Patent Publication Number: US-2016239886-A1

Title: Systems and methods for facilitating user selection events over a network

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/413,402, filed Mar. 27, 2009, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention generally relates to network transactions and, more particularly, to facilitating user selection events over a network. 
     2. Related Art 
     In electronic commerce, a user typically shops merchant sites, makes purchases, and pays for products through electronic communications with online service providers over communication networks, such as the Internet. During the course of searching and shopping for products, the user typically places selected products in a virtual shopping cart. However, to view the virtual shopping cart, the user is often redirected from a current webpage to another webpage for viewing the contents of the virtual shopping cart. Unfortunately, this is often time-consuming and inconvenient for the user. Accordingly, there exists a need to simplify the process of shopping over a network. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods presented herein facilitate network transactions including user selection events over a network. In one embodiment, a system includes a first component adapted to communicate with a user via a client device over the network and a merchant via a merchant device over the network and a second component adapted to monitor user navigation events over the network, generate a user selection group based on user selections, track user selections, and display user selections to the user via a selection window provided on the client device. 
     In various implementations, the second component of the system may be adapted to receive a user login request from the user over the network via the client device and process the user login request by verifying the identity of the user and locating a user account related to the user. The second component may be adapted to update user selections in the selection window provided on the client device and store user selections in the selection window provided on the client device. The system may comprise a network server having the second component adapted to communicate with the client device and the merchant device over the network, and the merchant device may comprise a network server adapted to communicate with the client device and the second component of the system over the network. 
     In various implementations, the client device may include a user interface application adapted to allow the user to access the merchant device via the network and search items for purchase consideration. The client device may also include a display component adapted to display user selections to the user via the selection window for purchase consideration. 
     In various aspects, the user navigation events may include user navigation and/or shopping events related to searching for items to purchase from a website provided by the merchant over the network via the merchant device. The user selection group may include a collection of one or more items moved to the selection window of the client device from the merchant website. The user selections may include one or more items selected for purchase by the user, and the items may include one or more products and services provided by the merchant for purchase over the network via the merchant device. 
     In one embodiment, a method for facilitating transactions including user selection events over a network may include communicating with a user via a client device over the network and a merchant via a merchant device over the network, monitoring user navigation events over the network, generating a user selection group based on user selections, tracking user selections, and displaying user selections to the user via a selection window provided on the client device. In one implementation, the method may include receiving a login request from the user over the network via the client device and processing the user login request by verifying the identity of the user and locating a user account related to the user. In another implementation, the method may include updating user selections in the selection window provided on the client device and storing user selections in the selection window provided on the client device. 
     These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more readily apparent from the detailed description of the embodiments set forth below taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a system adapted to facilitate user selection events over a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of selecting an item icon from a merchant item list and moving the selected item icon to a selection window, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of a method for facilitating a client-side selection event over a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  shows one embodiment of a method for facilitating server-side processing of a user selection event over a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a computer system suitable for implementing one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for facilitating user selection events over a network, such as the Internet. In one aspect, user selection events occur during online navigation and shopping. For example, during online shopping, users access a merchant site, search for desirable items, and monitor merchant items with an intent to purchase the items at another time. Some online service providers offer users a large selection of items for purchase consideration. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an effective way to quickly set aside items for purchase consideration while continuing online navigation and shopping. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a readily accessible selection window in a computer desktop environment that allows the user to virtually carry one or more selected items during navigation and shopping. The selection window allows the user to collect, organize, display, and monitor selected items for purchase consideration. These and other aspects are described in greater detail herein. 
       FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of a block diagram of a system  100  adapted to facilitate user selection events over a network  160 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the system  100  includes at least one client device  120  (e.g., network computing device), one or more merchant devices  140  (e.g., network server devices), and at least one service provider device  180  (e.g., network server device) in communication over the network  160 . 
     The network  160 , in one embodiment, may be implemented as a single network or a combination of multiple networks. For example, in various embodiments, the network  160  may include the Internet and/or one or more intranets, landline networks, wireless networks, and/or other appropriate types of communication networks. In another example, the network  160  may comprise a wireless telecommunications network (e.g., cellular phone network) adapted to communicate with other communication networks, such as the Internet. As such, in various embodiments, the client device  120 , merchant servers  140 , and service provider  180  may be associated with a particular link (e.g., a link, such as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) to an IP (Internet Protocol) address). 
     The client device  120 , in various embodiments, may be implemented using any appropriate combination of hardware and/or software configured for wired and/or wireless communication over the network  160 . In one example, the client device  120  may be implemented as a personal computer (i.e., PC) in communication with the network  160 , such as the Internet. In various other examples, the client device  120  may be implemented as a wireless telephone (e.g., cellular phone), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a notebook computer, and/or various other generally known types of wired and/or wireless computing devices. It should be appreciated that the client device  120  may be referred to as a user device or a customer device without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The client device  120 , in one embodiment, includes a user interface application  122 , which may be utilized by the user  102  to conduct financial transactions (e.g., shopping, purchasing, bidding, etc.) with the service provider server  180  over the network  160 . For example, the user interface application  122  may be implemented as an item selection application to track, manage, and store information related to the purchase of items, products, and/or services over the network  160 . In one aspect, purchase expenses may be directly and/or automatically debited from an account related to the user  102  via the user interface application  122 , in a manner as described herein. 
     In one implementation, the user interface application  122  comprises a software program, such as a graphical user interface (GUI), executable by a processor that is configured to interface and communicate with the service provider server  180  via the network  160 . In another implementation, the user interface application  122  comprises a browser module that provides a network interface to browse information available over the network  160 . For example, the user interface application  122  may be implemented, in part, as a web browser to view information available over the network  160 . In another example, the user  102  is able to access merchant websites via the one or more merchant servers  140  to view and select items, products, and/or services for purchase, and the user  102  is able to purchase items, products, and/or services from the one or more merchant servers  140  via the service provider server  180 . Accordingly, the user  102  may conduct financial transactions (e.g., purchase and provide payment for items, products, and/or services) from the one or more merchant servers  140  via the service provider server  180 . 
     The client device  120 , in various embodiments, may include other applications  128  as may be desired in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure to provide additional features available to the user  102 . In one example, such other applications  128  may include security applications for implementing client-side security features, programmatic client applications for interfacing with appropriate application programming interfaces (APIs) over the network  160 , and/or various other types of generally known programs and/or software applications. In still other examples, the other applications  128  may interface with the user interface application  122  for improved efficiency and convenience. For example, files, data, and/or information may be imported from various types of accounting software (e.g., a spreadsheet application) directly into the user interface application  122  for improved tracking of purchases and expenses for purchases via the network  160 . 
     The client device  120 , in one embodiment, may include at least one user identifier  130 , which may be implemented, for example, as operating system registry entries, cookies associated with the user interface application  122 , identifiers associated with hardware of the client device  120 , or various other appropriate identifiers. The user identifier  130  may include one or more attributes related to the user  102 , such as personal information related to the user  102  (e.g., one or more user names, passwords, photograph images, biometric ids, addresses, phone numbers, etc.) and banking information (e.g., one or more banking institutions, credit card issuers, user account numbers, security data and information, etc.). In various implementations, the user identifier  130  may be passed with a user login request to the service provider server  180  via the network  160 , and the user identifier  130  may be used by the service provider server  180  to associate the user  102  with a particular user account maintained by the service provider server  180 , in a manner as described herein. 
     The one or more merchant servers  140 , in various embodiments, may be maintained by one or more business entities (e.g., merchant sites, resource information sites, utility sites, real estate management sites, social networking sites, etc.) offering various items, products, and/or services for purchase and payment, which may need registration of the user identity information as part of offering the items, products, and/or services to the user  102  over the network  160 . As such, each of the one or more merchant servers  140  may include a merchant database  142  for identifying available items, products, and/or services, which may be made available to the client device  120  for viewing and purchase by the user  102 . 
     Each of the merchant servers  140 , in one embodiment, may include a marketplace application  144 , which may be configured to provide information over the network  160  to the user interface application  122  of the client device  120 . For example, the user  102  may interact with the marketplace application  144  through the user interface application  122  over the network  160  to search and view various items, products, and/or services available for purchase in the merchant database  142 . 
     Each of the merchant servers  140 , in one embodiment, may include a checkout application  146 , which may be configured to facilitate online financial transactions (e.g., purchase transactions) by the user  102  of items, products, and/or services identified by the marketplace application  144 . As such, in one aspect, the checkout application  146  may be configured to accept payment information from the user  102  over the network  160 . 
     Each of the merchant servers  140 , in one embodiment, may include at least one merchant identifier  148 , which may be included as part of the one or more items, products, and/or services made available for purchase so that, e.g., particular items, products, and/or services are associated with particular merchants In one implementation, the merchant identifier  148  may include one or more attributes and/or parameters related to the merchant, such as business and banking information. The merchant identifier  148  may be passed to the service provider server  180  when the user  102  selects an item, product, and/or service for hold, monitor, and/or purchase. The merchant identifier  148  may be used by the service provider server  180  to associate particular items, products, and/or services selected, monitored, and/or purchased with a particular merchant account maintained by the service provider server  180 . As described in greater detail herein, the user  102  may conduct financial transactions (e.g., selection, monitoring, purchasing, and/or providing payment for items, products, and/or services) with each merchant server  140  via the service provider server  180  over the network  160 . 
     In various embodiments, each of the one or more business entities having a related merchant server  140  may need to establish at least one merchant account with the service provider server  180 . When establishing a merchant account, each of the one or more business entities may need to provide business information, such as owner name, owner address, social security number, date of birth, phone number, email address, etc., and financial information, such as banking information, merchant account information, credit card information, payment processing information, etc. 
     The service provider server  180 , in one embodiment, may be maintained by an online transaction processing entity, which may provide processing for online financial transactions and/or information transactions between the user  102  and one or more of the merchant servers  140 . As such, the service provider server  180  includes a service application  182 , which may be adapted to interact with each client device  120  and/or each merchant server  140  over the network  160  to facilitate the selection, purchase, and/or payment of items, products, and/or services by the user  102  from one or more of the merchant servers  140 . In one example, the service provider server  180  may be provided by PayPal, Inc. and/or eBay of San Jose, Calif., USA. 
     The service application  182 , in one embodiment, utilizes a payment processing module  184  to process purchases and/or payments for financial transactions between the user  102  and each of the merchant servers  140 . In one implementation, the payment processing module  184  assists with resolving financial transactions through validation, delivery, and settlement. As such, the service application  182  in conjunction with the payment processing module  184  settles indebtedness between the user  102  and each of the merchants  140 , wherein accounts may be directly and/or automatically debited and/or credited of monetary funds in a manner as accepted by the banking industry. 
     The service application  182 , in one embodiment, utilizes a selection processing module  186  to process and monitor user selection events during online shopping by the user  102 . In one aspect, the selection processing module  184  allows the service provider  180  to process and monitor user selections during online navigation and shopping events over the network  160 . For example, the service provider  180  interfaces with the client device  120  via, e.g., a browser window to monitor the user  102  during navigation and shopping events on various merchant sites. The selection processing module  186  monitors user selection (e.g., drag-and-drop) of merchant icons representing items, products, and/or services to a selection window provided on a display of the client device  120 . The selection window may include one or more item selection boxes adapted to receive one or more merchant icons when transferred from the merchant site. Further scope and function related to the selection processing module  186  and the selection window is described in greater detail herein. 
     In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, online and network-based business entities (e.g., merchant sites, resource information sites, utility sites, real estate management sites, social networking sites, etc.) offer selection of items, products, and/or services for users to view, select, monitor, compare, and/or purchase. The selection processing module  186  provides an effective way to set aside selected items, products, and/or services for consideration during an online shopping process. Advantageously, the selection processing module  186  does not redirect the user  102  away from current navigation events and shopping paths to view the selected items, products and/or services on the list. In one implementation, the selection processing module  184  may be uploaded to the user interface application  122  for interfacing with a browser application that may be adapted to follow the user  102  during navigation and shopping events, and allow the user  102  to select and place items, products, and/or services in the selection window for viewing during navigation and shopping events. In another aspect, the user  102  may hold the selected items, products, and/or services in the selection window and decide to compare, monitor, and/or purchase the selected items, products, and/or services in the selection window. In still another aspect, the user  102  may move or transfer the selected items, products, and/or services from the selection window to a watch list for comparing, monitoring, and/or purchasing. 
     The service provider server  180 , in one embodiment, may be configured to maintain one or more user accounts and merchant accounts in an account database  192 , each of which may include account information  194  associated with one or more individual users (e.g., user  102 ) and merchants (e.g., one or more merchants associated with merchant servers  140 ). For example, account information  194  may include private financial information of each user  102  and each merchant associated with the one or more merchant servers  140 , such as one or more account numbers, passwords, credit card information, banking information, or other types of financial information, which may be used to facilitate online financial transactions between the user  102  and the one or more merchants associated with the merchant servers  140 . In various aspects, the methods and systems described herein may be modified to accommodate users and/or merchants that may or may not be associated with at least one existing user account and/or merchant account, respectively. 
     In one implementation, the user  102  may have identity attributes stored with the service provider server  180 , and the user  102  may have credentials to authenticate or verify identity with the service provider server  180 . User attributes may include personal information and banking information, as previously described. In various aspects, the user attributes may be passed to the service provider server  180  as part of a login, selection, purchase, and/or payment request, and the user attributes may be utilized by the service provider server  180  to associate the user  102  with one or more particular user accounts maintained by the service provider server  180 . 
       FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of selecting an item icon  230   a - 230   f  from a merchant item list  220  and moving (e.g., dragging and dropping) the selected item icon  230   a - 230   f  to a selection window  240  as displayed by the client device  120 . In one aspect,  FIG. 2  shows an image of a computer desktop  200  displaying a browser window  210  of a merchant site with the merchant item list  220  having one or more item icons  230   a - 230   f  as part thereof  FIG. 2  also shows an image of the selection window  240  having one or more item selection boxes  250   a - 250   c  (e.g., as shown with or without an item icon and/or empty) adapted to receive at least one item icon  230   a - 230   f  when transferred from the merchant item list  220 . 
     In one embodiment, referring to  FIG. 2 , a display component of the client device  120  may be adapted to display, in an environment of the computer desktop  200 , the merchant site in the browser window  210 , the item list  220  having the one or more of the item icons  230   a - 230   f,  and the selection window  240  having the item selection boxes  250   a - 250   c.  In one implementation, referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the user  102  utilizes the browser application  122  to open the browser window  210  and access a merchant server  140  via a merchant site to view the merchant item list  220  having the one or more items (i.e., item icons  230   a - 230   f ) for viewing, selection, and/or purchase. When executed, the user interface application  122  is adapted to provide the selection window  240  on the desktop environment  200  so that the user  102  may select and drag at least one item icon  230   a - 230   f  to the selection window  240  for viewing, monitoring, comparing, and/or purchase and then drop the selected item icon  230   a - 230   f  over the selection item boxes  250   a - 250   c  to hold for processing with the merchant server  140  and the service provider  180 , in a manner as discussed herein. Once selected and placed in the selection window, the user  102  may monitor the price of the selected items, compare the selected items, and/or request purchase of the selected items. 
     In one embodiment, referring to  FIG. 2 , a display component of the client device  120  may be adapted to display, in the desktop environment  200 , a toolbar  260  in the browser window  210  with one or more user selectable operations including a show/hide operation  262 , a move-to-watch-list operation  264 , and a clear operation  266 . The show/hide operation  262  allows the user  102  to hide or show (i.e., minimize or maximize) the selection window  240  as desired, and when hidden or minimized, the user  102  may drag-and-drop one or more item icons  230   a - 230   f  onto the hidden or minimized selection window  240 . The move-to-watch-list operation  264  allows the user  102  to move or transfer one or more items (i.e., item icons  230   a - 230   f ) to a watch list (not shown), which allows the user  102  monitor the items, e.g., for price increases, price decreases, item availability, etc. In one aspect, the watch list may comprise another website or window having a watch list of items that the user  102  wants to store or save for further processing at another time. The clear operation  266  allows the user  102  to clear one or more item icons  230   a - 230   f  from the selection window  240  by, e.g., removing the item icons from the selection window  240 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , one or more items, products, and/or services may be moved or transferred from the merchant item list  220  to the selection window  240 , gathered in an array, and carried with the user  102  during navigation and shopping events. The selection window  240  allows the user  102  to organize and display selected items, products, and/or services in a convenient and efficient manner. As shown in  FIG. 2 , one or more item icons (e.g., item  2  icon  230   b  may be selected, dragged, and dropped onto an item selection box (e.g., item selection box  250   a ) for sorting and processing. In one implementation, the selection window  240  may comprise a browser add-on or plug-in that follows the user  102  during navigation and shopping events. The selection window  240  may be utilized for storing, sifting, and/or sorting through selected items, products, and/or services. In one aspect, the selection window  240  may be referred to as a collection agent or array for selected items, products, and/or services as collected by the user  102  during navigation and shopping events. In another aspect, there may be no indication (e.g., dashed lines) of item selection boxes  250   a ,  250   b,    250   c  in the selection window  240  where the user  102  should drop a selected item. As such, in one implementation, the item selection windows  250   a,    250   b,    250   c  may be hidden from the user&#39;s view (i.e., not shown or indicated) in the selection window  240 , and the user  102  may drop one or more selected items anywhere within the selection window  240  to place the one or more selected items in the selection window  240 . 
     In various implementations, the selection window  240  allows the user  102  to drag-and-drop one or more merchant items during navigation and shopping events. The toolbar  260  allows the user  102  to show or hide the selection window, as desired. However, even when the selection window  240  is hidden, the user  102  may move merchant items onto the selection window  240 . In one aspect, the selection window  240  allows the user  102  to use left and right keyboard arrows of a user input device, such as a keyboard, to shift through item selection boxes  250   a,    250   b,    250   c.  The selection window  240  allows the user  102  to select a plurality of merchant items (e.g., 2 or more items) for comparison and purchase consideration. The selection window  240  allows the user  102  to highlight item selection boxes for comparison of desired or wanted merchant items for purchase consideration. The selection window  240  allows the user  102  to decide which merchant items are wanted and then move the wanted items into a watch list related to the user  102 . The selection window  240  is adapted to be displayed anywhere inside and outside the browser window. The selection window  240  allows the user  102  to hold selected merchant items for a predetermined time period (e.g., from minutes to days) or until the user  102  clears browser cookies. The selection window  240  allows the user  102  to remove any of the selected merchant items at any time. 
       FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of a method  300  for facilitating a client-side selection event over the network  160  with the user interface application  122  in reference to the client device  120 . In one aspect, the user interface application  122  allows the client device  120  to communicate with one or more of the merchant servers  140  via the network  160  to select and monitor items, products, and/or services for purchase consideration and further communicate with the service provider  180  to process online financial transactions (e.g., purchase requests) for items, products, and/or services selected for purchase. 
     In one implementation, upon user instruction, the user interface application  122  may be installed and/or run on the client device  120  (block  314 ). The user  102  may run the user interface application  122  on the client device  120  to access at least one merchant website via a related merchant server  140  (block  318 ) to search the accessed merchant website and view items, products, and/or services for purchase consideration (block  318 ). 
     In one aspect, upon installation or execution of the user interface application  122 , the user  102  may be prompted to establish a user account for login with the service provider  180 , wherein the user  102  may use the user interface application  122  and the client device  120  to access the service provider  180  via the network  160 . When establishing a user account, the user  102  may be asked to provide personal information, such as name, address, phone number, etc., and financial information, such as banking information, credit card information, etc. In another aspect, referring to  FIG. 1 , information related to the user  102  may be packaged as the user identifier  130 . 
     Next, to generate a selection group  304 , the user  102  may select an item, product, and/or service for purchase consideration (block  322 ) by selecting the item, product, and/or service (block  320 ), dragging the at least one selected item, product, and/or service to the selection window  240  (block  326 ), and dropping the at least one selected item, product, and/or service over an empty selection box  250   a,    250   b,    250   c  in the selection window  240  (block  330 ). In one aspect, the user  102  may drag at least one selected item at a time to anywhere on the selection window  240 . In another aspect, the user  102  may select and drag multiple items and drop them into the selection window  240 . In still another aspect, there may be no indication (e.g., dashed lines) of selection boxes  250   a,    250   b,    250   c  or areas in the selection window  240  where the user  102  should drop an item. As such, the user  102  may drop a selected item anywhere within the selection window  240 . 
     In one implementation, the user selection includes user information, merchant information, and selected item information embedded as arguments in an expression, which are passed to the service provider  180 . The user information may include user identifier information, the merchant information may include the merchant identifier information, and the selected item information may include one or more image attributes, including item identifier information, having dynamic arguments identifying the item and merchant providing the item for purchase. 
     In one implementation, the user interface application  122  may transmit an item identifier along with the user identifier  130  and the merchant identifier  148  to the service provider  180  for processing. When selecting an item for purchase consideration, the user  102  may utilize a cursor control component (e.g., a mouse) to select and drag an item icon or image, representing a selected item for purchase consideration, from the merchant site to the selection window either on the desktop or in the browser. Once the user  102  drops the selected item over the selection window, the selected item is stored and displayed in the selection window  240  for monitoring and/or comparison with other selected items. In one aspect, it should be appreciated that user identification may be provided as the user identifier  130  and passed with the user selection to the service provider  180 . 
     At this point, the user  102  may optionally move one or more items selected for purchase consideration form the selection window to a watch list (block  334 ) for further monitoring and purchase consideration. In one embodiment, the watch list comprises a stored list of selected items, products, and/or services for purchase consideration, wherein the user  102  is able to access the watch list at any time to update information, update selections, make purchases, and/or complete transactions. 
     It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that more than one item may be selected for purchase consideration. As such, the user  102  may continue to shop, search, and view items, products, and/or service for purchase consideration (block  318 ). Therefore, a plurality of items, products, and/or service may be selected and placed in the selection window  240  and then purchased in a single online purchase transaction. Alternately, each item selected for purchase may be purchased separately without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 4  shows one embodiment of a method  400  for facilitating server-side processing of a user selection event over the network  160  via the selection processing module  186  of the service provider  180  interfacing with the user interface application  122  of the client device  120 . In one aspect, the selection processing module  186  allows the service provider  180  to communicate with the client device  120  and the one or more of the merchant servers  140  via the network  160  to monitor items, products, and/or services selected by the user  102  for purchase consideration. The service provider  180  is adapted to process online financial transactions (e.g., process purchase requests) on behalf of the user  102  and the one or more merchants  140  in reference to items, products, and/or services selected for purchase. 
     In one implementation, the service provider  180  receives a login request from the user  102  via the client device  120  (block  414 ), and then the service provider  180  processes the user login request (block  141 ). Upon receiving the user login request, the service provider  180  may determine whether the user  102  is an existing user having an established user account  184  by, e.g., checking a user account list in a user account database. If the user  102  does not have an established user account, then the service provider  180  prompts the user  102  to establish a user account  184  by providing user information  186 , and the service provider  180  uploads the user interface application  122  to the client device  120  so that the user  102  may install and run the user interface application  122  on client device  120 . Once the user interface application  122  is installed and run on the client device  120 , the service provider  180  begins to monitor user navigation and shopping events (block  418 ). Otherwise, if the user  102  is determined to be an existing user by the service provider  180 , then the service provider  180  verifies the user account and user identification information provider by user  102  in the user login request. The service provider  180  may determine if the user account is current and active. In some instances, user account information may need to be updated, and thus, the service provider  180  may prompt the user  102  to update user account information  186  in the user account  184  for the user  102 . However, if the user account  184  is current and active, then the service provider  180  begins to monitor user navigation and shopping events (block  418 ). It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the service provider  180  may cancel the user login request at any time during the process of method  400  if, e.g., it is determined by the service provider  180  that the user  102  enters wrong information or the user  102  is trying to purchase an item with criminal intent. 
     Next, the service provider  180  is adapted to monitor user navigation and shopping events (block  418 ) via communication between the selection processing module  186  of the service provider  180  and the user interface application  122  of the client device  120 . Based on user selection information received from the client device  120 , the service provider is adapted to generate a user selection group (block  422 ). In one aspect, the user selection group comprises one or more selected merchant items for purchase consideration as provided in the selection window  240  by the user  102 . 
     Next, the service provider  180  is adapted to track user selections (block  426 ) by monitoring the selection group and the selection window  240  as provided by the user  102 . 
     Next, the service provider  180  is adapted to update the user selections in the section window, display the user selections in the selection window, and/or store the user selections for processing (block  430 ). For example, the service provider  180  may update the selection window based on user requested change to the selection group. The user selections may be constantly updated, when, e.g., the user  102  makes changes (e.g., additions, deletions, movements, etc.) to the selection group via the selection window  240 . In another example, the service provider  180  is adapted to display updated selection group information to the user  102  via the selection window  240 . In still another example, the service provider  180  may store, either temporarily or permanently, the user item selections and/or any changes to the user item selections for reference and other additional processing. 
     Next, the service provider  180  determines whether the user  102  requests movement of one or more selected items from the selection window  240  to a watch list related to the user  102  (block  434 ). If no, then the service provider server  180  continues to monitor the user navigation and shopping events (block  418 ). Otherwise, if yes, then the service provider  180  generates or updates a previously generated a watch list for the user  102 ) (block  438 ). In one aspect, the service provider  180  links the generated watch list, and item selection information related thereto, to a user account in the account database  192  related to the user  102 . This allows the service provider  180  to monitor and update the user&#39;s watch list for the user  102 , as instructed and/or requested by the user  102 . Next, after generating or updating the user&#39;s watch list, the service provider server  180  continues to monitor user navigation and shopping events (block  418 ). 
     Optionally, the service provider  180  may process a purchase request and any related purchase information provided by the user  102 . The purchase request and/or the purchase information may include information related to the items selected for purchase consideration in the selection group, information related to the merchant providing the selected items for purchase consideration, information related to the user including user account number, balance information, credit card information, etc. In one aspect, the service provider  180  may optionally access the merchant site via the merchant server  140  to verify purchase information including verifying that the selected item is available (e.g., in stock), verifying the pricing information, verifying that the merchant account is up-to-date, etc.. The service provider  180  may prompt the user  102  via, e.g., a pop-up window, to verify a purchase request. For example, the service provider  180  may ask the user  102  to complete the purchase transaction by selecting a designated box to complete the purchase transaction. In this way, the service provider  180  is adapted to allow the user  102  to request processing and/or cancellation of any online financial transactions prior to completion. 
     Optionally, based on user request, the service provider  180  may complete any online financial transactions by deducting the amount of the purchase request from the user account and crediting the amount of the purchase request to a related merchant account. In one aspect, completing a purchase request may include redirecting the user  102  to a page on the merchant site that confirms their purchase of the selected product to provide, e.g., a receipt to the user  102 . In one embodiment, the selection window may include a payment mechanism that allows the user  102  to take different actions, such as making purchase requests and providing buttons to complete the purchase at a later time. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a computer system  500  suitable for implementing one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, including the client device  120 , the one or more merchant devices  140 , and the service provider device  180 . In various implementations, the client device  140  may comprise a personal computing device capable of communicating with the network  160 , such as a personal computer, laptop, cell phone, PDA, etc., the one or more merchant devices  140  may comprise a network computing device, such as a network server, and the service provider device  180  may comprise a network computing device, such as a network server. Hence, it should be appreciated that each of the devices  120 ,  140 ,  180  may be implemented as computer system  500  in a manner as follows. 
     In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, computer system  500 , such as a personal computer and/or a network server, includes a bus  502  or other communication mechanism for communicating information, which interconnects subsystems and components, such as processing component  504  (e.g., processor, micro-controller, digital signal processor (DSP), etc.), system memory component  506  (e.g., RAM), static storage component  508  (e.g., ROM), disk drive component  510  (e.g., magnetic or optical), network interface component  512  (e.g., modem or Ethernet card), display component  514  (e.g., CRT or LCD), input component  516  (e.g., keyboard), and cursor control component  518  (e.g., mouse or trackball). In one implementation, disk drive component  510  may comprise a database having one or more disk drive components. 
     In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, computer system  500  performs specific operations by processor  504  executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in system memory component  506 . Such instructions may be read into system memory component  506  from another computer readable medium, such as static storage component  508  or disk drive component  510 . In other embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the present disclosure. 
     Logic may be encoded in a computer readable medium, which may refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to processor  504  for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. In various implementations, non-volatile media includes optical or magnetic disks, such as disk drive component  510 , volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as system memory component  506 , and transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire, and fiber optics, including wires that comprise bus  502 . In one example, transmission media may take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications. 
     Some common forms of computer readable media includes, for example, floppy disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer is adapted to read. 
     In various embodiments of the present disclosure, execution of instruction sequences to practice the present disclosure may be performed by computer system  500 . In various other embodiments of the present disclosure, a plurality of computer systems  500  coupled by communication link  520  (e.g., network  160  of  FIG. 1 , such as a LAN, WLAN, PTSN, and/or various other wired or wireless networks, including telecommunications, mobile, and cellular phone networks) may perform instruction sequences to practice the present disclosure in coordination with one another. 
     Computer system  500  may transmit and receive messages, data, information and instructions, including one or more programs (i.e., application code) through communication link  520  and communication interface  512 . Received program code may be executed by processor  504  as received and/or stored in disk drive component  510  or some other non-volatile storage component for execution. 
     Where applicable, various embodiments provided by the present disclosure may be implemented using hardware, software, or combinations of hardware and software. Also, where applicable, the various hardware components and/or software components set forth herein may be combined into composite components comprising software, hardware, and/or both without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Where applicable, the various hardware components and/or software components set forth herein may be separated into sub-components comprising software, hardware, or both without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, where applicable, it is contemplated that software components may be implemented as hardware components and vice-versa. Software, in accordance with the present disclosure, such as program code and/or data, may be stored on one or more computer readable mediums. It is also contemplated that software identified herein may be implemented using one or more general purpose or specific purpose computers and/or computer systems, networked and/or otherwise. Where applicable, the ordering of various steps described herein may be changed, combined into composite steps, and/or separated into sub-steps to provide features described herein. 
     The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. As such, it is contemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modifications to the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or implied herein, are possible in light of the disclosure. Having thus described embodiments of the present disclosure, persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is limited only by the claims.