PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING PRODUCT ENTITLEMENTS TO MEMBERS OF A RETAIL STORE'S FREQUENT SHOPPER PROGRAM
First Claim
1. A process for distributing product entitlements in a retail store to shoppers who are members of that retail store'"'"'s frequent shopper program, comprising the steps of:
- a retailer providing data relating to its single, preexisting frequent shopper program, the frequent shopper program having preexisting members that have been each previously assigned a unique frequent shopper member account code by the retailer, a plurality of the members having made past purchases at the retailer'"'"'s one or more stores in conjunction with their frequent shopper member account code;
obtaining individual frequent shopper program member data from the retailer, including individual frequent shopper program member account codes and past purchases, with or without a coupon, made in conjunction with each individual frequent shopper program member account code;
comparing the past product purchases of each frequent shopper program member account code to a data file of available product entitlements;
selecting available product entitlements to be associated with each frequent shopper program member account code based on the comparison;
providing at least one dispenser within the retailer'"'"'s one or more stores which is accessible to and activated by a frequent shopper program member by entering information identifying the member'"'"'s frequent shopper member account code;
communicating the previously selected entitlements for that frequent shopper member account code to the dispenser; and
printing the previously selected product entitlements at the dispenser.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for distributing entitlements in a retail store to shoppers who are members of that retail store'"'"'s frequent shopper program that includes obtaining individual frequent shopper program member data from the retailer. Past product purchases of each frequent shopper program member are analyzed and categorized, and compared to a data file of available product entitlements. Upon entering their frequent shopper program member account code into a dispenser within the retailer'"'"'s store, coupons or a list of entitlements are printed based upon the pre-selected available product entitlements to be associated with that particular frequent shopper program member. These entitlements are realized at the checkout stand of that retailer when the products are purchased within the allotted time frame.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A process for distributing product entitlements in a retail store to shoppers who are members of that retail store'"'"'s frequent shopper program, comprising the steps of:
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a retailer providing data relating to its single, preexisting frequent shopper program, the frequent shopper program having preexisting members that have been each previously assigned a unique frequent shopper member account code by the retailer, a plurality of the members having made past purchases at the retailer'"'"'s one or more stores in conjunction with their frequent shopper member account code; obtaining individual frequent shopper program member data from the retailer, including individual frequent shopper program member account codes and past purchases, with or without a coupon, made in conjunction with each individual frequent shopper program member account code; comparing the past product purchases of each frequent shopper program member account code to a data file of available product entitlements; selecting available product entitlements to be associated with each frequent shopper program member account code based on the comparison; providing at least one dispenser within the retailer'"'"'s one or more stores which is accessible to and activated by a frequent shopper program member by entering information identifying the member'"'"'s frequent shopper member account code; communicating the previously selected entitlements for that frequent shopper member account code to the dispenser; and printing the previously selected product entitlements at the dispenser. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A process for distributing product entitlements in a retail store to shoppers who are members of that retail store'"'"'s frequent shopper program, comprising the steps of:
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a retailer providing data relating to its single, preexisting frequent shopper program, the frequent shopper program having preexisting members that have been each previously assigned a unique frequent shopper member account code by the retailer, a plurality of the members having made past purchases at the retailer'"'"'s one or more stores in conjunction with their frequent shopper member account code; obtaining individual frequent shopper program member data from the retailer, including individual frequent shopper program member account codes and past purchases, with or without a coupon, made in conjunction with each individual frequent shopper program member account code; comparing the past product purchases of each frequent shopper program member account code to a data file of available product entitlements; categorizing the past product purchases of each frequent shopper member account code into product categories; categorizing each frequent shopper member account code according to past purchases made from in-store fresh or service departments over a predetermined period of time; selecting available product entitlements to be associated with each frequent shopper program member account code based on the comparison and categorizations, the entitlements including at least one entitlement for a retailer private label good or at least one entitlement for use in association with an in-store fresh or service department of the retailer; providing at least one dispenser within the retailer'"'"'s one or more stores which is accessible to and activated by a frequent shopper program member by entering information identifying the member'"'"'s frequent shopper member account code, wherein the dispenser is activated by swiping a card bearing a magnetic strip or bar code containing the frequent shopper program member account number, or entering a number or code which is associated with the frequent shopper program member account code; communicating the previously selected entitlements for that frequent shopper member account code to the dispenser; printing the previously selected product entitlements at the dispenser by printing coupons representing the previously selected entitlements, wherein the printed coupons include product information, rebate information and an electronically readable code thereon; and redeeming the printed coupons by scanning the electronically readable code on the printed coupon at the point-of-sale checkout stand and matching the scanned coupon codes to universal product codes of purchased products scanned at a point-of-sale checkout stand. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A process for distributing product entitlements in a retail store to shoppers who are members of that retail store'"'"'s frequent shopper program, comprising the steps of:
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a retailer providing data relating to its single, preexisting frequent shopper program, the frequent shopper program having preexisting members that have been each previously assigned a unique frequent shopper member account code by the retailer, a plurality of the members having made past purchases at the retailer'"'"'s one or more stores in conjunction with their frequent shopper member account code; obtaining individual frequent shopper program member data from the retailer, including individual frequent shopper program member account codes and past purchases, with or without a coupon, made in conjunction with each individual frequent shopper program member account code; comparing the past product purchases of each frequent shopper program member account code to a data file of available product entitlements; categorizing the past product purchases of each frequent shopper member account code into product categories; categorizing each frequent shopper member account code according to past purchases made from in-store fresh or service departments over a predetermined period of time; selecting available product entitlements to be associated with each frequent shopper program member account code based on the comparison and categorizations, the entitlements including at least one entitlement for a retailer private label good or at least one entitlement for use in association with an in-store fresh or service department of the retailer; providing at least one dispenser within the retailer'"'"'s one or more stores which is accessible to and activated by a frequent shopper program member by entering information identifying the member'"'"'s frequent shopper member account code, wherein the dispenser is activated by swiping a card bearing a magnetic strip or bar code containing the frequent shopper program member account number, or entering a number or code which is associated with the frequent shopper program member account code; communicating the previously selected entitlements for that frequent shopper member account code to the dispenser; printing the previously selected product entitlements at the dispenser by printing a list of the previously selected entitlements, including a list of products and rebate information for each listed product; and relaying the previously selected list of entitlements sent to the dispenser to a retail store computer in order to allow the matching of the list of entitlements to products purchased at the point-of-sale checkout. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification