Patent ID: 8494923
Filing Date: 2013-07-23
Classification: G06Q,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A system that provides services for implementing a referral program in which participating web sites refer users to a computer-implemented retail site, the system comprising: an automated enrollment system configured to enroll an entity associated with a web site to participate in the referral program, the automated enrollment system including an electronic form that enables the entity to supply information regarding the web site, said enrollment system configured to provide the entity access to linking instructions for creating referral links for referring users from the web site to the retail site, said linking instructions enabling the entity to select a catalog item from an electronic catalog of the retail site and to create an item-specific referral link that corresponds to the catalog item, said item-specific referral link encoded with information associated with the entity, wherein the automated enrollment system is configured to automatically use the information regarding the web site to assess whether the web site qualifies to participate in the referral program; and a referral tracking system configured to track referrals of users from the web site, and from other participating web sites, to the retail site, said referral tracking system configured to use the information encoded in the referral links to associate, with the entity, referrals of users from the web site to the retail site, said referral tracking system additionally configured to maintain data that associates particular user referral events with particular item purchases made from the retail site, said data enabling entities associated with the participating web sites to be compensated for user referrals that result in purchases; said automated enrollment system and referral tracking system comprising computer hardware that executes program code.