JP2017033071A - Electronic catalog system and retrieval device to be used in the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system that allows a target product to be easily retrieved from many products of an electronic catalog.SOLUTION: When a user terminal device accesses an electronic catalog device on a selling store side, a normal page feeding browsing and a product retrieval is configured to be selected on a portable screen, and when the retrieval is selected, the user terminal device is caused to jump to a URL of an internal or external retrieval device. Then, in a question column Q, in an item Q1, a target product is inquired like [What are you looking for], and priority items are inquired like [What is most prioritized] in an item Q2, and further, in an item Q3, [What is next prioritized]. In response to replies, retrieval results S1 to S3 are called that are preliminarily stored in a table, and the retrieval result is displayed in a recommendation retrieval result column S. When users click icons S13 to S33 of corresponding products, the retrieval device gives the URL of the products of the electronic catalog device to the terminal device to repeat processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic catalog system in which an advertiser provides an electronic catalog to a terminal device on the user side who wishes to purchase a product via a network such as the Internet, and a search device used for searching for a product that is used for the electronic catalog system. About.

  With the spread of networks such as the Internet, product catalogs have been switched from conventional paper booklets to electronic data. Computerization reduces the number of magazines, increases the number of listed products, and provides detailed explanations, dramatically increasing the amount of catalog information and shortening the catalog update cycle. It contributes to the improvement of satisfaction. On the other hand, for example, when a plurality of same-type products compete with each other, it becomes difficult to select or the convenience is reduced.

  Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes an electronic catalog device that improves the convenience by reproducing a CD-ROM electronic catalog on a player so that it can be ordered, and providing the player with a search function. Yes. This eliminates the troublesome operation of turning a huge catalog page one by one, improving convenience.

  Patent Document 2 is a choice catalog used for return of incense or wedding gifts, and the choice catalog supplier prepares a plurality of sample catalogs edited from the enormous base catalog according to usage and price. At the time, by making use of the user's search history and creating a sample catalog according to the number of searches and the number of sales, the original catalog can be easily edited.

JP-A-8-235206 JP 2009-145981 A

  Since the prior art of Patent Document 1 described above extracts a product by matching at least part of the product name and model number, the user can perform a search with an appropriate keyword with a clear purpose. If possible, an appropriate product can be searched in a short time. However, if an incorrect keyword is used, the target product cannot be reached, causing dissatisfaction with the user or inconvenience. In addition, the correction to change the link to the search word (catalog page) becomes a major issue, and as a result, the electronic catalog update cycle is delayed, or the flexible response to strengthen the sales of specific products Is difficult.

  Patent Document 2 also uses search results, and cannot be expected to improve search functions such as search accuracy.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic catalog system capable of improving user satisfaction and convenience in a search function and promoting sales, and a search device used therefor.

  The electronic catalog system of the present invention desires to purchase an electronic catalog device, a network, and an electronic catalog device that stores data of an electronic catalog installed on an advertiser side and on which a large number of products and services are posted. In an electronic catalog system configured to provide a terminal device on a user side, the terminal device accesses the electronic catalog device via the network so that the electronic catalog device provides an electronic catalog. The electronic catalog device includes a guidance button on the portal screen of the electronic catalog and is connected to the network. When the user operates the guidance button, the electronic catalog device takes over (jumps) processing from the electronic catalog device. ), A question part for displaying one or more predetermined question items, and after answering the user's question, A page of recommended products and services that are considered appropriate in the electronic catalog registered in advance is determined for the response content, and the display page on the terminal device is transferred to the page of the recommended products and services in the electronic catalog. And a search device including a page processing unit (to jump).

  The search device of the present invention is used in the electronic catalog system.

  According to the above configuration, an electronic catalog that is realized by a server computer or the like and stores data of an electronic catalog that is installed on an advertiser's side consisting of a merchandise or service sales company or the like and that contains a large number of products or services. A device, a network, and a terminal device on the user side who desires to purchase the product or service, and the terminal device accesses the electronic catalog device via the network, so that the electronic catalog is obtained. In an electronic catalog system in which the apparatus provides an electronic catalog, a search device realized by a server computer or the like is provided in order to eliminate a complicated operation of turning a huge catalog page one by one.

  When a user accesses the advertiser's home page from the terminal device, looks at the portal screen of the electronic catalog, and searches directly by page turning or the like, the user can continue the work as it is. When using the function, by operating a guidance button provided on the portal screen, the processing is handed over from the electronic catalog device to the search device of the present invention, and the screen is also stored in the search device. Jump to. The search device includes a question unit that displays the search screen including one or more predetermined question items, and when the user answers a question, the one or more answer contents are sequentially compared with a pre-registered table. For example, the link destination of the recommended product or service page that seems to be appropriate in the electronic catalog registered in advance is determined (reading the address), and the display page on the terminal device is A page processing unit is provided to hand over (jump) the read recommended product or service page.

  Therefore, it is not a conventional simple and direct search, such as □□, for a product or service of 〇 ○, or 〇page for a price or size of up to 000 pages. It is possible to realize a function such as a so-called concierge (a customer service person who fulfills a wide range of high hopes) that introduces recommended products in response to relatively vague answers such as wanting a function.

  As a result, when there are multiple competing products and services of the same type, it has been difficult to select in the past. Can improve the satisfaction and convenience of consumers and promote sales. Furthermore, the vast amount of electronic catalog data in the electronic catalog device can be used as it is, and the user can browse to a more appropriate product or a product that the sales company wants to promote by simply adding a search device. You can do it. In addition, since it is easy to update the question items in the question section of the search device and the table in the page processing section, the search accuracy can be improved and the maintenance of the electronic catalog is facilitated.

  Furthermore, in the electronic catalog system according to the present invention, the search device comprises a server computer separate from the electronic catalog device.

  According to the above configuration, the server for realizing the search is separate from the server computer as an electronic catalog device that stores data of a large number of products in the electronic catalog, for example, having a smaller storage capacity than the electronic catalog device. Provide a computer.

  Therefore, an ambiguous search can be easily executed simply by adding a server computer for searching to an existing electronic catalog server computer. In addition, a server computer for search can be provided outside the advertiser's company, and in that case, a new business model is constructed in which the outside company is entrusted with search operations from the advertiser's company. In addition, it is possible to improve the accuracy of search by making use of expertise.

  In the electronic catalog system of the present invention, the search device is installed in a management company different from the advertiser, and receives a search from one or a plurality of the advertiser's electronic catalog devices.

  According to the above configuration, a management company that undertakes a search different from the advertiser's company, particularly by subscribing to search operations from a plurality of advertisers' companies, accumulates know-how related to search and improves search accuracy. In addition, the maintenance frequency can be increased and the maintenance cost can be reduced.

  Furthermore, in the electronic catalog device of the present invention, the question item is characterized in that the first is a question about a target product or service, and the second and third are questions about priority items.

  According to the above configuration, the first question is the question of the target product or service, for example, “What are you looking for?”, And the second and third are respectively “ “What?” And “What is the next priority?”

  Therefore, it is possible to estimate items of goods and services with the first question, and to narrow down the functions required for the products with the second and third questions. As a result, a highly accurate search can be performed with a minimum number of questions, that is, with the effort of the user.

  In the electronic catalog device of the present invention, a plurality of types of answers are prepared in advance for the question answer, and the user selects an answer from a pull-down menu in the answer column.

  According to the above configuration, since the answer is prepared in advance and the user is only selected, the burden on the user can be reduced, and the question answer such as the table in the page processing unit and the corresponding page can be reduced. It is not necessary to increase the capacity of the storage means for storing the association of the search means, for example, as in artificial intelligence, and the cost of the search device can be reduced.

  As described above, the electronic catalog system of the present invention and the search device used therefor are provided with a search device dedicated to searching for goods and services in addition to the electronic catalog device that stores data of the electronic catalog. While accessing the company's homepage, the portal screen of the electronic catalog device can be switched to the search screen of the search device, the question section displays the question items on the search screen, and the page processing section displays the response contents in a table By contrasting, the recommended product or service page that is considered appropriate is determined, and the browsing screen on the terminal device is jumped to the corresponding page in the electronic catalog device.

  Therefore, when creating a new search function for an electronic catalog containing a large number of products, it is not a simple direct search such as product name or model number, but rather a function such as □□. In response to the answer, a so-called concierge-like function for introducing recommended products can be realized. As a result, when a plurality of products or services of the same type compete with each other, it can be easily selected, and the satisfaction and convenience of the user can be improved and sales can be promoted. In addition, the vast amount of electronic catalog data stored in the electronic catalog device can be used as it is, simply by retrofitting a search device, to guide users to more appropriate products, or for products and services that the sales company wants to promote. Or can be guided to. In addition, since the table of the search device can be easily updated, the search accuracy can be improved and the electronic catalog can be easily maintained.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the electronic catalog system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the portal screen of the electronic catalog in one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows a part of search condition table in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the other part of the search condition table in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen of the question and search result in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the search operation | movement of the electronic catalog in one Embodiment of this invention.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic catalog system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this system, electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 that are installed on the advertisers 1 and 2 side, which are merchandise and service sales companies, and store electronic catalog data on which a large number of products and services are posted, A terminal device 41 that is installed on the network 5 and the user 4 who desires to purchase the product or service and that can access the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 via the network 5; And a search device 31 according to the present invention.

  In the example of FIG. 1, there are a plurality of advertisers 1 and 2, but there may be one company. The search device 31 is installed in the search function management company 3, but may be configured integrally with the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 of the companies of the advertisers 1 and 2. The electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 and the search device 31 are realized by a server computer or the like, and the terminal device 41 is realized by a personal computer or the like.

  When the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 of the advertisers 1 and 2 are accessed from the terminal device 41, as shown in FIG. 2, an electronic catalog portal screen 411 is displayed on the screen 410 of the terminal device 41. The portal screen 411 displays at least a browse button 412 that allows the user to directly browse products and services as usual, and a guide button 413 for performing a search. When the user operates (clicks) the browse button 412, electronic catalog data is downloaded from the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21, as indicated by reference numeral F 11, and the downloaded electronic catalog data is read into the terminal device 41. As a result, it is possible to browse normal catalog pages one by one. On the other hand, when the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 detect that the user has operated (clicked) the guide button 413 as indicated by the reference symbol F12, the search device 31 searches for the company as indicated by the reference symbol F11. The URL of the page 310 is transmitted to the terminal device 41, and the process is taken over (jumped) as indicated by reference numeral F21.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the search device 31 includes a question unit 311 and a page processing unit 312. The page processing unit 312 stores tables 3121, 3122,... That define electronic catalog search conditions as customer information for each customer, that is, advertisers 1 and 2. In the tables 3121, 3122,..., Catalog pages of products and services to be recommended are defined for the contents answered by the user in response to a predetermined question.

  FIG. 3 shows a part of the tables 3121, 3122,. FIG. 3 shows search conditions in the electronic catalog of the applicant's company. The column N1 indicates the common name of the product / service name, and the column N0 indicates the serial number of the product / service name. Column A1 shows the answer to the first question, and thereafter, columns A2, A3, A4, and A5 show the answers to the second to fifth questions. The column P1 is a catalog posting page, and is actually described by a Flash-based URL. In the remaining part of the table, as shown in FIG. 4, a simple introduction column C1 for the product / service in the column N1 is provided.

  On the other hand, the question unit 311 stores data of the search page 3111. FIG. 5 shows an example of the search page 3111. The search conditions of the tables 311, 312,..., That is, the relationship between the question answer and the corresponding product or service is different for each sales company 1 or 2. Etc. may be made common. In the example of FIG. 5, the upper half of the search page 3111 is the question column Q, and the lower half is the recommended search result column S.

  As described above, when the search device 31 is configured to take over (jump) the processing from the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 as indicated by the reference symbol F21, as shown by the reference symbol F21, the question unit 311 displays a search page 3111 as shown in FIG. 5 on the display screen 410 of the terminal device 41. In the example of FIG. 5, three question items Q1 to Q3 are described in the question column Q of the search page 3111. Specifically, the first question item Q1 is a question about the target product or service, “What are you looking for?”. The second question item Q2 is a question of the priority item "What is the highest priority?" And the third question item Q3 is "What is the next priority?"

  In this way, it is possible to estimate the items of goods and services with the first question item Q1, and to narrow down the functions required for the products and services with the second and third first question items Q2 and Q3. it can. As a result, a highly accurate search can be performed with a minimum number of questions, that is, with the effort of the user.

  The search results S1 to S3 are displayed in the recommended search result column S as indicated by reference numeral F22. In the example of FIG. 5, the first search result S1 indicates a product or service that is “recommended” to the user, and the second search result S2 indicates a product or service that is “popular” to the user so far. The third search result S3 indicates “selling out” products and services that have been sold well to users. For example, “recommended” is a product or service that matches at least two question items Q1 and Q2 as the search result S1, and “popularity” and “selling” are products or services that match the first question item Q1, Search results S2 and S3 are those that are popular and well sold.

  The product names S11, S21, and S31 of the “recommended”, “popular”, and “selling” products and services are those described in the column N1 in FIG. 3, and the simple introductions S12, S22, and S32 are: This is described in the column C1 of FIG. Icons S13, S23, and S33 are displayed on the right ends of the search results S1, S2, and S3, and when the user operates (clicks) the icons S13, S23, and S33, the search device 31 has the reference symbol F21. The URL of the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 in the column P1 as the link destination is given to the terminal device 41 to transfer the processing, and the terminal device 41 is accessed (jumped) to the URL as indicated by reference numeral F31. The recommended catalog page is displayed on the display screen 410.

  The relationship between these question items Q1 to Q3 and the search results S1 to S3 will be described in detail below. In the table of FIG. 3, five question columns A1 to A5 are prepared, but three are used in FIGS. 3 and 5.

  The tables in FIGS. 3 and 4 show, as an example, simplified search conditions on the homepage of the applicant's company. Applicant will search for Catalog No. 1 and analyze Catalog No. 2 (to propose improvements and how to show it), digitize textbook No. 9 (school bookstore), and produce teaching material No. 10. Main services include support services and the production of video and audio content with the remaining numbers 3-8 and 11-17. Therefore, the applicant's company as the management company 3 is also equipped with content production equipment 32, 33 and the like.

  Then, the first question item Q1 in the question column Q of the search page 3111 in FIG. 5 includes the service of the question column A1 in FIG. The selection of content is displayed in the answer column B1 using a pull-down menu. By this selection, the service of numbers 1, 2, 9, and 10 and the content of numbers 3 to 8, and 11 to 17 are broadly classified.

  In this way, it is possible to alleviate the burden on the user by preparing an answer in advance from the pull-down menu and allowing the user to select it, as well as questions such as the tables 3121, 3122, etc. in the page processing unit 312. It is not necessary to increase the capacity of the storage means for storing the relation between the answer and the corresponding page, for example, like artificial intelligence, and the cost of the search device 31 can be reduced.

  When the service is selected in the answer column B1, as shown in FIG. 5, the appeal item is set to “What is the highest priority?” In the second question item Q2. By selecting, the analysis of the catalog number 2 is displayed in “Recommendation” of the first search result S1. “Popularity” in the second search result S2 indicates the catalog search of the number 1 that is popular with the same service classification, and “Selling sales” in the third search result S3 indicates the classification of the same service. The popular school bookstore number 9 is selected.

  Here, if “Convenience” is selected as the second question item Q2, three recommended products or services are candidates for catalog search of number 1, digitization of textbook of number 9, and production support of teaching material of number 10. become. Therefore, in that case, the question “What is the next priority?” In the third question item Q3 determines the search results S1 to S3.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the search operation as described above. When the processing is taken over (jumped) from the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21, the search device 31 reads the tables 3121, 3122,... Defining the search conditions in the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 and starts the processing. To do. In step R1, the question unit 311 displays the search page 3111 on the terminal device 41, and waits for the user's question answers B1 to B3 in step R2. If there is no operation (click) on the question answers B1 to B3 and the search start button B0 for a predetermined time, the selection is prompted in step R3 and the process returns to step R1 or R2 (R2 in FIG. 6).

  When the user's question answers B1 to B3 and the search start button B0 are operated (clicked), the process proceeds to step R4, and the page processing unit 312 refers to the tables 3121, 3122,. Along with the page (URL). In step R5, the search result S is displayed and the process ends. Thereafter, when the user operates (clicks) the icons S13, S23, and S33, the search device 31 gives the URL to the terminal device 41 as indicated by the reference symbol F22, and hands over the processing to the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21. .

  As described above, according to the electronic catalog system of this embodiment, the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 provide the electronic catalog when the terminal device 41 accesses the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 via the network 5. In the electronic catalog system, a search device 31 realized by a server computer or the like is provided in order to eliminate a complicated operation of turning a huge catalog page one by one.

  Then, the user accesses the home pages of the advertisers 1 and 2 from the terminal device 41, looks at the portal screen 411 of the electronic catalog, and operates the guide button 413, so that the processing is performed from the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21. When the user jumps to the search screen 3111 stored in the question unit 311 of the search device 31 and the user answers the question, the page processing unit 312 displays the one or more answer contents. However, by sequentially comparing the tables 3121, 3122,... Registered in advance, the page of recommended products and services that are considered appropriate in the electronic catalog registered in advance for the response contents ( URL) is read, and the display page on the terminal device 41 is transferred (jumped) to the page of the recommended recommended product or service.

  Therefore, it is not a conventional simple and direct search such as “0.00” for goods and services of “00”, or “0.00” if the price and size are up to □□. A so-called concierge function that introduces recommended products as the search results S1 to S3 can be realized in response to relatively ambiguous answers B1 to B3, such as a function such as

  As a result, when multiple products and services of the same type compete with each other, it has been difficult to select in the past. Can improve customer satisfaction and convenience, and promote sales. Furthermore, the data of the enormous electronic catalogs in the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 are left as they are, and the search device 31 can be retrofitted to guide the user's browsing to a more appropriate product, or the advertiser side promotes sales. Or lead to the product you want. Further, since the question items Q1 to Q3 in the question unit 311 of the search device 31 and the tables 3121, 3122,... In the page processing unit 312 can be easily updated, the search accuracy can be improved and the electronic catalog can be improved. Maintenance becomes easier.

  Further, the search device 31 is separate from the server computer as the existing electronic catalog devices 11 and 21 that store data of a large number of products in the electronic catalog, and has a smaller storage capacity than the electronic catalog devices 11 and 21. By implementing this function, it is possible to easily execute an ambiguous search. In addition, a server computer (search device 31) for search can be provided outside the company of the advertisers 1 and 2 (management company 3). A new business model that can be commissioned for search operations from two companies can be built, and expertise can be used to improve search accuracy, increase the frequency of maintenance, and reduce maintenance costs. Can be reduced.

1, 2 Advertisers 11, 21 Electronic catalog device 3 Management company 31 Search device 310 Search page 311 Question part 312 Page processing part 3111 Search page 3121, 3122,... Table 4 User 41 Terminal device 410 Screen 411 Portal screen 412 Browse button 413 Guide button Q Question column Q1-Q3 Question item S Recommended search result column S1-S3 Search result

Claims (6)

An electronic catalog device that stores data of an electronic catalog installed on the advertiser side and on which a large number of products and services are posted, a network, and a terminal device on the user side who desires to purchase the products and services. In the electronic catalog system configured to provide the electronic catalog device by the terminal device accessing the electronic catalog device via the network,
The electronic catalog device includes a guidance button on a portal screen of the electronic catalog,
When connected to the network and the user operates the guide button, the process is taken over from the electronic catalog device, and a question part for displaying one or more predetermined question items, and after answering the user's question, A page of recommended products and services that are considered appropriate in the electronic catalog registered in advance is determined for the response content, and the display page on the terminal device is transferred to the page of the recommended products and services in the electronic catalog. An electronic catalog system comprising a search device including a page processing unit.   The electronic catalog system according to claim 1, wherein the search device comprises a server computer separate from the electronic catalog device.   The electronic catalog system according to claim 2, wherein the search device is installed in a management company different from the advertiser and accepts a search from one or a plurality of the advertiser's electronic catalog devices.   3. The electronic catalog system according to claim 1, wherein the question item is a question about a target product or service, and a second item and a third item are questions about priority items.   The electronic catalog according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of types of answers are prepared in advance for the question answer, and the user selects an answer from a pull-down menu in an answer column. system.   A search apparatus used in the electronic catalog system according to claim 2.

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