Using feedback to reconcile catalog item attributes

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for using contributor-provided attributes in conjunction with an electronic item catalog. A computer reconciles a plurality of attributes for an item in an electronic catalog using feedback data related to the item. Each of the attributes is provided by one of a plurality of users. The reconciled attribute of the item is updated in the electronic catalog.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 reconciling, via at least one of one or more computing devices, individual ones of a plurality of attributes for an item to generate corresponding authoritative attributes for the item in an electronic catalog using feedback data for the item, wherein respective values for the individual ones of the plurality of attributes are provided by at least one of a plurality of users; and   updating, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, at least one of the plurality of attributes of the item in the electronic catalog with a reconciled one of the plurality of attributes.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the individual ones of the plurality of attributes are based in part on a user contribution to the electronic catalog. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback data comprises at least one of: a sales velocity for the item, a total sales volume for the item, a fraction of the sales volume attributable to a particular one of the plurality of users, or a return frequency for the item. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback data describes an importance of the item to individual ones of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of attributes comprise at least one of: a manufacturer of the item, a physical dimension of the item, a color of the item, a weight of the item, a price of the item, a stock keeping unit (SKU) number of the item, or a manufacturer part number related to the item. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback data reflects a reliability of the respective values for the individual ones of the plurality of attributes provided by the at least one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback data comprises feedback indicating an error in at least one of the plurality of attributes of the item in the electronic catalog. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the updating the item comprises replacing an existing attribute for the item with an authoritative attribute. 
     
     
         9 . A system, comprising:
 at least one computing device; and   an application implemented in the at least one computing device, the application comprising:
 logic that, in response to receiving a plurality of user contributions, reconciles an attribute of an item with a plurality of attributes for the item in an electronic catalog to synthesize an authoritative attribute for the item using feedback data for the item, wherein individual ones of the plurality of attributes are provided by at least one of a plurality of users; and 
 logic that updates the attribute of the item in the electronic catalog with the authoritative attribute. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the feedback data comprises at least one of: a sales velocity for the item, a total sales volume for the item, a fraction of the sales volume attributable to a particular one of the users, or a return frequency for the item. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the feedback data describes an importance of the item to individual ones of the plurality of users with respect to other ones of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of attributes comprise at least one of: a manufacturer of the item, a physical dimension of the item, a color of the item, a weight of the item, a price of the item, a stock keeping unit (SKU) number of the item, or a manufacturer part number related to the item. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the feedback data describes an accuracy of individual ones of the plurality of attributes contributed by the at least one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the feedback data comprises feedback indicating an error in at least one of the plurality of attributes of the item in the electronic catalog. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a program executable in a computing device, the program comprising:
 code that, in response to receiving a plurality of user contributions, reconciles an attribute of an item with a plurality of attributes for the item in an electronic catalog to create an authoritative attribute for the item using feedback data for the item, wherein individual ones of the plurality of attributes are provided by at least one of a plurality of users; and   code that updates the attribute of the item in the electronic catalog based at least in part on the authoritative attribute.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the feedback data comprises at least one of: a sales velocity for the item, a total sales volume for the item, a fraction of the sales volume attributable to a particular one of the users, or a return frequency for the item. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the feedback data describes an importance of the item to individual ones of the plurality of users with respect to other ones of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of attributes comprise at least one of: a manufacturer of the item, a physical dimension of the item, a color of the item, a weight of the item, a price of the item, a stock keeping unit (SKU) number of the item, or a manufacturer part number related to the item. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the feedback data describes an accuracy of individual ones of the plurality of attributes contributed by the at least one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the feedback data comprises feedback indicating an error in at least one of the plurality of attributes of the item in the electronic catalog.