Method for purchasing consumer products

• US 20030051945A1
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA (Unilever PLC)
• Original Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA (Unilever PLC)
• Inventors: Giblin, Edward John, Paulovich, John Michael, Coccaro, Deborah Marie
• Application Number:
  US09/955,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051945A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 186/52
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/06 Arrangements on packages concerning bar-codes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/008 by means of a label, e.g. tearable, light sensitive
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/02 for transferring liquids other than fuel or lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/346 by reading a code
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/00 Coin-freed apparatus for controlling dispensing or fluids, semiliquids or granular material from reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0609 by fluid containers, e.g. bottles, cups, gas containers

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method for purchasing a consumer product. Particularly, a consumer purchases a consumer product in a package that may be refilled a predetermined number of times. The method generates less environmental waste, and allows the consumer to purchase consumer products at reduced costs.

Claims

1. A method for purchasing a consumer product comprising the steps of:

(a) selling a consumer product in a package to a consumer at a point of purchase establishment;

(b) instructing the consumer to retain the package after the consumer product has been consumed; and

(c) providing a means for the consumer to have the package refilled with consumer product.

2. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the consumer product is a cereal, shampoo, hair conditioner, beverage, cream or ointment, laundry detergent or fabric softener.

3. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the consumer product is a laundry detergent or fabric softener.

4. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the point of purchase establishment is a mini-mart, department store, club-store or supermarket.

5. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the package is a bottle, bag, sachet or box.

6. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the package is a bottle for carrying a laundry detergent or fabric softener.

7. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the package is refilled a predetermined number of times, the predetermined number of times being less than a number of times that causes stress fractures in the package.

8. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein product is a flake, granule, tablet, powder, paste, slurry or liquid.

9. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the product is a liquid detergent or liquid fabric softener.

10. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the package has an information device and is refilled by being placed in association with a refilling device having an information detector for reading information about the product off of the information device.

11. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the method satisfies the formula P_O<

P_T+(P_T)N′

where

P_O=P_T+(P_R)_N

P_O=original purchase price of a consumer product;

P_T=typical purchase price of a consumer product;

P_R=refill price;

N=a defined number of refills;

N′

=a defined number of purchases; and

N=N′

and further wherein less environmental waste is generated and the consumer pays less money for the consumer product.

12. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the product is a laundry detergent concentrate.

13. The method for purchasing a consumer product according to claim 1 wherein the product is a fabric softener concentrate.