Abstract: A method and apparatus is described to push to-be-recommended products onto users' terminals based on similarities in the to-be-recommended products and products in the users' historical records of products. To improve the pushed recommendations various technics are applied, including: using predefined criteria to filter products provided from the users' historical records, applying temporal decay to provide real-time recommendations, removing already obtained products from the to-be-recommended products to be pushed, improving similarity calculations by determining similarity using pairwise variations between products both in and out of the candidates for to-be-recommended products, sorting the to-be-recommended product according to a preset recommendation policy, calculating pairwise variations using multiple types of similarity measures, using weights to determine the to-be-recommended products, and applying a preset recommendation policy based on a given scenario.

Abstract: Methods and software facilitate supplier willingness awareness in a marketplace of suppliers of structures represented and/or specified in a design. In some embodiments, methods and software of the present disclosure allow each of any one or more designers participating in an automated marketplace to view a list of suppliers that are willing to fabricate a particular design and/or prices associated with fabricating such a design such that the designers can quickly and easily identify suppliers that are not only capable of fabricating particular designs but also willing to do so. Such a list may be generated by comparing a list of objective requirements for a design, which may be generated from fabrication data associated with a designer's request for price or computer aided design file, to willingness data associated with one or more suppliers.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for leveraging user shopping habits to deliver store-relevant materials in a more efficient manner. User location and other relevant information may be analyzed to predict an in-store shopping path for future visits, which may include different store areas each having different store-relevant materials (e.g., coupons) associated therewith. Upon a user visiting the store on a future visit, the predicted path may be used to upload data to the user's portable computing device for store-relevant materials in the order in which they will likely be needed. As the user moves within the store, the portable computing device may purge data associated with store areas that have already been visited while pre-fetching the next store area likely to be visited next.

Abstract: Onboarding via image procurement is described. In an example, an image of an item to be integrated into a forthcoming content item to be presented via an ecommerce channel associated with an ecommerce service provider is received. An inactive content item, including at least the image of the item, can be generated for the merchant. Responsive to determining that the merchant has claimed the inactive content item, (i) a state of the inactive content item can be modified to an active content item and (ii) the active content item can be caused to be presented via the ecommerce channel to enable the merchant to offer at least the item for sale.

Abstract: A system, method and tools for normalizing product reviews and the presentation of product information viewed within a vendor's virtual storefront. Disclosed embodiments customize a user's navigation experience of a vendor's virtual storefront to be normalized to a target user's profile, social media or past information of the target user to prioritize relevant product reviews while de-prioritizing irrelevant ones. Normalization occurs through the identification of product reviews relevant to the target user's age, interests, purchasing history, activity levels, sizing, environment, location and internet activity or other distinguishing settings, features or information known. Sensor measurements from one or more TOT devices provide additional information which can be used to normalize the product reviews.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and media for translating requests to acquire or change goods and services by receiving a request in a service catalog. The received request is received in a format that is not suitable for a target vendor. The received request is then translated into a format suitable for the target vendor. The translated received request is then transmitted to the vendor using the translated format.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for facilitating Do-It-Yourself (DIY) repairs. In the context of a method, an example embodiment includes receiving, by an experience-based repair service (EBRS) host system, vehicle diagnostic information identifying one or more vehicle problems. This example embodiment of the method further includes evaluating the vehicle diagnostic information, generating, based on the evaluation of the vehicle diagnostic information, required part types and required tools for addressing the one or more vehicle problems, and generating, based on the evaluation of the vehicle diagnostic information, recommended part types for addressing the one or more vehicle problems. Finally, this example embodiment of the method further includes causing presentation of an interface facilitating purchase of required parts from each of the generated required part types, the required tools, and recommended parts from each of the generated recommended part types.

Abstract: A multi-merchant portal that enables a user to access e-commerce stores is provided. Each e-commerce store has respective merchant categories browsable by the user at a customer device through the portal, each merchant category comprising products available for purchase from a respective merchant. In response to receiving a request from the customer device to switch access of the user browsing a selected merchant category of the first merchant in a first e-commerce store, to a second e-commerce store, the portal determines a system category corresponding to the selected merchant category using mapping data mapping merchant categories to system categories and then determines a destination merchant category of the second merchant in the second e-commerce store corresponding to the determined system category using mapping data mapping the system categories to the merchant categories. The portal switches user's access to the destination merchant category in the second e-commerce store.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first signal originating from a first communication device located in a vehicle, the first signal indicating a requested product or service, a receiving time for the requested product or service, and a moving route of the vehicle, determining a receiving location of the requested product or service based on the receiving time and the moving route indicated by the first signal, and transmitting a second signal to a second communication device associated with the determined receiving location, the second signal indicating an instruction to prepare the requested product or service.