Method, system, and computer program product for tracing cross-channel customers

• US 20030195812A1
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nguyen, Binh Q.
• Granted Patent: US 10,572,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.36
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation

Abstract

The unique session ID associated with a particular web session is presented to the website visitor in connection with an incentive for purchase of merchandise at an off-line store. The number can be recorded manually by the user, stored electronically, or can be presented in the form of a coupon which is printable on a printer attached to the computer or other device on which the user visits the website. To be eligible for the incentive, the user must present the session ID to personnel at the off-line store when completing the purchase. Once in possession of the session ID correlated to a particular purchase or purchases, the store/entity can use the session ID to review and analyze the operations performed and web pages visited during the session identified by the session ID, thereby giving the entity valuable information regarding what may have gone into the thought process of the user prior to making the purchase.

Claims

1. A method of correlating the obtaining of an item at an off-line location with an on-line search session leading to the obtaining of said item, comprising the steps of:

assigning a session identifier to said on-line search session when a session participant initiates said on-line search session;

presenting said session identifier to said session participant in connection with an incentive to obtain said item at said off-line location;

requiring said session participant to present said session identifier at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive;

correlating said obtaining of said item with said on-line search session based on said session identifier; and

storing the results of said correlation as a correlation data set for subsequent analysis.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said incentive presenting-step comprises at least the step of offering of a financial incentive to said session participant in exchange for having said participant obtain said item at said off-line location, and wherein said session identifier comprises the session ID assigned to said on-line search session when said on-line search session is commenced.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of presenting said session identifier comprises at least the step of:

displaying said incentive and said session identifier on a display being used by said session participant along with instructions to said session participant to record said session identifier so that it can be presented at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of presenting said session identifier comprises at least the step of:

displaying said incentive and said session identifier on a display being used by said session participant along with instructions to said session participant to print said session identifier so that it can be presented at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of presenting said session identifier comprises at least the steps of:

displaying to said session participant a coupon that identifies said incentive and said session identifier; and

instructing said session participant to print said coupon and present said coupon at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

6. A method of analyzing the effectiveness of a website in inducing the purchase of items at an off-line location, comprising the steps of:

assigning a session identifier to an on-line search session on said website when a session participant initiates said on-line search session;

presenting said session identifier to said session participant in connection with an incentive to purchase at said off-line location an item identified during said on-line session;

requiring said session participant to present said session identifier at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive in connection with the purchase of said item;

correlating said purchase of said item with said on-line search session based on said session identifier and storing said correlation as a correlation item;

analyzing said correlation item to identify elements of said website to be modified to improve off-line sales generated from on-line searching; and

modifying said website to improve any identified elements.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said incentive presenting step comprises at least the step of offering of a financial incentive to said session participant in exchange for having said participant obtain said item at said off-line location, and wherein said session identifier comprises the session ID assigned to said on-line search session when said on-line search session is commenced.

8. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said step of presenting said session identifier comprises at least the step of:

displaying said incentive and said session identifier on a display being used by said session participant along with instructions to said session participant to record said session identifier so that it can be presented at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

9. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said step of presenting said session identifier comprises at least the step of:

displaying said incentive and said session identifier on a display being used by said session participant along with instructions to said session participant to print said session identifier so that it can be presented at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

10. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said step of presenting said session identifier comprises at least the steps of:

displaying to said session participant a coupon that identifies said incentive and said session identifier; and

instructing said session participant to print said coupon and present said coupon at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

11. A system for analyzing the effectiveness of a website in inducing the purchase of items at an off-line location, comprising:

means for assigning a session identifier to an on-line search session on said website when a session participant initiates said on-line search session;

means for presenting said session identifier to said session participant in connection with an incentive to purchase at said off-line location an item identified during said on-line session;

means for requiring said session participant to present said session identifier at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive in connection with the purchase of said item;

means for correlating said purchase of said item with said on-line search session based on said session identifier and storing said correlation as a correlation item;

means for analyzing said correlation item to identify elements of said website to be modified to improve off-line sales generated from on-line searching; and

means for modifying said website to improve any identified elements.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said incentive-presenting means comprises at least means for offering of a financial incentive to said session participant in exchange for having said participant obtain said item at said off-line location, and wherein said session identifier comprises the session ID assigned to said on-line search session when said on-line search session is commenced.

13. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said means for presenting said session identifier comprises at least:

means for displaying said incentive and said session identifier on a display being used by said session participant along with instructions to said session participant to record said session identifier so that it can be presented at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

14. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said means for presenting said session identifier comprises at least:

means for displaying said incentive and said session identifier on a display being used by said session participant along with instructions to said session participant to print said session identifier so that it can be presented at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

15. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said means for presenting said session identifier comprises at least:

means for displaying to said session participant a coupon that identifies said incentive and said session identifier; and

means for instructing said session participant to print said coupon and present said coupon at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

16. A computer program product for analyzing the effectiveness of a website in inducing the purchase of items at an off-line location, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:

computer-readable program code that assigns a session identifier to an on-line search session on said web site when a session participant initiates said on-line search session;

computer-readable program code that presents said session identifier to said session participant in connection with an incentive to purchase at said off-line location an item identified during said on-line session;

computer-readable program code that requires said session participant to present said session identifier at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive in connection with the purchase of said item;

computer-readable program code that correlates said purchase of said item with said on-line search session based on said session identifier and storing said correlation as a correlation item;

computer-readable program code that analyzes said correlation item to identify elements of said website to be modified to improve off-line sales generated from on-line searching; and

computer-readable program code that modifies said website to improve any identified elements.

17. A computer program product as set forth in claim 16, wherein the computer-readable program code that presents said session identifier comprises computer-readable program code that offers a financial incentive to said session participant in exchange for having said participant obtain said item at said off-line location, and wherein said session identifier comprises the session ID assigned to said on-line search session when said on-line search session is commenced.

18. A computer program product as set forth in claim 16, wherein said computer-readable program code that presents said session identifier comprises at least:

computer-readable program code that displays said incentive and said session identifier on a display being used by said session participant along with instructions to said session participant to record said session identifier so that it can be presented at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

19. A computer program product as set forth in claim 16, wherein said computer-readable program code that presents said session identifier comprises at least:

computer-readable program code that displays said incentive and said session identifier on a display being used by said session participant along with instructions to said session participant to print said session identifier so that it can be presented at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.

20. A computer program product as set forth in claim 16, wherein said computer-readable program code that presents said session identifier comprises at least:

computer-readable program code that displays to said session participant a coupon that identifies said incentive and said session identifier; and

computer-readable program code that instructs said session participant to print said coupon and present said coupon at said off-line location to obtain the benefit of said incentive.