SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADMINISTERING PROMOTIONS

• US 20010018665A1
• Filed: 08/30/1999
• Published: 08/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCH Marketing Services Incorporated (MX Holdings One LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nuworld Marketing Ltd.
• Inventors: Sullivan, Thomas J., Arenson, Suzanne K., Lewright, Dorr H., Hackett, Kathy S., Windish, Richard J., Campbell, Joica C., Trattner, Joseph M., Colunga, George
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0248 Avoiding fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures

Abstract

Abstract of Disclosure

A system for administering scan-based promotions involving manufacturers and retailers. The system records the terms of the promotion, ensures that the promotion is conducted in compliance with the agreed terms, settles the promotion and provides continual promotion progress for review by the retailers and the manufacturers.

Claims

1.  

 

 

1. A method for administering a promotion for a product involving a manufacturer and a retailer having at least one store with an in-store POS system, said method comprising the steps of;

 

 

 

capturing terms of the promotion;

 

 

 

storing the terms of the promotion in a database;

 

 

 

collecting product POS data from at least one in-store POS system of the retailer;

 

 

 

filtering the product POS data to obtain promoted product POS data;

 

 

 

processing the promoted product POS data in accordance with the terms of the promotion to determine an amount of money the manufacturer owes to the retailer for the promotion; and

 

 

 

facilitating the manufacturer'"'"'s payment of the amount of money owed to the retailer for the promotion.

2.  

 

 

2. The method of

Claim 1

, which further includes the step of enabling the retailer and the manufacturer to access the terms of the promotion stored in the database to verify the terms of the promotion.

3.  

 

 

3. The method of

Claim 1

, which further includes the step of enabling the retailer to change the terms of the promotion prior to the start of the promotion, capturing the changed terms of the promotion and storing the changed terms of the promotion in the database.

4.  

 

 

4. The method of

Claim 3

, which further includes the step of enabling the retailer and the manufacturer to access the terms of the promotion stored in the database to verify the terms of the promotion and to determine if the retailer changed the terms of the promotion.

5.  

 

 

5. The method of

Claim 2

, which further includes the step of enabling the retailer and the manufacturer to access the processed promoted product POS data to determine the number of promoted products sold during the promotion.

6.  

 

 

6. The method of

Claim 5

, which further includes the step of enabling the retailer and the manufacturer to access the processed promoted product POS data to determine the amount of money the manufacturer owes to the retailer for the promotion.

7.  

 

 

7. The method of

Claim 6

, wherein the retailer and manufacturer use the internet to access the stored terms of the promotion, the number of promoted products sold during the promotion and the amount of money the manufacturer owes to the retailer.

8.  

 

 

8. The method of

Claim 1

, wherein the step of storing the terms of the promotion includes storing the terms of the promotion in at least one predefined table.

9.  

 

 

9. The method of

Claim 8

, wherein the step of storing the terms of the promotion includes creating a UPC list for the promoted products.

10.  

 

 

10. The method of

Claim 9

, wherein the step of storing the terms of the promotion includes generating a complete UPC code list of all of the UPC codes offered by the manufacturer.

11.  

 

 

11. The method of

Claim 10

, wherein the step of storing the terms of the promotion includes selecting additional products being promoted from the complete UPC code list.

12.  

 

 

12. The method of

Claim 1

, wherein the retailer has a plurality of stores with in-store POS systems and the step of collecting the product POS data includes collecting product POS data from the plurality of stores and consolidating all of the collected product POS data.

13.  

 

 

13. The method of

Claim 12

, wherein the step of filtering the product POS data includes the step of generating a table of UPC codes for products active in the promotion.

14.  

 

 

14. The method of

Claim 12

, wherein the step of filtering the product POS data includes the step of comparing the product POS data to the table of UPC codes to obtain the promoted product POS data.

15.  

 

 

15. The method of

Claim 1

, which further includes the step of verifying that the promoted product POS data is within acceptable tolerances.

16.  

 

 

16. The method of

Claim 15

, which includes the step of comparing the promoted product POS data for a period after the beginning of the promotion with product POS data for the same products for a period prior to the beginning of the promotion.

17.  

 

 

17. The method of

Claim 1

, wherein processing the promoted product POS data in accordance with the terms of the promotion includes creating at least one settlement table which includes the number of promoted products sold by the retailer during the promotion, discounts given to consumers on the promoted products during the promotion, and the amount of money the manufacturer owes to the retailer for the promotion.

18.  

 

 

18. The method of

Claim 1

, wherein the step of facilitating the manufacturer'"'"'s payment to the retailer includes paying the retailer using an electronic funds transfer.

19.  

 

 

19. The method of

Claim 1

, wherein the step of facilitating the manufacturer'"'"'s payment to the retailer includes sending an invoice to the manufacturer for payment, collecting the money the manufacturer owes to the retailer and paying the retailer the amount of money owed to the retailer.

20.  

 

 

20. The method of

Claim 1

, wherein the step of facilitating the manufacturer'"'"'s payment to the retailer includes sending notices to the retailer and the manufacturer of the amount of money owed by the manufacturer to the retailer, the retailer deducting the amount of money from a manufacturer invoice and identifying the manufacturer invoice number and the deduction to the manufacturer.

21.  

 

 

21. The method of

Claim 1

, which further includes the step of aggregating all of the promoted product POS data for a plurality of promotions of products from the manufacturer.

22.  

 

 

22. The method of

Claim 21

, which further includes the step of processing the aggregated promoted product POS data for a plurality of retailers for the manufacturer.

23.  

 

 

23. A system for administering a promotion for a product involving a manufacturer and a retailer having at least one store with an in-store POS system, said system comprising;

 

 

 

means for capturing terms of at least one promotion;

 

 

 

means for collecting product POS data from at least one in-store POS system of the retailer;

 

 

 

means for filtering the product POS data to obtain promoted product POS data;

 

 

 

means for determining the amount of money the manufacturer owes to the retailer based on the promoted product POS data and the terms of the promotion; and

 

 

 

means for paying the retailer the amount of money determined to be owed to the retailer by the manufacturer for the promotion.

24.  

 

 

24. The system of

Claim 23

, wherein the retailer has a plurality of stores with in-store POS systems and the collection means collects product POS data from the plurality of retailer stores and consolidates the product POS data into a consolidated file for transfer to the filtering means.

25.  

 

 

25. The system of

Claim 24

, wherein the filtering means includes means for comparing the product POS data to a list of UPCs for the promotion to obtain the promoted product POS data.

26.  

 

 

26. The system of

Claim 25

, where the determining means includes means for verifying that the promoted product POS data is within acceptable tolerances for the promoted product.

27.  

 

 

27. The system of

Claim 23

, which further includes means for reporting the promoted product POS data to the retailer and the manufacturer.

28.  

 

 

28. The system of

Claim 27

, wherein the reporting means reports the promoted product POS data via the internet.

29.  

 

 

29. The system of

Claim 23

, wherein the determining means aggregates the promoted product POS data for a plurality of products for the manufacturer.

30.  

 

 

30. A method for administering a plurality of promotions for products involving a manufacturer and a retailer having at least one store with an in-store POS system, said method comprising the steps of;

 

 

 

storing the terms of the promotions in a first database;

 

 

 

copying the terms of the promotions to a second database;

 

 

 

providing the retailer and manufacturer access to the first database to verify the terms of the promotions;

 

 

 

collecting the product POS data during the promotions from at least one in-store POS system of the retailer;

 

 

 

filtering the product POS data to obtain promoted product POS data;

 

 

 

storing the promoted product POS data in the first database;

 

 

 

copying the promoted product POS data to the second database;

 

 

 

determining the amount of money the manufacturer owes to the retailer based on the promoted product POS data and the terms of the promotion;

 

 

 

storing the amount of money the manufacturer owes the retailer on the first database;

 

 

 

copying the amount of money the manufacturer owes the retailer to the second database;

 

 

 

providing the retailer and manufacturer access to the first database during the product promotion to determine the amount of money the manufacturer owes the retailer for the promotion; and

 

 

 

facilitating payment to the retailer of the amount of money determined to be owed to the retailer by the manufacturer.

31.  

 

 

31. The method of

Claim 30

, which further includes the step of aggregating all of the promoted product POS data for a plurality of promotions of products from the manufacturer.

32.  

 

 

32. The method of

Claim 31

, which further includes the step of processing the aggregated promoted product POS data for a plurality of retailers for the manufacturer.

33.  

 

 

33. A method for enabling a retailer and a manufacturer involved in a plurality of promotions for a plurality of products to verify the terms of the promotions, said method comprising the steps of;

 

 

 

capturing the terms of the promotions;

 

 

 

storing the terms of the promotions in a database; and

 

 

 

enabling the retailer and the manufacturer to access the database to determine the stored terms of the promotions.

34.  

 

 

34. The method of

Claim 33

, wherein the step of enabling the retailer and manufacturer to access the database to determine the terms of the promotions includes enabling the retailer and manufacturer to access the database through the internet.

35.  

 

 

35. The method of

Claim 34

, which further includes the step of enabling the retailer to change the terms of the promotions prior to the start of the promotions, capturing the changed terms of the promotions and storing the changed terms of the promotions in the database.

36.  

 

 

36. The method of

Claim 35

, which further includes the step of enabling the retailer and the manufacturer to access the terms of the promotions stored in the database to verify the terms of the promotions and to determine if the retailer changed the terms of the promotions.

37.  

 

 

37. A system for administering promotions, said system comprising;

 

 

 

an independent system having a processor and database adapted to capture and store the terms of the promotions, to collect promoted product POS data for the promotions, to process the collected promoted product POS data in accordance with the terms of the promotions to determine an amount of money the manufacturer owes to the retailer for the promotions, and to facilitate the manufacturer'"'"'s payment of the amount of money determined to be owed to the retailer for the promotions;

 

 

 

a retailer system in communication with the independent system, having a processor adapted to collect promoted product POS data from a plurality of retailer stores, to consolidate the promoted product POS data, and to transfer the promoted product POS data for the promotions to the independent system; and

 

 

 

a manufacturer system in communication with the independent system.

38.  

 

 

38. The system of

Claim 37

, wherein the independent system is adapted provide the retailer system and the manufacturer system access to the independent system database to verify the terms of the promotions, to determine the number of promoted products sold during the promotions and to determine the amount of money the manufacturer owes to the retailer for the promotions.

39.  

 

 

39. The system of

Claim 38

, wherein the independent system provides the manufacturer system and the retailer system access to the independent through the internet.

40.  

 

 

40. The system of

Claim 37

, wherein the independent system is adapted to generate a table of UPC codes that are active in the promotions and to transfer said table of UPC codes to the retailers system.

41.  

 

 

41. The system of

Claim 40

, wherein the retailer system is adapted to collect product POS data for all of the products it sells and to use the table of UPC codes to filter the product POS data to obtain promoted product POS data.

42.  

 

 

42. The system of

Claim 37

, wherein the independent system is adapted to verify that the promoted product POS data is within acceptable tolerances.

43.  

 

 

43. The system of

Claim 37

, wherein the independent system is adapted to aggregate all of the promoted product POS data for a plurality of promoted products for the manufacturer.

44.  

 

 

44. The system of

Claim 43

, wherein the independent system is adapted to process the aggregated promoted product POS data for a plurality of retailers for the manufacturer.