System and method for providing customers with personalized information about products

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention may provide a personalized fit prediction to a particular consumer about a particular product. Personalization of the fit prediction may be accomplished by processing various types of data, including data about consumers, products, and previous purchases by consumers. For example, this data may be used to generate a model (e.g., set of rules), which can then be applied to predict whether and/or how well a particular product will suit a particular consumer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . At least one tangible computer-readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon which, when executed in a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method of predicting how a particular item will suit a particular consumer, the method comprising acts of:
 (A) performing a first procedure to generate a first result, the first procedure employing at least one body measurement of the particular consumer and at least one item measurement of the particular item;   (B) performing a second procedure using as input the first result generated in the act (A), the second procedure employing a first heuristic describing a characteristic of the particular consumer and a second heuristic describing a characteristic of the particular item, performance of the second procedure generating a second result; and   (C) calculating a fit score indicating how the particular item is predicted to fit the particular consumer, the fit score being based at least in part on the second result.   
     
     
         2 . The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein performing the first procedure in the act (A) comprises comparing the at least one body measurement and the at least one item measurement. 
     
     
         3 . The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein performing the second procedure in the act (B) comprises comparing the first heuristic and the second heuristic. 
     
     
         4 . The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 3 , wherein the first heuristic relates to a size of a body region of the particular consumer. 
     
     
         5 . The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 3 , wherein the second heuristic relates to a size of a region of the particular item. 
     
     
         6 . The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 3 , wherein the first heuristic relates to a preference of the particular consumer with respect to whether an item fits loosely or tightly, and the second heuristic relates to how the particular item is intended to fit. 
     
     
         7 . The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the fit score in the act (C) comprises combining the second result with one or more other results to produce the fit score. 
     
     
         8 . The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein the combining comprises at least one of computing an average of the second result and the one or more other results, computing a mean of the second result and the one or more other results, identifying a lowest of the second result and the one or more other results, and identifying a highest of the second result and the one or more other results. 
     
     
         9 . The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the particular item is an item of apparel or footwear. 
     
     
         10 . The at least one tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises an act of:
 (D) causing the fit score to be presented via at least one user interface.   
     
     
         11 . A computer system for predicting how a particular item will suit a particular consumer, the computer system comprising:
 at least one computer processor programmed to;
 perform a first procedure to generate a first result, the first procedure employing at least one body measurement of the particular consumer and at least one item measurement of the particular item; 
 perform a second procedure using as input the first result, the second procedure employing a first heuristic describing a characteristic of the particular consumer and a second heuristic describing a characteristic of the particular item, performance of the second procedure generating a second result; and 
 calculate a fit score indicating how the particular item is predicted to fit the particular consumer, the fit score being based at least in part on the second result. 
   
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one computer processor is programmed to, in performing the first procedure, compare the at least one body measurement and the at least one item measurement. 
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one computer processor is programmed to, in performing the second procedure, compare the first heuristic and the second heuristic. 
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 13 , wherein the first heuristic relates to a size of a body region of the particular consumer. 
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 13 , wherein the second heuristic relates to a size of a region of the particular item. 
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 13 , wherein the first heuristic relates to a preference of the particular consumer with respect to whether an item fits loosely or tightly, and the second heuristic relates to a how the particular item is intended to fit. 
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one computer processor is programmed to, in calculating the fit score, combine the second result with one or more other results to produce the fit score. 
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 17 , wherein the combining comprises at least one of computing an average of the second result and the one or more other results, computing a mean of the second result and the one or more other results, identifying a lowest of the second result and the one or more other results, and identifying a highest of the second result and the one or more other results. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the particular item is an item of apparel or footwear. 
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one computer processor is programmed to cause the fit score to be presented via at least one user interface.