Amazon.com has managed to get patent protection for its system of collecting online reviews from customers. How will this affect the practice of other online retailers doing the same?
The third patent is the real kicker. It covers methods for encouraging consumers to write reviews of items they’ve purchased by determining the optimal times to send them e-mails or reminders.
In one embodiment of the patent, the system sends consumers a message inviting them to write a review in a predetermined amount of time after the purchase. It’s a method widely used by online retailers, including Yahoo (Quote, Chart) Shopping. The patent also covers the method of tracking who returns to rate products by asking them to click on a unique link in an e-mail.
But the patent even covers collecting reviews by letting visitors to a Web site fill out a form.
Source: internetnews.com
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