Use of behavioral portraits in the conduct of e-commerce

Abstract

A method is provided for determining a website user behavioral portrait based on navigation on the website and dynamically reconfiguring web pages based on those portraits. In accordance with the method, data relating to the progress of a user through a website is recorded, and an ongoing behavioral portrait of the user is built based on the data. The portrait is then used to dynamically reconfigure web content.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 generating, by a system comprising a processor, click stream data in response to interactions with a web site comprising a web page, the click stream data representing a navigation path through the web site facilitated by the interactions;   creating, by the system, behavioral portrait data associated with a user based on the click stream data, wherein the behavioral portrait data comprises at least a decision-making attribute that defines a manner in which a product buying decision is made by the user, and the creating comprises assigning a value to the decision-making attribute based on a determination of whether the click stream data indicates a preference for independent product searching or a preference for researching product reviews;   modifying, by the system, a format of content of the web page based on a determination of whether the net attribute value is greater than or less than zero to yield modified web content; and facilitating, by the system, displaying the web page comprising the modified content via a client device.