Patent ID: 8290811

Claim:
A computing system configured to search for and identify data repository deficits, comprising: a computing device; an interactive catalog of items being offered to users for purchase; a data repository that stores: purchase histories for users; a first type of information related to items submitted by users and an identification as to which user submitted a given information of the first type, wherein the first type of information includes feedback information regarding one or more items being offered to users for purchase; a search engine system configured to identify catalog items that do not have an amount of the first type of information that meets a first threshold, the first type of information including feedback information; a recommendation system configured to recommend to a user candidate items for the user to provide the first type of information for, wherein the recommendation system uses data stored in the data repository to determine user item affinity based at least in part on a similarity of at least one item, for which the user previously provided information of the first type, with at least one of the identified catalog items that do not have a sufficient amount of the first type of information to generate recommendations for first information type candidate items, the first type of information including feedback information; wherein the computing system is configured to provide, for display on a user system: a user interface that provides functionality for the user to select an item from the recommended candidate items that do not have a sufficient amount of the first type of information to generate recommendations for first information type candidate items; and a user interface via which the user can provide the first type of information for an item selected by the user.