SHOPPING APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20110215138A1
• Filed: 05/20/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shopper's Club, LLC
• Original Assignee: Shopper's Club, LLC
• Inventors: CRUM, BRYAN EUGENE
• Granted Patent: US 8,336,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to enabling a shopper to utilize a mobile electronic device to check-in to a physical store while at the store. A shopper may utilize the mobile electronic device to read a check-in code at a location proximal to an entrance of a physical store. A substantially instantaneous pecuniary reward may be provided to the shopper upon reading of the check-in code and the shopper may be notified of such reward via the mobile electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of providing retail information on a shopping cart with combinational electronic retail specific information for a consumer, comprising:

attaching an informational display to a shopping cart of said physical store;

removably securing at least one retail informational sheet in said informational display, said at least one retail informational sheet including a check-in code having store identification data;

scanning said check-in code utilizing a mobile electronic device when at said physical store;

electronically identifying said physical store based on said store identification data contained within said check-in code;

identifying a shopper based on shopper identification data transmitted by said mobile electronic device;

providing a link to a pecuniary check-in rewards account of said shopper on said mobile electronic device;

providing a substantially instantaneous pecuniary check-in reward to said pecuniary check-in rewards account of said shopper upon utilizing said mobile electronic device to read said check-in code; and

substantially instantaneously notifying said shopper of said pecuniary check-in reward via said mobile electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said informational display is removably attached to a handle of said shopping cart.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing said mobile electronic device to at least one physical store screen after scanning said check-in code utilizing said mobile electronic device, said physical store screen containing at least some store specific information pertinent only to said physical store.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said store specific information includes at least one special specific only to said physical store.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing said mobile electronic device to at least one physical store screen after scanning said check-in code utilizing said mobile electronic device, said physical store screen containing at least some store information pertinent to at least said physical store.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said store information includes coupons specific at least to said physical store.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a substantially instantaneous further pecuniary reward to said shopper after scanning said check-in code utilizing said mobile electronic device and after at least one further recordable action within said physical store.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one further recordable action within said physical store includes viewing additional information related to an in-store product on said mobile electronic device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said further pecuniary reward includes a cash kickback for utilization of a coupon obtained through said mobile electronic device.

10. A method of electronically checking-in to a retail store and earning a reward for checking-in to said retail store, comprising:

securing at least one removable display to a shopping cart of said retail store, said at least one removable display including a check-in code having store identification data;

scanning the check-in code utilizing a mobile electronic device to read said check-in code affixed to said shopping cart when at a location proximal to an entrance of said retail store;

identifying said retail store based on said store identification data contained within said check-in code;

identifying a shopper based on shopper identification data transmitted by said mobile electronic device;

providing a substantially instantaneous pecuniary check-in reward to said shopper upon utilizing said mobile electronic device to read said check-in code;

notifying said shopper of said pecuniary check-in reward via said mobile electronic device; and

providing a substantially instantaneous further pecuniary reward to said shopper after utilizing said mobile electronic device to read said check-in code and after at least one further recordable action within said retail store and prior to engaging in a check-out process within said store.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising directing said mobile electronic device to at least one physical store screen after scanning said check-in code utilizing said mobile electronic device, said physical store screen containing at least some store specific information pertinent only to said physical store.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising directing said mobile electronic device to at least one physical store after scanning said check-in code utilizing said mobile electronic device, said physical store screen containing at least some store information pertinent to at least said physical store.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a substantially instantaneous shopper'"'"'s account check-in reward to a shopper rewards account of said shopper upon scanning said check-in code utilizing said mobile electronic device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said further pecuniary reward includes a cash kickback for viewing of additional information related to an item barcode scanned by said mobile electronic device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising enabling said shopper to share said pecuniary check-in reward with third parties via said mobile electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising enabling said shopper to share a selected percentage of said pecuniary reward with each of a plurality of third parties via said mobile electronic device.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising utilizing geolocation to verify said store identification data.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising utilizing geolocation to further refine said store identification data.

19. A method of providing replaceable retail specific information on a shopping cart including electronic information, comprising:

affixing an informational display on a visible location of a shopping cart;

incorporating a housing on said informational shopping cart display;

removably retaining a magazine insert in said housing on said informational shopping cart display, said magazine including retail specific printed information for a particular retail location;

incorporating on said retail specific printed information at least one scanning code in a visible location on said informational display;

scanning said at least one scanning code on said magazine insert which is removably retained on said housing of said informational shopping cart display utilizing a mobile electronic device particularized to a specific shopper;

electronically identifying said particularized shopper and said particular retail location based upon said scanned at least one scanning code on said magazine insert;

linking to a shopper check-in rewards account for said particularized shopper by said mobile electronic device;

providing to said mobile electronic device retail specific electronic information for said particular retail location;

crediting said check-in rewards account for said particularized shopper based upon said particular retail location;

notifying said particularized shopper of said credited check-in rewards account substantially instantaneously.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing a substantially instantaneous shopper'"'"'s account check-in reward to a shopper rewards account of said shopper upon utilizing said mobile electronic device to scan said scanning code.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing a substantially instantaneous further pecuniary reward to said shopper after utilizing said mobile electronic device to scan said scanning code and after at least one further recordable action within said retail store and prior to engaging in a check-out process within said store.