WO2006067510A2

WO2006067510A2 - Internet-based search engine for price monitoring

Info

Publication number: WO2006067510A2
Application number: PCT/GB2005/005084
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mavroudis Perivolaris
Original assignee: Mavbot Limited
Priority date: 2004-12-24
Filing date: 2005-12-23
Publication date: 2006-06-29
Also published as: GB2422026A; GB0428331D0

Description

INTERNET-BASED SEARCH ENGINE FOR PRICE MONITORING

The present invention relates to search engines, and in particular to search engines adapted for monitoring dynamic data on a distributed computer network such as the internet.

The rapid growth of shopping web sites on the internet has spawned a number of internet search engines that routinely monitor a plurality of such web sites to compare the prices of various commodities being offered on those sites. For a given product or commodity, the price comparison web site conventionally lists a number of suppliers known to be vending the commodity and. against each supplier, displays a latest known price for the commodity. A user of such search engines typically visits the price comparison web site, enters the name of a manufacturer and/or commodity of interest, and the price comparison web site delivers a list of most recently established prices for that commodity at respective vendor web sites.

A problem with such search engines is that commodity prices vary rapidly over time and a user of the price comparison web site has no means of knowing whether the price comparison data being provided is completely up to date, or if subsequent offers have reduced prices further. Another problem with such price comparison web sites is that the user must visit both the price comparison web site to perform the search for prices, and also the vendor web site(s) to finally verify prices and to order the commodity.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated process for checking, from a vendor web site, how the price of a product being viewed on the vendor web site compares with other vendor web sites.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an automated process for notifying a user when a user-specified product or commodity reaches or passes a user- specified price on one or more of a plurality of vendor web sites. According to one aspect, the present invention provides a automated method for price verification of a commodity being offered on a vendor web site, comprising: operating an intermediary search engine to compile and maintain an intermediary product database of price information relating to a plurality of commodities, each commodity being offered by a plurality of vendors on respective vendor web sites, the intermediary product database including price information foj each commodity on each vendor web site: accessing, by a user, a vendor web page offering a selected commodity at a price specified thereon; initiating, by the user, via program code embedded in the vendor web page, a query to the intermediary search engine to establish comparative price information for the selected commodity: and displaying the comparative price information to the user.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides an automated method for price verification of a commodity being offered on a vendor web site, comprising: operating an intermediary search engine to compile and maintain an intermεdiar3^; product database of price information relating to a plurality of commodities, each commodity being offered by a plurality of vendors on respective vendor web sites, the intermediary product database including price information for each commodity on each vendor web site; periodically updating the intermediary product database with said price information; receiving a query, at the intermediary search engine, initiated directly or indirectly by a user computer system that has accessed a vendor web page offering a selected commodity at a price specified thereon using a link embedded in the vendor web page, the query being directed to the intermediary search engine to establish comparative price information for the selected commodity: and transmitting comparative price information to the user for display on the user computer system. According to another aspect, the present invention provides an automated method for providing, to a user, price verification of a commodity being offered on a vendor web site, comprising: receiving a request, from a user, for display of a vendor web page offering a commodity for sale at a price specified thereon: transmitting the web page to the user computer system: detecting initiation, by the user, of a query for comparative price information for the selected commodity by a link in the displayed web page: directing said query to an intermediary search engine and related intermediary product database of price information relating to a plurality of commodities, each commodity being offered by a plurality of vendors on respective vendor web sites, the intermediary product database including price information for each commodity on each vendor web site: receiving a query, at the intermediary search engine, initiated by the user computer system that has accessed the vendor web page by using a link embedded in the vendor web page, the query being directed to the intermediary search engine to establish comparative price information for the selected commodity: and transmitting comparative price information to the user for display on the user computer system.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides an internet-based search engine comprising: a server adapted to receive a user-specified price threshold for a user- specified commodity offered for sale on one or more vendor web sites; a search engine adapted to automatically and continuously monitor a plurality, of vendor web sites for price information relating to a plurality of commodities, including the user-specified commodity and adapted to store such price information in a product database; and a notification server adapted to issue an electronic alert to the user identifying one or more vendor web sites offering the user-specified commodity when the commodity reaches or passes the user-specified price threshold. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a computer network suitable for implementing the invention:

Figure 2 is a screen shot of an exemplar} web page for initiating a price verification operation: Figure 3 is a screen shot of an exemplary web page after initiating a price verification operation:

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a search engine for maintaining a price watch system;

Figure 5 is a flow diagram of operations and events in setting up a price watch on the system of figure 4: and

Figure 6 is a flow diagram of operations and events for sending a price watch notification.

With reference to figure 1, there is shown an internet-based search engine for maintaining a price watch database comprising pricing information relating to a plurality of commodities or products offered for sale on a plurality of different vendor web sites.

Each vendor web site 10-1. 10-2. 10-3 comprises a plurality of web pages 11-1 . 11- 2 ... 1 1-n each containing details of at least ^"one commodity and a price for that commodity. It will be understood that each vendor web site 10 may include many hundreds of such pages 1 1. and that the web pages may include details of more than one product or commodity offered for sale by that vendor. In a typical application, each vendor web site 10 would be operated by a different vendor in competition with one another, although some web sites 10 may. of course, be operated by the same vendor as plural sales outlets.

A plurality of users, e.g. users 12-1 and 12-2. are able to access the vendor web pages 1 1 over a suitable computer network 13. e.g. the internet, to search for and view commodities being offered for sale by the vendors on vendor web sites 10. in accordance with known techniques. Also coupled io the internet 13. by way of JON-IL gateway 34. is a search engine 15 for maintaining a commodity pricing database 17. The commodity pricing database 17 preferably includes a list 18a of product identifiers linked to a list 18b of respective supplier wεb sites, together with a list of corresponding pricing information 18c relating to each commodity and each vendor web site. The database thereby maintains an up-to-date comparison of prices for each commodity offered by each vendor.

Preferably_: the pricing information 1 8c includes not only the actual product or commodity prices, but also may include delivery costs or a single delivered cost for each item, availability information and/or deliver)⁷ lead time information. Preferably the pricing information also includes a time and date stamp indicating the last time and date at which the pricing information for a given commodity was updated.

Preferably, the search engine 15 is adapted to systematically and periodically update all commodity pricing information on a routine basis. For example, the search engine may perform a cyclic update of each commodity in the database every few hours. The interval between individual commodity pricing information updates may be defined as a function of the commodity, or commodity type. Thus, commodities that exhibit rapid price fluctuations may be updated more frequently than commodities that exhibit greater price stability. The interval between individual commodity pricing information updates may be defined as a function of the vendor. Thus, for vendors known to set their prices only once each day. the update interval may also be set to a corresponding period. The pricing information update periods may be determined manually by a system administrator or ma}⁷ be determined automatically by the search engine based on an observed or learned frequency of pricing updates on a product -by-product basis and/or on a vendor-by- vendor basis.

In an alternative configuration, the search engine 15 may be adapted to periodically update commodity pricing information on a demand-driven basis, e.g. updating the database with commodity pricing information each time the information is demanded, subject to a minimum update period and/or a maximum update period. For example, the search engine 15 may be adapted to update the database immediately on demand for commodity pricing information unless it has already updated for that commodity recεnth within a minimum update period. In another example, the search engine 15 may be adapted to periodically update the database after a maximum update period even if no demand foi a given commodity pricing information has been requested

In a typical implementation, the search engine 15 and pricing information database 17 are operated and/or administered by an "intermediary^" third party that is independent of the operators of vendor web sites 10. The ^"intermediary^" third party preferably acts as an independent or trusted third part)' intermediary to the users and the vendors. The intermediary web site may offer various forms of electronic authenticity or trust certificates to verify its integrity.

Use of the commodity pricing database 17 is now described with additional reference to figures 2 and 3. A user 12 visits a vendor web site 10. and specifically a vendor web page 11. in search, of a desired commodity. The web page 11 ma}' appear on the user^'s computer monitor and include a display 20 of which an exemplary portion is shown in figure 2. Display 20 includes selected product or commodity details 21. a "quantity^" dialogue box 22 and an "add to basket^' link 23 as is customary for such web pages. In addition, a portion of the display 20 includes a 'price verification^" link 24. The price verification link 24 is operable to initiate a pricing information check on the selected commodity to the intermedial search engine 15 and pricing information database 17.

In a preferred implementation, the price verification link 24 initiates HTML program code embedded within the web page HTML that initiates a dynamic data request from the user computer system 12 to the search engine 15 via XML gateway 14. The dynamic data request comprises data identifying the vendor whose selected commodity is being checked, the product identification number and the user computer address that is initiating the check. Responsive to the request, the search engine 15 issues a query to the pricing information database 17 and returns, to the user computer system 12. comparative price inform aτi on for the selected commodity .

In the preferred implementation, the price verification link 24 initiates the price check when the user hovers the mouse or other graphical user interface pointing device over the price verification link. As shown in figure 3. this causes the user^'s computer system to present, in display 30. an overlay box 31 or 'drop down^' containing the price check information. The price check information in the overlay box preferably comprises an)' one or more of the following: (i) a confirmation that the price at which the commoditj is being offered on the vendor web site 10 is the cheapest on offer on the internet or on the web sites being monitored by the intermediary search engine 15: (ii) a confimiation of the ranking of the price at which the commodity is being offered on the vendor web site 1 0 relative to other vendor web sites: (iii) a list of comparative prices for similar or identical commodities being offered on other vendor web sites; (iv) details of times at which other comparative pricing data was last verified b\ the search engine 15; (v) details of the vendors offering such commodities: (vi) details of the deliver} costs associated with such other vendors: (vii) details of availability of such commodities from other vendors: and (viii) possible advertising or other information for the user.

It will be understood that the shape and format of the overlay box 31 may be varied. The "box^" need not be rectangular, and could be irregular in shape (e.g. a starburst) or simply the shape of the text and images being displayed. The "box' can be fully obscuring of the underlying web page or semi-transparent, etc.

In the preferred implementation, the price verification link 24 ma}' also include or initiate filtration criteria specific to the vendor whose web page 20 initiated the price check. These filtration criteria may be encoded in the vendor^'s web page, or may be encoded at the search engine 15 and pricing information database 17. The filtration criteria may include rules governing what information may be displayed in the overlay box 31, or the circumstances in which the overlay box may be displayed. For example, if the price check establishes thai the vendor^'s commodity price is nol currently the cheapest recorded in the pricing information database 1 7. or if the price check establishes that the vendor^'s delivered commodity price is not currently the cheapest delivered price in the pricing information database 1 7. the filtration criteria may dictate that the display of the overlay box 3 ] is suppressed.

The filtration criteria may include more complex rules governing whether the overlay box 31 may be displayed or not. and what comparative pricing information is displayed. For example, the overlay box 31 may be displayed with competitor pricing information even where competitor pricing is lower than the initiating web page, if the availability is worse or if the commodity is temporarily unavailable from those competitor web sites. The filtration criteria may govern that where the initiating vendor web site is not the lowest available price for a commodity, display of the overlay box 31 may be suppressed or replaced with a display box indicating 'service not available^". The filtration criteria ma}' govern that the overlay box 31 can be displayed with competitor prices, providing that the}' are within a predetermined pricing margin of the vendor's own price for the commodity.

Although the illustrated embodiment uses an overlay box 31 initiated by hovering the mouse or other pointing device over the price verification link 24. it will be understood that the price verification link could be initiated by clicking in the box using the pointing device, and that the overlay box 31 could be replaced with a 'pop-up' box or new browser window. However, in the preferred aspect, the pricing information is made available almost instantaneously for the user, and without leaving the vendor web page 20 so that shopping activity is not interrupted or inconvenienced in any way. In this way. the user 12 can verify, almost instantaneously during the commodity selection_., that the price the}' are about to accept for addition to the basket is the lowest or near lowest price available on the internet. This is of considerable advantage and functional benefit to the user and vendor alike, as having to open up many new web pages in order to check information while browsing in a vendor web site is a disincentive to many users, especially those without broadband connections or slower computer systems. It also means thai the user need noi be diverted from the vendor^'s web page io be distracted with other web pages or browser windows during the browsing and shopping. The vendor benefits m fostering loyalty in customers, improved user- friend]} web page layout and in reduced complexity in their web page design. The user benefits in having an independently verified assurance that the price they are about to pay is competitive.

In one arrangement, the price verification link 24 initiates a price check query request to the vendor web site 10. which triggers a corresponding request from the vendor web site 10 to the intermediary search engine 15. i.e. the query is routed via the vendor web site. The query result may be transmitted back to the vendor web site 10 for real time updating of the vendor web page 20 with the overlay box 31 as being viewed by the user 12. This means that most of the query specific code can be located at the vendor^'s server rather than be transmitted to the user^'s computer 12 each time a web page is loaded.

In an alternative arrangement, the routing of the price check query request initiated by the user using the price verification link 24 may be routed directly from the user computer system 12 to the intermediary search engine 15. Correspondingly, the query result may be transmitted directly from the search engine 15 to the user computer system 12. In this instance, the query specific code would be transmitted to the user^'s computer each time a web page is loaded.

The pricing information database 17 preferably also includes a vendor report database 18d that logs pricing check information initiated by users 12. The vendor report database 1 Sd facilitates the compilation of reports for vendors that subscribe to the intermediary search engine and pricing information database service. The reports may include usage reports, business intelligence reports and exception reports. For example, usage reports ma}' include: (i) details of price checks made. including the number of price checks initiated over a predetermined period, e.g. per day for a specific date range: (ii) the number of price checks per hour for a specific date range: (iii) the number of price checks on a product-by-product basis for a specific data range, etc. Business intelligence reports ma}' include an indication of the products (perhaps with dates / times) for which the filtration criteria suppressed display of the overlay box 31, indicating occasions when the vendor was more expensive than the competitor web sites; and conversely, numbers of occasions on which the price checks indicated that the vendor^'s products were the cheapest on offer.

The vendor report database 18d may also log price check activity for pricing the service to the vendor 10. For instance, the price check service may be offered for use on vendor web sites 10 on a metered basis, e.g. based on the number of price verification requests initiated, or per report generated. Other embodiments may include logs for pricing on a timed period (e.g. monthly) basis, and/or on a number of vendor servers or web pages being supported etc.

With reference to figures 4 to 6, a further use of the search engine 15 and pricing information database 17 of figure 1 is now described.

Users 12 may establish a direct price watching facility at the search engine 15 to monitor selected commodities for price changes. If any of the monitored selected commodities change price in accordance with user-specified criteria, the user is notified by one or more of a number of different channels. These channels may include e-mail, a web browser toolbar and cellular telephone text messaging sendee.

With reference to figure 4, in this arrangement, search engine 15 is provided with a front end user interface 40 for direct access by user 12. Preferably, the front end interface 40 is a web access interface. The user 12 visits the search engine 15 web site interface 40 (or any web sites that are powered by the search engine 15) and searches for a specific product, group of products or product class. For the purposes of illustration, we shall suppose that the user 12 is wishing to purchase an MP3 player, of the type ¹IPOD'. As shown in figure 5, the user enters, on the web interface 40. the keywords 'ipod mp3' in a search text box and submits the search request (step 51 ). The search engine 15 includes a search module 41 which searches (step 52) a live products database 1 Se which preferably comprises pan of the pricing information database 17. The search module 41 is adapted to produce a set of results (step 53) thai display product images, product names, prices and identities of vendors offering the selected commodity for sale on their web sites. The results preferably include a list of prices for the selected commodity, an indication as to when the price was last checked, and a "pncewatch^" option, e.g. as a selectable link or button. This information is preferably displayed on a web page.

The user ma)¹ select the "price watch^" option (step 54) for the selected commodity by activating the appropriate link on the web page. e.g. by point and click on the 'pricewatch' option button.

At this stage, the user interface 40 requests details of user-specified price watch criteria (step 55). These criteria may include some or all of the following items.

(i) The number of days or other period for which the price watch is to be maintained for the selected commodity. The period may be finite in duration or open-ended until cancelled. (ii) The frequency with which the price checks are to be carried out. For example, the price checks may be carried out daily, weekly, monthly or on specific days of the week, or at other intervals, according to user preference, (iii) The threshold criteria corresponding to which the user requires notification. This will be a price threshold to be reached or passed. In most cases, this would be a price to which the commodity must fall, or fall below, before the user is interested in purchasing the commodity.

(iv) Delivery and/or availability criteria. These criteria may include a condition that a commodity is or will be available for shipping or dispatch within a user- specified maximum term, or that the commodity is available for immediate shipping or delivery, or that an expected delivery date meets a user-specified term. or a minimum quantity of commodity is available. The user interface 40 may also request the user to indicate one 01 more selected modes of electronic communication for notifying the usei. by electronic alert, when the selected commodity reaches 01 passes the user-specified price threshold. These electronic modes of communication may include e-mail, cellular or other telephone-based text or picture message, browser toolbar", or other. The user preferences also include a user address to which the electronic alεrt is to be sent.

When the required user preferences have been established, a new pricewatch entry is created and stored in a pricewatch database 18f.

With further reference to figure 4. the search engine 15 includes a 'back end^" notification server 42 which is configured to execute the routine pricewatch function and issue user notifications when the user-specified threshold criteria are met. The notification server 42 includes a controller module 43 which constantly monitors the pricewatch database 18f for commodities for which the current prices should be checked. For each commodity to be checked, the controller module 43 notifies an object manager 44 that a price check query should be generated to check the current prices of the commodity defined in the current pricewatch entry. The object manager 44 generates the appropriate price query to the pricing information database 17 and receives the query results containing pricing information data from the pricing information database 17.

If the criteria of the pricewatch object are met (e.g. the user-specified price threshold has been reached, the date of delivery is acceptable, and any other required aspects of the search results are acceptable), a complete pricewatch result, including the query search results, is delivered to a messenger module for transmission to the user. The messenger module receives the complete pricewatch result from the object manager 44 and transmits the electronic alert message to the user via the selected mode of communication.

In a preferred embodiment, the notification server 42 also includes a cleaner module 46 adapted to monitor the pricewatch database 18f for obsolete records, e.g. where the user selected period for maintaining the price watch has expired. selected commodity has been flagged as no loneei available or deleted from the pricing information database ] 7. etc

The messengεi module 45 receives pricewatch results ready for delivery from the object manager 44. With reference to figure 6. the first step taken by the messenger module is to validate the results object (step 61 ) by checking: (i ) the requested delivery date is current: (H) there is a valid delivery method and delivery address (e.g. email, telephone number or toolbar id): and (iii) there is a valid message bod\ incorporating the search results.

If the validation of the message succeeds, then the messenger module routes the message (step 62) to the appropriate messenger sub-component (63a ... 63c) that deals with the requested delivery type.

If validation of the message fails, the results object is deleted (step 64) and/or an error message may be generated.

Other embodiments are intentionally within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. An automated method for price verification of a commodity being offered on a vendor web site, comprising: operating an intermedial")' search engine to compile and maintain an intermediary product database of price information relating to a plurality of commodities, each commodity being offered by a plurality of vendors on respective vendor web sites_., the intermedial-)' product database including price information for each commodity on each vendor web site: accessing, by a user, a vendor web page offering a selected commodity at a price specified thereon: initiating, by the user, via program code embedded in the vendor web page. a query to the intermediary search engine to establish comparative price information for the selected commodity; and displaying the comparative price information to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the comparative price information comprises a list of alternative vendor prices for the selected commodity as stored in the product database.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the comparative price information comprises a message indicative of whether the selected commodity on the vendor web site is the lowest price for the selected commodity in the intermedial")' product database.

4. The method of claim 2 in which the comparative price information includes an indication of the time at which the intermediary product database was last updated with the price information relating to the selected commodity.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the price information includes commodity price and delivery price or a combination thereof and the displayed comparative price information comprises comparative delivered price information. 6. The method of claim 1 in which the price information includes aλ'ai lability information and the displayed comparative price information relates only to sources of available predetermined commodity.

7. The method of claim 1 including specifying conditions m which the step of displaying the comparative price information will be inhibited.

8. The method of claim 1 including specifying conditions dεteπnining what comparative price information will be displayed.

9. The method of claim 1 further including the step of automatically and periodically generating, by the intermediary search engine, a report of the number of user-initiated queries in a predetermined period.

10. The method of claim 9 in which the report includes data relating to the outcome of each usεr-initiatεd query.

11. The method of claim 9 or claim 10 in which the report includes product specific details.

12. The method of claim 1 in which the comparative price information displayed to the user is displayed on the user's display at the same time as the vendor^'s web page.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the comparative price information displayed to the user is displayed as an overlay box or drop-down box on the vendor's web page.

14. An automated method for price verification of a commodity being offered on a vendor λveb site, comprising: operating an intermediary search engine to compile and maintain an intermediary product database of price information relating to a plurality of commodities, each commodity being offered by a plurality of vendors on respective vendor web sites, the intermediary product database including price information for each commodity on each vendor web site; periodical]}' updating the intermediary product database with said price information: receiving a query, at the intermediary search engine, initiated directly or indirect])⁷ by a user computer system that has accessed a vendor web page offering a selected commodity at a price specified thereon using a link embedded in the vendor web page, the query being directed to the intermediary search engine to establish comparative price information for the selected commodity: and transmitting comparative price information to the user for display on the user computer system.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the query, initiated by the user, is received from a vendor server providing said vendor web page.

16. The method of claim 14 in which the comparative price information is transmitted to the user computer system via a vendor server providing said vendor web page.

17. The method of claim 14 in which the comparative price information comprises a list of alternative vendor prices for the selected commodity as stored in the product database.

18. The method of claim 14 in which the comparative price information comprises a message indicative of whether the selected commodity on the vendor web site is the lowest price for the selected commodity in the intermediary product database.

19. The method of claim 18 in which the comparative price information includes an indication of the time at which the intermediary product database was last updated .with the price information relating to the selected commodity. 20. The method of claim 14 in which the price information includes commodity price and delivery price or a combination thereof and the displayed comparative price information comprises comparative delivered price information.

21. The method of claim 14 in which the price information includes availability information and the displayed comparative price information relates only to sources of available predetermined commodity.

22. The method of claim 14 further including the step of automatically and periodically generating, by the intermediary search engine, a report of the number of user-initiated queries in a predetermined period.

23. The method of claim 22 in which the report includes data relating to the outcome of each user-initiated query.

24. The method of claim 22 or claim 23 in which the report includes product specific details.

25. An automated method for providing, to a user, price verification of a commodity being offered on a vendor web site, comprising: receiving a request, from a user, for display of a vendor web page offering a commodity for sale at a price specified thereon; transmitting the web page to the user computer system; detecting initiation, by the user, of a query for comparative price information for the selected commodity by a link in the displayed web page: directing said query to an intermediary search engine and related intermediary product database of price information relating to a plurality of commodities, each commodity being offered by a plurality of vendors on respective vendor web sites, the intermediary product database including price information for each commodity on each vendor web site; receiving a query, at the intermediary search engine, initiated by the user computer system that has accessed the vendor web page by using a link embedded 84

in the vendor web page, the quεπ being directed to the intermediary search engine to establish comparative price information for the selected commodity: and transmitting comparative price information to the user for display on the user computer system.

2ό. The method of claim 25 in which the comparative price information comprises a message indicative of whether the selected commodity on the vendor web site is the lowest price for the selected commodity in the intermediary product database.

27. The method of claim 25 in which the comparative price information includes an indication of the time at which the intermediary product database was last updated with the price information relating to the selected commodity.

28. The method of claim 25 in which the price information includes commodity price and delivery price or a combination thereof and the displayed comparative price information comprises comparative delivered price mformation.

29. The method of claim 25 in which the price information includes availability information and the displayed comparative price information relates onry to sources of available predetermined commodity.

30. The method of claim 25 including specifying conditions in which the step of displaying the comparative price information will be inhibited.

31. The method of claim 25 including specifying conditions determining what comparative price information will be displayed.

32. The method of claim 25 in which the comparative price information displayed to the user is displayed on the user's display at the same time as the vendor's web page. 33. The method of claim 25 in which the comparative price information displayed to the user is displayed as an overlay box or drop-down box on the vendor^'s web page.

34. An internet-based search engine comprising: a server adapted to receive a user-spεcified price threshold for a user- specified commodity offered for sale on one or more vendor web sites: a search engine adapted to automatically and continuously monitor a plurality of vendor web sites for price information relating to a plurality of commodities, including the user-specified commodity and adapted to store such price information in a product database: and a notification server adapted to issue an electronic alert to the user identifying one or more vendor web sites offering the user-specified commodity when the commodity reaches or passes the user-specified price threshold.

35. The search engine of claim 34 in which the price information includes commodity price and delivery price information and the notification server is adapted to issue the electronic alert when a delivered price of the user-specified commodity reaches or passes the user-specified price threshold.

36. The search engine of claim 34 in which the price information includes availability information and in which the notification server is adapted to issue the electronic alert when the user-specified commodity is available.

37. The search engine of claim 34 in which the server is adapted to receive a user-specified location or region for delivery of the commodity, and in which the notification server is adapted to issue the electronic alert when the user-specified commodity is available at the user-specified location.

38. The search engine of claim 34 in which the server is adapted to receive a user-specified technical specification for the commodity, and in which the notification server is adapted to issue the electronic alert when the user-specified commodity reaches or passes the user-specified technical specification. 39. The search engine of claim 34 in which the electronic alert is an e-mail

40. The search engine of claim 34 in which the electronic alert is a message transmitted over a telephony network.

41. The search engine of claim 40 in which the message is a text message transmitted over a cellular telephone network.

42. The search engine of claim 34 in which the electronic alert is a web browser display bar.

43. The search engine of claim 34 in which the server is adapted to receive a user-specified duration for which the notification server is to be active to issue the electronic alert when the user-specified commodity reaches or passes the user- specified price threshold.

44. The search engine of claim 34 in which the server is adapted to receive a user-specified frequency with which the notification server is to be active in checking the product database for when the user-specified commodity reaches or passes the user-specified price threshold.

45. The search engine of claim 34 in which the notification server comprises: a controller module adapted to maintain a database of usεr-specified commodities for which price monitoring is being maintained; an object manager adapted to periodically query the product database for price information relating to said user-specified commodities and to generate object data corresponding to any user-specified commodity which has reached or passed the corresponding user-specified price threshold: and a messenger module for generating the electronic alert to the respective user. 46. The search engine of claim 34 in which the search engine includes a product database cleaner module adapted to periodically scan the database and remove commodities for which routine price information monitoring is no longer relevant.

Λ ■7' . A method of maintaining a price watch using a search engine comprising: receiving a user-specified price threshold for a user-specified commodity offered for sale on one or more vendor web sites; automatically and continuously monitor a plurality' of vendor web sites for price information relating to a plurality of commodities, including the usεr- spεcified commodity and storing such price information in a product database: and issuing an electronic alert to the user identifying one or more vendor web sites offering the user-specified commodity when the commodity reaches or passes the user-specified price threshold.