Method and system for conducting research on an electronic network

Abstract

This invention provides for a method 10 of automatically relaying website information by e-mail across an electronic network, which method 10 includes the steps of receiving 14 a conventional e-mail request from a requester which e-mail is addressed to a specific electronic mailbox address assigned to specific website information, and which e-mail includes an electronic return address to which the website information is to be relayed to. The method 10 then includes the step of retrieving 16 the website information from a web server which information is assigned to the specific mailbox address to which the received e-mail was addressed, and electronically mailing 18 the website information retrieved from the web server to the return address, so that the requester receives the website information without having to search the network. The Invention further provides for an associated system.

1 . A method of conducting research on an electronic network, which method includes a first method including the following steps: 
 receiving a conventional e-mail request from a requester which e-mail is addressed to a specific electronic mailbox address assigned to specific electronic information, which e-mail further includes an electronic return address to which the electronic information is to be relayed to;    verifying whether or not the return address has previously been registered on a server so as to enable monitoring of information requested by a particular requester, and if not, the further step of registering the return address on a server;    retrieving the electronic information from an information server which information is assigned to the specific mailbox address to which the received e-mail was addressed;    electronically mailing the electronic information retrieved from the information server to the return address, so that the requester receives the information without having to search the network; and    compiling a profile of the requester which profile is related to the registered return address, the profile being compiled according to the electronic information mailed to the return address so that the profile is usable for market research purposes.    
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein personal particulars of the requester are obtained by, prior to retrieving the information, the further step of transmitting an electronic form to the return address which form is to be completed by the requester.  
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , which includes the step of receiving the electronic form from the requester and combining the personal particulars included in the received form with the return address of the requester so as to form a more detailed profile of that requester.  
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the step of compiling a profile includes monitoring the information e-mailed to a particular return address over a period of time and electronically indicating on the profile the type of information requested so that a history of requests is formed.  
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the step of compiling the profile includes the step of submitting an electronic questionnaire along with the e-mailed information to the return address which questionnaire is based on the history of requests made by that particular requester.  
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the questionnaire is based on the personal particulars of a requester.  
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , which includes the further step of receiving the completed questionnaire from the requester, and updating the profile of the requester with any relevant information contained in the completed questionnaire to form a more detailed profile of the requester.  
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 4 , which includes performing a plurality of first methods for different customers, and updating a global requester profile database from the server of at least one of the methods so that a global database of profiles is created for market research purposes.  
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the step of updating the global database includes receiving an update from a server of at least one of the methods after the step of e-mailing information to a return address.  
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the step of updating the global server includes the global database periodically accessing a server of at least one of the methods to update the profiles in the global database with any new requester particulars or history of requests stored by that server.  
     
     
         11 . A system for conducting research on an electronic network which system includes a first system for each of a plurality of different customers, which first system includes a conventional information server which hosts specific electronic information; and 
 a conventional e-mail server for receiving a conventional e-mail request from a requester which e-mail is addressed to a specific electronic mailbox address assigned to the specific electronic information and which e-mail further includes an electronic return address to which the electronic information is to be relayed to, wherein the e-mail server is arranged in communication with the information server to form a server arrangement which is configured to verify whether or not the return address has previously been registered on a server so as to enable monitoring of information requested by a particular requester, and if not, to register the return address on a server;    to retrieve the specific electronic information from the information server which is assigned to the specific mailbox address to Which the received e-mail was addressed;    to electronically mail the retrieved electronic information to the return address so that the requester receives the information without having to search the network; and    to compile a profile of the requester which profile is related to the registered return address, the profile being compiled according to the electronic information mailed to the return address so that the profile is usable for market research purposes.    
     
     
         12 . A system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the e-mail server is configured to obtain personal particulars of the requester by, prior to retrieving the information, transmitting an electronic form to the return address which form is to be completed by the requester.  
     
     
         13 . A system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the e-mail server is configured to receive the electronic form from the requester and wherein the server arrangement is configured to combine the personal particulars with the return address of the requester so as to form a more detailed profile of that requester.  
     
     
         14 . A system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the server arrangement is adapted to compile a profile by monitoring the information e-mailed to a particular return address over a period of time and to electronically indicate on the profile the type of information requested so that a history of requests is formed.  
     
     
         15 . A system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the server arrangement is configured to compile the profile by submitting an electronic questionnaire along with the information to the return address which questionnaire is based on the history of requests of that particular requester.  
     
     
         16 . A system as claimed in  claim 14 , which further includes: 
 a plurality of first systems for different customers; and    a global server arranged in electronic communication with the plurality of first systems which global server is configured to update a global requester profile database with requester profiles from the server arrangement of at least one of the plurality of first systems so that a global database of profiles is created for market research purposes.    
     
     
         17 . A system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the server arrangement of at least one of the first systems is configured to verify whether or not the return address has been previously registered by checking if the return address is registered on that particular server arrangement.  
     
     
         18 . A system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the server arrangement of at least one of the first systems is configured to verify whether or not a return address of a requester has previously been registered by checking if the return address is registered on the global server.  
     
     
         19 . A system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the global server is configured to update the global profile database by receiving an update from the server arrangement of at least one of the first systems when information is e-mailed to a return address.  
     
     
         20 . A system as Claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the global server is configured to update the database by periodically accessing the server arrangement of at least one of the first systems and to update the profiles in the global database with any new requester particulars or history of requests stored by the server arrangement.