WO2012135134A2 - Methods and systems for converting intent into a transaction - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for converting an online interaction into a brick-and-mortar or online transaction between an Internet user and a plurality of merchants via the Internet. This invention assesses a buyer's purchasing intent and provides offers based on the buyer's purchasing intent and the buyer's purchasing score. The method involves maintaining a database of buyer attributes and receiving from a buyer a request for one or more offers. After receiving a request, a special intent server determines a purchasing score of the buyer based, at least in part, on information stored in the database of buyer attributes. Next, after a purchasing score is determined, the request and the purchasing score are transmitted to one or more offer sources. Finally, the intent server and the method then receives one or more offers from the offer sources and provides them to the buyer via the Internet.

Description

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONVERTING INTENT INTO A TRANSACTION CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 13/072,607 filed 25 March 201 1 , which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. [0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/502,700 filed 29 June 201 1 , which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention generally relates to facilitating commercial transactions between Internet users and merchants and certain embodiments teach a process for converting an online interaction between a business and a consumer into an online transaction or a transaction at a physical store.

[0004] For a consumer, shopping online or in a brick-and-mortar store are traditionally two separate things, each having unique advantages or disadvantages. Online, one could shop from the comfort of his or her home, and force businesses to compete on price alone. In brick-and-mortar stores, customers can physically view the product and avoid shipping costs. Until now, there has not been a way for customers to demand the best of both worlds.

[0005] From a business' perspective, whether online or brick-and-mortar, the business commonly relies on market indicators, historical sales data, and a combination of other statistics to anticipate demand and to be able to craft advertisements/sales to lure target consumers. This form of market forecasting and approximation can be unreliable, inaccurate, and inefficient. Until now, there has not been a way for businesses to easily ascertain the likelihood of a customer to make a purchase and to pin down a browsing customer right before s/he decides to purchase.

[0006] Overall, the examples herein of some prior or related systems and their associated limitations are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of existing or prior systems will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the following Detailed Description. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] This invention combines the vast selection and convenience of the Internet to increase the customer's bargaining power in the real world. One aspect of the present invention allows consumers to leverage the increased bargaining power from the Internet to traditional brick-and-mortar operations. Another aspect of the present invention creates a shorthand mechanism whereby businesses can make an automated decision on granting people or businesses incentives to make a purchase.

[0008] One aspect teaches a method and system for converting an online interaction, between an Internet user and a plurality of businesses, into a transaction at a physical store by assessing a buyer's purchasing intent and providing offers based on the purchasing intent and buyer purchasing score. The method comprises the steps of maintaining a database of buyer attributes; receiving from the buyer a purchasing intent for one or more offers; determining a purchasing score of the buyer based, at least in part, on information stored in the database of buyer attributes; transmitting the request and the purchasing score to one or more offer sources; receiving the one or more offers from said one or more offer sources; and providing the one or more offers to the buyer.

[0009] Other persons and entities beside consumers and businesses may utilize the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention. The reference to a "consumer" and a "business" is primarily a simplified representation and generally denotes any buyer- seller association. This can encompass other dealings such as those between a retailer and a wholesaler, a consumer and third-party aggregator, a purchasing decision-maker and a manufacturer, a dealer and a supplier, a small business and a merchant, a company and a supplier, and many others. This can also encompass transactions or dealings between noncommercial entities, such as individuals, charities, organizations, etc. For example, the buyer-seller association can exist among two individuals: one individual seeking to buy/trade a good or solicit a service from another individual or private seller. Moreover, what can be bought and sold between a buyer and seller can include, among other things, goods, products, services, etc. that can be real or virtual (e.g., virtual greetings, virtual gifts).

[0010] Other advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and claims. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The features and characteristics of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended claims and drawings, all of which form a part of this specification. In the drawings:

[0012] FIGURE 1 (and the following discussion) provides a brief, general description of a representative environment in which the invention can be implemented.

[0013] FIGURE 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary architecture of an intent server configured to perform the various functionalities of the intent platform. [0014] FIGURE 3 depicts an exemplary webpage through which the user can gain access to the intent platform.

[0015] FIGURE 4 illustrates a representation of a list of offers sent to a user;

[0016] FIGURE 5 is a flow diagram depicting a process for transmitting an offer to a user; and [0017] FIGURE 6 is a high-level block diagram showing an example of the architecture for a computer system.

[0018] FIGURE 7A illustrates an example operation of the location block.

[0019] FIGURE 7B illustrates an example display page of the location-based offers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Various examples of the invention will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these examples. One skilled in the relevant art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Likewise, one skilled in the relevant art will also understand that the invention can include many other obvious features not described in detail herein. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail below, so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description. [0021] The terminology used below is to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific examples of the invention. Indeed, certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this Detailed Description section. [0022] Figure 1 and the following discussion provide a brief, general description of a representative environment in which the invention can be implemented. The method and system provides a platform in which individuals and businesses (generally termed a "buyer") can state their intention (generally termed "purchase intent") to purchase a good and/or a service (actual or virtual). The purchase intent can include as relevant one or more of information on whom the buyer is, what the buyer is interested in buying, a proximity of where the buyer wants to make the purchase, and address for delivery, when the buyer is going to spend money and how the buyer prefers to purchase. In exchange for providing this information, the deliberating buyer can find discounts, deals, promotions, coupons, incentives, rebates, and more (generally termed "offers") relating to this purchase intent and the transaction can occur immediately.

[0023] Along with the ability of a buyer to broadcast an intent to purchase, the platform also allows an opportunity for followers of those statements (generally termed a "seller") to perceive the accompanying demographic factors and buyer attributes bundled with that purchase intent. As discussed above, the platform provides buyers an ideal market where sellers compete on price, quality, and/or service for the buyers' business. Also, sellers can isolate a data point that is more credible and realistic than market projections and statistics. In turn for the readiness of the buyer to commit to a purchase, the seller is willing to offer an attractive deal to the prospective customer. As a result, the platform facilitates the creation of a mutually beneficial transaction between the buyer and seller. [0024] In another embodiment, a buyer and seller can both be users of the platform. In this instance, the buyer-user broadcasts a purchase intent to other users of the platform. Other users of the platform may be able to fulfill the request or purchase intent of the buyer- user and thus be able to offer their goods or services to the buyer-user (as "offer providers"). The offer providers have the opportunity to evaluate the buyer-user's purchase intent and purchasing score (or a variant for privacy purposes) and can then bid for the buyer-user's patronage. As such, these offer providers can be a private seller, a small business, commercial company, an organization, etc.

[0025] After one or more offers are provided to the buyer, the buyer can accept the offer in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, the buyer can tentatively accept the offer and complete the transaction in the future on the offer platform, the offer source's website or at the store. In another embodiment, the buyer can immediately commit to accepting, completing, and purchasing the offer all at once (thereby, redeeming the offer's discount without delay). In the latter instance, the buyer commits to or accepts the offer and takes the next steps to complete the transaction. This includes submitting payment information either directly on the website/user interface associated with intent platform or on the website/user interface associated with the offer source. The user can then instantaneously receive the goods/service or coordinate the delivery/scheduling of the (real or virtual) purchase for a time in the future.

[0026] Moreover, the platform tracks all of the buyer's purchase intents, offers

(accepted, rejected, offered but unaccepted, etc.), and transactional activity to determine a purchasing score. The purpose of the purchasing score is two-fold in that it allows a buyer to gain access to better offers and allows a shorthand way for a business to evaluate the seriousness of a buyer's purchase intent. As such, the platform rewards reliability and loyalty, which arise with devoted customers, with dependable sellers, and as between repeat buyers and sellers. Additionally, a serious buyer who immediately commits to accepting the offer and completing the purchase can be rewarded with more attractive offers or an augmented purchasing score.

[0027] The following illustration describes a simplified transaction. However, other instantiations of the invention may include greater complexity. As an example, in one embodiment, a buyer submits a purchase intent which states that she is willing to spend up to $700 in the coming weekend for a washer. The buyer enters the platform, and submits his purchase intent, along with some additional personal information, to obtain a purchasing score. Because this is the first time that the buyer is entering the platform, she is given a median purchasing score. The median score can be a neutral to slightly positive reflection of the buyer's commitment to make a purchase.

[0028] Next, sellers on the platform, such as Sears, Best Buy, Lowe's, Home Depot, and others, review the buyer's purchase intent. As an example, Seller A is willing to provide a $200 discount if the buyer is willing to come into the store to make her purchase, while Seller B is willing to provide a $225 coupon for the purchase of a washer and an additional $200 discount for the purchase of a dryer. Seller C is willing to provide a $300 discount if she immediately commits to purchasing a top-loading washer online. After reviewing all of the offers on the platform, along with the terms of each, buyer arrives at a decision and tentatively accepts Seller B's offer. Buyer's completion of the transaction with Seller B at the store over the weekend results in the buyer spending $500 for the washer and an additional $500 for a new dryer.

[0029] At the culmination of the transaction, the platform registers the completion of the transaction and considers that the buyer's purchasing intent was substantially similar, if not identical to her actual purchase. Because the buyer's purchasing intent accurately reflected the buyer's actual purchase, the buyer's purchasing score will likely increase. Moreover, because the buyer spent more than she anticipated in her purchase intent, her purchasing score may further increase as well. The good credit she earned in her purchasing score will yield even better offers in a future purchase intent submitted on the intent platform. By the same token, sellers can more easily ascertain the reliability of a buyer to follow-through with an offer and thus, are more apt to provide attractive discounts to lure buyer to the store for her next transaction. [0030] In another aspect of the present invention, the purchase intent and the offer utilize additional information. In one embodiment, the platform receives a purchase intent relating to a specified region of interest or the actual geographic location of a buyer. The platform is able to provide offers based on the buyer's (specified) location and buyers are able to receive localized offers from sellers in the proximate area. In addition, sellers can (optionally) provide a more appealing offer for a buyer in the immediate area relative to a buyer farther away. In an alternative or further embodiment, the platform receives real-time inventory information related to the availability of an offer and/or the subject of an offer. In this way, a seller can update the quantity/amount/number of a good that remains or the vacancy/availability of a service that comprises the offer. In turn, the seller can adjust the number of offers available to buyers as well as attune the savings (i.e., attractiveness) of an offer based on the surplus or scarcity of a good or service. By utilizing location and inventory information in combination, for example, the platform can provide localized offers that are current and available. [0031] For example, a buyer submits a purchasing intent for a sit-down dinner over the weekend at a nearby restaurant. In addition to the suite of operations that typically occurs, the platform receives a geographic location (along with other optional details such as distance, time, party size, cuisine, etc.) The platform determines a geographic area within which the buyer may be interested and submits the purchasing intent to select sellers. Next, sellers on the platform (e.g., Restaurant A, Restaurant B, Restaurant C, Restaurant D) review the buyer's purchase intent and tender an offer that hopefully entices the buyer to eat at the respective establishment. As an example, Restaurant A is willing to provide a free entree with the purchase of a full-priced entree, while Restaurant B offers a 10% discount off the final bill. Restaurant C has no available tables, but is willing to offer free delivery for any order above $30. An alternative food service, Restaurant D, offers a personal chef for a five- course meal for four people complete with set-up, ingredients, and clean-up at a venue of the buyer's choice.

[0032] In this example, inventory information regarding the availability of open tables and number of offers is also provided alongside each restaurant's offer. For example, Restaurant A is a chain and so the platform indicates that Restaurant A's offer is available at three different locations. Restaurant B has plenty of tables available, but anticipates a number of walk-in patrons (i.e., diners without reservations); so the offer is restricted to the first five buyers. There are no open tables at Restaurant C; however, in the time that the offer is valid, the inventory may be updated if Restaurant C has a last-minute cancellation. Lastly, Restaurant D's offer is limited to two buyers for a limited time. [0033] As demonstrated in these examples, a buyer's purchase intent (including geographic location) and personal data are valuable information and is jealously guarded to protect the consumer's interest. In comparison, the intent platform also allows a buyer to share his/her experience with an offer/transaction via email, social media networks, blogs, and/or feeds. In either case, the buyer can selectively choose what parameters of the purchase intent, personal data, and geographic location s/he is willing to divulge to offer sources and/or publicize to others. As a result, the intent platform becomes the buyer's preferred forum by which s/he can choose or not choose to share this most valuable information.

[0034] Although not required, aspects of the invention may be described below in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as routines executed by a general-purpose data processing device (e.g., a server or a personal computer). Those skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that the invention can be practiced with other communications, data processing, or computer system configurations, including: wireless devices, Internet appliances, hand-held devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wearable computers, all manner of cellular or mobile phones, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, set-top boxes, network PCs, mini-computers, mainframe computers, and the like. For example, a buyer, in search of a good deal, could potentially be at a store, and submit a purchase intent on a personal computing device. The instantaneous feedback from the intent platform could counsel the buyer to make the purchase at another store. Indeed, the terms "computer," "server," and the like are used interchangeably herein, and may refer to any of the above devices and systems.

[0035] While aspects of the invention, such as certain functions, are described as being performed exclusively on a single device, the invention can also be practiced in distributed environments where functions or modules are shared among disparate processing devices. The disparate processing devices are linked through a communications network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or the Internet. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0036] The invention can also be practiced within or as an application on an existing web-based service provider or social media network. For example, an online auction and shopping website in which individuals and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services (both real and virtual) can implement aspects of the invention within the current capabilities and services. As an example, in one embodiment, a buyer can broadcast a purchase intent as an auctioned item whereby offer sources can bid or submit offers. As another example, the invention can be practiced on a centralized network of online communities which feature discussion forums and a classified advertisement section (paid or free) for jobs, housing, services and more. The invention can also be practiced on a wide variety of social media websites among a network of individuals with social affinities. In all cases, the platform can be integrated as part of the functionality of the website or as an application that is peripheral to the online website.

[0037] Aspects of the invention may be stored or distributed on tangible computer- readable media, including magnetically or optically readable computer discs, hard-wired or preprogrammed chips (e.g., EEPROM semiconductor chips), nanotechnology memory, biological memory, or other data storage media. Alternatively, computer implemented instructions, data structures, screen displays, and other data related to the invention may be distributed over the Internet, other networks (including wireless networks), or a propagated signal on a propagation medium (e.g., an electromagnetic wave(s), a sound wave, etc.) over a period of time. In some implementations, the data may be provided on any analog or digital network (packet switched, circuit switched, or other scheme). [0038] As shown in Figure 1 , a buyer may use a personal computing device (e.g., a phone 102, a personal computer 104, electronic notebook, etc.) to communicate with a network. The term "phone," as used herein, may be a cell phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable email device (e.g., a Blackberry), a portable media player (e.g., an ilPod or iPad), or any other device having communication capability to connect to the network. In one example, the phone 102 connects using one or more cellular transceivers or base station antennas 106 (in cellular implementations), access points, terminal adapters, routers, or modems 108 (in IP-based telecommunications implementations), or combinations of the foregoing (in converged network embodiments).

[0039] In some instances, the network 110 is the Internet, allowing the phone 102 (with, for example, WiFi capability) or the personal computer 104 to access web content offered through various web servers. In some instances, especially where the phone 102 is used to access web content through the network 110 (e.g., when a 3G or an LTE service of the phone 102 is used to connect to the network 110), the network 110 may be any type of cellular, IP-based, or converged telecommunications network, including, but not limited to, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), etc.

[0040] In some instances, a buyer uses one of the personal computing devices (e.g., the phone 102, the personal computer 104, etc.) to connect to an intent server 114 through the network 110. In one embodiment, the intent server 114 comprises a server 116 coupled to a local database 118. The term "intent server," as indicated herein, refers to a server station or other computing apparatus capable of hosting a web service that is accessible by other computing systems (e.g., personal computer 104) through, for example, the Internet.

[0041] The intent server 114 illustrated in Figure 1 operates an intent platform. The term "intent platform" as indicated herein, refers to a suite of operations that may include, for example, querying multiple sources (e.g., offer sources) to identify offers, receiving from a buyer a request for offers or an intent, creating an account for the buyer to record the buyer's attributes (discussed further below) and registration information, determining a purchasing score and transmitting buyer requests for offers to offer sources, etc. As will be explained in further detail herein, the intent server 114 incorporates one or more functional units to achieve each of the above discussed functionalities. [0042] In some instances, the intent server 114 also operates as a web server to enable the intent platform to be displayed through a webpage. In such instances, the intent server 114 may operate additionally as a web server or may be coupled to a separate web server to provide the web functionalities. [0043] As shown in Figure 1 , the personal computing devices and the intent server 114 are connected through the network 110 to one or more web servers (e.g., web server 120). Each web server corresponds to a computing station that enables a third party (e.g., a retail website through which a buyer can scrutinize offerings, a website that aggregates multiple retailers, etc.) to host, for example, an intent platform that can be accessed through the network 110.

[0044] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary architecture of an intent server 114 configured to perform the various functionalities of the intent platform. In the illustrated embodiment, the intent server 114 includes a computation subsystem 202, which performs various functions related to the intent platform. The computation subsystem 202 can be implemented by using programmable circuitry programmed by software and/or firmware, or by using special-purpose hardwired circuitry, or by using a combination of such embodiments. In some instances, the computation subsystem 202 is implemented as a unit in a processor of the intent server.

[0045] The computation subsystem 202 includes a maintaining module 210. The maintaining module may be configured to communicate with external entities to maintain a database of buyer attributes. In one example, the database of buyer attributes is stored on a separate server distinct from the intent server and thus the database of information stored on the separate server is accessed and retrieved by the maintaining module 210 of the intent server 114. In another example, the database of buyer attributes is stored on the intent server 114 itself and the maintaining module does not need to communicate with external entities to access the database of buyer attributes.

[0046] The computation subsystem 202 also includes a receiving module 212 that, in some instances, is configured to communicate with external interfaces to receive a buyer request from the user. In one example, the buyer uses a personal computing device to open a website of the intent platform. The web server operating the intent platform receives a request sent by the user (e.g., simple selection to start the intent platform, parameters of a request, etc.) and transmits it to the receiving module 210 of the intent server 114. The receiving module 212, in some instances, receives the buyer's requests and relays the requests for further processing by the intent server 114. Further on, the receiving module 212 is also configured to receive from one or more offer sources the offers requested by the buyer.

[0047] The computation system 202 also includes a determining module 214. The determining module 214 is configured to determine a purchasing score of the buyer based, at least in part, on information stored in the database of buyer attributes. In some instances, the determining module 214 communicates with the maintaining module 210 to access and retrieve information stored in the database of buyer attributes. In other instances, the determining module 214 can directly communicate with the database of buyer attributes. After communicating with the database, the determining module 214 calculates the buyer's purchasing score and then works in conjunction with a transmitting module 216 (discussed below) to transmit the buyer's purchasing score to offer sources.

[0048] The computation system 202 also includes a transmitting module 216. The transmitting module 216 is configured to transmit the buyer's request, along with the buyer's purchasing score to one or more offer sources. The transmitting module 216 works in association with the receiving module 212 and the determining module 214 to obtain, respectively, the buyer's request and the buyer's purchasing score. Upon receiving the necessary information, the transmitting module 210 is able to transmit the buyer's request and the calculated purchasing score to one or more offer sources from which the offers are obtained. The offer sources can use the buyer's purchasing score as one determinant to what kind of discounts are offered to the buyer. [0049] The computation subsystem 202 also includes a providing module 214 that is configured to provide the one or more offers to the buyer. The providing module 214 works in conjunction with the receiving module 212 and transmitting module 216 to identify and generate the various offers available to the buyer based on the buyer's request and purchasing score. In some instances, the providing module 214 generates a list of offers for the buyer replete with detailed descriptions and images. In some instances, the providing module 214 is limited by display constraints or the specific transmission mechanism chosen by the buyer. For example, the providing module 214 may provide solely a text-based list when displaying on a personal computing device. In some instances, the providing module 214 determines a protocol or other communication requirement based on the transmission mechanism specified by the user in order to generate the one or more offers. In one example, the providing module 214 adds suitable message headers when displaying an email message.

[0050] The receiving module 212, in some instances, can be further configured to receive a buyer's registration information or login. In some instances, the receiving module 212 works in association with the database of buyer attributes to establish and store the buyer's registration and personal information. Examples of such information include: age, income, location and other demographics along with the buyer's history of past purchases and/or requests. Additional examples of such information are explained in detail further below. The receiving module 212 can also coordinate with the determining module 214 such that when the receiving module 212 receives a buyer's registration information, the information facilitates the calculation of the buyer's purchasing score by the determining module 214.

[0051] Figure 3 depicts an exemplary webpage 302 through which the user can gain access to the intent platform. The webpage 302 includes a purchase intent menu 306 through which the buyer can indicate one or more parameters relating to the anticipated purchase. In some instances, the purchase intent menu 306 includes an estimated time entry block 308, through which the buyer can indicate a future date or time period for when the anticipated purchase may occur. Additionally, the preferences menu 306 may include an estimated amount entry block 310. Using this block, the buyer can indicate an estimated range or actual dollar amount for the anticipated purchase. The purchase intent menu 306 may also include an entry by which a user can specify a category (e.g., good, service, both real and virtual) of the anticipated purchase 312. In some instances, the intent platform saves a buyer's past requests such that the estimated time, estimated amount, and/or purchase category previously entered by the buyer are displayed (not shown in Figure 3) for the buyer's benefit. In addition to the above blocks, the purchase intent menu 306 may also include a variety of other entry options such as a frequency (or the periodic basis) for making a purchase. The purchase intent menu can also incorporate any of the filter menu options 330 discussed below.

[0052] In some instances, the webpage 302 may include a registration menu 320 to allow a buyer to enter user details to establish (or login to) a personalized registration account. The intent server uses details (e.g., user name, password, user's email address, etc.) entered by the buyer through a user details entry block 322.

[0053] In some instances, the webpage 302 includes a filter menu 330 to provide the buyer a mechanism by which a purchase intent can be narrowed. In one example, the buyer can use a location block 332 to limit the offers to a specific geographic region or a distance of the offer source from the buyer. In one embodiment, the location block 332 is defined in terms of a radius surrounding a certain geographic marker. For example, the location block 332 can be a specified distance surrounding a city or zip code (e.g., thirty-mile radius surrounding San Francisco) or a specific address (e.g., five-mile radius from a hotel). In another example, the buyer may provide a pre-defined locality (e.g., a city, county, district, zip code, state, country).

[0054] Figure 7A illustrates an example operation of the location block 332 in which the platform may retrieve a current location of a user/buyer. The platform prompts 710 the buyer for permission to access his or her current geographic location. In turn, the buyer can share his/her location with the intent server 114 via the mobile device 102. In one embodiment, the current location may be determined using the GPS capabilities of the mobile device 102. In another example, the current location may be determined using an IP address of a computing device 104 (based on the device's interaction over the network 110). Other mechanisms for determining user location, as may be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art, are also applicable in this implementation. [0055] As such, the intent server can determine an area associated with the geographic region or radial distance. The intent server 114 can, in some instances, determine whether the buyer is located within the area so as to specifically tailor the offer(s) to the buyer. For example, if the user is located within the geographic area, the intent server can provide offers that are available for immediate redemption/acceptance or are more heavily discounted because the buyer is in the proximate area of a primary source. [0056] Figure 7B illustrates an example display page of location-based offers. In one embodiment, the buyer has a variety of ways to display the offers. For example, with a list option 718 and a map option 720, the offers provided by the intent server can be displayed respectively as a list of textual descriptions (similar to Figure 4) or as markers on a map (as shown in Figure 6B). In one instance, the location of the buyer 712 can be uniquely highlighted according to his/her current geographic location. In another instance, the location of each offer (e.g., offer number two 714, offer number three, etc.) is demarcated with a numbered icon. The display page, in this embodiment, also provides shortcuts to a variety of menus 716 which allow the buyer to modify his/her purchase intent, user, and filter options.

[0057] The other example features shown on the filter menu in Figure 3 include a subcategory block 338 to restrict the category entry 312 (e.g., home improvement or restaurant) to a more specific category (e.g., outdoor furniture, gardening equipment or Japanese, buffet, or casual). In another example, the buyer can limit the offers to a desired manufacturer of a good, a particular retailer with the MFR/retailer block 334, a particular source or brand name of a virtual good or service. In another example, the buyer can filter the offers based on a particular rating of the offer source (e.g., only sources with 90% positive feedback) with the offer rating block 336. Other examples include: a keyword or tag 340 associated with the offer (e.g., wedding, salon), whether the offer is available for immediate purchase 342.

[0058] The filter menu can also include an inventory block 343 that considers the availability of the subject of an offer. The inventory information can simply reflect a yes or no indication of whether a good is available for purchase or whether a service (e.g., hotel room, spa appointment, etc.) can be reserved or booked. The inventory information can also reflect the availability of the good or service at particular location(s) or within an area such that the offer can be accepted and immediately redeemed. (For instance, a buyer can check the in-store availability of a good or service at stores within N miles of a particular ZIP code.) In another embodiment, the inventory information can reflect a specific

quantity/amount/number of a good that remains or the vacancy/availability of a service that comprises the offer. [0059] In some embodiments, the inventory block 343 can also include information regarding the number of offers available. The information can include how many offers a sellers puts forward (e.g., five offers) and whether offers are still available to buyers (three offers left). For example, a seller can indicate that in the inventory block 343 it has a certain number of items in stock, however only a limited number of offers are available for purchase at a particular price. In another example, the inventory block 343 may require a particular number of offers before the savings from the offer are valid. Integral to the inventory block 421 is a variety of other elements. In some embodiments, elements such as time, expiration, and location are factored into the inventory block 421. As such, the inventory block 343 can incorporate other elements, in addition to the availability of the subject of an offer or the offer itself, in a variety of combinations.

[0060] With this inventory block 343, buyers can make purchase decisions based on the inventory information. For instance, the inventory may state that a good is out of stock and can no longer be purchased (e.g., online or at stores). In another instance, the offer's subject has only two items left in stock and/or is only available for purchase online. In another example, the inventory of the offer's subject is unlimited, however the inventory of offers is limited to the first five buyers. As another illustration, there are unlimited offers, but the buyer defers shipping and opts to pick up the item at a nearby brick-and-mortar store which currently has quantities in stock. As such, not only can the platform perform a search for offers based on available offers, goods, and services, but it can also perform a search based on available offers, goods, and services at a particular location or within a geographic area.

[0061] Accordingly, the platform receives real-time inventory information from sellers. In accordance to one embodiment, a seller can update the quantity/amount/number of a good that remains or the vacancy/availability of a service that comprises the offer. Additionally, the seller can attune the savings (i.e., attractiveness) of an offer based on the surplus or scarcity of a good or service as well as adjust the number of offers available to buyers. A seller can also take into account a location of a buyer when s/he submits a purchasing intent and accordingly, provide a more appealing offer to a buyer in a local area relative to a buyer farther away. The processing of this real-time inventory information can be completely hidden and internal to the platform, whereby buyers are not privy to this information. [0062] While the filter menu is a mechanism by which a purchasing intent can be narrowed, the parameters of the filter menu can also be incorporated into the purchasing intent. For instance, if a buyer's only criteria for purchase is when, how much, and what, then the purchasing intent menu primarily comprises of an estimated time entry block 308, estimated amount entry block 310, and a category 312 of the purchase. If, however, a buyer's criteria for purchase necessarily include other parameters (e.g., where, what kind, what brand, etc), those particular search parameters can be added to the purchasing intent (e.g., included in the purchasing intent menu).

[0063] In one embodiment, the parameters under the filter menu can be considered less important (e.g., a "nice-to-have") to a purchasing intent and the parameters under the purchasing intent menu can be considered critically important (e.g., a "must have"). To illustrate: if a buyer must locate a home improvement store within fifteen miles of where she is that has a Kenmore refrigerator in stock for same-day purchase, then the location 332, mfr/retailer 334, and inventory 343 entry (in addition to the standard time 308, amount 310, and category 312 entries) are critical to a buyer's purchasing intent and may be added to the purchasing intent menu. In another example, if a buyer is going away for the weekend on vacation and wants to receive a dinner offer from a romantic restaurant with an open table, then the location 332 (i.e., vacation destination), sub-category (i.e., "romantic") 338, and inventory 343 (i.e., "available tables") entries may be incorporated into the buyer's purchasing intent.

[0064] As such, the many combinations of filter menu options with purchasing intent parameters translate to various permutations of purchasing intents. For instance, the combination of the location entry 332 and the inventory entry 343 means the platform not only determines where the buyer is, what sellers are around the buyer, and what offers are available to the buyer, but also whether the seller has an inventory of goods or services. This allows a buyer to know whether s/he can accept an offer from a nearby seller and immediately complete the transaction by picking-up the order. This, in turn, also allows a seller to appropriately craft an offer based on the location of the buyer, the supply/demand of an offer, and/or a surplus/scarcity of the good/service that comprises the offer (e.g., a seller, having an overabundance of last year's models of 56" LCD TVs and imminently receiving a new shipment of the latest model of LCD TVs, who knows of a serious buyer in the proximity may be influenced to make an offer at a lower price.) As such, a purchasing intent with an integral location and inventory parameter not only leads to offers having real-time inventory information, but also localized, real-time inventory information.

[0065] Figure 4 illustrates a representation of one or more offers transmitted to a user. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, one or more offers are transmitted as webpage 402 displaying a list of offers on the buyer's computer 104. As indicated above, the list of offers may also be provided to the buyer in the form of a text-based display on a personal computing device or an html email message. In some instances, the webpage 402 includes one or more blocks (e.g., 410, 430, 450, etc.), each block corresponding to an offer from an offer source.

[0066] Each offer includes a variety of details. In a first instance, the first offer 410 includes an icon or visual representation of the primary source 412 and a link to the primary source 414. A primary source corresponds to an entity through which the buyer can complete the purchase or transaction. In one embodiment, a buyer can peruse in more detail the product or service offered by the offer source. Further, the user can even tentatively accept the offer 426 and conditionally receive the discount, pending further actions by the buyer. In another embodiment, the user can commit to the offer for immediate purchase 428 and complete the transaction. In one embodiment, the offer source may be a local database (e.g., third-party aggregator) that retrieves from a plurality of primary sources. In at least another embodiment, the intent platform directly searches primary sources as an offer source. In either case, the intent platform directly can provide a hyperlink 414 to the primary source's website and the buyer to establish a connection with the primary source and possibly complete the transaction or purchase.

[0067] In addition to the link to the primary source 414, the list of offers 402 may also include, for example, an offer description 416 with details relating to a purchase category 418 or expiration 420, period of availability or time duration for the displayed offer, geographic location of the offer source, a description 422 of the discount that can include a pre-savings price and a post-savings price, and an option to tentatively accept the offer 426, etc. [0068] The list of offers can also include an inventory block 421 which can include the inventory information previously described such as the availability of the subject of an offer and/or the number of offers available. Integral to the inventory block 421 is a variety of other elements. In some embodiments, elements such as time, expiration, and location are factored into the inventory block 421. As such, the inventory block 421 can incorporate other elements, in addition to the availability of the subject of an offer or the offer itself, in a variety of combinations.

[0069] Figure 5 is a flow diagram depicting a process for converting an online interaction into a brick-and-mortar transaction. As indicated in block 510, an intent platform maintains a database of buyer attributes. In one example, the database of buyer attributes may be integrated in or separately partitioned from the intent server 114. In either case, the database includes a vast array of data. In one instance, the database can include a number of demographics including: gender, age, income, buyer location at a given time, a

geographic location of a buyer's residence, highest level of education attained by the buyer, profession, employment status, whether a buyer owns, leases, rents, etc. his or her home, disability, and a buyer's mobility in terms of travel time to work or number of vehicles owned.

[0070] In another instance, when a buyer has previously interacted with the intent platform, the database can include additional information pertaining to the number of past requests, number of offers that were accepted in the past, time since the last request or the last accepted offer, the length of time a buyer has been a registered user, prevalence of offers accepted by the buyer, and the total amount of money spent on past offer(s). With this information, the database can amass a volume of data analytics which can be used to ascertain a buyer's likelihood of purchase and the veracity and accuracy of a buyer's purchasing intent (e.g., comparing a past offer that was accepted by the buyer to the corresponding request). All of the above data analytics about the buyer can factor into the determination of a purchasing score (discussed below).

[0071] At block 512, the intent platform receives from a first buyer, on an intent server, a geographic location of the first buyer and a request for one or more offers. As discussed above, the geographic location of the first buyer can be determined with the GPS capabilities of a mobile device 102 or an IP address of a computing device 104. The intent platform can utilize information regarding the geographic location of the first buyer in the purchasing intent or the offers. The request received by the intent platform can be sent by the first buyer in many different ways. For example, the request can be sent via e-mail, a mobile application, an interface on a social network website, through a secured webpage, etc. If information (e.g., attributes of the buyer) relayed between networks of computers is deemed personal or private information, it can be encrypted before it is sent from one computer to another.

[0072] As indicated above, the buyer's request can include a simple indication or selection to initiate the intent platform. In the same or another instance, the buyer can submit the parameters of actual purchase intent itself. As such, the request is more complex and includes additional parameters. When entering this detailed request, the parameters of the purchase intent can include, for example, an estimated time the buyer will make the purchase, an estimated amount of money that is budgeted or the buyer is willing to spend, and a particular category of the purchase (e.g., good or service; actual or virtual, type of product or service). Other embodiments may include additional parameters.

[0073] At block 512, if the buyer has registered his or her personal information with the intent server, the intent platform can refer to the buyer's personal preferences associated with the registration and previous activity (e.g., requests, offers). If however the buyer does not have a prior registration, the intent platform provides the buyer an option to register for a personalized account. In either scenario, the intent platform can save the buyer's activity, including the request for one or more offers, for the purpose of creating a new registration for the buyer.

[0074] At block 5 4, the intent platform determines a purchasing score of the buyer based, at least in part on information stored in the database of buyer attributes. A

purchasing score is a shorthand way, similar to a credit score, by which a seller can quickly ascertain the likelihood of a buyer to consummate an anticipated purchase and allows a quasi-automated decision on whether to grant that buyer (e.g., person, business) an attractive incentive to make that purchase. In some embodiments, when there is no data or information on a buyer and a purchasing score cannot be calculated, the purchase intent can still be transmitted to the offer source for further processing. However, when the information is available, the database of buyer attributes can be utilized to determine a purchasing score. [0075] As discussed above, data analytic techniques can be employed on the platform to inspect, clean, transform, and model data with the goal of highlighting useful information, supporting decision-making, and suggesting conclusions. The platform mines and aggregates particular points of data to enhance statistical knowledge and provide predictive indicators. In a simplified embodiment, the platform collects information regarding the type of offers that are frequently accepted and converted into a transaction. Offer sources can, in turn, benefit from knowing this information in order to craft more attractive incentives in the future. In another simplified embodiment, the platform classifies data relating to the purchase intent to extract patterns and gauge consumer demand for certain products or services. Armed with the observations from data analytics, the platform transforms volumes of raw data into business intelligence and an informational advantage for both internal and external processes.

[0076] While different scoring models can be employed, generally when a buyer has been provided an offer from an offer source and the buyer accepts the offer by completing the transaction/making a purchase, the purchasing score of the buyer will increase.

Similarly, when a buyer submits a purchasing intent with parameters not unlike the actual purchase, the purchasing score of the buyer will increase. In some embodiments, there are no instances in which the purchasing score of a buyer will decrease. In other embodiments, there may be instances in which a buyer's purchasing score may decrease. While the purchasing score can be determined and be modified in a variety of ways, the final purchasing score is primarily derived from data stored in the database of buyer attributes.

[0077] At block 516, the intent platform transmits the request and the purchasing score to the offer source(s). The details of the buyer's request and the buyer's filtering options can be utilized by the offer source(s) to narrow down the service/product offerings to the buyer. While the intent server determines a purchasing score for the buyer, the interpretation of the purchasing score will vary by offer source. Equipped with at least the buyer's purchasing score and/or the purchase intent, the offer source can calculate for the buyer appropriate incentives to formulate an offer.

[0078] At block 518, the intent platform receives one or more offers from the one or more offer sources. As indicated above, the intent platform can communicate with one or more offer sources and each source can be a primary source or a secondary source that queries a plurality of primary sources. In either case, the intent platform will collect the one or more offers from each of the offer sources and compile them such that the buyer can easily view and compare the offers.

[0079] At block 520, subsequent to receiving the one or more offers from the offer sources, the intent platform will provide them in a displayable format to the buyer. In one instance, the intent platform generates a list of the offers as shown in Figure 4 on a computer equipped with Internet access. In another embodiment, the generated list of offers is transmitted to the user using a user-specific transmission mechanism such as e-mail or on personal computing device. In one embodiment, each offer listed may include a link to a corresponding primary source and an option to tentatively accept the offer to conditionally receive the discount.

[0080] In various embodiments, the intent platform can be implemented with other services or applications. For example, the intent platform can integrate a buyer's activity or purchase experience with the buyer's social media account. The features of the social media platform allow a buyer to involve other members within his/her network by, for instance, recommending the offer to other members or purchasing as a group. As such, a buyer's purchasing score can be positively impacted with the prospect of additional buyers, mass quantities, and greater amount being spent. For example when a buyer accepts an offer and completes the transaction to make a purchase, the buyer is able to publicize his or her offer activity and/or purchase experience with an offer source by making a

recommendation to other members on the social media account. In the recommendation, the buyer is able to choose certain aspects of the activity or purchase experience to publicize. In one embodiment, a buyer can select not to reveal the transaction time of the activity and/or purchase experience. Other aspects that may be suppressed include the amount spent on a transaction, the type of product/service purchased, and other specific details of the offer(s).

[0081] The platform can monetize its services in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, the revenue model centers on lead generation, or the creation and generation of prospective consumer interest or inquiries into products or services of a business. For example, if a buyer broadcasts a purchase intent for a lawnmower, a fee can be assessed on businesses providing home improvement services or products in exchange for a potential consumer. The pricing structure can have a variety of bases including, but not limited to, use-based, percentage, flat, variable, hybrid, etc. In other embodiments, fees can be assessed at various times such as when an offer is converted into a transaction or when a buyer pays-in- advance. In another embodiment, monetization can be based on access to the results of the platform's data analytics or the opportunity to provide advertisements. Further, the platform can also be utilized for non-profit or charitable purposes.

[0082] Figure 6 is a high-level block diagram showing an example of the architecture for a computer system 600 that can be utilized to implement an intent server (e.g., 114 from Fig. 1 ), a web server (e.g., 125 from Fig. 1 ), etc. In Figure 6, the computer system 600 includes one or more processors 605 and memory 610 connected via an interconnect 625. The interconnect 625 is an abstraction that represents any one or more separate physical buses, point to point connections, or both connected by appropriate bridges, adapters, or controllers. The interconnect 625, therefore, may include, for example, a system bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a HyperTransport or industry standard architecture (ISA) bus, a small computer system interface (SCSI) bus, a universal serial bus (USB), IIC (I2C) bus, or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 694 bus, sometimes referred to as "Firewire".

[0083] The processor(s) 605 may include central processing units (CPUs) to control the overall operation of, for example, the host computer. In certain embodiments, the processor(s) 605 accomplish this by executing software or firmware stored in memory 610. The processor(s) 605 may be, or may include, one or more programmable general-purpose or special-purpose microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), programmable controllers, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), or the like, or a combination of such devices. [0084] The memory 610 is or includes the main memory of the computer system 1 100. The memory 610 represents any form of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory (as discussed above), or the like, or a combination of such devices. In use, the memory 610 may contain, among other things, a set of machine instructions which, when executed by processor 605, causes the processor 605 to perform operations to implement embodiments of the present invention. [0085] Also connected to the processor(s) 605 through the interconnect 625 is a network adapter 615. The network adapter 615 provides the computer system 600 with the ability to communicate with remote devices, such as the storage clients, and/or other storage servers, and may be, for example, an Ethernet adapter or Fiber Channel adapter. [0086] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words "comprise," "comprising," and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense (i.e., to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to"), as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense. As used herein, the terms "connected," "coupled," or any variant thereof means any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements. Such a coupling or connection between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the words "herein," "above," "below," and words of similar import, when used in this application, refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where the context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively. The word "or," in reference to a list of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list.

[0087] The above Detailed Description of examples of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific examples for the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. While processes or blocks are presented in a given order in this application, alternative implementations may perform routines having steps performed in a different order, or employ systems having blocks in a different order. Some processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified to provide alternative or sub-combinations. Also, while processes or blocks are at times shown as being performed in series, these processes or blocks may instead be performed or implemented in parallel, or may be performed at different times. Further any specific numbers noted herein are only examples. It is understood that alternative implementations may employ differing values or ranges. [0088] The various illustrations and teachings provided herein can also be applied to systems other than the system described above. The elements and acts of the various examples described above can be combined to provide further implementations of the invention. [0089] Any patents and applications and other references noted above, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts included in such references to provide further implementations of the invention. [0090] These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the above Detailed Description. While the above description describes certain examples of the invention, and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may vary considerably in its specific implementation, while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific examples disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed examples, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under the claims.

[0091] While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the applicant contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. For example, while only one aspect of the invention is recited as a means-plus- function claim under 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, other aspects may likewise be embodied as a means-plus-function claim, or in other forms, such as being embodied in a computer-readable medium. (Any claims intended to be treated under 35 U.S.C. § 112, U 6 will begin with the words "means for.") Accordingly, the applicant reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS We claim:

1. A method of converting an online interaction into a purchase by assessing a buyer's purchasing intent and providing offers based on the purchasing intent and buyer purchasing score, the method comprising: maintaining a database of buyer attributes; receiving from a first buyer a purchasing intent, on an intent server, for one or more offers, wherein the request includes a plurality of parameters, the parameters including: an estimate of time; an estimate of amount; a location; and a category; determining the purchasing score of the first buyer based, at least in part, on information stored in the database of buyer attributes; transmitting the request and the purchasing score to one or more offer sources; receiving said one or more offers from said one or more offer sources; and providing the one or more offers to the first buyer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of parameters for the purchasing intent further includes one or more of the following parameters: manufacturer; retailer; offer rating; sub-category; keyword; immediate buy; or inventory.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location includes a current geographic location of the first buyer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location includes a geographic region of interest.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from a mobile device of the first buyer, a current geographic location of the first buyer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the geographic location of the first buyer is determined based on one or more of: a GPS location of the user as indicated by the mobile device; or a location as indicated by an IP address associated with the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the one or more offers is based on the current geographic location of the first buyer.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the one or more offers is based on the geographic region of interest.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request further includes an inventory

requirement.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the inventory requirement requests an offer that is in stock within a certain geographical range.

1 1. The method of claim 9, wherein the inventory requirement requests an offer where there are a defined number in stock.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the one or more offers is based on the inventory requirement and a current geographic location of the first buyer.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the one or more offers is based on the inventory requirement and a geographic region of interest.

14. A system of converting an online interaction into a purchase by assessing buyer intent and providing offers based on a purchasing intent and buyer purchasing score, the system comprising: a maintaining module configured to maintain a database of buyer attributes; a receiving module, on an intent server, configured to receive from a first buyer a geographic location of the first buyer and a request for one or more offers; a determining module configured to calculate a purchasing score of the first buyer based, at least in part, on information stored in the database of buyer attributes; a transmitting module configured to transmit the request and the purchasing score to one or more offer sources; the receiving module further configured to receive said one or more offers from said one or more offer sources; and a providing module configured to provide the one or more offers to the first buyer.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the geographic location of the first buyer is received from a mobile device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the geographic location of the first buyer is determined based on one or more of: a GPS location of the user as indicated by the mobile device; or a location as indicated by an IP address associated with the mobile device.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the request further includes one or more parameters, the parameters including at least one of: an estimated time of purchase; an estimated amount of purchase; or a category of purchase.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the request further includes one or more of the following parameters: manufacturer; retailer; offer rating; sub-category; keyword; immediate buy; or inventory.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the request further includes an inventory requirement.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the inventory requirements requests an offer that is in stock within a certain geographical range.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the inventory requirement requests an offer where there are a defined number in stock.

22. The system of claim 1 , wherein the providing module is further configured to provide the one or more offers based on the geographic location of the first buyer.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the providing module is further configured to provide the one or more offers based on the geographic location of the first buyer and an inventory requirement.

24. A method of converting an online interaction into a purchase by assessing a buyer's purchasing intent and providing offers based on the purchasing intent and buyer purchasing score, the method comprising: maintaining a database of buyer attributes; receiving from a first buyer a purchasing intent, on an intent server, for one or more offers, wherein the request includes a plurality of parameters, the parameters including: an estimate of time; an estimate of amount; a location; an inventory; and a category; determining the purchasing score of the first buyer based, at least in part, on information stored in the database of buyer attributes; transmitting the request and the purchasing score to one or more offer sources; and providing the one or more offers to the first buyer such that the first buyer can convert at least one offer into a purchase, wherein providing the one or more offers is based on the location and the inventory.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of parameters for the purchasing intent further includes one or more of the following parameters: manufacturer; retailer; offer rating; sub-category; keyword; or immediate buy.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the location includes a current geographic location of the first buyer.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the location includes a geographic region of interest.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving, from a mobile device of the first buyer, a current geographic location of the first buyer.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the geographic location of the first buyer is determined based on one or more of: a GPS location of the user as indicated by the mobile device; or a location as indicated by an IP address associated with the mobile device.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the inventory parameter requests an offer that is in stock within a certain geographical range of the location.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the inventory parameter requests an offer where there are a defined number in stock.