Method and apparatus for item selection

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods, systems, and apparatuses for determining item recommendations and receiving dynamic modifications to an item recommendation algorithm. The method includes receiving electronic data indicating a set of items, generating, using a recommendation engine executing on a processor, a first set of one or more item recommendations from the set of items, causing a client interface to be generated, the client interface comprising the one or more item recommendations and a plurality of interface controls, wherein selection of one of the plurality of interface controls causes a weight adjustment indication to be transmitted for at least one of the plurality of weights, receiving the weight adjustment indicator, adjusting at least one weight of the plurality of weights associated with the weight adjustment indicator, and generating a second set of one or more item recommendations using the adjusted at least one weight.

1 . A method for generating electronic marketing communications, the method comprising:
 receiving electronic data indicating a set of items;   generating, using a recommendation engine executing on a processor, a first set of one or more item recommendations from the set of items, the recommendation engine employing a recommendation algorithm that determines the item recommendations by at least:
 evaluating a plurality of factors for one or more items of the set of items; 
 applying a respective plurality of weights to each of the plurality of factors; 
 generating a factor score for each of the plurality of factors; 
 adjusting the factor score for each factor using at least one of the plurality of weights associated with the factor to generate one or more adjusted factor scores; and 
 determining an item score for the one or more items of the set of items using the adjusted factor scores; 
   causing a client interface to be generated, the client interface comprising the one or more item recommendations and a plurality of interface controls, wherein selection of one of the plurality of interface controls causes a weight adjustment indication to be transmitted for at least one of the plurality of weights;   adjusting at least one weight of the plurality of weights associated with the weight adjustment indicator; and   generating a second set of one or more item recommendations using the adjusted at least one weight.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising causing the second set of one or more item recommendations to be presented in the client interface. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the at least one weight comprises multiplying the at least one weight by a percentage value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the client interface is a web page. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of items is filtered by an inventory management system to determine an inventory level prior to generating the first set of one or more item recommendations, and wherein each of the set of items exceeds a threshold inventory level. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the factors comprise at least one of a location score, a sales metric score, and a user profile score. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the adjusted at least one weight with a user profile. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for generating electronic marketing communications, the apparatus comprising:
 recommendation circuitry configured to:
 receive electronic data indicating a set of items; 
 generate a first set of one or more item recommendations from the set of items, the recommendation engine configured to employ a recommendation algorithm that determines the item recommendations by at least:
 evaluating a plurality of factors for one or more items of the set of items; 
 applying a respective plurality of weights to each of the plurality of factors; 
 generating a factor score for each of the plurality of factors; 
 adjusting the factor score for each factor using at least one of the plurality of weights associated with the factor to generate one or more adjusted factor scores; and 
 determining an item score for the one or more items of the set of items using the adjusted factor scores; 
 
 adjust at least one weight of the plurality of weights associated with a weight adjustment indicator; and 
 generate a second set of one or more item recommendations using the adjusted at least one weight 
   interface generation circuitry configured to:
 cause a client interface to be generated, the client interface comprising the one or more item recommendations and a plurality of interface controls, wherein selection of one of the plurality of interface controls causes the weight adjustment indication to be transmitted for at least one of the plurality of weights; and 
   feedback circuitry configured to:
 provide the weight adjustment indicator to the recommendation circuitry. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the interface generation circuitry is further configured to cause the second set of one or more item recommendations to be presented in the client interface. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein adjusting the at least one weight comprises multiplying the at least one weight by a percentage value. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the client interface is a web page. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the set of items is filtered by an inventory management system to determine an inventory level prior to generating the first set of one or more item recommendations, and wherein each of the set of items exceeds a threshold inventory level. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the factors comprise at least one of a location score, a sales metric score, and a user profile score. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the recommendation circuitry is further configured to store the adjusted at least one weight with a user profile. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for generating electronic marketing communications, the apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving electronic data indicating a set of items;   means for generating a first set of one or more item recommendations from the set of items, the recommendation engine configured to employ a recommendation algorithm that determines the item recommendations by at least:
 evaluating a plurality of factors for one or more items of the set of items; 
 applying a respective plurality of weights to each of the plurality of factors; 
 generating a factor score for each of the plurality of factors; 
 adjusting the factor score for each factor using at least one of the plurality of weights associated with the factor to generate one or more adjusted factor scores; and 
 determining an item score for the one or more items of the set of items using the adjusted factor scores; 
   means for adjusting at least one weight of the plurality of weights associated with a weight adjustment indicator;   means for generating a second set of one or more item recommendations using the adjusted at least one weight   means for causing a client interface to be generated, the client interface comprising the one or more item recommendations and a plurality of interface controls, wherein selection of one of the plurality of interface controls causes the weight adjustment indication to be transmitted for at least one of the plurality of weights; and   means for providing the weight adjustment indicator to the recommendation circuitry.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the means for causing the client interface to be generated is further configured to cause the second set of one or more item recommendations to be presented in the client interface. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein adjusting the at least one weight comprises multiplying the at least one weight by a percentage value. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the client interface is a web page. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising means for filtering the set of items to determine an inventory level prior to generating the first set of one or more item recommendations, and wherein each of the set of items exceeds a threshold inventory level. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the factors comprise at least one of a location score, a sales metric score, and a user profile score.