Abstract: A system, method, and a computer-readable storage device for generating a performance offering for executing an interactive application in a cloud system is described herein. In one aspect, a purchasing request is received from a customer device. The purchasing request may include an interactive application profile of an interactive application that lists a web service utilized by an interactive application. A performance offering for hosting the web service is then generated based on an analysis of a web service benchmark corresponding to the web service and a cloud profile. The cloud profile can characterize computing resources available within a cloud system. The performance offering is then communicated to the customer device as a user selectable menu option.

Abstract: A system, method, and a computer-readable storage device for generating a performance offering for executing an interactive application in a cloud system is described herein. In one aspect, a purchasing request is received from a customer device. The purchasing request may include an interactive application profile of an interactive application that lists a web service utilized by an interactive application. A performance offering for hosting the web service is then generated based on an analysis of a web service benchmark corresponding to the web service and a cloud profile. The cloud profile can characterize computing resources available within a cloud system. The performance offering is then communicated to the customer device as a user selectable menu option.

Abstract: Examples of providing completion contracts are included. Completion contracts are offered for a request for cloud services. The completion contracts are continuous-decision based and have different prices and different durations to complete the request for cloud services.

Abstract: An example method for selecting a task from a plurality of tasks is provided in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. The method includes transforming a probabilistic outcome of each task from a predetermined group of tasks to a reference outcome by replacing a probability distribution over values for each of a plurality of dimensions associated with the outcome of a task with a calculated value. The method also includes determining a subgroup of tasks from the predetermined group of tasks based on a comparison of the calculated values, using the calculated values to calculate a utility level for each of the tasks in the subgroup, and selecting a task among the subgroup of tasks.

Abstract: An example method for allocating resources among tasks is provided. The method includes defining each task from a group of tasks in relation to an outcome of the each task. The outcome of each task is associated with a plurality of dimensions with respect to which the outcome is evaluated. The method also includes determining a subgroup of tasks from the group of tasks based on the dimensions associated with the outcomes of the tasks and determining a utility level for each of the tasks in the subgroup by using a utility function. The method further includes identifying a solution for allocating the resources among the subgroup of tasks based on a comparison of the utility level of the tasks.

Abstract: An online marketplace for distributing software applications is established. From the online marketplace, devices are enabled to select respective ones of the software applications and initiate testing of the selected software applications in connection with testing tools operating in respective secure testing environments that shield the devices from potential adverse effects arising from testing the selected software applications. The testing tools generate testing data relating to one or more criteria for certifying the selected software applications. For each of one or more of the selected software applications, a determination is made whether or not to classify the software application as a certified software application based on an evaluation of the testing data generated during the testing of the software applications initiated by a plurality of the devices.

Abstract: Examples relate to performance of tasks within organizations. In example implementations, a computing device receives a user profile of a plurality of users in an organization. The device may receive a task from a first user in the organization including an action to be performed by one user on behalf of another. In response, the device may receive a plurality of bids from other users in the organization, where each bid specifies a number of credits to be exchanged between the first user and a second user for performance of the task. The device may receive a selection of a particular bid from the first user. Upon performance of the task, the device may exchange the specified number of credits between the first user and the second user.

Abstract: Systems and methods associated with attachable contingent service (ACS) pricing are disclosed. One example method includes collecting data describing a replacement propensity for a product. The method also includes estimating expenses for providing an ACS for the product based on the replacement propensity. The method also includes estimating a consumer's expected willingness to pay for the ACS based on the replacement propensity. The method also includes offering to provide the ACS to a consumer who purchases the product. The ACS is offered at a price generated based on the expenses for providing the ACS and the consumer's expected willingness to pay for the ACS.

Abstract: A purchase order is received by an entity associated with an organization for a product to be obtained via a vendor, wherein the product has a value in external-obtainment units. The product is inventoried in a repository of the organization, wherein the product is obtainable via the repository of the organization with internal-obtainment units. The product is allocated to a number of entities associated with the organization.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to a resource market based on reusable usage points and usage periods. In some examples, a system may maintain multiple resources provided by at least one resource provider, each resource being conditionally accessible by a user. The system may maintain multiple types of usage periods, each different usage period type specifying a different duration. The system may maintain multiple types of usage points, the usage point types being respectively associated with the usage period types. The system may allow the user to access a first resource of the multiple resources during a particular usage period by allocating a number of usage points to the first resource. The usage may be allowed based on the usage period being of a first usage period type and the number of usage points each being of an associated first usage point type.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to a resource market based on reusable usage points and usage periods. In example embodiments, a system may maintain multiple resources provided by at least one resource provider, each resource being accessible by a user. The system may maintain multiple consecutive usage periods, during which the user can use resources of the multiple resources. The system may maintain, for the user, a number of usage points that may be exchanged by the user for usage of at least one of the multiple resources. Each usage point may be associated with a particular usage period of the multiple consecutive usage periods. The system may, for each usage point, allow the user to allocate, re-allocate or refrain from allocating the usage point to a particular resource during the usage period associated with the particular usage point.

Abstract: A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium contains software that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform various operations such as to receive transactional data, industry-specific data, output requirements, and instructions to run specific data analysis models and tests. The software may also cause the processor to identify, based on the industry-specific data and the output requirements, a set of candidate models and to assess the performance of each candidate model based on the transactional data to select a final model and to perform the selected final model on the transactional data to generate processed data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for populating a product recommendation list can include identifying a first set of products using customer data and a second set of products using social network data, identifying a third set of products, wherein the third set of products includes products in the second set of products and not in the first set of products, calculating a product score for each product in the second set of products, and populating the product recommendation list of the customer with a subset of the first set of products and a subset of the third set of products based on the calculated product scores.

Abstract: A method to elicit a customer's product preference propensities among sub-groups, with each of the sub-groups having multiple members based on at least one common attribute, begins when customer action data is collected through the actions of the customer in the sub-group. The actions include the customer's propensities to purchase a product while within the sub-group and the customers' responses to displayed marketing messages or surveys while within the sub-group. The customer action data collected in the sub-group is analyzed to determine a customer's product preference propensities in the sub-group. The customer is targeted, when within the sub-group, with an electronic display that includes at least one product that corresponds to the customer's product preference propensities within the sub-group.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable and executable instructions are provided for awarding a group-targeted promotion. Awarding a group-targeted promotion can include defining a first condition for a customer to join a list of promotion-eligible customers and defining a second condition for a number of groups of customers from the list to qualify for a group-targeted promotion. Awarding a group-targeted promotion can include awarding the group-targeted promotion to a group among the number of groups that complies with the second condition, wherein the method is performed by a computing device.

Abstract: A method performed by at least one processing system includes detecting that a purchaser of an item with a trade-in option has performed an action corresponding to the trade-in option using the processing system and modifying a trade-in option level of the purchaser using the processing system based on the action.

Abstract: As part of a sampling process, entities of a population are selected, where the population includes plural types of entities. Selecting the entities includes iteratively indicating in each of successive steps of the sampling process a corresponding type of the plural types of entities to select.

Abstract: Survey responses are received regarding user interest in offerings of plural different types based on proposed incentives for the offerings of the plural different types. An analysis of the survey responses is performed. The analysis includes deriving measures based on the survey responses regarding user interest in the offerings of the plural different types, and computing, based on the measures, an indication of profitability regarding a particular one of the plural different types of offerings. The indication of profitability to allow for a determination of whether to launch the particular type of offering.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable and executable instructions are provided for profit comparison. Profit comparison can include determining a first profitability function of a flexible duration extended warranty offering with respect to a first plurality of warranty parameters and determining a second profitability function of a fixed duration extended warranty offering with respect to a second plurality of warranty parameters. Profit comparison can also include comparing the first function and the second function for at least one level of at least one of profit lift and flexible duration warranty offering coverage duration. Presenting results of the comparison for a range of values of the first and second plurality of warranty parameters can also be included in profit comparison.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable and executable instructions are provided for pricing open-list warranties. Pricing open-list warranties can include determining an expected product support cost of a provider of an open-list warranty to a customer over a time period, determining an expected product repair cost of the customer over the time period, and pricing the open-list warranty for the time period based on the expected product support cost and the expected product repair cost.