Predictive Shopping Notifications

Abstract

This document describes techniques and apparatuses that enable predictive shopping notifications. In some embodiments, the techniques determine a purchase pattern for a product based on a user's purchase history, provide this purchase pattern to potential sellers, receive discount offers for the product from those sellers, and notify the user of these offers through his or her mobile device. By so doing, the techniques enables users to pay less for a product that the techniques predict that the user will want to purchase. Also, in some embodiments, the techniques remind a user to purchase a product based on this purchase pattern, such as through a notification indicating that the user is likely running out of that product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . One or more computer-readable storage media having instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, perform a method comprising:
 determining a purchase pattern for a product based on a purchase history of a user of a mobile device, the purchase history including at least one purchase made through the mobile device;   providing, to third parties associated with stores at which the product or another product may be purchased, the purchase pattern for the product, the other product sharing at least one type or sub-type with the product;   receiving, from one of the third parties, a notification for purchasing the product or the other product; and   providing, through the mobile device, the notification at a time determined based on a regular period and prior to a subsequent purchase of the product.   
     
     
         2 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to determining the purchase pattern, purchasing the product, through the mobile device and from a brick-and-mortar store, and wherein the purchase history includes the purchase through the mobile device and from the brick-and-mortar store. 
     
     
         3 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , wherein purchases included within the purchase history include online purchases from remote stores. 
     
     
         4 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 3 , further comprising building the purchase history at least in part by retrieving or receiving information indicating multiple products purchased through the online purchases from a third-party purchasing entity associated with a purchasing account of the user or from shopping carts associated with the online purchases. 
     
     
         5 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , wherein purchases included within the purchase history include predominantly purchases made through the mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , wherein the notification is a first discount offer and further comprising receiving, from another of the third parties, a second discount offer for purchasing the product or the other product. 
     
     
         7 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , wherein the notification is an electronic coupon usable through the mobile device and for the product. 
     
     
         8 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , wherein the notification is a discount offer for the other product and includes information about the other product and providing the notification includes at least some of the information about the other product. 
     
     
         9 . One or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , further comprising determining, based on the purchase pattern for the product and information about recent purchases, that the product has not been purchased within the regular period indicated in the purchase pattern and wherein the notification indicates that the product has not recently been purchased. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
 determining a purchase pattern for a product based on a purchase history of a user of a mobile device, the purchase history including at least one purchase made through the mobile device; 
 providing, to third parties associated with stores at which the product or another product may be purchased, the purchase pattern for the product, the other product sharing at least one type or sub-type with the product; 
 receiving, from one of the third parties, a notification for purchasing the product or the other product; and 
 providing, through the mobile device, the notification at a time determined based on a regular period and prior to a subsequent purchase of the product. 
   
     
     
         11 . A system as described in  claim 10 , the acts further comprising retrieving, from a third party associated with a store at which the product or another product that shares at least one type with the product may be purchased, a discount offer for purchasing the product or the other product, and wherein the notification includes the discount offer. 
     
     
         12 . A system as described in  claim 10 , wherein the notification includes a location or store at which to purchase the product. 
     
     
         13 . A system as described in  claim 10 , wherein the notification is a discount offer. 
     
     
         14 . A system as described in  claim 10 , wherein the purchases included within the purchase history predominantly include purchases made through the mobile device. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 sending a purchase history to a mobile device, the purchase history including at least one purchase made through the mobile device; and   responsive to sending the purchase history to the mobile device, causing:
 a purchase pattern for a product to be determined based on the purchase history; 
 the purchase pattern for the product to be sent to third parties associated with stores at which the product or another product may be purchased, the other product sharing at least one type with the product; and 
 a notification for purchasing the product or the other product to be received at the mobile device such that the notification is received at a time determined based on a regular period and prior to a subsequent purchase of the product. 
   
     
     
         16 . A method as described in  claim 15 , wherein the subsequent purchase of the product is to be made via the mobile device. 
     
     
         17 . A method as described in  claim 15 , wherein the notification for purchasing the product or the other product is to be received from one of the third parties. 
     
     
         18 . A method as described in  claim 15 , wherein the notification indicates that the product has not been purchased within a specified time of the regular period. 
     
     
         19 . A method as described in  claim 15 , wherein the notification includes a discount offer for purchasing the product or the other product. 
     
     
         20 . A method as described in  claim 15 , wherein the notification includes an electronic coupon for purchasing the product or the other product.