Abstract: An electronic shopping aid is provided that assists a user in selecting a product from an electronic catalog of products based on their preferences for various features of the products. Since the electronic shopping aid helps a user select a product based on the user's preferences, it is referred to as a preference-based product browser. In using the browser, the user initially inputs an indication of their like or dislike for various features of the products as well as an indication of how strongly they feel about the like or dislike. The browser then utilizes this information to determine a list of products in which the user is most likely interested. As part of this determination, the browser performs collaborative filtering and bases the determination on what other users with similar characteristics (e.g., age and income) have liked.