Systems and methods for time-based advertising

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, storing, in a database, information associated with a first item purchased by a user, the information comprising an identification of the first item and a time of purchase of the first item; receiving web browsing data based upon monitoring, by another device, web browsing of the user; determining, based upon the web browsing data that is received, whether the user is currently browsing at a shopping website, resulting in a determination; responsive to the determination being that the user is currently browsing at the shopping website, querying the database to determine an elapsed time since the time of purchase of the first item; responsive to the elapsed time meeting a threshold, generating a message to send to the another device monitoring the web browsing, the message informing the user of a suggested second item for the buyer to purchase, the suggested second item being a replacement for the first item; and sending the message to the another device for presentation to the user. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 monitoring web browsing of a mobile device associated with a user; 
 determining from the web browsing that the user is browsing a shopping website associated with a first item; 
 querying a database to determine an elapsed time since a purchase of the first item; 
 responsive to the elapsed time exceeding a threshold, generating a message indicating to purchase a second item as replacement for the first item; and 
 transmitting, over a communication network, the message to a virtual assistant associated with the user, wherein the virtual assistant comprises a stand-alone device including a speaker, wherein the virtual assistant is separate from the mobile device, wherein the virtual assistant provides the message over the speaker. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first item has a predetermined useful life, and wherein the message is generated based upon the predetermined useful life and the elapsed time in order to provide notification to the user of the second item as the replacement for the first item at an end of the predetermined useful life of the first item. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring of the web browsing comprises monitoring the web browsing periodically. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein time of purchase of the first item is stored as a calendar day. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the elapsed time is determined as a number of days, a number of weeks, or a number of years. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the message comprises an advertisement, a recommendation, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual assistant comprises a graphical user interface GUI, wherein the GUI presents the message. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise determining that the second item fits in a space associated with the second item according to dimensions of space associated with the second item. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the message indicates that the second item fits in the space associated with the second item. 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory, machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 monitoring web browsing of a mobile device associated with a user;   determining from the web browsing that the user is browsing a shopping website associated with a first item;   determining an elapsed time since a purchase of the first item;   responsive to the elapsed time exceeding a threshold, generating a message indicating to purchase a second item as replacement for the first item; and   transmitting, over a communication network, the message to a virtual assistant associated with the user, wherein the virtual assistant comprises a stand-alone device including a speaker, wherein the virtual assistant is separate from the mobile device, wherein the virtual assistant provides the message over the speaker.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the first item has a predetermined useful life, and wherein the message is generated based upon the predetermined useful life and the elapsed time in order to provide notification to the user of the second item as the replacement for the first item at an end of the predetermined useful life of the first item. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the monitoring of the web browsing comprises monitoring the web browsing periodically. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein time of purchase of the first item is stored as a calendar day. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the elapsed time is determined as a number of days, a number of weeks, or a number of years. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the message comprises an advertisement, a recommendation, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the virtual assistant comprises a graphical user interface GUI, wherein the GUI presents the message. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations comprise determining that the second item fits in a space associated with the second item according to dimensions of space associated with the second item. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the message indicates that the second item fits in the space associated with the second item. 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 monitoring, by a processing system including a processor, web browsing of a mobile device associated with a user;   determining, by the processing system, from the web browsing that the user is browsing a shopping website associated with a first item;   querying, by the processing system, a database to determine an elapsed time since a purchase of the first item;   responsive, by the processing system, to the elapsed time exceeding a threshold, generating a message indicating to purchase a second item as replacement for the first item; and   transmitting, by the processing system, over a communication network, the message to a virtual assistant associated with the user, wherein the virtual assistant comprises a stand-alone device including a speaker, wherein the virtual assistant is separate from the mobile device, wherein the virtual assistant provides the message over the speaker.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising wherein the first item has a predetermined useful life, and wherein the message is generated based upon the predetermined useful life and the elapsed time in order to provide notification to the user of the second item as the replacement for the first item at an end of the predetermined useful life of the first item.