Social Online Shopping Intent Inference via Real-Time Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Online shopping experiences have a lower conversion rate and higher return rate compared to physical brick and mortar shopping due to the lack of social interaction, leading to lost revenue and increased costs for e-commerce platforms.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that enables real-time product discussion between users and their contacts within the e-commerce platform, utilizing artificial intelligence to recommend products, bundle services, and offer discounts, thereby converting the solitary online shopping experience into a social one without leaving the platform.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If online shopping is conducted without social interaction, then shopping convenience and accessibility are improved, but conversion rate decreases and return rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges social interaction features (video calling, real-time communication) directly into the online shopping platform, allowing users to shop with friends and family without leaving the e-commerce website. This integration combines the convenience of online shopping with the social experience of in-store shopping, resolving the contradiction between shopping convenience and conversion rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an AI-powered virtual assistant as an intermediary that facilitates social shopping experiences by enabling real-time communication between shoppers and their contacts, providing product recommendations, and coordinating group purchasing decisions. This mediator enables social interaction within the online platform context.
2Ease of operation
If online shopping is conducted without social interaction, then shopping accessibility is improved, but customer satisfaction decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines social interaction capabilities with online shopping accessibility by integrating video calling and real-time communication features directly into the shopping interface. Users can now access online shopping convenience while simultaneously experiencing social interaction, thereby maintaining accessibility while improving customer satisfaction.
3Productivity
If social interaction is added to online shopping platform, then conversion rate is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functional integration where a single platform provides both e-commerce transactions and social communication features (video calling, messaging, screen sharing). This universal approach allows the system to improve conversion rates through social interaction while managing complexity through consolidated functionality rather than separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs AI-powered automated features that enable social shopping experiences without requiring complex manual coordination. The AI assistant automatically manages video calls, product recommendations, and purchasing coordination, reducing the operational complexity burden on the system while maintaining improved conversion rates.
4Reliability
If social interaction features are integrated into e-commerce platform, then return rate is reduced, but implementation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates social interaction features directly into the existing e-commerce platform infrastructure, allowing reduction in return rates through enhanced customer engagement while avoiding the costs of completely separate social platforms. The merged system leverages existing technical infrastructure to minimize implementation costs.
Data Source
AI summary
System and method for intent inference from social online shopping. The method includes: receiving from a first user device associated with a first user, an invitation request for social online shopping at a third-party online shopping platform; generating an invitation to one or more contacts identified in the invitation request; transmitting the invitation to the one or more contacts; in response to detecting acceptance of the invitation, connecting the first user device with the one or more second devices; receiving communication data between the first device and the one or more second devices; inferring an intent of the first user and the one or more contacts based on the communication data; and generating based on the intent a recommendation in association with one or more products or services provided by the third-party online shopping platform.