Method and apparatus for providing automated market analysis testing

Abstract

System, methods, and computer program products are provided herein for supporting electronic testing. An example of a method includes receiving a first electronic inquiry, determining parameters of the market analysis test based at least in part on the first electronic inquiry, determining a first configuration change for at least one first merchant device based at least in part on the parameters of the market analysis test, transmitting the first configuration change to the at least one first merchant device to initiate a change in configuration of the at least one first merchant device, receiving electronic marketing information comprising first electronic data related to the first configuration change, determining a correlation between at least one of the parameters of the market analysis test and the electronic marketing information, and transmitting an electronic notification of the correlation to a first merchant associated with the at least one first merchant device.

1 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . An apparatus for providing a merchant intelligence platform, the apparatus comprising at least one processor, communication circuitry associated with a network comprising a plurality of merchant devices, and at least one memory storing instructions that with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
 receive, by the at least one processor via the network, a first electronic inquiry, the first electronic inquiry comprising a first request to initiate a market analysis test, wherein the market analysis test is associated with one or more parameters;   determine, by the at least one processor via the network, a first configuration change to apply in the market analysis test, the first configuration change comprising an alteration in at least one of an ambient temperature of a merchant location, an ambient lighting level of the merchant location, or first content rendered on a display at the merchant location;   transmit, by the at least one processor via the network, the first configuration change to at least one first merchant device of the plurality of merchant devices for the at least one first merchant device to apply the first configuration change at the merchant location;   cause the at least one first merchant device to apply the first configuration change at the merchant location;   receive, by the at least one processor via the network, electronic marketing information responsive to the first configuration change applied by the at least one first merchant device, wherein the electronic marketing information comprises first electronic data related to operation of the at least one first merchant device at the merchant location following the first configuration change; and   transmit, by the at least one processor via the network to the at least one first merchant device, an electronic notification of a correlation between at least one of the one or more parameters associated with the market analysis test and the electronic marketing information responsive to the first configuration change.   
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the correlation represents an expected benefit from incorporating the alteration to the first content of the first configuration change. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the at least one memory stores instructions that, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:
 receive a second electronic inquiry from a second merchant via the network, the second electronic inquiry comprising a second request to participate in the market analysis test;   determine a second configuration change to apply in the market analysis test, the second configuration change comprising a second alteration in at least one of an ambient temperature of a second merchant location, an ambient lighting level of the second merchant location, or second content rendered on a display at the second merchant location;   transmit, via the network, the second configuration change to at least one second merchant device of the plurality of merchant devices for the at least one second merchant device to apply the second configuration change at the second merchant location; and   cause the at least one second merchant device to apply the second configuration change at the second location, wherein the electronic marketing information further comprises second electronic data related to operation of the at least one second merchant device at the second merchant location following the second configuration change.   
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one memory stores instructions that, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine that the at least one first merchant device does not provide a statistically significant sample size to identify a statistically significant correlation between the first configuration change of the market analysis test and the electronic marketing information; and   allow participation of the at least one second merchant device in the market analysis test in response to determining that the at least one first merchant device does not provide the statistically significant sample size.   
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein an ability of the at least one first merchant device to provide the statistically significant sample size is determined at least in part based on prior transaction data associated with the at least one first merchant device. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the at least one memory stores instructions that, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine and generate an additional configuration change based at least in part on the one or more parameters associated with the market analysis test, wherein the additional configuration change is different from the first configuration change;   transmit, via the network, the additional configuration change to the at least one first merchant device for the at least one first merchant device to apply the additional configuration change at the merchant location; and   cause the at least one first merchant device to apply the additional configuration change at the merchant location, wherein the electronic marketing information further comprises additional electronic data related to operation of the at least one first merchant device following the additional configuration change.   
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the correlation in response to determining that the electronic marketing information indicates a statistically significant sample size. 
     
     
         48 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive, via a network, a first electronic inquiry, the first electronic inquiry comprising a first request to initiate a market analysis test, wherein the market analysis test is associated with one or more parameters;   determine a first configuration change to apply in the market analysis test, the first configuration change comprising an alteration in at least one of an ambient temperature of a merchant location, an ambient lighting level of the merchant location, or first content rendered on a display at the merchant location;   transmit via the network, the first configuration change to at least one first merchant device of a plurality of merchant devices for the at least one first merchant device to apply the first configuration change at the merchant location;   cause the at least one first merchant device to apply the first configuration change at the merchant location;   receive, via the network, electronic marketing information responsive to the first configuration change applied by the at least one first merchant device, wherein the electronic marketing information comprises first electronic data related to operation of the at least one first merchant device at the merchant location following the first configuration change; and   transmit, via the network to the at least one first merchant device, an electronic notification of a correlation between at least one of the one or more parameters associated with the market analysis test and the electronic marketing information responsive to the first configuration change.   
     
     
         49 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 48 , wherein the correlation represents an expected benefit from incorporating the alteration to the first content of the first configuration change. 
     
     
         50 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 48 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 receive a second electronic inquiry from a second merchant via the network, the second electronic inquiry comprising a second request to participate in the market analysis test;   determine a second configuration change to apply in the market analysis test, the second configuration change comprising a second alteration in at least one of an ambient temperature of a second merchant location, an ambient lighting level of the second merchant location, or second content rendered on a display at the second merchant location;   transmit, via the network, the second configuration change to at least one second merchant device of the plurality of merchant devices for the at least one second merchant device to apply the second configuration change at the second merchant location; and   cause the at least one second merchant device to apply the second configuration change at the second location, wherein the electronic marketing information further comprises second electronic data related to operation of the at least one second merchant device at the second merchant location following the second configuration change.   
     
     
         51 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 50 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 determine that the at least one first merchant device does not provide a statistically significant sample size to identify a statistically significant correlation between the first configuration change of the market analysis test and the electronic marketing information; and   allow participation of the at least one second merchant device in the market analysis test in response to determining that the at least one first merchant device does not provide the statistically significant sample size.   
     
     
         52 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 51 , wherein an ability of the at least one first merchant device to provide the statistically significant sample size is determined at least in part based on prior transaction data associated with the at least one first merchant device. 
     
     
         53 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 48 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 determine and generate an additional configuration change based at least in part on the one or more parameters associated with the market analysis test, wherein the additional configuration change is different from the first configuration change;   transmit, via the network, the additional configuration change to the at least one first merchant device for the at least one first merchant device to apply the additional configuration change at the merchant location; and   cause the at least one first merchant device to apply the additional configuration change at the merchant location, wherein the electronic marketing information further comprises additional electronic data related to operation of the at least one first merchant device following the additional configuration change.   
     
     
         54 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 53 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine the correlation in response to determining that the electronic marketing information indicates a statistically significant sample size. 
     
     
         55 . A method for providing market analysis testing using a merchant intelligence platform comprising:
 receiving, via a network, a first electronic inquiry, the first electronic inquiry comprising a first request to initiate a market analysis test, wherein the market analysis test is associated with one or more parameters;   determining a first configuration change to apply in the market analysis test, the first configuration change comprising an alteration in at least one of an ambient temperature of a merchant location, an ambient lighting level of the merchant location, or first content rendered on a display at the merchant location;   transmitting, via the network, the first configuration change to at least one first merchant device of a plurality of merchant devices for the at least one first merchant device to apply the first configuration change at the merchant location;   causing the at least one first merchant device to apply the first configuration change at the merchant location;   receiving, via the network, electronic marketing information responsive to the first configuration change applied by the at least one first merchant device, wherein the electronic marketing information comprises first electronic data related to operation of the at least one first merchant device at the merchant location following the first configuration change; and   transmitting, via the network to the at least one first merchant device, an electronic notification of a correlation between at least one of the one or more parameters associated with the market analysis test and the electronic marketing information responsive to the first configuration change.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the correlation represents an expected benefit from incorporating the alteration to the first content of the first configuration change. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising:
 receiving a second electronic inquiry from a second merchant via the network, the second electronic inquiry comprising a second request to participate in the market analysis test;   determining a second configuration change to apply in the market analysis test, the second configuration change comprising a second alteration in at least one of an ambient temperature of a second merchant location, an ambient lighting level of the second merchant location, or second content rendered on a display at the second merchant location;   transmitting, via the network, the second configuration change to at least one second merchant device of the plurality of merchant devices for the at least one second merchant device to apply the second configuration change at the second merchant location; and   causing the at least one second merchant device to apply the second configuration change at the second location, wherein the electronic marketing information further comprises second electronic data related to operation of the at least one second merchant device at the second merchant location following the second configuration change.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57  further comprising:
 determining that the at least one first merchant device does not provide a statistically significant sample size to identify a statistically significant correlation between the first configuration change of the market analysis test and the electronic marketing information; and 
 allowing participation of the at least one second merchant device in the market analysis test in response to determining that the at least one first merchant device does not provide the statistically significant sample size. 
 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein an ability of the at least one first merchant device to provide the statistically significant sample size is determined at least in part based on prior transaction data associated with the at least one first merchant device. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising:
 determining and generating an additional configuration change based at least in part on the one or more parameters associated with the market analysis test, wherein the additional configuration change is different from the first configuration change;   transmitting, via the network, the additional configuration change to the at least one first merchant device for the at least one first merchant device to apply the additional configuration change at the merchant location; and   causing the at least one first merchant device to apply the additional configuration change at the merchant location, wherein the electronic marketing information further comprises additional electronic data related to operation of the at least one first merchant device following the additional configuration change.