Method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing real time incentives

• US 10,304,077 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Merz, Michael, Jungmeisteris, Kevin, Arp, Brandon, Velmurugan, Selvam, Prasad, Abhishek
• Primary Examiner(s): Detweiler, James M
• Application Number:
  US14/038,949
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history

Abstract

Methods, apparatus and computer program products are provided for providing real time incentives during browsing sessions on a promotional system. The real time incentives may convert browsing consumers to buyers by providing incentives (e.g., discounts) that may be redeemed during the browsing sessions. Qualification constraints may be evaluated using an event handler to determine whether an incentive should be offered. Participation constraints may define terms which should be met for a consumer to redeem the incentive.

Claims

1. A method for providing an incentive on a promotional system during a browsing session, the method comprising:

providing a computer program routine to a device, the computer program routine configured to generate consumer event indications;

accessing a promotion via a promotional system, the promotion comprising at least a service or product offered by a provider, an accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase via the promotional system, and a promotional value for which the promotion is redeemable at the provider for the service or product;

causing an impression to be rendered in a web interface on the device during the browsing session, wherein the impression identifies the promotion and indicates at least the service or product offered by a provider, the accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase, and the promotional value for which the promotion is redeemable at a provider;

receiving a plurality of consumer event indications from the computer program routine, each consumer event indication a result of a consumer performing at least one monitored action while interacting with the promotional system during the rendering of the impression in the web interface during the browsing session, wherein each consumer event indication is captured by an event handler in an instance in which the consumer performs the at least one action;

iteratively calculating, during the rendering of the impression in the web interface during the browsing session, at least one of (i) an elapsed amount of time spent browsing the promotion or (ii) an elapsed amount of time of the browsing session, based at least in part on the received plurality of consumer event indications;

determining, with a processor remote from the device and during the rendering of the impression in the web interface during the browsing session, that an event handler criteria for offering the incentive is satisfied based at least in part on (i) an evaluation of an identification of the consumer based on a user id, (ii) a determination that the consumer is using a new device, and (iii) a determination that one or more qualification constraints are satisfied based on at least one of the elapsed amount of time spent browsing the promotion or the elapsed amount of time of the browsing session, each qualification constraint associated with a respective incentive stored in an incentive database;

authorizing the incentive during the rendering of the impression in the web interface during the browsing session based on the determination that the event handler criteria for offering the incentive is satisfied;

in response to the authorization of the incentive, accessing a value of the incentive stored in the incentive database, wherein the value of the incentive is a percentage of the promotional value;

accessing a predefined weight to be applied to the value of the incentive by determining a frequency of purchases of promotions by the consumer via the promotional system during a predefined time period prior to the browsing session;

weighting the value of the incentive by the accessed predefined weight; and

in response to the authorization of the incentive, causing the web interface in which the impression is rendered during the browsing session to be modified such that an incentive indication is displayed with the impression, wherein the incentive indication comprises at least the weighted value of the incentive, wherein the promotion provides the service or product at a first discount according to the accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase and the promotional value for which the promotion is redeemable at a provider, and wherein the weighted value of the incentive is a second discount to be applied to the accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one consumer event indication further indicates the consumer using a mobile application for a first time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event handler criteria further comprises at least one of a number of viewed promotions in the browsing session or an elapsed amount of time since a previous browsing session.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving participation constraints to be associated with the incentive, wherein the incentive indication comprises the participation constraints; and

enforcing the participation constraints during redemption of the incentive in the browsing session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentive is redeemable only for a predetermined amount of time and only during the browsing session.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing analytics data based on usage of a plurality of incentives, the analytics data relating to at least one of a percentage of offered incentives redeemed, revenue received from purchases using incentives, elapsed time between an incentive offering and redemption, or consumer characteristics of consumers who redeemed incentives.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a control group based on the event handler criteria being satisfied;

preventing incentives from being provided during a browsing session associated with the control group;

identifying a treatment grouped based on the event handler criteria being satisfied;

providing incentives during a browsing session associated with the treatment group; and

generating analytics data based on a comparison of purchase data from the control group and purchase data from the treatment group.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving incentive information comprising qualification constraints and participation constraints; and

storing the incentive information in a database.

9. An apparatus for providing an incentive on a promotional system during a browsing session, the apparatus comprising;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least,

provide a computer program routine to a device, the computer program routine configured to generate consumer event indications;

access a promotion via a promotional system, the promotion comprising at least a service or product offered by a provider, an accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase via the promotional system, and a promotional value for which the promotion is redeemable at the provider for the service or product;

cause an impression to be rendered in a web interface on the device during the browsing session, wherein the impression identifies the promotion and indicates at least the service or product offered by a provider, the accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase, and the promotional value for which the promotion is redeemable at a provider;

receive a plurality of consumer event indications from the computer program routine, each consumer event indication a result of a consumer performing at least one monitored action while interacting with the promotional system during the rendering of the impression in the web interface during the browsing session, wherein each consumer event indication is captured by an event handler in an instance in which the consumer performs the at least one action;

determine, during the rendering of the impression in the web interface during the browsing session, that an event handler criteria for offering the incentive is satisfied based at least in part on (i) an evaluation of an identification of the consumer based on a user id, (ii) a determination that the consumer is using a new device, and (iii) a determination that one or more qualification constraints are satisfied based on at least one of the elapsed amount of time spent browsing the promotion or the elapsed amount of time of the browsing session, each qualification constraint associated with a respective incentive stored in an incentive database;

authorize the incentive during the rendering of the impression in the web interface during the browsing session based on the determination that the event handler criteria for offering the incentive is satisfied;

in response to the authorization of the incentive, access a value of the incentive stored in the incentive database, wherein the value of the incentive is a percentage of the promotional value based on the consumer event indication and a real time promotional value of a promotion provided in the current browsing session;

access a predefined weight to be applied to the value of the incentive by determining a frequency of purchases of promotions by the consumer via the promotional system during a predefined time period prior to the browsing session;

weight the value of the incentive by the accessed predefined weight; and

in response to the authorization of the incentive, cause the web interface in which the impression is rendered during the browsing session to be modified such that an incentive indication is displayed with the impression, wherein the incentive indication comprises at least the weighted value of the incentive, wherein the promotion provides the service or product at a first discount according to the accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase and the promotional value for which the promotion is redeemable at a provider, and wherein the weighted value of the incentive is a second discount to be applied to the accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to at least:

receive participation constraints to be associated with the incentive, wherein the incentive indication comprises the participation constraints; and

enforce the participation constraints during redemption of the incentive in the browsing session.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to at least:

provide analytics data based on usage of a plurality of incentives, the analytics data relating to at least one of a percentage of offered incentives redeemed, revenue received from purchases using incentives, elapsed time between an incentive offering and redemption, or consumer characteristics of consumers who redeemed incentives.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the event handler criteria further comprises at least one of a number of viewed promotions in the browsing session or an elapsed amount of time since a previous browsing session.

13. A non-transitory computer program product for providing an incentive on a promotional system during a browsing session, the non-transitory computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to:

provide a computer program routine to a device, the computer program routine configured to generate consumer event indications;

access a promotion via a promotional system, the promotion comprising at least a service or product offered by a provider, an accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase via the promotional system, and a promotional value for which the promotion is redeemable at the provider for the service or product;

cause an impression to be rendered in a web interface on the device during the browsing session, wherein the impression identifies the promotion and indicates at least the service or product offered by a provider, the accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase, and the promotional value for which the promotion is redeemable at a provider;

receive a plurality of consumer event indications from the computer program routine, each consumer event indication a result of a consumer performing at least one monitored action while interacting with the promotional system during the rendering of the impression in the web interface during the browsing session, wherein each consumer event indication is captured by an event handler in an instance in which the consumer performs the at least one action;

determine, during the rendering of the impression in the web interface during the browsing session, that an event handler criteria for offering the incentive is satisfied based at least in part on (i) an evaluation of an identification of the consumer based on a user id, (ii) a determination that the consumer is using a new device, and (iii) a determination that one or more qualification constraints are satisfied based on at least one of the elapsed amount of time spent browsing the promotion or the elapsed amount of time of the browsing session, each qualification constraint associated with a respective incentive stored in an incentive database;

authorize the incentive during the rendering of the impression in the web interface during the browsing session based on the determination that the event handler criteria for offering the incentive is satisfied;

in response to the authorization of the incentive, access a value of the incentive stored in the incentive database, wherein the value of the incentive is a percentage of the promotional value based on the consumer event indication and a real time promotional value of a promotion provided in the current browsing session;

access a predefined weight to be applied to the value of the incentive by determining a frequency of purchases of promotions by the consumer via the promotional system during a predefined time period prior to the browsing session;

weight the value of the incentive by the accessed predefined weight; and

in response to the authorization of the incentive, cause the web interface in which the impression is rendered during the browsing session to be modified such that an incentive indication is displayed with the impression, wherein the incentive indication comprises at least the weighted value of the incentive, wherein the promotion provides the service or product at a first discount according to the accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase and the promotional value for which the promotion is redeemable at a provider, and wherein the weighted value of the incentive is a second discount to be applied to the accepted value for which the promotion is offered for purchase.