Ye' old general discussion board. Basically, for everything that isn't covered elsewhere. Come here to shoot the breeze, shoot your mouth off, or whatever suits your fancy. This forum is not for asking programming related questions.
internetnews.com wrote:User reviews are a hot new content area, being used by Google, Yahoo and MSN to sweeten their local search results. But as of Thursday, such consumer reviews could put search providers, as well as thousands of e-commerce sites, video rental or review sites and online booksellers, in the sights of Amazon.com's lawyers.
The online retailer of books and just about everything else was awarded three new patents, covering its purchase circles, search and consumer reviews. While Amazon.com's patent police would go after Web publishers, not consumers, the review patent could put the kibosh on the social networking components of many search services.
The second patent covers a method of discovering and delivering as search results related products from multiple categories, such as books written by Steve Martin, as well as DVDs of movies in which he appeared.
The third patent is the real kicker. It covers methods for encouraging consumers to write reviews of items they've purchased by determining the optimal times to send them e-mails or reminders.
In one embodiment of the patent, the system sends consumers a message inviting them to write a review in a predetermined amount of time after the purchase. It's a method widely used by online retailers, including Yahoo (Quote, Chart) Shopping. The patent also covers the method of tracking who returns to rate products by asking them to click on a unique link in an e-mail.
This is what the civilization does to people - they want more money.
This step was absolutely done to get a thicker slice of the pie.
It takes something that is free, and that SHOULD be free (I mean, what the hell were they thinking?), and locks it up in a tight 30-inch-thick-wall-safe up on Amazon's bank account.
Really crazy.
Think of the effect it could have on Google. When I want to buy something, I google "[product name] review"
This is very efficient. But what now? Is it the end of it?
Being a business major I can certainly admire the patent aquisitions for such widely used, common functions. However I'm not sure that I completely agree with it.
In a mature market like e-commerce, the only way to get a competative advantage is to take market share for your competitors. That is what I agree with... The business world is dog-eat-dog and a company must try everything it can to get that competative advantage. What I don't agree with is can that even be done?
The third patent is the real kicker. It covers methods for encouraging consumers to write reviews of items they've purchased by determining the optimal times to send them e-mails or reminders
It doesnt cover the idea of having product reviews . it covers the *METHOD* of getting people to come by and write reviews that Amazon uses..
I could come up with a different method (perhaps merhcants that list products on my site would enclose a survey sheet or a coupon to be used, along with the product shipment.. without using email reminders, etc..)
It really depends on the details, but I do not believe Amazon has locked up the *concept* of product reviews, they just patented their own *METHOD* of getting people to write reviews, so that other "wannabes" cant copy or duplicate their efforts.. their own "formula that works"... but it in no way precludes someone coming up with a NEW formula of their own and patenting THAT method of encouraging customer reviews