System and method for providing personalized search results

Abstract

Personalized search results are provided to a user by sending to the user a direct marketing email having associated therewith one or more opt-out elements. Information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements is maintained in a database. When a search request is thereafter submitted to a search engine by the user, the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements is used to inhibit inclusion within the search results of one or more items. In addition or alternatively, when the user accesses a search interface having a plurality of search options selectable to provide a search request to the search engine, the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements is used to inhibit inclusion within the search interface of one or more of the plurality of user selectable search options.

1 . A computer-readable media embodied in a non-transient, physical memory device having stored thereon computer executable instructions for providing personalized search results, the instructions performing steps comprising:
 sending to a user a direct marketing email having one or more associated opt-out elements;   storing within a database information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements associated with the direct marketing email; and   in response to a search request submitted to a search engine by the user, using the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements associated with the direct marketing email to inhibit inclusion within the search results of one or more items.   
     
     
         2 . The computer readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements comprises information indicative of a user's desire to not receive any direct marketing emails for a particular category or subcategory of product. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the direct marketing email comprises a promotional offer for a product within a particular category or subcategory of product. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the instructions use the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements of the direct marketing email to promote within the search results one or more items. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements used to promote within the search results one or more items comprises information indicative of a failure of a user to interact with the one or more opt-out elements within a predetermined period of time after the direct marketing email was sent to the user. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the user accessing a search interface having a plurality of search options selectable to provide a search request to a search engine, the instructions use the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements associated with the direct marketing email to inhibit inclusion within the search interface of one or more of the plurality of user selectable search options. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-readable media embodied in a non-transient, physical memory device having stored thereon computer executable instructions for providing a personalized search interface to a user, the instructions performing steps comprising:
 sending to a user a direct marketing email having one or more associated opt-out elements;   storing within a database information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements associated with the direct marketing email; and   in response to the user accessing a search interface having a plurality of search options selectable to provide a search request to a search engine, using the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements associated with the direct marketing email to inhibit inclusion within the search interface of one or more of the plurality of user selectable search options.   
     
     
         8 . The computer readable media as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements comprises information indicative of a user's desire to not receive any direct marketing emails for a particular category or subcategory of product. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the direct marketing email comprises a promotional offer for a product within a particular category or subcategory of product. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the instructions further use the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements of the direct marketing email to promote within the search interface one or more of the plurality of user selectable search options. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the information related to the user's interaction with the one or more opt-out elements used to promote within the search interface one or more of the plurality of user selectable search options comprises information indicative of a failure of a user to interact with the one or more opt-out elements within a predetermined period of time after the direct marketing email was sent to the user. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-readable media embodied in a non-transient, physical memory device having stored thereon computer executable instructions for providing personalized search results, the instructions performing steps comprising:
 sending to a user a direct marketing email a first opt-out element;   in response to a user interacting with the first opt-out element to thereby indicate a desire to opt-out from receiving direct marketing email of the type sent to the user, causing additional opt-out elements to be provided to the user wherein the additional opt-out elements are contextually related to the first opt-out element;   storing within a database information related to the user's interaction with the first and additionally provided opt-out elements; and   in response to a search request submitted to a search engine by the user, using the information related to the user's interaction with the first and additionally provided opt-out elements to inhibit inclusion within the search results of one or more items.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the additional opt-out elements are contextually related to the first opt-out element by being nodes within a product and product category hierarchical tree that are within a predetermined range from a category of product or product indicated by the first opt-out element. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 12 , wherein additional opt-out elements are iteratively provided to the user considering the user's interaction with opt-elements as provided. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the first opt-out element relates to a product category and at least one of the additional opt-out elements relates to a product brand. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the first opt-out element relates to a product category and at least one of the additional opt-out elements relates to a product parameter. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the first opt-out element relates to a product category and at least one of the additional opt-out elements relates to a product sub-category.