Patents Assigned to Overstock.com, Inc.
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Publication number: 20150051979Abstract: Personalized electronic content is generated for display on a user computer. The content is generated by first matching a targeted user online identifier to one of a plurality of user online identifiers associated with a master ID in a database. Using online user behavior associated with the user online identifiers of the master ID, a preliminary set of personalized electronic content is generated. A set of content usage parameters is applied to the preliminary set of personalized electronic content to define the personalized electronic content, which is then transmitted and displayed on a user computer. The personalized electronic content may comprise targeted advertisement utilized to populate a webpage or an email template defined by an online marketing campaign.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2013Publication date: February 19, 2015Applicant: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventors: JP Knab, Bradford Johnson, Cathy Diaz, Dustin Spangler, Kenneth Lines
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Publication number: 20140164168Abstract: A system to facilitate electronic commerce associated with an online marketplace, program product, and methods are provided. Electronic commerce over a computer network is facilitated by a computer system that forms a community of computers that enable the users to buy and sell items in an online marketplace. To list the item on an online marketplace website, for example, the selling user posts an item with a seller marketplace item management website by completing an online-item marketplace item creation form. The form requires input related to the item, such as a description, sale price or minimum bid, shipping instructions, and the like, and an image file or image file location illustrating the marketplace item. The seller marketplace item management server provides a marketplace administrator server the marketplace item data including original image file or image file location.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2013Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventors: Holly C. MacDonald Korth, Samuel Jacob Peterson
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Patent number: 8719075Abstract: A system to facilitate electronic commerce associated with an online marketplace, program product, and methods are provided. Electronic commerce over a computer network is facilitated by a computer system that forms a community of computers that enable the users to buy and sell items in an online marketplace. To list the item on an online marketplace website, for example, the selling user posts an item with the marketplace website by completing an online-item creation form. The form requires input related to the item, such as a description, sale price or minimum bid, shipping instructions, and the like. The selling user uploads an image file of the item to the marketplace website's server. The server contains a random image size generator that generates at least two additional images of the item that are presented to the selling user for selection of the image that the selling user wants to include on the selling website to advertise the item.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2005Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventors: Holly C. MacDonald Korth, Samuel Jacob Peterson
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Publication number: 20140122246Abstract: Systems, programs, non-transitory computer readable mediums, and methods of managing multiple and concurrent online advertising campaigns to eliminate user fatigue are disclosed. In particular, a campaign management server generates multiple target lists of users from a data warehouse for a plurality of pre-defined online advertising campaigns. The users on the target lists are selected to receive electronic communications, such as email or text, containing advertisements based upon target profiles associated with the campaigns as determined by marketing objectives. The advertising campaigns are prioritized such that users on a target list of a higher prioritized campaign are suppressed from lower prioritized campaigns in order to insure that the users receive a predetermined number of electronic communications within a set time frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2012Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: OVERSTOCK.COM, INC.Inventors: Bradford Hardy Johnson, Michael David Breitenbeker, Joshua Lloyd Selleneit, Jessica Leigh Hughes, Catherine Diaz
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Publication number: 20140089099Abstract: Systems, programs, non-transitory computer readable media, and methods of providing gift recommendations to a user of a social media website hosted by a social media server are described. For example, the user may grant an administrator server authorization to interface with the social media server such that the administrator server can identify important life events of the user's social media contacts, such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and other events. If a social media contact of the user is determined to have an upcoming life event, then the administrator server generates a post containing (i) an advertisement that invites the user to review gift recommendations, and (ii) a link to a product page of an e-commerce website. Once generated, the post with the advertisement is streamed to a user device where it is displayed to the user in a ticker format along with other social media content.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2012Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: OVERSTOCK.COM, INC.Inventor: Ryan Money
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Patent number: 8676632Abstract: The pricing of a product is programmatically defined as a solution to a price optimization equation that includes an in-date constraint and an out-date constraint. The in-date constraint may require that the price established by the price optimization equation be predicted not to exhaust an inventory of the product during a first time interval. The out-date constraint may require that the same price established by the price optimization equation be predicted to exhaust an inventory of the product by the end of a second time interval.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2009Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventors: Angela Watson, Rebecca Richardson, Anshu Jalora, Wendy Liu, Ryan Hofmann
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Patent number: 8583480Abstract: Program product, systems, and methods of providing to social network websites advertising and incentives from an electronic retailer, are provided. A system can include a social network website displaying social network content and also displaying a link that reroutes the consumer to an electronic retailer website when the consumer clicks on the link. The system can also include program product for tracking purchase and other information about the consumer by the electronic retailer, and generating a commission for the provider of the social network website based on the tracked information about the consumer. The link can be embedded within the social network content or the link can be part of an advertisement and displayed adjacent the social network content. Also, a product featured in the advertisement can be affiliated with one main subject of the social network content.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2008Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventor: Patrick Byrne
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Publication number: 20130218722Abstract: Electronic commerce over a publicly accessible computer network such as the Internet is facilitated and leveraged by a computer system that forms a community of computer user parties based on personal and business connections of the parties involved. Personal connections are created between users by invitation and mutual acceptance. Business connections are created between users when a transaction takes place between those users. Users search to perform any one or more of a variety of actions such as to purchase products, browse departments and categories for purchasing products, or explore the connections between the parties involved to find items to buy. Different groupings of the parties involved may be the users themselves and other buyers/sellers in the business network, the users themselves and their friends in the personal networks, or some combination of buyers/sellers and friends from each of the types of networks.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2013Publication date: August 22, 2013Applicant: OVERSTOCK.COM, INC.Inventor: Overstock.com, Inc.
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Publication number: 20130041779Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for conducting e-commerce. In one example, a method of conducting an e-commerce transaction includes a method of operating an online retail website. The method includes providing access to a computer interface for suppliers and presenting information to the suppliers through the computer interface regarding activity of the supplier's stock keeping unit (SKU). The suppliers are then enabled to directly modify at least one parameter associated with a presentation of the supplier's SKU on the retail website by way of the interface. The modification of the parameter may include, for example, modification of the presentation of the SKU including, for example, changing the title, adding video or photograph, or adding some other information. The modification of the parameter may also include, for example, modifying the price or entering into a bilateral agreement with the operator of the retail web site.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2012Publication date: February 14, 2013Applicant: OVERSTOCK.COM, INC.Inventor: Patrick M. Byrne
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Patent number: 8370269Abstract: Electronic commerce over a publicly accessible computer network such as the Internet is facilitated and leveraged by a computer system that forms a community of computer user parties based on personal and business connections of the parties involved. Personal connections are created between users by invitation and mutual acceptance. Business connections are created between users when a transaction takes place between those users. Users search to perform any one or more of a variety of actions such as to purchase products, browse departments and categories for purchasing products, or explore the connections between the parties involved to find items to buy. Different groupings of the parties involved may be the users themselves and other buyers/sellers in the business network, the users themselves and their friends in the personal networks, or some combination of buyers/sellers and friends from each of the types of networks.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2004Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventors: Holly C. MacDonald-Korth, Samuel Jacob Peterson
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Publication number: 20130024260Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for conducting transactions, such as electronic transactions over the internet. In one embodiment, an offer for a specified product or service is made by an online provider or retailer. The offer may be made in connection with certain preliminary or qualifying conditions being met. A customer may accept the offer by purchasing the good or service identified and then be provided with an incentive to publicize their purchase in an effort to get others to consider purchasing the item and also, possibly, participate in the incentive program. Certain parameters are monitored after an individual has purchased the product, and, eventually, a determination is made as to what type of reward the purchaser(s) will receive, if any. Any reward earned in accordance with the incentive program is then provided to the purchaser(s).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2012Publication date: January 24, 2013Applicant: OVERSTOCK.COM, INC.Inventors: Samuel J. Peterson, Ryan C. Berger
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Patent number: 8326662Abstract: Example embodiments provide program products, systems, and associated methods of presenting a seller with a graphical representation of demand for a potential product listing so that the seller can intelligently price and position the product. A website server associated with a website of product listings captures in a database product preference criteria for a consumer, including, for example, price information. The website server aggregates the captured product preference criteria for a plurality of consumers and determines an imputed consumer demand for a potential product listing. The website server displays on a display device associated with a computer of a seller a multi-dimensional graph of demand for the potential product listing so that the seller can gauge market demand prior to listing a product for sale. Embodiments further include two-dimensional graphs plotting demand versus price, contour lines for the demand imposed on pricing graphs, and color-coded demand heat maps.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2009Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Michael Byrne, Geoffrey Russell Atkinson
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Publication number: 20120246579Abstract: A social choice engine is disclosed for eliciting and receiving responses to questions or issues and ranking the responses using the Borda ranking system. The social choice engine provides a user interface to a survey administrator that allows for the defining of the social choice survey. The social choice engine also provides a pick list of possible participants, where the possible participants are members of an online community. To administer the social choice survey, the social choice engine sends electronic notifications to selected participants. The participants respond to the social choice survey through a user interface that includes interactive features. The results of the social choice survey are then displayed to the survey administrator.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2011Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: OVERSTOCK.COM, INC.Inventors: Patrick Michael Byrne, Susan Park
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Patent number: 8214804Abstract: A system and method to efficiently and randomly place users into a test group associated with a test running on a website being hosted on a server is disclosed. When a user first accesses the website, a random value is transmitted to the user in such a manner that the random value is stored in a computer-readable memory local to the user. Each subsequent time the user accesses the website, the random value is returned to the server from the user. The server may then place the user into a test group for a test to which the user will be exposed on the website based upon the result of an operation that includes the random value received from the user and a unique test value previously associated with the test.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventor: Ian B. Robertson
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Publication number: 20110270717Abstract: A system to facilitate electronic commerce associated with an online marketplace, program product, and methods are provided. Electronic commerce over a computer network is facilitated by a computer system that forms a community of computers that enable the users to buy and sell items in an online marketplace. To list the item on an online marketplace website, for example, the selling user posts an item with a seller marketplace item management website by completing an online-item marketplace item creation form. The form requires input related to the item, such as a description, sale price or minimum bid, shipping instructions, and the like, and an image file or image file location illustrating the marketplace item. The seller marketplace item management server provides a marketplace administrator server the marketplace item data including original image file or image file location.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: OVERSTOCK.COM, INC.Inventors: Holly C. MacDonald Korth, Samuel Jacob Peterson
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Patent number: 7983963Abstract: Systems, program product, and methods of electronic communication network guided navigation which allow users to obtain more relevant product search results much more quickly, are provided. An example of a system can allow a user to enter or start a product search request for a relatively broad term in a search engine and quickly start looking for relevant information by assisting the user in narrowing the product search results in a more efficient guided search. The results can be displayed to a user in a row of boxes, which focus the user on categories of potential intentions or meanings behind the product search request term or terms so that the user's intent can be quickly ascertained and the user directed to results more closely aligned with or coinciding with the user's intent behind the product search request.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2008Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Byrne, Samuel Jacob Peterson, Seth Allen Moore, Thayne Lewis, Geoffrey Atkinson
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Patent number: 7979340Abstract: Electronic commerce over a computer network is facilitated by a computer system that forms a community of computers that enable the users to buy and sell items in an online marketplace. To list the item on an online marketplace website, for example, the selling user posts an item with a seller marketplace item management website by completing an online-item marketplace item creation form. The form requires input related to the item, such as a description, sale price or minimum bid, shipping instructions, and the like, and an image file or image file location illustrating the marketplace item. The seller marketplace item management server provides a marketplace administrator server the marketplace item data including original image file or image file location. The server contains a random image size generator that generates at least two additional images of the marketplace item for display in a seller marketplace item web page to advertise the marketplace item.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2006Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventors: Holly C. MacDonald Korth, Samuel Jacob Peterson
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Publication number: 20110004525Abstract: Program product, systems, and methods of providing to social network websites advertising and incentives from an electronic retailer, are provided. A system can include a social network website displaying social network content and also displaying a link that reroutes the consumer to an electronic retailer website when the consumer clicks on the link. The system can also include program product for tracking purchase and other information about the consumer by the electronic retailer, and generating a commission for the provider of the social network website based on the tracked information about the consumer. The link can be embedded within the social network content or the link can be part of an advertisement and displayed adjacent the social network content. Also, a product featured in the advertisement can be affiliated with one main subject of the social network content.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2008Publication date: January 6, 2011Applicant: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventor: Patrick Byrne
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Publication number: 20090171813Abstract: Systems, program product, and methods of electronic communication network guided navigation which allow users to obtain more relevant product search results much more quickly, are provided. An example of a system can allow a user to enter or start a product search request for a relatively broad term in a search engine and quickly start looking for relevant information by assisting the user in narrowing the product search results in a more efficient guided search. The results can be displayed to a user in a row of boxes, which focus the user on categories of potential intentions or meanings behind the product search request term or terms so that the user's intent can be quickly ascertained and the user directed to results more closely aligned with or coinciding with the user's intent behind the product search request.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2008Publication date: July 2, 2009Applicant: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Byrne, Samuel Jacob Peterson, Seth Allen Moore, Thayne Lewis, Geoffrey Atkinson
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Publication number: 20090164323Abstract: Program product, systems, and methods of providing to social network websites advertising and incentives from an electronic retailer, are provided. A system can include a social network website displaying social network content and also displaying a link that reroutes the consumer to an electronic retailer website when the consumer clicks on the link. The system can also include program product for tracking purchase and other information about the consumer by the electronic retailer, and generating a commission for the provider of the social network website based on the tracked information about the consumer. The link can be embedded within the social network content or the link can be part of an advertisement and displayed adjacent the social network content. Also, a product featured in the advertisement can be affiliated with one main subject of the social network content.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2008Publication date: June 25, 2009Applicant: Overstock.com, Inc.Inventor: Patrick Byrne