WO2001090964A1

WO2001090964A1 - A method of facilitating an increased takeup of information over the internet

Info

Publication number: WO2001090964A1
Application number: PCT/AU2001/000594
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Baugh
Original assignee: Robert Baugh
Priority date: 2000-05-22
Filing date: 2001-05-22
Publication date: 2001-11-29
Also published as: AUPQ766500A0

Abstract

A method of facilitating an increased takeup of information in a computer network environment, the method including the steps of: (a) providing a user interface for a user to register over a computer network with a first information service provider, an interest in information offered by a first vendor via the computer network, wherein the registration process preferably can include the user submitting their contact details to the first information service provider; (b) recording the registered interest and contact details in a first information service provider's database; (c) permitting the first vendor to submit information to the first information service provider in anticipation of or in response to the registered interest, (d) the first information service provider forwarding the submitted information to the user's utilising the contact details independent of the first vendor.

Description

A Method of Facilitating an Increased Takeup of Information over the Internet

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a method of facilitating an increased takeup of information over the Internet. Background of the Art

The growth of the Internet and in particular the World Wide Web (WWW) has been rapid, but the growth of e-commerce and the business-to-consumer ("B2C") web sites in particular, have been hampered by certain problems. One problem facing B2C e-commerce is that if a web surfer is browsing, downloading a large number of web sites can be slow and consequently, if a user needs to search a web site to obtain information on a particular product or the product itself, the customer may instead decide to visit a retail store. Consequently, this may result in the loss of sales by the e-commerce business operator. Furthermore, customers of the e-commerce web site may become dissatisfied with the time taken to browse and then make their purchase. Another problem with e-commerce web sites is that consumers may be reticent to supply sensitive private or financial information concerning their postal address and contact details, or their credit cards and bank accounts due to consumer concerns of security and privacy of information exchanged via the Internet. Additionally, the exchange of a consumer's private or financial information may also be time consuming as the user has to fill out virtual forms whilst on-line.

As an example, to which the invention is addressed, in known methods, a user of the WWW ("a surfer") visits a website of, say, a search engine. One of the advertisements for a third party's goods or services, say a banner advertisement for the latest offers on a newly released car, catches the surfer's eye. Typically, if the surfer clicks on the advertisement, he is taken from the search engine's website to another website, usually that of the car manufacturer. Alternatively, a second window may open containing the car manufacturer's website. Either process entails a delay for the surfer and increases his surfing time considerably if he clicks on several advertisements in one session.

Let us imagine that our surfer continues and the former process was used. He is now at the car manufacturer's website. Usually he is taken to the homepage of that website and he will have to look over that page, after it has downloaded, and search out the information that initially caught his eye, namely the information on special deals on the new model. This entails further surfing time.

If he continues and locates the information he was looking for, he may be asked to input certain details before being sent the information or having the information made available to him. Often a surfer will have concerns for the privacy of this personal data. Regularly, surveys show that Internet surfers are reticent to input their personal data for fear that the recipient will use it for other purposes, such as emailing or posting to them promotional material for their other models, or even selling or renting their information so that they receive promotional contacts from other parties, often not even connected to the original industry.

Now imagine our surfer has located the information he requires, likes the terms of one of the offers and decides to buy, in this case, a car. He is asked to input his or her financial information. At present, it is likely to be his or her credit card information but it may be bank account details or other sensitive financial information. Surveys show that consumers are still reticent to input such sensitive data. Proponents of e-commerce answer that the system is as safe as giving one's details to a waiter in a restaurant or ordering over the telephone, but consumers have yet to reach a comfortable level of trust to pass their details readily over the Internet.

The major issues facing e-commerce, and, in particular, the B2C model, are raised in the above example and are borne out in, for example, the low click rate of banner advertisements on the Internet. If 0.3% of those viewing the advertisement click on it, that is currently a fairly high click rate. Achieving a high click rate is seen as critical to the return on investment of the placed advertisement. In some pricing models, the higher the number of surfers who click on the advert, the higher the price of the advertisement to the advertiser. These issues have also slowed down the rate of growth of e-commerce. For example, our surfer may have decided that he did not have time or did not wish to be taken off the website he was initially viewing. It can take time to get to the information one was intrigued by and it can take time to return to the initial website, if at all. Most models of Internet access still contain payment by the surfer in proportion to the amount of time he spends on the Internet, adding a cost issue to time and convenience issues. If our surfer clicked on the advertisement and was not provided immediately with the pertinent information, he might have decided not to look through the car manufacturer's website for the relevant information for the same reasons. If he had done so, he may not have felt comfortable with inputting his personal information or financial information. This presents two further hurdles. There is a behavioural pattern whereby consumers will research products and services over the WWW and then make the purchase in person at a traditional outlet, particularly if the product or service is expensive for that surfer.

If the surfer remains at the Web site and concludes a transaction, that will be one "click to transaction", which, when amalgamated, produce a "click to transaction rate" or "CTT rate".

The CTT rate may be very low, and this can be exacerbated when one recalls that the click rate is itself very low. The percentage of total surfers (those who click and those who don't) who conclude transactions is therefore reduced further.

Thus the advertiser and producer or retailer of the products or services wish to induce surfers to interact with their advertisements in order to show off their products or services and monitor how interested surfers are in their products or services. This is given that many are dissuaded by the above reasons from clicking on advertisements. Further, if the surfer has shown an interest, the provider of the service or information must overcome the issues of security and privacy to conclude a contract either on-line or off-line.

Further, certain enterprises have created databases of surfers and their details which they rent or sell to advertisers. The benefits are clear, although the surfer's particular interest is not as the interest may not be aligned and the effectiveness and currency of such databases will fluctuate widely. The issues of security and privacy are still at large, especially if a consumer has made his purchase and is not interested in further mailings. Negative impressions can be created in such instances.

Certain other enterprises operate systems whereby a surfer provides them with information on what product or service they require and the enterprise searches the Internet or its own databases for them, sending them an email or postal message with their suggested information. This model suffers from the same deficiencies in that it cannot predict whether, for example, a surfer has an aversion to a particular manufacturer. Further, partnerships or sponsorship agreements between the enterprises and manufacturers may mean that the information provided to the surfer is not representative of the marketplace. Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantages of utilisation of a computer network information environment and address the issues of privacy, security, cost and inconvenience aforementioned. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of facilitating an increased takeup of information in a computer network environment, the method including the steps of: (a) providing a user interface for a user to register over a computer network with a first information service provider, an interest in information offered by a first vendor via the computer network, wherein the registration process preferably can include the user submitting their contact details to the first information service provider; (b) recording the registered interest and contact details in a first information service provider's database; (c) permitting the first vendor to submit information to the first information service provider in anticipation of or in response to the registered interest, (d) the first information service provider forwarding the submitted information to the user utilising the contact details independent of the first vendor.

The computer network can comprise the Internet and the step (a) further can comprise a user interacting with a web page icon or hyperlink to facilitate the operation of the method. The recorded contact details can include an email address and the step (d) further can comprise forwarding to the user information by means of an email. The user's details are preferably prerecorded by the first information service provider and the contact details can comprise a unique identifier and the user's details are preferably hidden from the first vendor.

In one embodiment, the user's contact details are preferably discarded by the first information service provider after usage of the method.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of interaction with a computer system comprising the steps of: (a) providing an interactive display having a selectable icon for selection by a user; (b) upon a user selecting the icon, providing for the entry of user specific identifier information by the user; (c) forwarding the user specific identifier information and an icon identifier to a third party server; (d) forwarding icon related information to the user on the basis of the user identifier and the icon identifier. The icon related information can be forwarded to the user by email transmission. In one example embodiment, the user specific identifier information preferably can include a machine specific cookie stored on a user's computer system.

In a preferred embodiment the user can provide their details without leaving a first web page which they are viewing when they interact with the icon of the first information service provider or the first vendor.

Where in the specification the word "comprising" or "comprised" or "including" is used, unless otherwise stated explicitly, the scope of the word is to be construed broadly such that it has an inclusive meaning without limitation, rather than an exclusive meaning.

Brief description of the drawings Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred forms of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig 1 is a schematic illustration of B2C e-commerce system;

Fig 2 is a display of a web page located on a search engine's web site, the web page containing a banner advertisement;

Fig 3 is a display of a prompt window directed to a customer for registering their interest in particular products offered by the banner advertisement of Fig. 2;

Fig 4 and Fig 4a display the steps involved in a consumer registering an interest in a good or service from the banner advertisement; Fig. 5 is a display of a prompt window directed to a customer for purchasing their a particular product offered by the e-commerce operator of Fig. 1; and

Fig 5A is display of another prompt window directed to a customer for registering their interest in particular products offered by an e-commerce vendor's web site.

Detailed description of the Invention An embodiment provides a method to facilitate the transfer of information via a computer network in which a user of the computer network receives an offer to acquire information or one or more goods and/or services offered by a vendor via the computer network, and wherein the user provides contact information to the first information provider via the computer network, without the client having to supply personal or financial information to the vendor or to the first information provider (other than the contact details).

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a schematic illustration of a system for facilitating the transmission of information on or a transaction involving an e-commerce vendor's (XYZ Inc.) goods and services to client users of the Internet 14. In this embodiment, a web site independent of XYZ Inc. in the form of search engine operating system 10 provides an Internet search engine service from web home page 12. The home page of the search engine home page 12 also contains a banner advertisement 16 for the goods and services of company XYZ Inc., which banner includes a button or logo denoting the first information provider (ABC Inc.). By way of example, XYZ Inc. may be an automobile company and sells automobiles, automobile accessories and automobile maintenance. ABC Inc. is the operator of ABC operating server 20 which is also connected to the Internet.

The ABC operating server 20 contains a database 22 for the storage of data on one or more vendors' such as XYZ Inc.'s, Internet activities, a B2C home page 24 and a CGI application program 26 which is functionally associated with the XYZ Inc. banner advertisement as will be explained below.

Any device having access to the Internet such as the client user 30, 32 or mobile phone user 31 having WAP capabilities can download the web page from the search engine web site.

Typically a client user would access the web page by typing into their Internet browser the URL address e.g. www.websitel.com. The client user's (30, 32 or 31) device would display the information shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 2, in the example embodiment, the display 12 contains a virtual form 42 for accessing various searches of web sites of the Internet 14 in addition to a number of hypertext link objects generally indicated by arrow 44. Once the client user downloads the web page 40, they are also confronted with a banner advertisement 46 for XYZ Inc. automobiles including the button 41 or logo of ABC Inc. In this example of this embodiment, the banner advertisement includes a trade mark ("XYZ") of the XYZ Inc. company with the logo of ABC Inc. at one end.

Should the client user 30 decide that he/she wishes to find out more information concerning the goods/services offered by the company, then he/she clicks on the banner advertisement 46 using the mouse of their PC. A POST request is transmitted to an application program 26 located on the ABC Inc. operating server shown in Fig. 1. This data is interpreted as an instruction to the CGI application program 26 to initiate the generation of another smaller browser window on the computer 30 as shown in Fig. 3. In other embodiments, another web page may be open on the same browser window but the generation of the smaller window allows the original web site to still be viewed by the client user 30. In another embodiment, when the banner advertisement is clicked by the user, the banner advertisement transforms to represent a form to retrieve the user's contact details, similar to the form shown in Fig 3. On submission of the user's contact details, these are sent to ABC Inc.'s server 20 together with a unique identifier for the banner advertisement. In another embodiment, the XYZ Inc.'s banner advertisement and ABC Inc.'s logo act separately, with the result that the advertisement portion works as a normal banner advertisement and the user is taken to XYZ Inc.'s web site and, only if ABC Inc.'s logo is clicked, does the banner advertisement change to a form to retrieve contact details. The client user 30 is given the option of either fully browsing at the XYZ home page 24 by selecting link object 52 or alternatively, the client user 30 can simply register their interest in one of the items by selecting the boxes 54 to 58. Alternatively, the client user 30 can enter particular key words in virtual form 60, of the products/services that they are interested in receiving information from company XYZ. For example entering "DEF" and "trucks" would search for particular information concerning the DEF model trucks.

Should the client user 30 wish to register their interest in the particular products, for example to receive more information, the client user enters their email address in virtual form 62 and the particular information which is selected from the display window is then sent as a text file back to ABC Inc.'s operating server's database 22 via the Internet 14. In other embodiments, the form for retrieving contact details can vary, including simply containing a box for entry of the user's contact details, a submit button and desired wording or images.

As another example of the client user 30 registering an interest in XYZ products, the client user could select with their mouse, the box 56 and then enter their email address in form 62. The client user 30 would then select the "SUBMIT" link object 64 and the interest shown by the client user would be registered with the ABC Inc. operating server 20 and recorded in the operating server database 22. The client user 30 is then taken back to the original Internet web site 40 as shown in fig. 2 and they can continue their browsing. In other embodiments, as described above, the user has never left the original web site 40 and has been able to continue browsing that web page at all times. ABC Inc., after receiving the request for information from the client user 30 through its operating server, is able to send the information to the client user 30. In this regard, ABC Inc.'s operating server can be configured to set up an automatic reply system in which various precedent email are sent to the client user 30 dependent upon the type of information requested by the user. For example, the reply sent would differ if a simple request for information pertaining to an offer mentioned on the banner advertisement has been made, to that sent if information has been requested for the particular goods from option buttons 54 to 58 of Fig. 3. Alternatively, an employee of company ABC Inc. or XYZ Inc. can respond to specific requests submitted in the virtual form 60 of Fig. 3.

It should be noted that any Internet browser can be used and the embodiment is not limited to implementation in a computer Internet browser only. For example mobile phone 31 having WAP capabilities together with a mobile phone browser may be used to download web pages and access the information of the advertised goods and services of company XYZ as described above.

The steps involved with the above system are summarised in Fig.4 and 4A in which: Step 1

A client user 30 downloads the search engine web site e.g. 40 in Fig 1.

Step 2

The client user clicks on the banner advertisement 46 displayed on the search engine web site or, in other embodiments, the logo or button of ABC Inc. Step 3

The CGI application program 26 is initiated upon selection of the banner advertisement 46 located on the search engine home page. The CGI application program 26 generates the display shown in Fig. 3 on the client user's Internet browser. In other embodiments, the banner advertisement itself changes to a form in the style of Fig 3 and the user is not taken away from the original web page 40.

Step 4

The client user 30 is given the option in Fig. 3 to either fully browse the web site 24 operated by company XYZ Inc in which case the user then proceeds to step 5. Alternatively, the client user 30 may proceed to step 6.

Step 5

The web site for XYZ Inc. is downloaded on client user's browser.

Step 6

In step 6 the client either ignores the window by closing it, in which case the client user 30 proceeds to Step 7. Alternatively, if the client user does initiate a query to the web site, then the client user 30 proceeds to Step 8.

Step 7

Return to original website.

Step 8 The client user 30 proceeds to fill out the form as shown in Fig. 3 and registers their email address for contact before selecting the "SUBMIT" button 64.The contact details submitted are transmitted to ABC Inc.'s server, together with a unique identifier for the banner advertisement. The client user then returns to the original web page 12 from which they initiated the registration. In other embodiments, the user may have never left the web page 12. Step 9

A response to the registration of the query requested by the client user 30 is then submitted to the client user's contact details. If the contact details were in the form of an email address, then the user would receive an email from ABC Inc. containing the information requested. In other embodiments, the client user may be sent the information via other means such as a telephone call from a call centre operator representing XYZ Inc, standard surface mail, or a facsimile transmission. The transmission of this information to the client user allows him/her to keep surfing the Internet knowing that the information they have requested is pending. Furthermore, although the above example of facilitating a transaction has applied to a client user registering a interest in a particular product, an order for an item may be made directly by the client without having to fill in forms, directly from the banner advertisement on the search engine's web site. In another embodiment, the prompt window can be used to facilitate a transaction by receiving a request to purchase a good/service directly rather than a request for information. Referring now to Fig. 5 and Fig 5A, in this example embodiment display 80 represents a web page of the XYZ Inc. vendor web site 24 shown in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, particular items offered for purchase are displayed in the left hand column 82A.82C. Next to each of those items is corresponding link object 84A.84C, which can be selected for purchasing the particular goods.

In the present example, the client user 30 would be viewing the web page of web site 24 and would download the web page 80 located on that web site. If for example they wish to purchase item 82A "ABC" model trucks, they would select the "PURCHASES" link object 84A which would generate another prompt window 90 (refer to Fig. 5 A), as described for the prompt window generated from selecting the banner advertisement, shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 5A, another virtual form would be generated so that a client user can enter their email address into the form, and an email is then forwarded to the database 22. The company XYZ Inc would then be able to obtain financial detail from the client by either telephoning him or emailing him a request for his relevant financial information.

In addition, once a client user has submitted their contact details, they can opt for their details to be made available to XYZ Inc., and/or other businesses with similar products or services to XYZ Inc., so that the client user will receive further information from XYZ Inc. and/or the other businesses regarding their goods and services. This allows the client user to purchase products/services over the Internet or receive information without having to resubmit their personal or financial details if they remained the same in future, thereby facilitating transactions in a B2C business model.

Any of the above embodiments may increase the company XYZ's click rate, CTT rate and return on investment for its advertisements and for its e-commerce web site. Furthermore the embodiments provide the advantage of the client user 30 not having to supply their personal or financial details via the Internet but by some other media such as through the telephone or via a secure email system as an alternative to posting it through a web site.

Additionally, it should be realised that although in the example of Fig. 1 a search engine has been used on which the advertisement 16 is located for access by the client's PC, any web site could be used that allows the banner advertisement to be placed thereon.

Furthermore, although in the above embodiment a separate browser window is generated for the prompt window, in other embodiments, another web page may be opened within the same browser window.

In the above embodiment, the user is free to peruse the information after their utilisation of the Internet, by viewing their email, or other mail system, which can be downloaded and reviewed at leisure off-line. The email will contain the relevant information as well as, for example, contact information for the advertiser (URL, email address, traditional contact details) so that the user can decide, after perusing the information, to contact the advertiser online or offline if they wish to proceed. This method of "opt-in" advertising and proactivity on the part of the consumer may lead to an increase in the click rate and CTT rate as a consumer who approaches a retailer, or approaches a retailer having received requested information from that retailer, is more likely to make a purchase than one who is contacted by the retailer.

Further, in a modified embodiment, the first information system provider can make it separately known that it will only send one email to the user and will not retain the user's email address (or other contact details) afterwards, nor will it share the information with the advertiser or any third party, therefore negating the small privacy issue completely. This policy can be made known to the user by various methods, including traditional media, a line of text in the small window or otherwise. This, together with only sending the pertinent information to the user, will engender trust in the first information system provider. The embodiments of the invention can be further refined such that the users can register with the first information system provider, through the first information system provider's website, and therefore only have to input a personal identifier such as a password or pin to identify themselves when the system operates. They therefore do not even have to insert an email address when they are viewing a third party's website. Further, the user could choose to receive a cookie and be given a unique identifier which can be stored on their computer and used each time a message is sent. As a result, they will not have to put in an email address with future use.

In a further modification, the first information system provider may be an advertising agency, who holds the database of the advertisers' email responses and information, thereby giving the operation the "seal" of its position of trust with the public. Alternatively the first information service provider and the advertiser could be one and the same, in that the system is used by one business either on the internet or a private or semi-private network Furthermore, as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art the information provider and vendor can be the same company, firm or individual. In a further embodiment, the banner advertisement might be for a song or songs by a musician and state that by clicking on ABC Inc.'s logo, the user will receive a sample of that song or songs.

Other modifications are possible. For example, the transmissions may be encrypted, with the system encrypting all information before transfer.

While the above detailed description has shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the embodiment discussed above, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and detail of the invention illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method of facilitating an increased takeup of information in a computer network environment, said method including the steps of:

(a) providing a user interface for a user to register over a computer network with a first information service provider, an interest in information offered by a first vendor via the computer network, wherein the registration process includes the user submitting their contact details to said first information service provider;

(b) recording the registered interest and contact details in a first information service provider's database; (c) permitting the first vendor to submit information to said first information service provider in anticipation of or in response to said registered interest,

(d) said first information service provider forwarding said submitted information to said user utilising said contact details independent of said first vendor.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said computer network comprises the Internet and said step (a) further comprises a user interacting with a web page icon or hyperlink to facilitate the operation of said method.

3. A method as claimed in any previous claim wherein the recorded contact details include an email address and said step (d) further comprises forwarding to said user information by means of an email.

4. A method as claimed in any previous claim wherein said user's details are prerecorded by said first information service provider and said contact details comprises a unique identifier thereby allowing information to be sent to the user without entry of the user's details.

5. A method as claimed in any previous claim wherein the user's contact details are discarded by said first information service provider after usage of said method.

6. A method of interaction with a computer system comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an interactive display having a selectable icon for selection by a user;

(b) upon a user selecting said icon, providing for the entry of user specific identifier information by said user;

(c) forwarding the user specific identifier information and an icon identifier to a third party server;

(d) forwarding icon related information to said user on the basis of said user identifier and said icon identifier.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said icon related information is forwarded to said user by email transmission.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said user specific identifier information includes a machine specific cookie stored on a user's computer system.

9. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.