Personalization in E-commerce using profiles similarity

• Author: Lixandroiu R., Maican C.
• Pages: 275-280

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 8 (57) No. 1 - 2015

Personalization in E-commerce using profiles

similarity

Radu LIXANDROIU1, Cătălin MAICAN2

Abstract: Understanding the use needs is one of the key factors of an online project. If these

needs are quickly identified, the customer can be offered the best products immediately.

Creating profiles allows the identification and communication of needs efficiently and

effectively. Basically if these profiles are well established, it remains to identify just which is

the closest profile to the online client. Profiling is a useful tool in marketing, increasing the

functionality of sales application. These tools fall into customer-oriented tools, together with

the analytical techniques ones and those suggesting the desired products.

Key-words: web personalization, customer profile, e-commerce.

1. Introduction

Before the sales process takes place, an important step can be established consisting

in understanding the user needs on different levels or purposes. There are many

ways to identify user needs, such as interviews, discussions or supervision.

However, an increasingly important role has lately been represented by the use of

client profiles. (Chen Yi-Shin et al.,), (Calabria 2004)

This article aims to make an analysis regarding the methods for creating and

analysing client profiles.

Profiles are human archetypes that are characterized by the specific needs of

online customers, which may be extended to a group of users based on common

goals or personal characteristics. User profiles identify motivations and goals that

lead them to a certain behavior. Although profiles are fiction, they identify

characteristics of real users. (Schubert), (Sin Liem Gai et al.), (Calabria 2004)

2. The advantages of using profiles in online marketing

New Internet marketing techniques based on customer profiles focus on goal,

customizing the information for each user groups.(Trajkova, Joana et al.)

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, lixi.radu@unitbv.ro

2 Transilvania University of Braşov, maican@unitbv.ro