System and method for providing incentives to customers over a computer network

• US 20020095337A1
• Filed: 11/21/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Platform-A Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Platform-A Incorporated
• Inventors: Velthuis, Adrian, Schleider, Aleck
• Application Number:
  US09/989,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20020095337A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A method is described for providing purchasing incentives to consumers, comprising transmitting a prompt for information from a main computer to a personal computer over a computer network, said prompt including incentive data such as coupon information, transmitting said information from said personal computer to said main computer over said computer network in response to said prompt, said information including a wireless telephone number; transmitting said incentive data from said main computer to a wireless device designated by said wireless telephone, storing said incentive data in said wireless device; and displaying said incentive data to a retailer to redeem the incentive, such as a coupon.

Claims

1. A method for providing purchasing incentives to customers, comprising:

transmitting a coupon from a first computer to a second computer;

displaying the coupon on the second computer; and

showing the displayed coupon to a retailer to redeem the coupon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step further includes transmitting a coupon from the first computer to the second computer, provided the second computer has received less than a predetermined number of coupons.

3. The method of claim 1, where the displaying step further comprises displaying a subset of information associated with the coupon to accommodate display characteristics of the second computer.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the displaying step further comprises displaying a subset of information associated with the coupon to accommodate display characteristics of the second computer.

4. A method for providing purchasing incentives to customers, comprising:

transmitting an advertisement from a first computer to a second computer, said advertisement offering a purchasing incentive to a customer;

inputting information into the second computer, wherein the inputted information directs a third computer to transmit a coupon associated with the advertisement to a computer associated with the inputted information;

transmitting the inputted information to the third computer; and

transmitting the coupon to the computer associated with the inputted information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting an advertisement from a first computer to a second computer, further comprises the step of transmitting a web page depicting the advertisement from the first computer to the second computer.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting the coupon to the computer associated with the inputted information, further comprises transmitting the coupon to a printer.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting the coupon to the computer associated with the inputted information, further comprises transmitting the coupon to a display.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the display is associated with a wireless telephone.

9. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer to perform a method for providing incentives to customers, the method comprising:

transmitting a coupon from a first computer to a second computer;

displaying the coupon on the second computer; and

showing the displayed coupon to a retailer to redeem the coupon.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the transmitting step further includes transmitting a coupon from the first computer to the second computer, provided the second computer has received less than a predetermined number of coupons.