CROSS-PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS
First Claim
1. A method of providing cross-promotional services between two or more merchants, the method comprising:
- storing, in a database, a plurality of sets of merchant data, each set of merchant data pertaining to one of a plurality of merchants and comprising one or more data elements selected from the group consisting of business type, location, radius, products, product categories, promotions, and popularity;
providing a computer user interface for interacting with a user, the user being associated with a first merchant;
providing, via the computer user interface, a mechanism for the user to indicate interest in participating in a cross-promotion;
receiving, via the computer user interface, an indication from a user that a merchant associated with the user is interested in participating in a cross-promotion;
providing, via the computer user interface, a mechanism for the user to provide search criteria for a cross-promotion partner;
receiving, via the computer user interface, a set of one or more search criteria;
identifying, in the database, one or more merchants that satisfy the search criteria;
displaying, via the user interface, a list of the one or merchants;
providing, via the user interface, a mechanism for the user to select a desired cross-promotion partner from the list of the one or more merchants;
receiving, via the user interface, a selection of a desired cross-promotion partner for the first merchant; and
providing an interface for the first merchant to communicate with the cross-promotion partner.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Tools for improving interactions between promoters and consumers of products. These tools can enable promoters of products to employ more effective promotional programs, and consumers to receive promotional information about products of interest, while avoiding the excessive overload of information about promotions that are not of interest. Some such tools can enhance consumer satisfaction with—and, correspondingly, consumer participation in—promotional programs by allowing consumers to tailor the discount programs to their preferences, by analyzing consumer behavior and tailoring promotions accordingly, and/or by providing cross promotions of complementary products. Some of the tools can provide substantial savings, in both costs and natural resources, as well as provide a more satisfying experience for consumers, by substantially reducing, or even eliminating, excessive use of paper for promotional programs and transaction receipts.
134 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of providing cross-promotional services between two or more merchants, the method comprising:
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storing, in a database, a plurality of sets of merchant data, each set of merchant data pertaining to one of a plurality of merchants and comprising one or more data elements selected from the group consisting of business type, location, radius, products, product categories, promotions, and popularity; providing a computer user interface for interacting with a user, the user being associated with a first merchant; providing, via the computer user interface, a mechanism for the user to indicate interest in participating in a cross-promotion; receiving, via the computer user interface, an indication from a user that a merchant associated with the user is interested in participating in a cross-promotion; providing, via the computer user interface, a mechanism for the user to provide search criteria for a cross-promotion partner; receiving, via the computer user interface, a set of one or more search criteria; identifying, in the database, one or more merchants that satisfy the search criteria; displaying, via the user interface, a list of the one or merchants; providing, via the user interface, a mechanism for the user to select a desired cross-promotion partner from the list of the one or more merchants; receiving, via the user interface, a selection of a desired cross-promotion partner for the first merchant; and providing an interface for the first merchant to communicate with the cross-promotion partner. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of providing a cross-promotion, the method comprising:
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providing a first computer user interface for interacting with a first user associated with a first merchant; identifying, from among a plurality of merchants, a potential cross-promotion partner for the first merchant; providing, via the first user interface, a mechanism for the first user to define a proposed cross-promotion; receiving, via the first user interface, information defining a proposed cross-promotion; providing, via the first user interface, a mechanism for the first user to inform the potential cross-promotion partner of the proposed cross-promotion; receiving, via the first user interface, user input requesting that the potential cross-promotion partner be notified of the proposed cross-promotion; providing a second user interface for interacting with a second user associated with the potential cross-promotion partner; displaying, via the second user interface, information about the proposed cross-promotion; providing, via the second user interface, a mechanism for the second user to provide feedback about the proposed cross-promotion; receiving, via the second user interface, the feedback from the second user about the proposed cross-promotion; and displaying, via the first user interface, the feedback from the second user. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus comprising a computer readable storage medium having encoded thereon a set of instructions that are executable by one or more computers to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising:
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instructions for providing a first computer user interface for interacting with a first user associated with a first merchant; instructions for identifying, from among a plurality of merchants, a potential cross-promotion partner for the first merchant; instructions for providing, via the first user interface, a mechanism for the first user to define a proposed cross-promotion; instructions for receiving, via the first user interface, information defining a proposed cross-promotion; instructions for providing, via the first user interface, a mechanism for the first user to inform the potential cross-promotion partner of the proposed cross-promotion; instructions for receiving, via the first user interface, user input requesting that the potential cross-promotion partner be notified of the proposed cross-promotion; instructions for providing a second user interface for interacting with a second user associated with the potential cross-promotion partner; instructions for displaying, via the second user interface, information about the proposed cross-promotion; instructions for providing, via the second user interface, a mechanism for the second user to provide feedback about the proposed cross-promotion; instructions for receiving, via the second user interface, the feedback from the second user about the proposed cross-promotion; and instructions for displaying, via the first user interface, the feedback from the second user.
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15. A method of promoting one or more products, the method comprising:
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storing, in a database, information about a plurality of promotions; establishing a cross-promotion comprising a relationship between a first promotion for a first product and a second promotion for a second product; tracking data about consumer acceptance of the cross-promotion; and displaying, in a user interface, the data about consumer acceptance of the cross-promotion. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer system for promoting one or more products, the computer system comprising:
a processor and a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium having encoded thereon a set of instructions executable by the computer system to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising; instructions for storing, in a database, information about a plurality of promotions; instructions for establishing a cross-promotion comprising a relationship between a first promotion for a first product and a second promotion for a second product; instructions for tracking data about consumer acceptance of the cross-promotion; and instructions for displaying, in a user interface, the data about consumer acceptance of the cross-promotion.
Specification