SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NETWORKED LOYALTY PROGRAM

• US 20070112632A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Ariff, Fauziah, Voltmer, Theodore
• Granted Patent: US 7,496,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.290
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/6562 Manganese
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/8913 Cobalt and noble metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0205 in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0226 Oxidation of the substrate, e.g. anodisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0219 based on funds or budget
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0227 Frequent usage incentive value reconciliation between diverse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0228 On-line clearing houses
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0229 Multi-merchant loyalty card systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0232 Frequent usage rewards other than merchandise, cash or travel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 : constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 : Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 : at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 : Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 : Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 : Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 : Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for implementing a loyalty program on a network-wide level. The system associates UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns for example. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the association of UPC and SKU data by the system facilitates implementation of an incentive or loyalty program by providing a universal rewards currency. This universal rewards currency may be “spent” by participants who have earned rewards and accepted by the other participants in the multi-tiered network created by the system. The network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers, retailers (and any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the association of UPC and SKU data by the system facilitates data analysis on a network level based upon several factors, including a consumer ID, consumer profile, retailer ID, SKU number, UPC, manufacturer ID, and/or the like. The system may compile any of the above data across multiple entities for the purpose of data analysis, such as analyses which may be employed in strategic planning and marketing for example.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a loyalty program having loyalty points, said method including:

providing loyalty points from a system administrator to a third party, wherein said third party is at least one of a retailer and a merchant;

maintaining a database of accounts, wherein each of said accounts include a balance of loyalty points associated with a third party;

receiving, from said third party, criteria for awarding said loyalty points to an account associated with a consumer ID;

receiving consumer ID and at least one of purchase data, manufacturer item identifier, retailer item identifier and product description data;

calculating a first number of loyalty points based upon said criteria, consumer ID and at least one of purchase data, manufacturer item identifier, retailer item identifier and product description data;

deducting said first number of loyalty points from said account associated with said third party; and

,

increasing said first number of loyalty points in said account associated with said consumer ID.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing loyalty points includes at least one of selling, donating and replacing deducted loyalty points.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing loyalty points includes selling loyalty points to said third party and receiving payment for said loyalty points from said third party through at least one of transaction card payment, automatic clearinghouse, electronic funds transfer, direct deposit, invoice and checks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of maintaining a database of accounts includes tracking said balance of loyalty points associated with said third party in said account wherein said tracking includes at least one of notifying said third party regarding the balance remaining in said account, establishing rules for adjusting the balance in said account, automatically adjusting said account upon the balance in said account reaching a predetermined amount and replacing deducted loyalty points.

5. The method of claim 1, further including facilitating a loyalty program on a network-wide level such that said third party includes more than one retailer and at least one manufacturer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving, from said third party, criteria includes receiving criteria related to at least one of authority to use system administrator criteria, points-for-dollars ratios, defined quantity of points per item, and defined quantity of points per transaction.