Buyer loyalty program

• US 20040167815A1
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: DeLaHunt, Sharon Cozette
• Application Number:
  US10/372,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20040167815A1
• 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 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

Various systems, programs, and methods of a buyer loyalty program (BLP) are provided. A representative method for establishing buyer loyalty includes: accepting a member-buyer into a BLP and providing products to a reseller, wherein the reseller is registered in the BLP as a partner reseller of the products. The method further includes: receiving information from the reseller, wherein the information comprises purchase activity of the products by member-buyers; providing a coupon to a member-buyer when a member-buyer buys a pre-selected amount of the products from the reseller, wherein the coupon is redeemed at the reseller for a discount on products; and refunding the reseller a portion of the discount sustained by the reseller upon honoring the coupon.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating buyer loyalty, the method comprising:

receiving a membership identification of a member-buyer of a buyer loyalty program (BLP) at the point of purchase (PoP) of a product;

selling a first product to the member-buyer;

providing member-buyer purchase activity information to a producer of the product, wherein the producer serves as a sponsor of the BLP;

honoring a valid coupon from a member-buyer, wherein the valid coupon provides a discount towards a second product of the producer; and

receiving a refund from the producer for a portion of the discount sustained in honoring the valid coupon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selling is performed via the Internet and an e-commerce site of the reseller.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the valid coupon is an e-coupon and wherein the step of honoring the e-coupon is performed via the e-commerce site of the reseller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the membership identification comprises:

receiving a membership card from the member-buyer; and

retrieving the membership identification from the membership card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the membership identification comprises at least one of the following of a member-buyer:

name, address, email, telephone number, or membership number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing member-buyer purchase activity information comprises:

providing the membership identification of the member-buyer to the producer;

providing an identity of the product purchased to the producer; and

providing the quantity of the product purchased.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a membership in the BLP as a participating reseller.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying whether a buyer is a valid member of the BLP at the point of purchase.

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

providing the membership identification to the producer, whereby the producer establishes whether the membership identification is valid; and

receiving a reply communication from the producer communicating whether the membership identification is valid.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the member-buyer is registered as a member of the BLP for that particular reseller.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

verifying whether a member-buyer is registered for that particular reseller.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of honoring a valid coupon comprises:

verifying whether the coupon is valid.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of verifying comprises:

communicating to the producer, the coupon to be validated; and

receiving an acceptance or a rejection as to the validity of the coupon.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of verifying comprises:

accessing a database provided by the producer, wherein the database comprises information regarding the validity of the coupon.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the producer is a manufacturer and the at least first product is a physical product.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the producer is a service provider and the at least first product is a unit of service.

17. A method for establishing buyer loyalty, comprising:

accepting a member-buyer into a buyer loyalty program (BLP);

providing products to a reseller, wherein the reseller is registered in the BLP as a partner reseller of the products;

receiving information from the reseller, wherein the information comprises purchase activity of the products by member-buyers;

providing a coupon to a member-buyer when a member-buyer buys a pre-selected amount of the products from the reseller, wherein the coupon is redeemed at the reseller for a discount on products; and

refunding the reseller a portion of the discount sustained by the reseller upon honoring the coupon.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of accepting a member-buyer comprises:

receiving information about the member-buyer; and

providing a membership identification to the member-buyer upon membership.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of accepting a member-buyer further comprises:

providing a membership identification card to the member-buyer, wherein the membership identification card comprises membership identification of the member-buyer.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the coupon is an e-coupon and wherein the step of providing a coupon comprises:

providing the e-coupon to the member-buyer electronically.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the coupon is an e-coupon and wherein the step of providing a coupon comprises:

providing the e-coupon via an email.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the portion of the discount sustained is 100%.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of refinding the reseller a portion of the discounted amount comprises:

providing and enabling a charge account to be utilized by the reseller, whereby the reseller may charge the discounted amount to the charge account; and

paying a portion of a balance of the charge account to the reseller.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of paying the portion of the balance is performed electronically.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

verifying whether the membership identification of the member-buyer is valid; and

validating a coupon that is to be honored by a reseller.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of validating comprises:

receiving a communication form the reseller, wherein the communication comprises the coupon information to be validated;

accessing records to verify the validity of the coupon; and

notifying the reseller of the validity of the coupon.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of validating comprises:

providing a database, wherein the database comprises information regarding the validity of the coupon; and

enabling the database to be accessed by a reseller, whereby the reseller can perform the validation of the coupon.

28. A method for a buyer to participate in a buyer loyalty program (BLP), wherein the BLP provides discounts on selected products produced by a producer, the method comprising:

applying for membership in the BLP, wherein upon applying, designating a particular reseller;

purchasing products produced by the producer from the designated reseller;

receiving a coupon from the producer upon purchasing a pre-selected amount of the products from the producer at the designated reseller; and

redeeming the coupon at the designated reseller, wherein the coupon provides a discount towards the purchase of selected products produced by the producer.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of applying for membership comprises:

providing information to the producer; and

receiving a membership identification from the producer.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the information provided to the producer comprises at least one of the buyer:

name, address, email, or telephone number.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of applying for membership further comprises:

receiving a membership identification card from the producer, wherein the membership identification card comprises a membership identification.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the steps of providing information and receiving an identification are done electronically.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the steps of providing information is done via the designated reseller.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of purchasing comprises:

providing a membership identification to the reseller at the PoP.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of redeeming a coupon comprises:

providing a membership identification to the reseller at the PoP; and

providing the coupon to the reseller.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the coupon is an e-coupon and wherein the step of redeeming the e-coupon is done electronically via an e-commerce enabled web site.

37. A program stored on a computer-readable medium for honoring a coupon provided by a sponsor of a buyer loyalty program (BLP), the program comprising:

logic configured to receive an identification of a member-buyer of the BLP;

logic configured to receive an identification of the coupon from the member-buyer;

logic configured to verify the validity of the coupon with regard to the identification of the member-buyer; and

logic configured to apply the discount related to the coupon to a particular product being purchased by the member-buyer, provided the coupon is valid.

38. The program of claim 37, wherein the logic configured to verify comprises:

logic configured to communicate the identification of the member-buyer and the identification of the coupon to the sponsor; and

logic configured to receive a communication from the sponsor, wherein the communication conveys the validity of the coupon.

39. The program of claim 37, further comprising:

logic configured to charge the discount provided by the honored coupon to a designated charge account of the sponsor; and

logic configured to receive a refund from the sponsor for a portion of an amount in the designated charge account.

40. A program stored on a computer-readable medium for facilitating a buyer loyalty program (BLP), the program comprising:

logic configured to accept a member-buyer into the BLP;

logic configured to accept a reseller into the BLP, wherein the reseller is registered in the BLP as a partner reseller of a select group of products produced by a sponsor of the BLP;

logic configured to receive information from the reseller, wherein the information comprises purchase activity of the products by member-buyers;

logic configured to provide a coupon to a member-buyer when a member-buyer buys a pre-selected amount of the products from the reseller, wherein the coupon is redeemed at the reseller for a discount on products; and

logic configured to refund the reseller a portion of the discount sustained by the reseller upon honoring the coupon.

41. The program of claim 40, further comprising:

logic configured to receive a validation request by the reseller, wherein the request is to validate an identification of the member-buyer and a coupon redeemed at the reseller by the member-buyer; and

logic configured to validate the identification of the member-buyer and the coupon; and

logic configured to communicate to the reseller whether the coupon is valid with regard to the identification of the member-buyer.

42. The program of claim 40, wherein the logic configured to provide a coupon comprises:

logic configured to send an email to the member-buyer, wherein the email is configured to communicate the coupon.

43. A system for facilitating a buyer loyalty program (BLP), the system comprising:

a computer system of a sponsor of the BLP, wherein the sponsor is a producer of products to be sold through the BLP, and wherein the computer system of the sponsor comprises;

means for storing various information regarding the BLP; and

means for communicating with a computer system of at least a first reseller;

a computer system of a reseller of the products of the producer, wherein the reseller is registered in the BLP, and wherein the computer system of the reseller comprises;

means for providing for the sale of products of the producer to member-buyers in the BLP;

means for receiving coupons presented by the member-buyers, wherein the coupons are originally provided by the sponsor of the BLP; and

means for communicating with the computer system of the sponsor.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the computer system of the sponsor further comprises:

logic configured to;

receive a request from the computer system of the reseller to verify if a coupon is valid;

query the database to verify the validity of the coupon; and

communicate the validity of the coupon to the computer system of the reseller.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the computer system of the sponsor further comprises:

logic configured to provide the computer system of the reseller limited access to the database.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the means for communicating of the computer system of the reseller further comprises:

means for accessing the database stored on the computer system of the sponsor; and

wherein the computer system of the reseller further comprises;

logic configured to query the database to determine the validity of the coupon.