Patent ID: 8244593
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. An e-commerce system, comprising: an endorsement engine executing on a network-connected server and adapted to enable subscriptions to content from the endorsement engine from users a using a syndication feed protocol; and a first interface software executing on the same or another network-connected server coupled to the endorsement engine and adapted to interact with one or more content sources connected over a network, said content sources located remotely from the endorsement engine and hosting non-advertising content items of a plurality of content types and adapted to enable subscriptions to their content from users using the syndication feed protocol; and a second interface software executing on the same or another network-connected server coupled to the endorsement engine and adapted to interact with one or more merchants connected over a network to receive information concerning at least products available for sale; wherein the first interface software enables an endorsing user to browse the content sources and to select a content item of a particular content type from one of the content sources, and the first interface software enables the endorsing user to enter code associated with the selected content item, and the first interface software enables the endorsing user to view product information concerning products made available for endorsement by one or more merchants via the second interface software, and to select a product for endorsement, and the first interface software enables the endorsing user to enter code associated with the selected product, the product-specific code compatible with the content type of the selected content item; and wherein upon retrieval of content by a viewing user who previously subscribed to the content source using the syndication feed protocol, at least one of the content-specific code and the product-specific code is also provided to the viewing user via the syndication feed protocol; and wherein upon the activation of the code associated with the selected content item by a viewing user, the viewing user is connected to the selected content still located at its original content source and is able to view the selected content while still connected to the first interface software; and wherein upon the activation of the product-specific code by a viewing user, the viewing user is connected to a network-connected shopping cart, and is thereby enabled to buy the product.