Method of testing item availability and delivery performance of an e-commerce site

Abstract

An inventory management, and a shipping/returns management system can be analyzed to determine various performance characteristics of an e-commerce operator, such as whether the latter maintains sufficient items to meet demand, whether distribution is occurring in a timely fashion, etc. The systems are analyzed using one or more anonymous proxy accounts.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of testing item delivery performance of items ordered from an e-commerce site, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) generating a request with a computing system for a first item from a user account to a server supporting the e-commerce site;   (b) receiving a first notification with said computing system that said first item has been shipped to a first location associated with said user account;   (c) determining with said computing system a processing time and delivery time required for the e-commerce site to process said request for the first item, distribute the first item to a first location associated with the user account, process a return of the first item from said first location, and generate a second notification that a second item has been shipped to said first location.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein during step (c), the following times are computed:
 a. a first processing time associated with the e-commerce site preparing said first item for shipment;   b. a first transit time associated with deliver of the first item to said first location;   c. a second transit time associated with returning the first item back from said first location;   d. a second processing time associated with the e-commerce site processing a return for said first item and identifying that said second item is available for shipment to said first location.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a plurality of user accounts across a plurality of separate geographical locations are tested. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a report is generated for a plurality of separate items requested by the user account. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further including a step: generating a notification to the e-commerce site when said processing time and delivery time exceed a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further including a step:
 (d) testing a shipping and returns management system used by the e-commerce site, to determine delays and latencies associated with distributing inventory items, handling returns of old inventory items, and shipping new items as replacements for said old inventory items.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , further including a step:
 (d) identifying any selection bias introduced by a recommender system at the e-commerce site and generating a report automatically to the e-commerce site and to a publicly viewable site.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , further including a step:
 adjusting a compensation paid by a third provider of said first item to the e-commerce site based on a performance rating derived from evaluating steps (b) and (c).   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16  wherein each of the above steps are performed over a network by a client device without directly accessing a database of transaction records maintained by the server for inventory or sales of such first item.