JP2025095309A - Content providing system, method and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a system for, a method of, and a program for specifying a source site from two or more websites.SOLUTION: A system according to the present invention has a server apparatus 105 for associating a content or content information relating to an item with a website identifier of a source website, a source website server apparatus 110 for providing a content to a user and for managing a source website from which the user purchase an item through his use of the content, and a target website server apparatus 115 for acquiring content information of the source website and for managing the source website providing the content to the user. The server apparatus has an association identifier for use in association of the source website with the target website, and transmits a website association identifier to the target website server apparatus. The target website server apparatus transits the website association identifier and the content information to the server apparatus in response to use by the user of content in the target website.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a system for providing content, a method thereof, and a computer program.

In online sales, content related to a product/service is provided to users on a website, and the users can decide whether or not to purchase the product/service by reviewing the content. After reviewing the content on a website where the content is provided by store staff or the like, the user can purchase the product/service related to the content. When the user reviews the content and purchases the product/service, the contribution of the product/service sales to the content provider, such as the store staff, is calculated; that is, the sum of the contributions of one or more products/services is calculated for each content provider based on the contribution of each product/service. The content provider is given an incentive (internal recognition, money, prizes, products, etc.) depending on the sum of the contributions.

Patent document 1 discloses a technology that calculates the degree of contribution based on both product sales on a website using content provided by staff at a physical store and product sales at the physical store.

In addition, in a system having a first website (also referred to as a source site) that uses a first E-commerce system and a second website (also referred to as a target site) that uses a second E-commerce system different from the first E-commerce system, the first website, as a source site, generates and/or manages content and sells products and the like related to the content, and the second website, as a target site, receives the content from the source site and sells products and the like related to the content. In such a system in which the same product/service is sold on at least two or more websites, the contribution is calculated based on sales on the source site, without taking into account sales on the target site.

JP 2023-037021 A

In a system in which two or more websites each provide content and products/services related to that content, it was difficult to identify which of the two or more websites was the source site and which was the target site.

It was possible to calculate the contribution of a content provider for a single website and physical store. However, it was not possible to calculate the contribution based on the sales performance of two or more websites.

A system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a server device that associates an item or information about the item, content information that is content related to the item or information about the content related to the item, and a site identifier of a source site; a source site server device that provides the content to a user and manages a source site where the user purchases the item by using the content; and a target site server device that acquires the content information of the source site and manages a target site that provides the content to the user. The server device has an association identifier that associates the source site with the target site, and transmits the site-related identifier to the target site server device, and the target site server device can transmit the site-related identifier and the content information to the server device in response to the user's use of the content at the target site.

In a system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the user's use of the content at the target site may include the user purchasing the item by referring to the content on the target site server device.

In a system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the server device associates a source site item identifier that identifies an item at the source site with a content identifier that identifies content related to the item, and the target site server device associates the source site item identifier with a target site item identifier that is an identifier at the target site of the item identified by the source site item identifier, and the target site server device can further obtain a source site item identifier related to the content from the server device based on the content information, and identify the source site item identifier of the content based on the target site item identifier related to the content in response to the use of the content at the target site.

In a system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the target site server device can transmit the source site item identifier to the server device in response to identifying the source site item identifier of the content.

In a system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the server device can determine that the user at the target site has used the content based on the site-related identifier, the content information, the target site identifier, and the source site item identifier.

A server device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a server device that communicates with a source site server device that provides content to a user and manages a source site where the user purchases an item by using the content, and a target site server device that acquires the content information of the source site and manages a target site that provides the content to the user, and is configured to associate an item or information about the item, content information that is information about the content related to the item or the content related to the item, with a site identifier of the source site, has an association identifier that associates the source site with the target site, transmits the site-associated identifier to the target site server device, and receives the site-associated identifier, the content information, and a site identifier of a site managed by the target site server device from the target site server device in response to a user's use of the content at the target site.

1 illustrates a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows a process flow for registering content. 4 shows example items of data managed by content registration. 1 shows a process flow for providing content. 4 shows a process flow for registering an item at a target site. 1 illustrates example items of data that may be managed by registering items at a source site at a target site. The following are example items of site-related identifier data: 1 shows the process flow for selling an item. An embodiment of the present invention will be described in which a product/service is purchased by referring to content.

[System configuration]
FIG. 1 shows a system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 includes a server device 105, a source site server device 110, a target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125. The server device 105 manages the source site server device 110 and the target site server device 115, and some or all of the functions provided by the source site server device 110 and the target site server device. The server device 105, the source site server device 110, the target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125 are connected via a network 199. The network 199 may be realized by various networks such as the Internet or public telephone lines, or by a combination of some or all of these networks. The network 199 may be realized by wired or wireless, or a combination of them.

The source site server device 110 and the target site server device provide a website that sells goods and/or services as items. The source site server device 110 and the target site server device can further provide content in the sale of the items. A user can access the website provided by the source site server device 110 or the target site server device via his/her user terminal 120 and view the content. Items related to the content are displayed on the website together with the content, or are displayed on the website in association with the content, such as being displayed on the website when the content is selected on the website. A user can purchase the goods/services displayed as items on the website of the source site server device 110 or the target site server device via his/her user terminal 120.

The server device 105 can receive and store content related to a specific item from a content provider via the content provider terminal 125. In this case, the content provider can transmit the content after logging in to the service of the server device 105, thereby allowing the server device 105 to identify the source site with which the content provider is associated. In another embodiment, the content provider can transmit the content to the server device 105 together with information identifying the source site. This allows the server device 105 to identify the source site associated with the content.

In another embodiment, the source site server device 110 can receive and store content related to a specific item from a content provider via the content provider terminal 125. The source site server device 110 can transmit content and/or content-related information (e.g., a content identifier, a content creation date and time, a content update date and time, a content provision date and time, etc.) that is information related to the content to the server device 105. The server device 105 can receive and store the content and/or content-related information. In addition, the server device 105 can identify the source site server device 110 as the communication source, and therefore can also identify the source site.

The target site server device 115 requests the source site server device 110 or the server device 105 to obtain the content of the source site server device 110. The target site server device 115 receives the requested content and can display it on the website of the target site server device 115. The target site server device 115 can sell the item, a product/service, using the displayed content.

The site provided by the source site server device 110 is associated with the content of the content provider terminal 125. The source site server device 110 provides the site that first provides the content, in other words, the source site. The target site server device 115 receives the content from the source site server device 110 and provides the same content as the source site. The target site server device 115 provides the content on the site as a destination from the perspective of the source site server device 110. Such a site is called a target site because the content is provided from the source site server device 110. The server devices 110 and 115 can be source site server devices or target site server devices depending on whether they are the source or destination of the content.

2 shows an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the server apparatus 105, the source site server apparatus 110, the target site server apparatus 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125 at least include a processor 205, a memory 210, a storage 215, an input/output device 220, and a communication device 225. In the apparatuses 105, 110, 115, 120, and 125, the processor 205 loads a computer program stored in the storage 215 into the memory 210 and executes it. The input/output device 220 includes a touch panel on the display, a keyboard, a mouse, a display device, and the like. A user can input information into a computer using a keyboard or a touch panel, and check the information output on the display device. The apparatuses 105, 110, 115, 120, and 125 can communicate with at least one of the other apparatuses via the communication device 225 and transmit and receive data thereto.

[Content registration]
3 shows a process flow for registering content. The content provider terminal 125 is used by staff of a store that provides a product or service, which is an item, or by a content provider that is an advertisement provider. The content provider can create content such as text, still images, videos, and audio for explaining the item using the content provider terminal 125 or an imaging device (not shown) that can be connected to the content provider terminal 125 wirelessly or via a wire (step 300).

The content provider terminal 125 can transmit item information, such as an item identifier for identifying an item, and the content to the source site server device 110 (step 305). When the source site server device 110 receives the content, it can associate the content with the identifier of the site of the source site server device 110. In one embodiment, the content provider terminal 125 can also transmit the content to the server device 105. In this case, the server device 105 can identify a site that is previously associated with the content provider by the content provider logging into the system of the server device 105, and the associated site is identified as the source site. In another embodiment, when the content provider transmits content to the server device 105, the content provider may transmit information specifying the source site. In another embodiment, the content provider terminal 125 can transmit content only to the server device 105. The content provider can register and have a content provider identifier of a website managed by the source site server device 110 in advance in the server device 105. The content provider may log into a website managed by the source site server device 110 using the content provider identifier. In this way, since the content is transmitted after the user logs in, the server device 105 or the source site server device 110 can more easily identify the content provider based on the content provider identifier specified by the login. In another embodiment, when the content provider terminal 125 transmits the content, the content may be associated with one or more pieces of item information.

The server device 105 and/or the source site server device 110 can generate a content identifier (step 310). The server device 105 and/or the source site server device 110 associates the transmitted content and item information (e.g., item identifier, etc.) with the content identifier and registers it (step 315). When the source site server device 110 generates a content identifier, the source site server device 110 can transmit the item information and the content and the associated content identifier to the server device 105. This allows the server device 105 and the source site server device 110 to use a common content identifier.

In this embodiment, the server device 105 and/or the source site server device 110 may register a source site identifier along with the content identifier. This makes it easy to identify the site where the content was originally registered.

Figure 4 shows example items of data managed by content registration. When content is registered, the server device 105 and/or the source site server device 110 manages information related to the content as data (hereinafter referred to as content registration data). Data management may be achieved by a database system. The content registration data may include a content identifier, an item identifier, the content, a source site identifier, and a content provider identifier.

In the example of FIG. 4, five pieces of content are registered, and the pieces of content with content identifiers "contentID001", "contentID002", and "contentID003" are for the same item (item identifier: "item001"). The pieces of content with content identifiers "contentID001" and "contentID002" are provided by the same content provider (content identifier: "provider001"), but from different source sites. The pieces of content with content identifiers "contentID001" and "contentID002" were first registered at the source site with source site identifier: "site001" and the source site with source site identifier: "site002", respectively.

The content with content identifiers "contentID003", "contentID004", and "contentID005" was originally registered at the source site with source site identifier "site001" by the provider with content provider identifier "provider002". As can be seen from the content with content identifiers "contentID004" and "contentID005", the content was created for the same item (item identifier "item002") by the provider with content provider identifier "provider001". In other embodiments, a piece of content may be associated with two or more items.

The column "content" in the table contains information indicating the content, such as the content file itself (text, JPEG file, MP4 file for video or audio, etc.) or a file path specifying the registration destination of the content.

[Content provision]
FIG. 5 shows a process flow for providing content. A user can use the user terminal 120 to access the source site server device 110 that provides the source site and search for content (step 500). The search for content can be realized by keyword search, image search, etc. In another embodiment, the source site server device 110 can display an item on the source site and display one or more contents related to the item. In this case, content related to the item identifier of the item to be displayed is searched for. In another embodiment, content may be searched for using the name or preferences of the content provider as a search condition. In another embodiment, the user terminal 120 may access the server device 105 via or without the source site server device 110 and search for content. Regardless of whether the content search is performed on the server device 105 or the source site server device 110, information required for the content search can be input at the user terminal 120 and transmitted from the user terminal 120 to each server device. The source site server device 110 displays the searched content on the source site (step 505).

[Registering items at the target site]
The target site may offer items offered by the source site, the target site and the source site may sell the same items, and the target site may display content listed on the source site to promote the sale of the items.

Figure 6 shows a process flow for registering an item at a target site. The target site server device 115 can register an item at the target site (step 600). When registering an item, the target site server device 115 generates an item identifier at the target site for the item to be registered (step 605). In another embodiment, the item may be registered at the server device 105. In this case, the server device 105 can receive information necessary for registering the item and register it. The server device 105 may also generate an item identifier. Note that the item may also be registered at the source site in the same manner as at the target site. The administrator of the target site server device 115 checks whether the registered item is sold at the source site, and if it is sold, the administrator obtains the item identifier of the item at the source site from the server device 105 or the source site server device 110. The administrator associates the item identifier at the source site with the item identifier at the target site and registers it in the target site server device 115 (step 610). In this embodiment, when registering item identifiers at the source site and the target site, a source site identifier may be registered to identify the source site where the associated item is registered.

When an item is registered, the target site server device 115 manages information indicating the correspondence of the item as data (hereinafter referred to as item correspondence data). Data management may be achieved by a database system. The item correspondence data includes an item identifier at the source site, an item identifier at the target site, and a source site identifier.

Figure 7 shows an example of data items managed by registering an item at a source site at a target site. When an item is registered at a target site, the target site server device 115 manages the item identifier at the source site, the item identifier at the target site, and the source site identifier. In Figure 7, it is shown that items with source site item identifiers: "item001" and "item002" are sold at the source site identified by source site item identifier: "site001" and also at the target site. Also, it is shown that an item with source site item identifier: "item003" is sold at the source site identified by source site item identifier: "site002" and also at the target site.

The item corresponding data may be managed by the server device 105 instead of the target site server device 115. In this case, the server device 105 can receive data necessary for the item corresponding data from the target site server device 115. In this embodiment, the item corresponding data can have a target site identifier in addition to the items shown in FIG. 7. This makes it possible to associate the item identifier of the source site with the item identifier of the target site.

In other embodiments, the item-associated data may be created after the item is registered at the target site, rather than at the time the item is registered. For example, an administrator at the target site may create the item-associated data after registering the item.

[Site-related Identifier Registration]
If an item at a target site exists at a source site, the target site server device 115 can provide content associated with the item at the target site and can also provide content associated with the item at the source site. The target site server device 115 or the server device 105 can identify the source site and the target site of the content by using a site-related identifier.

The target site server device 115 can refer to the content at the source site. The target site server device 115 can refer to the content at the source site by specifying the content or content identifier of the source site. In another embodiment, if the item corresponding data (FIG. 7) is registered in advance, when a user refers to an item at the target site, the target site server device 115 and/or the server device 105 identify the source item item identifier associated with the target site item identifier in the item corresponding data (FIG. 7). The target site server device 115 and/or the server device 105 identify the item identifier in the content registration data (FIG. 4) that matches the source site item identifier (identify the item identifier of the content registration data that matches the source site item identifier of the item corresponding data). The target site server device 115 and/or the server device 105 can further identify the content identifier and content associated with the item identifier in the identified content registration data in the content registration data (FIG. 4). The target site server device 115 can provide the identified content to the user by referring to the content at the source site. The target site server device 115 can obtain the content of the source site from the server device 105 and/or the source site server device 110 that manages the content.

The target site server device 115 and/or the server device 105 can register site-related identifier data (FIG. 8) that manages site-related identifiers. The site-related identifier data may be registered in advance by an administrator, or when the target site server device acquires information required for a source site, the target site server device 115 and/or the server device 105 may register data in the site-related identifier data, with the site of the source site identifier in the content registration data (FIG. 4) accessed by the target site server device 115 as the source site, and the site managed by the target site server device 115 as the target site. In other words, the site-related identifier data can associate the source site with the target site.

Figure 8 shows example items of site-related identifier data. The site-related identifier data includes a site-related identifier, a source site identifier, and a target site identifier. In the site-related identifier: "relationhip001", it is identified that the site with the source site identifier: "site001" is the source site, and the site with the target site identifier: "site002" is the target site. Similarly, in the site-related identifiers: "relationhip002" and "relationhip003", it is identified that the site with the source site identifier: "site001" is the source site, and the sites with the target site identifiers: "site003" and "site004" are the target sites, respectively. Also, in the site-related identifiers: "relationhip004" and "relationhip005", it is identified that the site with the source site identifier: "site 002" is the source site, and the sites with the target site identifiers: "site 001" and "site 003" are the target sites, respectively. As can be seen from the content registration data in FIG. 4 and the item correspondence data in FIG. 7, the content identifier is unique data across all sites. On the other hand, the item identifier is unique data across one site. In other words, with regard to the item identifier, the item identifier of the source site is unique at the source site, and the item identifier of the target site is unique at the target site.

With reference to the content registration data (FIG. 4) and the site-related identifier data (FIG. 8), when the target site acquires the content of the source site, the site-related identifier is identified based on the relationship between the source site and the target site by checking the source site identifier in the content registration data (FIG. 4), the source site identifier in the site-related identifier data (FIG. 8) corresponding to the source site identifier, and the target site identifier in the site-related identifier data (FIG. 8) of the target site from which the content is to be acquired. For example, the site-related identifier "relationhip003" is identified based on the source site identifier "Site001" and the target site identifier "Site004". By using the site-related identifier data, the server device 105, the source site server device 110, and/or the target site server device 115 can more easily identify the source site and the target site of a certain content. Also, when the site is provided by the http protocol or the like, the page of the site does not include the source site identifier and the target site identifier, but can include the site-related identifier as necessary information. For example, when the get method or post method is used, if a third party checks the URL or html source, they can learn the site-related identifier, but they cannot learn the source site identifier and target site identifier. The system and server device convert the site-related identifier and use the source site identifier and target site identifier for internal processing, so the source site identifier and target site identifier are not disclosed to the outside. Therefore, by using the site-related identifier, information leakage can be prevented, contributing to improved security.

In another embodiment, the site-related identifier data (FIG. 8) can include a content identifier in addition to the site-related identifier, the source site identifier, and the target site identifier. This allows each server device to identify the relationship between the source site and the target site for each piece of content, and to determine the site-related identifier by identifying the content identifier and either the source site identifier or the target site identifier.

[Item sales]
FIG. 9 shows a process flow for selling an item. The server device 115 acquires an item and content related to the item that is managed by the server device 115 as a source site by referring to content whose source site identifier is the site identifier of the server device 115 in the content registration data shown in FIG. 4 (step 900). The item is specified by a user of the user terminal 120 requesting the server device 115 to display or acquire the item. The server device 115 acquires content related to the item that is not managed by the server device 115 as a source site (content as a target site) (step 905). Specifically, the server device 115 identifies an item whose item identifier is the same as the target site item identifier in the item correspondence data (FIG. 7), and acquires a source site item identifier related to the identified target site item identifier. Server device 115, or server device 115 and server device 105 (in this case, server device 105 receives the source site item identifier obtained from server device 115), identifies an item identifier in the content registration data (Figure 4) that matches the obtained source site item identifier, and obtains the content, content identifier, and source site identifier of the row of the item identifier corresponding to the identified item identifier.

The server device 115 transmits the item, the contents of the source site and the target site, and the site-related identifier to the user terminal 120, and the user terminal 120 receives the item and the contents of the source site and the target site and displays them on the screen (step 910). If there are two or more items, the two or more items and the contents related to the two or more items may be grouped together and displayed on the user terminal 120. In another embodiment, the target site server device 115 may request the server device 105 to transmit the item and the contents of the source site and the target site to the user terminal 120.

A user can refer to content via the user terminal 120. The user terminal 120 transmits an identifier of the referred content to the server device 115 and/or the server device 105. After the user refers to the content, the user can purchase the item (step 915). When the user purchases the item, the user terminal 120 may transmit an identifier of the referred content, an item identifier, and a site-related identifier to the server device 115 and/or the server device 105. When the user refers to the content or makes a purchase based on the content, the content is used. The server device 115 transmits an identifier of the item to be purchased to the server device 105. For example, if the item is a novel or a movie, the user can check the content summarizing the contents of the item and decide to purchase the item. Also, if the item is a fashion item such as shoes or clothes, the user can check a still image or video showing a coordination including the item to be purchased and decide to purchase the item.

In another embodiment, if the item identifier at the source site is different from the item identifier at the target site, server device 115 can identify the target site item identifier of the item corresponding data in FIG. 7 that matches the item identifier at the target site, and obtain the source site item identifier that corresponds to the target site item identifier. In this case, server device 115 can transmit the source site item identifier to server device 105, and server device 105 can use the source site item identifier as the site-wide item identifier.

The target site server device 115 executes a purchase process for the item related to the item identifier of the item to be purchased. If necessary, the purchase process may be executed using the user's name, address, payment method, etc., which have been registered in advance.

The target site server device 115 determines the referenced content based on the item identifier of the item to be purchased and the content identifier of the referenced content (step 920). The user may reference one or more pieces of content before purchasing the item. If the number of referenced contents is two or more, the last content referenced before purchasing the item may be the content referenced once. In another embodiment, if the number of referenced contents is N or more, the number of times the content is referenced may be calculated as 1/N times. The number of times the content is referenced may be calculated by other methods such as weighting. When the referenced content is determined, the target site server device 115 may transmit the site identifier, the content identifier of the referenced content, and the site-related identifier managed by the server device 115 to the server device 105. As a result, the server device 105 can determine whether the referenced content is the source site content or the target site content based on the site identifier, the content identifier, and the site-related identifier from the content registration data of FIG. 4 and the site-related identifier data of FIG. 9.

The target site server device 115 and/or the server device 105 can calculate the contribution of the content to the item purchase (step 1025). The contribution can be the sum of the number of times each piece of content is referenced. In another embodiment, the contribution can be obtained by a calculation such as weighting based on the sum of the number of times each piece of content is referenced. The target site server device 115 and/or the server device 105 can more easily determine which content of the source site and the target site was referenced from the site-related identifier data of FIG. 9 based on the site identifier, content identifier, and site-related identifier of the site where the item was purchased.

The process described above using Figures 3, 5, 6, 8, and 10 may be realized as a method by one or more pieces of hardware of the server device 105, the source site server device 110, the target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125. This method may also be realized as a computer program for one or more pieces of hardware, and the computer program may be executed by one or more pieces of hardware of the server device 105, the source site server device 110, the target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125. When the computer program stored in at least a portion of the server device 105, the source site server device 110, the target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, one or more content provider terminals 125, and other devices is executed, the computer program causes those devices or terminals to execute part or all of the process in the above embodiment.

[Example]
FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which a product/service is purchased by referring to content. The user terminal 120 specifies the content to be referenced and transmits the content identifier of the specified content to the site server device 110/115 (step 1002). In this embodiment, the user terminal 120 acquires the content identifier in advance, for example, the content is displayed in advance on the user terminal 120. The site server device 110/115 specifies the site-related identifier from the constant set as a fixed value (step 1004). The site server device 110/115 specifies the site-related identifier based on the site-related identifier data (FIG. 8) in which its own site identifier is designated as the target site. In another embodiment, the site server device 110/115 may specify the site-related identifier based on the site-related identifier data of a combination of a target site identifier in which its own site identifier is designated as the target site and a source site identifier in which a certain site identifier is designated as the source site.

An example of using both a target site identifier and a source site identifier to identify a site-related identifier is as follows:
The content identifier is unique across all sites. The site server device 110/115 accesses the content registration data (FIG. 4) stored in at least one of the server device 105, the site server device 110, and the site server device 115, and identifies the content identifier in the content registration data based on the received content identifier. The site server device 110/115 identifies the source site identifier associated with the identified content identifier in the content registration data. The site server device 110/115 can identify its own site identifier as the target site identifier, and search for a specific site-related identifier from the site-related identifier data based on the combination of the identified source site identifier and target site identifier.

The site server device 110/115 transmits the site-related identifier and the content identifier to the server device 105 (step 1006). The server device 105 acquires the item identifier associated with the content identifier from the content registration data (FIG. 4) based on the content identifier (step 1008). The server device 105 transmits the transmitted site-related identifier and content identifier, and the acquired item identifier to the user terminal 120, either via the site server device 110/115 or without passing through the site server device 110/115 (step 1010).

The user terminal 120 stores the received site-related identifier, content identifier, and item identifier (step 1012). The user terminal 120 transmits the item identifier to the site server device 110/115 (step 1014). The site server device 110/115 identifies the source site item identifier associated with the received item identifier (step 1016). For example, the site server device 110/115 accesses the item correspondence data (FIG. 7) stored in at least one of the server device 105, the site server device 110, and the site server device 115, and uses the received item identifier as the target site item identifier to identify the source site item identifier associated with the received item identifier in the item correspondence data. The site server device 110/115 transmits the source site item identifier to the user terminal 120 (step 1016). The user terminal 120 stores the source site item identifier in association with the site-related identifier, content identifier, and item identifier (this item identifier is used as the target site item identifier) previously stored in step 1012 (step 1020).

The user can purchase an item related to the referenced content via the user terminal 120. For example, the user terminal 120 can use an EC site or other means to present the user with content related to the item, and the EC site can allow the user to purchase the item related to the content after the user references the content. When a purchase is made, the user terminal 120 transmits information identifying the user and the target site item identifier to the site server device 110/115 (step 1022). This allows the site server device 110/115 to carry out purchase processing, payment processing, delivery processing, and the like for the item corresponding to the target site item identifier based on the information identifying the user and the target site item identifier.

The user terminal 120 transmits the site-related identifier, the source site item identifier, and the content identifier to the server device 105 (step 1024). The server device 105 can determine the purchased item and the source site and target site of the content based on the received site-related identifier, source site item identifier, and content identifier. The server device 105 can also identify the content provider from the content provider identifier in the content registration data (FIG. 4) based on the content identifier. The server device 105 can identify that the content was sold at the source site or the target site from the site-related identifier, and can therefore measure the contribution of the content provider for each source site and target site. In step 1024, the user terminal 120 may transmit the sales amount to the server device 105. This allows the server device 105 to measure the contribution based on the sales amount.

In each of the embodiments described above, the server device 105, the source site server device 110, the target site server device 115, one or more user terminals 120, and one or more content provider terminals 125 may be realized by their own hardware, or some or all of them may be realized as integrated hardware.

[others]
It will be understood that in the above embodiments, some or all of the elements described as being implemented in hardware may be implemented in software, and some or all of the elements described as being implemented in software may be implemented in hardware.

In the processes or processing sequences described above, the processes or processing sequences can be freely changed as long as no inconsistencies arise in the processes or processing sequences, such as when a process uses data that is not yet available to that process.

Regarding each of the embodiments described above, some or all of the embodiments may be combined to realize a single embodiment.

The above-described embodiments are merely examples for explaining the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention.

105: Server device 110: Source site server device 115: Target site server device 120: One or more user terminals 125: One or more content provider terminals

Claims (6)

1. A system comprising:
a server device that associates an item or information about the item, content information that is information about a content related to the item or the content related to the item, and a site identifier of a source site;
a source site server device that manages a source site that provides the content to a user and allows the user to purchase the item by using the content;
a target site server device that acquires the content information of the source site and manages a target site that provides the content to users;
The server device has an association identifier that associates the source site with the target site, and transmits the site association identifier to the target site server device;
The target site server device transmits the site-related identifier and the content information to the server device in response to a user's use of the content at the target site. The system of claim 1, wherein the user's use of the content at the target site includes the user purchasing the item by referring to the content on the target site server device. the server device associates a source site item identifier that identifies an item at the source site with a content identifier that identifies content related to the item;
the target site server device associates the source site item identifier with a target site item identifier that is an identifier in the target site of the item identified by the source site item identifier;
The system of claim 1, wherein the target site server device further obtains a source site item identifier associated with the content from the server device based on the content information, and identifies the source site item identifier of the content based on the target site item identifier associated with the content in response to usage of the content at the target site. The system of claim 3, wherein the target site server device transmits the source site item identifier to the server device in response to identifying the source site item identifier of the content. The system according to claim 3, wherein the server device determines that the user at the target site has used the content based on the site-related identifier, the content information, the target site identifier, and the source site item identifier. A server device that communicates with a source site server device that manages a source site that provides content to a user and allows the user to purchase an item by using the content, and a target site server device that acquires the content information of the source site and manages a target site that provides the content to the user,
Associating an item or information about the item with content information that is information about the content related to the item or the content related to the item, and a site identifier of a source site;
a link identifier for linking the source site and the target site, the link identifier being transmitted to the target site server device;
A server device configured to receive from the target site server device the site-related identifier, the content information, and a site identifier of a site managed by the target site server device in response to a user's use of the content at the target site.

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