Method for providing consumer benefits using a club program

• US 20050119938A1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Richard T. Smith, Ronald T. Smith
• Original Assignee: Richard T. Smith, Ronald T. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Ronald T., Smith, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US10/989,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119938A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.270
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements

Abstract

A method for provides consumer benefits. The method includes the steps of allowing the member to redeem the coupon at a participating club program retailer, assigning bonus points associated with the redeemed coupon to the member account, and allowing the member to trade in an aggregate number of bonus points for a club program product or service associated with the club program.

Claims

1. A method for providing consumer benefits to a member of a club program, including the steps of:

providing a coupon to the member, the coupon having an associated product or service and an associated number of bonus points;

in response to the member having purchased the associated product or service from a participating retailer, allowing the member to redeem the coupon;

in response to the member having redeemed the coupon, assigning the bonus points associated with the redeemed coupon to the member account; and

,

allowing the member to trade in an aggregate number of bonus points for a club program product or service associated with the club program.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the participating retailer has an associated number of bonus points, the method including the step of allowing the retailer to establish their own promotions using the bonus points.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the participating retailer may purchase additional bonus points.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 2, including the step of allowing the participating retailed to use a club program logo in their promotions.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the club program products and/or services are travel related.

6. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein some of the club program products are exclusive to a retailer member and/or set of retailer members.

7. A method, as set forth in claim 1, including the step of allowing the participating retailer to provide to members and/or members who have purchased specific goods and/or services, discounts on non-club program goods and/or services.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the club program product or service associated with the club program has an associated cost expressed in bonus points.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 1, including the step of providing a catalog to members, the catalog including a plurality of products and/or services associated with the club program, each product or service in the catalog having an associated cost expressed in bonus points.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the catalog is provided in paper form and/or electronic form.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the club program product or service has an additional cost expressed in a currency value.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the club program product or service is a leisure travel package.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the leisure travel package includes a cruise and/or plane travel.

14. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the leisure travel package includes a hotel stay.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the club program has a best price guarantee with respect to the club program product or service.

16. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coupon may be provided in paper format and/or electronically.

17. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coupon includes a club logo.

18. A method, as set forth in claim 1, including the step of requiring proof of purchase of the club program product and/or service to redeem the coupon.

19. A method, as set forth in claim 18, wherein the proof of purchase may include a receipt and/or a UPC label.

20. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coupons are provided using public media.

21. A method, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the coupons are identified using a club program logo.

22. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the club program products and/or services are provided by a club program supplier.

23. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the coupon has an redemption value, the method including the step of applying the redemption value to the redemption value being applied to the purchase of the associated product or service.

44. A method, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the coupons are identified using a club program logo.

24. A method for providing consumer benefits using a club program, including the steps of:

providing an invitation communication to potential members of the club program;

allowing a potential member to enroll in the club program to become a club program member and establishing a member account;

providing a coupon to the club program member, the coupon having an associated product or service and an associated number of bonus points;

in response to the club program member having purchased the associated product or service from a provider, allowing the club program member to redeem the coupon;

in response to the club program member having redeemed the coupon, assigning the bonus points associated with the redeemed coupon to the member account; and

,

allowing the club program member to trade in an aggregate number of bonus points for a club program product or service associated with the club program.

25. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the participating retailer has an associated number of bonus points, the method including the step of allowing the retailer to establish their own promotions using the bonus points.

26. A method, as set forth in claim 25, wherein the participating retailer may purchase additional bonus points.

27. A method, as set forth in claim 25, including the step of allowing the participating retailer to use a club program logo in their promotions.

28. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the club program products and/or services are travel related.

29. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein some of the club program products are exclusive to a retailer member and/or set of retailer members.

30. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the club program product or service associated with the club program has an associated cost expressed in bonus points.

31. A method, as set forth in claim 24, including the step of requiring the potential member to fill out a membership questionnaire when enrolling in the club program.

32. A method, as set forth in claim 24, including the step of providing a catalog to potential members and/or club program members, the catalog including a plurality of products and/or services associated with the club program, each product or service in the catalog having an associated cost expressed in bonus points.

33. A method, as set forth in claim 32, wherein the catalog is provided in paper form and/or electronic form.

34. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the club program product or service has an additional cost expressed in a currency value.

35. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the club program product or service is a leisure travel package.

36. A method, as set forth in claim 35, wherein the leisure travel package includes a cruise and/or plane travel.

37. A method, as set forth in claim 35, wherein the leisure travel package includes a hotel stay.

38. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the club program has a best price guarantee with respect to the club program product or service.

39. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the coupon may be provided in paper format and/or electronically.

40. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the coupon includes a club logo.

41. A method, as set forth in claim 24, including the step of requiring proof of purchase of the club program product and/or service to redeem the coupon.

42. A method, as set forth in claim 41, wherein the proof of purchase may include a receipt and/or a UPC label.

43. A method, as set forth in claim 24 wherein the coupons are provided using public media.

45. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the club program products and/or services are provided by a club program supplier.

46. A method, as set forth in claim 24, wherein the coupon has an redemption value, the method including the step of applying the redemption value to the redemption value being applied to the purchase of the associated product or service.