location, making the information highly relevant to the user's current shopping situation while maintaining a simple unified interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system offer an incentive to a user of a mobile device based on a geographic location of the mobile device and the intent of the user. A processor-implemented location identification module determines the geographic location of the mobile device of the user. A processor-implemented item identification module identifies an item specified by the user at the geographic location of the mobile device. A processor-implemented incentive module offers an incentive from at least one merchant within a predefined distance based on the identified item and the geographic location of the mobile device.