Method and system for redeeming product marketing rebates

• US 20020161641A1
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plusnetmarketing Incorporated, The Ohana Companies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Plusnetmarketing Incorporated
• Inventors: Hayward, Jonathan W., Devlin, Edward A., Quinlan, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,600 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 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures

Abstract

A method for processing a rebate claim. The method comprises providing a web site accessible by the consumer and integrated with a processing system accessible by the retailer. The processing system receives an identifier of a qualified transaction and/or of the consumer, and receives information from which it can be determined if the qualified transaction at least partially satisfies a rebate offer. Information from the consumer is received on the web site sufficient to match identifying information about the consumer to the information from the retailer and/or sufficient to satisfy conditions for making a rebate claim. The rebate claim is validated and the value of the rebate offer is transferred to the consumer. Embodiments are discussed relating to transactions on a computer network, making rebate claims via a wireless communications device, and use by membership clubs or in conjunction with loyalty cards or other designated cards.

Claims

1. A method for processing a plurality of rebate claims submitted by a plurality of consumers in satisfaction of a plurality of rebate offers each having a value, each consumer having purchased one or more designated products in one or more qualified transactions, each qualified transaction having a transaction code assigned thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a designated site connected to a computer information network and accessible to the plurality of consumers;

(b) receiving a plurality of rebate claims on the designated site, each rebate claim comprising at least one said transaction code corresponding to one or more qualified transactions, and identifying information corresponding to the consumer, wherein each rebate claim is provided by one of;

(i) entry by a fulfillment administrator from information transcribed from a rebate claim submitted by the consumer in a paper format;

(ii) entry by the consumer via access to the designated site through a personal computer connected to the global computer information network;

(iii) entry by the consumer via access to the designated site through a computer located at a retail establishment and connected to the global computer information network;

(iv) entry by the consumer via access to the designated site through a touch-tone telephone;

or

(v) entry via purchase of the one or more designated products by a designated card consumer using a designated card having a card identifier, the designated card comprising one of;

a credit card having a corresponding credit account, a debit card having a corresponding bank or debit account, or a smart card having computerized data storage means;

(c) storing a plurality of stored data records, each stored data record comprising the identifying information corresponding to one consumer, and at least one said transaction code related to a rebate claim from that consumer, including for each designated card consumer, storing at least one designated card stored data record comprising personal information about the designated card consumer and retrievable by the designated card identifier;

(d) receiving an electronic data transfer comprising a plurality of purchase data records, each purchase data record comprising at least (i) a transaction code corresponding to a qualified transaction in which at least one designated product was purchased by a consumer, and (ii) an identification of each designated product purchased by the consumer in the qualified transaction, including for designated card consumers, receiving in the electronic data transfer at least one transaction data record comprising the designated card identifier and the corresponding transaction code;

(e) associating each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record having a matching transaction code, including for designated card consumers, associating the transaction data record with the corresponding designated card stored data record and updating the designated card stored data record to include the transaction code;

(f) processing each stored data record and the corresponding purchase data record associated therewith to validate the rebate claim; and

(g) transferring to each of the plurality of consumers the value of the rebate offers claimed by the consumer, including for designated card consumers, transferring the cash value of the rebate claims to the designated card consumer by crediting one of;

the corresponding credit account, the corresponding bank or debit account, or the smart card computerized data storage means.

2. A system for processing a plurality of rebate claims submitted by a plurality of consumers in satisfaction of a plurality of rebate offers, each rebate offer comprising an offer to provide a value in return for a purchase of a designated product, each consumer having purchased one or more designated products from a participating member of a retail network in a qualified transaction, each qualified transaction assigned a transaction codes by the participating member, the system comprising:

a designated site accessible through a computer information network;

means for receiving a rebate claim data in an electronic format from the plurality of consumers, the rebate claim data for each consumer comprising at least one transaction code and a consumer identifier;

means for storing the rebate claim data as a stored data record and for receiving and storing an electronic file comprising a purchase data record for each qualified transaction, each purchase data record including the transaction code;

means for associating each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record containing a matching transaction code, for processing each stored data record and corresponding purchase data record to validate each rebate claim, and optionally, for checking each validated rebate claim for fraud; and

means for transferring the value of the rebate claim to each consumer.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

means for processing purchases by consumers, to assign each qualified transaction with the transaction code, and to issue means to each consumer comprising a record of the transaction code; and

means for transferring the electronic file.

21. The system of claim 3, wherein the means for processing purchases comprises a purchase site on a computer information network and the system further comprises a link from the purchase site to the designated site.

33. The system of claim 2, further comprising one or more analytical/support tools for analyzing at least data supplied by the stored data records and the purchase data records, supporting a customer service operation, or both.

34. The system of claim 2, wherein the means for transferring the value to the consumer comprises a check drawn on a bank, and the system further comprises means for communication with a processing system of the bank.

4. A system for offering a plurality of rebate offers to a plurality of consumers, each rebate offer comprising an offer to provide a value in return for a purchase of a designated product, the system comprising:

means for processing a plurality of qualified transactions, each qualified transaction comprising a consumer purchase of one or more designated products, said means adapted to assign each qualified transaction with a transaction code, to issue means to each consumer comprising a record of the transaction code; and

means for transferring an electronic file to a system accessible by a consumer via a computer information network for receiving and processing a rebate claim, the electronic file comprising a purchase data record for each qualified transaction, each purchase data record including the transaction code.

22. The system of claim 4, wherein the means for processing purchases comprises a purchase site on a computer information network and the system further comprises a link from the purchase site to a designated site connected to the system accessible by the consumer.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing an analytical tool for detecting potential consumer fraud by indicating if a particular consumer has accessed the designated site and attempted to enter unacceptable information more than a threshold number of times within a predetermined time period.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing an analytical tool for detecting if a particular retailer has communicated to the processing system fewer than a threshold number of purchase data records within a predetermined time period.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving in the processing system information from the retailer pertaining to sales of the at least one designated product for a first time period before the rebate offer went into effect as well as for a second time period after the rebate offer went into effect, and providing an analytical tool for detecting a difference in sales between the first time period and the second time period.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing an analytical tool for displaying the consumer'"'"'s information and information about the consumer'"'"'s interactions with the processing system.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the program further comprises instructions to perform a method step of providing the processing system with one or more analytical/support tools for analyzing data provided by the retailer and the consumer, facilitating customer service operations, or both.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the program further comprises instructions to perform a method step of providing an analytical tool for detecting potential consumer fraud by indicating if a particular consumer has accessed the designated site and attempted to enter unacceptable information more than a threshold number of times within a predetermined time period.

31. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the program further comprises instructions to perform a method step of providing an analytical tool for detecting if a particular retailer has communicated to the processing system fewer than a threshold number of purchase data records within a predetermined time period.

32. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the program further comprises instructions to perform method steps of receiving in the processing system information from the retailer pertaining to sales of the at least one designated product for a first time period before the rebate offer went into effect as well as for a second time period after the rebate offer went into effect, and providing an analytical tool for detecting a difference in sales between the first time period and the second time period.

5. A method for processing a rebate claim submitted by a consumer in satisfaction of a rebate offer having a value, the rebate offer requiring the consumer to purchase at least one designated product in a qualified transaction at a retailer, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a designated site connected to a computer information network, accessible by the consumer, and integrated with a processing system accessible by the retailer;

(b) receiving in the processing system a communication from the retailer comprising a purchase data record for the qualified transaction comprising (i) identifying information corresponding to the qualified transaction, the consumer, or both; and

(ii) information from which it can be determined if the qualified transaction at least partially satisfies the rebate offer;

(c) receiving on the designated site information from the consumer (i) sufficient to match the identifying information corresponding to the consumer to the purchase data record, (ii) sufficient to satisfy conditions for making a rebate claim, or (iii) both (i) and (ii);

(d) validating the rebate claim; and

(e) transferring to the consumer the value of the rebate offer claimed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (c) is performed sequentially before step (b) and comprises receiving at least identifying information corresponding to the consumer and further comprises storing a stored data record comprising the (i) identifying information corresponding to the consumer, and (ii) identifying information corresponding to the at least one designated product;

the method further comprising;

prior to step (b), processing the qualified transaction, including receiving the identifying information corresponding to the consumer;

after step (b), associating the stored data record with the purchase data record.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising after step (b) and prior to step (e), receiving at the designated site an instruction from the consumer to release the rebate claim.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising, if the instruction from the consumer to release the rebate claim has not been received within a predetermined time frame, providing a reminder to the consumer to release the rebate claim.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising sending the reminder via electronic mail.

10. The method of claim 6 comprising processing a plurality of rebates for a plurality of customers, the plurality of customers comprising a first group of customers and a second group of customers, wherein the method comprises requiring each customer in the first group of customers to provide an instruction to release the rebate claim prior to step (e) being performed, and not requiring any of the customers in the second group of customers to provide said instruction.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the identifying information corresponding to the consumer comprises a membership club identifier.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the identifying information corresponding to the consumer comprises a loyalty card identifier.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein the identifying information corresponding to the consumer comprises a designated card identifier.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein the qualified transaction is conducted via a computer information network at a purchase site and the method further comprises providing a link from the purchase site to the designated site during or immediately after the qualified transaction so that the consumer can efficiently access the designated site and immediately make the rebate claim.

15. The method of claim 5 comprising providing access to the designated site via a wireless communications device.

18. The method of claim 5 wherein step (b) is performed prior to step (c) and in which the purchase data record transferred to the designated site by the retailer in step (b) comprises at least the identifying information corresponding to the consumer and a rebate offer identifier, and the information received from the consumer in step (c) comprises at least instructions from the consumer to release the value of the rebate offer.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising providing a record to the consumer as part of the qualified transaction, the record providing notice to the consumer of the rebate offer and access information for the designated site.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising providing a reminder to the consumer in advance of a predetermined date if the consumer has not yet provided instructions to release the value of the rebate offer.

23. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing the processing system with one or more analytical/support tools for analyzing data provided by the retailer and the consumer, facilitating customer service operations, or both.

35. The method of claim 5 wherein the information received from the consumer on the designated site comprises an e-mail address for the consumer, and the method further comprises electronically transferring data to the retailer that includes at least the consumer'"'"'s e-mail address for insertion in a database that includes identifying information corresponding to the consumer.

16. The method of step 15 further comprising providing notice to the consumer of the one or more rebate offers via the wireless communications device.

17. The method of step 16 further comprising selecting the one or more rebate offers for which notice is provided to the consumer based upon a location of the consumer as detected by the wireless communications device.

28. A computer program product comprising at least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the method steps for processing a product marketing rebate claim submitted by a consumer in satisfaction of one or more rebate offers each having a value, the consumer having purchased one or more designated products in one or more qualified transactions, the method steps comprising:

(a) providing a designated site connected to a computer information network, accessible by the consumer, and integrated with a processing system accessible by the retailer;

(b) receiving in the processing system a communication from the retailer comprising a purchase data record for the qualified transaction comprising (i) identifying information corresponding to the qualified transaction, the consumer, or both; and

(ii) information from which it can be determined if the qualified transaction at least partially satisfies the rebate offer;

(c) receiving on the designated site information from the consumer (i) sufficient to match the identifying information corresponding to the consumer to the purchase data record, (ii) sufficient to satisfy conditions for making a rebate claim, or (iii) both (i) and (ii);

(d) validating the rebate claim; and

(e) transferring to the consumer the value of the rebate offer claimed.