Price paid database method and system

• US 20030088466A1
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing International Incorporated (Catalina Marketing Corporation)
• Inventors: Fitzpatrick, James Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0223 based on inventory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

A novel price paid database, method, system, and computer program product in which checkout items are scanned at a plurality of stores, and a checkout computer identifies the purchased items. The checkout computer determines a price paid for each purchased item. A central computer records in a price-paid database an item identification and price-paid for each purchased items. The central computer publishes the price-paid database. The checkout computer recurrently updates the price-paid database in the central computer with the price paid for each purchased item, the customer identification (if available), the store identification, and a list price for each purchased item.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

obtaining scanned information from a plurality of stores to determine an identification and price paid for purchased items;

recording in a price-paid database at least one of an item identification and the price-paid for each of the purchased items; and

publishing the price-paid database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining scanned information comprises:

obtaining a customer identification associated with each purchased item.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of obtaining a customer identification comprises:

scanning at least one of a frequent shopper card, a credit card, a club member card, and a debit card.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of obtaining a customer identification comprises:

scanning at least one of a fingerprint, retinal scan, and a signature.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of obtaining scanned information comprises:

recording the identification and the price paid for each of the purchased items in a checkout computer; and

recurrently uploading the recorded identification and the price-paid to a central computer containing the price-paid database.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

comparing the price paid to an inventory list price;

recording at least one of the inventory list price and a price differential between the inventory list price and the price paid; and

recurrently uploading the at least one of the inventory list price and the price differential to the central computer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

recording at least one of the customer identification and a store identification; and

recurrently uploading the at least one of the customer identification and a store identification to the central computer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of recording comprises:

formatting the price-paid database into columnar entries, wherein the columnar entries include at least one of the customer identification, the store identification, the purchase item identification, the price-paid, the list price, and the price differential.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of publishing comprises:

providing on a web page the price-paid database.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing comprises:

selecting from the web page price-paid information from at least one of a store selection, a customer selection, a brand selection, and a sales category selection within a specified district.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of selecting comprises:

determining one of a zip code and an area code of the user; and

restricting the specified district to an area within the one of a zip code and an area code.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of selecting comprises:

determining one of a remote district, a regional district, and a national district for the user; and

restricting the specified district to an area within the one of a remote district, a regional district, and a national district.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing comprises:

selecting from the web page price-paid information from stores within a specified district.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of obtaining scanned information comprises:

recurrently requesting transfer of the identification and the price-paid from a checkout computer to a central computer containing the price-paid database.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

recurrently requesting transfer of at least one of an inventory list price and a price differential between the inventory list price and the price paid to the central computer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

recurrently requesting transfer of at least one of a customer identification and a store identification to the central computer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of recording comprises:

formatting the price-paid database into columnar entries, wherein the columnar entries include at least one of the customer identification, the store identification, the purchase item identification, the price-paid, the list price, and the price differential.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of publishing comprises:

providing on a web page the price-paid database.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing comprises:

selecting from the web page price-paid information from at least one of a store selection, a customer selection, a brand selection, and a sales category selection within a specified district.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of selecting comprises:

determining one of a zip code and an area code of the user; and

restricting the specified district to an area within the one of a zip code and an area code.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of selecting comprises:

determining one of a remote district, a regional district, and a national district for the user; and

restricting the specified district to an area within the one of a remote district, a regional district, and a national district.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing comprises:

selecting from the web page price-paid information from stores within a specified district.

23. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a computer system which when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to perform the method recited in any one of the claims 1-22.

24. A system for enabling a user to obtain psuedo-real-time data on prices paid for purchased items, comprising:

a scanner configured to determine an identification of the purchased items;

a checkout computer connected to the scanner and configured to determine a price paid for each of the purchased items; and

a central computer configured to record from a plurality of stores in a price-paid database at least one of an item identification and the price-paid for each of the purchased items and to publish the price-paid database.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the scanner is configured to determine a customer identification.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the scanner is configured to scan at least one of a frequent shopper card, a credit card, a club member card, and a debit card.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the scanner is configured to scan at least one of a fingerprint, retinal scan, and a signature.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the checkout computer is configured to record a customer identification and the price paid for each of the purchased items in a checkout computer and recurrently upload the recorded identification and the price-paid to the central computer.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the checkout computer is further configured to compare the price paid to an inventory list price, record at least one of the inventory list price and a price differential between the inventory list price and the price paid, and recurrently upload the at least one of the inventory list price and the price differential to the central computer.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the checkout computer is configured to record at least one of the customer identification and a store identification and recurrently upload the at least one of the customer identification and a store identification to the central computer.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the central computer is configured to format the price-paid database into columnar entries, wherein the columnar entries include at least one of the customer identification, the store identification, the purchase item identification, the price-paid, the list price, and the price differential.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the central computer is configured to publish a web page including the price-paid database.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the web page includes price-paid information from at least one of a store selection, a customer selection, a brand selection, and a sales category selection within a specified district.

34. The system of claim 24, wherein the central computer is configured to recurrently request transfer of the identification and the price-paid from the checkout computer.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the central computer is configured to recurrently request transfer of at least one of an inventory list price and a price differential between the inventory list price and the price paid from the checkout computer.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the central computer is configured to recurrently request transfer of at least one of customer identification and a store identification from the checkout computer.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the central computer is configured to format the price-paid database into columnar entries, wherein the columnar entries include at least one of the customer identification, the store identification, the purchase item identification, the price-paid, the list price, and the price differential.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the central computer is configured to publish a web page including the price-paid database.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the web page includes price-paid information from at least one of a store selection, a customer selection, a brand selection, and a sales category selection within a specified district.

40. A price-paid database aggregated from a plurality of retail stores, comprising:

a first field for storing an item identification corresponding to an item purchased from the plurality of retail stores; and

a second field for storing the price paid for said item purchased.

41. The database of claim 40, further comprising:

a third field for storing a customer identification.

42. The database of claim 41, wherein the customer identification comprises:

at least one of a frequent shopper card, a credit card, a club member card, and a debit card.

43. The database of claim 41, wherein the customer identification comprises:

at least one of a fingerprint, retinal scan, and a signature.

44. The database of claim 40, further comprising:

a third field for storing at least one of the inventory list price and a price differential between the inventory list price and the price paid.

45. The database of claim 44 wherein the price-paid database is configured to format the price-paid database into columnar entries, wherein the columnar entries include at least one of the customer identification, the store identification, the purchase item identification, the price-paid, the list price, and the price differential.

46. The database of claim 45, wherein the information in the price-paid database is formatted to be displayed as a web page.

47. The database of claim 46, wherein the web page permits selection from the web page of price-paid information from at least one of a store selection, a customer selection, a brand selection, and a sales category selection within a specified district.

48. The database of claim 46, wherein the web page permits selection from the web page of price-paid information by one of a user zip code and a user telephone area code.

50. The database of claim 46, wherein the web page permits selection from the web page of price-paid information by one of a remote district, a regional district, and a national district.