Social network-based inventory management

Abstract

An example embodiment includes a system server configured for social network-based inventory management. The system server includes processors and non-transitory computer-readable storage media communicatively coupled to the processors. The media store instructions that, in response to execution by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations. The operations include receiving category specifications and access category definitions for access categories. The access category definitions include relationship criteria for the access categories. The operations include identifying a relationship between a second user and a first user, comparing an identified relationship with the relationship criteria, and determining which of the access categories the second user is included based on the comparison. In response to a received product request for a product offered by the first user, the operations include providing a product listing to the second user that is consistent with the category specification of the access category of the second user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of social network-based inventory management, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a first user device, category specifications for one or more access categories, the category specifications identifying one or more or a combination of a product, a transaction term, and a transaction type that are available to users who meet relationship criteria for the access categories;   identifying, by a system server, a relationship between a second user and a first user who associated with the first user device;   comparing, by the system server, an identified relationship with the relationship criteria;   determining, by the system server, which of the access categories the second user is included based on a comparison between the identified relationship and the relationship criteria;   receiving, from a second user device that is associated with the second user, a product request for a particular product that is offered by the first user; and   in response to a received product request, providing, by the system server, a product listing to the second user device for the product that is consistent with the category specifications of the access category of the second user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from the first user device, an access category definition that includes the relationship criteria defined for the access categories. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the relationship criteria includes a temporary location, a permanent location, a group membership, or a number of connections in one or more social graphs of one or more social networks. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first device, a product description;   accessing transaction records on an e-commerce server; and   comparing at least a part of the product description with information in the transaction records to determine a market price for the product,   wherein one of the transaction terms includes a discount applied to the market price.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the second user device, a product search for a sought product, wherein the product search includes one or more particular transaction types and/or one or more particular transaction terms;   identifying, by the system server, one or more relationships between the second user and one or more other users;   determining, by the system server, which of the access categories the second user is included relative to each of the other users based on a comparison between identified relationships and relationship criteria defined by the other users;   identifying one or more product listings for the sought product;   filtering one or more of the product listings in which the second user fails to meet relationship criteria for an access category in which the particular terms and/or the particular transaction types are available;   communicating to the second device a search result that includes one or more product listings for the sought product, wherein each of the product listings includes the particular terms and/or the particular transaction types of the product search; and   communicating to one or more other user devices, the product search and an identification of a second user associated with the second user device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 receiving from the first user device, a buyer search that includes one or more buyer search criteria including one or more or a combination of a particular transaction type, a particular term, and a product description; and   in response to the buyer search, providing to the first user device, an identification of a third user who meets a relationship criteria relative to the first user such that the buyer search criteria are available to the third user.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the identifying the relationship includes accessing social graphs of one or more social networks;   the transaction type includes rent transaction, a buy transaction, a use transaction, a receive transaction, a share transaction, and an auction transaction; and   the product includes personal property and real property.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input used to indicate that the second user selects the product; and   completing at least a portion of a transaction for the product according to the category specifications of the access category of the second user.   
     
     
         9 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more programs that are configured, in response to execution by one or more processors, to cause a system to execute or control the execution of the method as recited in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A system server configure for social network-based inventory management, the system server comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions that, in response to execution by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving category specifications and access category definitions for one or more access categories, the access category definitions including relationship criteria for the access categories; 
 identifying a relationship between a second user and a first user; 
 comparing an identified relationship with the relationship criteria; 
 determining which of the access categories the second user is included based on a comparison between the identified relationship and the relationship criteria; and 
 in response to a received product request for a particular product that is offered by the first user, providing a product listing to a second user device associated with the second user for the product, wherein the product listing is consistent with the category specification of the access category of the second user. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system server of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the relationship criteria includes a number of connections in one or more social graphs of one or more social networks; and   the identifying the relationship includes accessing the social graphs of the social networks.   
     
     
         12 . The system server of  claim 10 , wherein the category specifications identify the particular product, the transaction terms, and the transaction types that are available to users who meet the relationship criteria for the access categories. 
     
     
         13 . The system server of  claim 10 , wherein the category specifications include a first set of category specifications related to the particular product and a second set of category specifications related to another product. 
     
     
         14 . The system server of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the category specifications include a discount applied to a market price; and   the operations further comprise:
 accessing transaction records on an e-commerce server; and 
 comparing at least a part of a received product description with information in the transaction records to determine the market price for the product. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system server of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the category specifications include transaction types available to users who meet relationship criteria of the access categories;   the transaction types include one or more or a combination of a rent transaction, a buy transaction, a use transaction, a receive transaction, a share transaction, and an auction transaction; and   the particular product includes personal property or real property.   
     
     
         16 . A method of social network-based inventory management, the method comprising:
 receiving, from one or more user devices, relationship criteria that are defined for one or more access categories;   receiving, from the user devices, category specifications that identify products, transaction terms, and transaction types that are available to users who meet the relationship criteria for the access categories;   determining, by a system server, which of the access categories one or more users are included relative to each other user based on a comparison between identified relationships between the users and the relationship criteria;   receiving, from a first user device associated with a first user, input used to indicate a selection of a particular product offered by a second user; and   completing, at least partially by the system server, a transaction for the particular product according to the transaction terms of the access category of the first user relative to the second user.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a second user device associated with a third user, a product request for a second particular product offered by the first user; and   in response to the product, providing, by the system server, a product listing to a second user device for the second particular product that includes the transaction terms and the transaction types consistent with the category specifications of the access category of the third user relative to the first user.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a first user device associated with the first user, product descriptions for one or more products in an inventory of products offered by the first user;   accessing transaction records on an e-commerce server; and   comparing at least a part of the product description with information in the transaction records to determine a market price for the product,   wherein one of the category specifications includes a discount applied to the market price.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the determining includes:
 accessing, by the system server, social graphs of one or more third party social network servers; and   analyzing a relationship between the users based on one or more connections in one or more of the social graphs.   
     
     
         20 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more programs that are configured, in response to execution by one or more processors, to cause a system to execute or control the execution of the method of  claim 16 .