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Amazon Receives Business Method Patent for Encouraging Customers to Provide Reviews
User reviews are a common sight on the Internet and now online retailer Amazon.com has been granted U.S. Patent 6,963,848 for methods to encourage or request a review of a purchased item. According to the patented methods, a customer is electronically provided with a review request after an estimated time it will take the customer to evaluate the item. For example, in one embodiment, the item is a car and the estimate is related to a time for the customer to drive a predetermined amount. Additional embodiments are related to books and audio recordings, among others.
Importantly, each of the patented methods also require receiving the customer’s review electronically and automatically generating personalized recommendations for the customer using a collaborative filtering process, which personalized recommendations are based, at least in-part, on the review. These steps may set Amazon.com apart from sites providing a passive review exchange service.
Amazon.com is no stranger to the patent wars having acted as plaintiff and defendant over the years. Amazon.com’s “one click” patent sent shockwaves through the business community and was argued by some to be a lightening rod for shortcomings of the U.S. patent system. A spokesperson from Amazon.com has declined to comment on whether it will seek to license its new patent.
For additional information, visit:
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3563396
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=6963848