Patent ID: 8719142
Filing Date: 2014-05-06
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for categorizing a seller relative to a specific vendor comprising: storing an overall pricing model for a vendor, wherein an overall pricing model comprises a position within a range of pricing levels for a set of on-sale products; storing product-specific data for a plurality of products, determining a product mix comprising a plurality of products from said product-specific data; storing said product mix; reading said product mix as a basis for search; whereby finding, via network connection, for a plurality of sellers, comprising at least in part a first seller, prices for at least some said products in said product mix; storing said found prices; statistically characterizing price data for a plurality of products in said product mix using said found prices; whereby storing said characterizations; determining an overall pricing model for said first seller by comparing said first seller product prices to said stored characterizations; categorizing said first seller by comparing said first seller's overall pricing model to at least one threshold of similarity to said vendor's overall pricing model; and storing said first seller categorization.