U.S. patent application number 12/266691 was filed with the patent office on 2009-05-07 for coupon generation and redemption system.
This patent application is currently assigned to In-Store Promotions, Inc.. Invention is credited to Stefan Lawrence Pfister.
Application Number | 20090119174 12/266691 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40589151 |
Filed Date | 2009-05-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090119174 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pfister; Stefan Lawrence |
May 7, 2009 |
COUPON GENERATION AND REDEMPTION SYSTEM
Abstract
A coupon generation and redemption system presenting a consumer
with at least one product on which at least one promotion is
available. The consumer selects at least one of the at least one
product for which the consumer desires to receive at least one
coupon. The at least one coupon is generated. The consumer
purchases the at least one product referenced in the at least one
coupon. The consumer redeems the at least one coupon.
Inventors: |
Pfister; Stefan Lawrence;
(St. Louis Park, MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DICKE, BILLIG & CZAJA
FIFTH STREET TOWERS, 100 SOUTH FIFTH STREET, SUITE 2250
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402
US
|
Assignee: |
In-Store Promotions, Inc.
Roseville
MN
|
Family ID: |
40589151 |
Appl. No.: |
12/266691 |
Filed: |
November 7, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60986285 |
Nov 7, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.26 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0222 20130101;
G06Q 30/02 20130101; G06Q 30/0237 20130101; G06Q 30/0225 20130101;
G06Q 30/0224 20130101; G06Q 30/0235 20130101; G06Q 30/0207
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20060101
G06Q030/00 |
Claims
1. A coupon generation and redemption system comprising: presenting
a consumer with at least one product on which at least one
promotion is available; selecting at least one of the at least one
product for which the consumer desires to receive at least one
coupon; generating at least one coupon; purchasing the at least one
product referenced in the at least one coupon; and redeeming the at
least one coupon.
2. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 1, wherein
a redemption value of the at least one coupon is determined by at
least one of a day on which the at least one coupon is generated, a
time of day on which the at least one coupon is generated, a day on
which the at least one coupon is redeemable and a time of day on
which the at least one coupon is redeemable.
3. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 1, wherein
a redemption value of the at least one coupon varies based upon the
amount of time from which the at least one coupon was
generated.
4. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 1, wherein
a redemption value of the at least one coupon is determined by the
prior purchasing activities of the consumer that generates the at
least one coupon.
5. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 1, wherein
a redemption value of the at least one coupon is determined by the
prior purchasing activities of a group of consumers that have
generated the at least one coupon.
6. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 1, wherein
the at least one coupon may be generated at a kiosk located in the
store at which the at least one coupon is redeemable, on a
computer, on a mobile communication device or combination
thereof.
7. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 1, and
further comprising electronically processing the at least one
coupon for reimbursement.
8. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 7, wherein
electronically processing the at least one coupon comprises
comparing the at least one product referenced on the at least one
coupon to the list of products sold at the store where the at least
one coupon is redeemed.
9. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 1, wherein
the at least one coupon is only redeemable at particular
stores.
10. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 1, wherein
the at least one coupon includes information on a location in the
store in which the at least one product referenced in the at least
one coupon may be located.
11. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 1, wherein
the at least one coupon is generated proximate to a time when the
at least one coupon is to be redeemed to encourage the consumer to
select the at least one product referenced in the at least one
coupon.
12. The coupon generation and redemption system of claim 1, wherein
the at least one coupon has a short period of time in which the at
least one coupon may be redeemed.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Applic.
No. 60/986,285, filed Nov. 7, 2007, the contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates generally to coupons. More
particularly, the invention relates to a coupon generation and
redemption system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] One of the promotional techniques used by manufacturers and
retailers to encourage the purchase of particular products is
coupons. Coupons typically offer a monetary discount on the
specified product.
[0004] There are two types of coupons--manufacturer coupons and
store coupons. Manufacturer coupons are distributed by the
manufacturer of a particular product and are redeemable by
consumers at a variety of retailers that sell the specified
products. Store coupons in contrast are distributed by a particular
store and may only be redeemed at the specified store.
[0005] While store coupons are processed by the store where
redeemed, manufacturer coupons are typically processed by a coupon
clearinghouse that sort the coupons for particular manufacturers
and then submit the data to the manufacturers requesting payment
for the coupons along with a processing fee being submitted to the
retailers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An embodiment of the invention is directed to a coupon
generation and redemption system that not only enhances the
incentives for the consumer to redeem the coupon but also reduces
the costs associated with processing the redeemed coupon and
reduces fraud associated with coupon redemption.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0007] The invention is directed to a coupon generation and
redemption system. The coupon generation and redemption system
enables stores and manufacturers to increase the efficiency and
decrease fraud associated with coupon generation and
redemption.
[0008] In contrast from manufacturer coupons, the coupon generation
and redemption system generates coupons that may only be redeemable
at the store (or chain) in which it was issued. This system thereby
supports product manufacturer objective to limit or target
promotional dollars to a specific retail account. Since the coupons
cannot be redeemed at other stores, the coupon generation and
redemption system provides exclusivity to the retail store (or
chain).
[0009] Coupons produced using the coupon generation and redemption
system may have a different look and feel than manufacturer coupons
and store coupons. Since the coupons are typically only valid at a
particular store, the name of the store may be printed on the
coupon.
[0010] To aid the consumer in locating the product referenced on
the coupon in the store, the location of the item in the store such
as the aisle may be printed on the coupons produced using the
coupon generation and redemption system.
[0011] The coupons produced using the coupon generation and
redemption system may be produced proximate to the time when the
consumer will be shopping for the products identified in the
coupons. For example, the coupons may be produced using a kiosk
that is located inside of or adjacent to the retail store where the
coupons will be used. One such system is described in U.S. Pat. No.
6,151,587, which is assigned to the assignee of the present patent
application.
[0012] Using such a kiosk in conjunction with the coupon generation
and redemption system enables the coupons to be frequently changed
based upon a variety of factors such as the day of the week, the
time of day and the weather. The kiosk also interacts with the
consumer just prior to the consumer selecting products and thereby
has the potential of increasing the influence of the consumer's
purchasing selections.
[0013] Alternatively, the coupon generation and redemption system
may be implemented using other techniques such as selecting and
printing the coupons on a home or office computer such as by
accessing a web site using the internet or other computer
network.
[0014] It is also possible to generate the coupons on an electronic
device such as a mobile computing device, an example of which is a
mobile communication device. The facilitate redeeming the coupon, a
code and/or a graphic such as a bar code may be displayed on the
mobile computing device.
[0015] Yet another technique for redeeming the coupon is to
associate the coupon with a card such as a credit card or an
affinity card. Generating the coupon in this manner would enable
the coupon to be redeemed when the card to which the coupon is
associated is processed during the purchase of the product
referenced in the coupon.
[0016] Coupons generated using the coupon generation and redemption
system may have a short time of validity before expiration, such as
expiring on the same day that the coupon is generated.
[0017] Through the use of a time of validity that is much shorter
than conventional manufacturer and store coupons, the coupon
generation and redemption system supports both the retailer and
product manufacturer objective of achieving an immediate call to
action and the related purchase of a featured item.
[0018] The value of the coupon may be variable depending on factors
such as prior purchasing activities of the consumer that is
desiring to print the coupon or the prior purchasing activities of
the group of consumers that use the coupon generation system.
[0019] The value of the coupon may also vary depending the since
the coupon has been generated and/or the time until the coupon
expires. For example, during each increment of time since the
coupon was generated, the value of the coupon may decrease.
[0020] Data generated from the use of coupons generated using the
coupon generation and redemption system may be electronically
accessible for review at the completion of a related transaction.
Providing such data gives immediate control over the level of
redemptions, as well as the ability to make immediate adjustments
to the offer based on actual redemption experience. In contrast,
data derived from redemption of manufacturer coupons and store
coupons may have delayed availability because of manual processing
of such coupons.
[0021] The coupon generation and redemption system enables coupons
to be electronically processed for reimbursement by the product
manufacturer. Electronically processing coupons reduces the time,
hassle and money typically associated with retailers and
manufacturers handling a paper coupon and processing them for
reimbursement through a clearinghouse.
[0022] Electronically processing coupons using the coupon
generation and redemption system provides the retailer and
manufacturer with greatly enhanced auditing capabilities including
the day and time of each purchase, the total amount of the
purchase, the other products that were purchased in the transaction
and the register where the transaction was made.
[0023] When consumers attempt to redeem coupons produced using the
coupon generation and redemption system, the system validates the
coupon to a specific list of products, as opposed to using a
manufacturer code and a more generic product family code that is
typically used with manufacturer coupons.
[0024] The coupon generation and redemption system thereby avoids
the potential for mis-redemptions or the prospect of fraud due to a
lack of one-to-one pairing either in the redemption of the coupon
by the consumer or by the retailer.
[0025] Product manufacturers are only billed based on actual
redemption data with coupons produced using the coupon generation
and redemption system. This pay-for-performance model is in
contrast to manufacturer coupons which are pay-by-print and store
coupons which are typically supported through a generalized basket
of product manufacturer trade funds.
[0026] It is contemplated that features disclosed in this
application, as well as those described in the above applications
incorporated by reference, can be mixed and matched to suit
particular circumstances. Various other modifications and changes
will be apparent to those of ordinary skill.
* * * * *