SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSOCIATING DISCOUNTS WITH PAYMENT OPTIONS

• US 20120323667A1
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Groff, Jason, Mulcay, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,380,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Systems and methods for associating discounts or incentives with payment options are presented. In various embodiments, a customer purchasing goods or services is presented with various discounts or incentives to use one or more particular forms of payment such as cash, credit card, debit card, house card, or the like. After being presented with such information, the customer may then choose a form of payment, taking into account the various discounts or incentives related thereto. The appropriate discount or incentive is then applied to the customer'"'"'s total bill and/or saved in the customer'"'"'s loyalty account for future use.

Claims

1. A method for associating discounts with payment options for a customer utilizing a fuel pump, the method comprising:

a) receiving, at the fuel pump, a preliminary form of payment from the customer;

b) pumping, by the fuel pump, fuel to said customer;

c) receiving, at a point of sale system, additional items for purchase from said customer;

d) determining, by said point of sale system, one or more discounts associated with one or more forms of payment;

e) presenting, by the point of sale system, the one or more discounts associated with one or more forms of payment determined in step (d) to said customer;

f) receiving, by the point of sale system, payment from said customer; and

g) applying, by the point of sale system, the discount associated with the payment received in step (f).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) comprises associating relatively smaller discounts with forms of payment that are relatively costly to a merchant in operation of said fuel pump.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the fuel pump comprises a card reader and the preliminary form of payment is selected from the group consisting of:

credit card, debit card, loyalty card, membership card, and house account card.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the fuel pump comprises a cash accepting device and the preliminary form of payment comprises cash.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the point of sale system comprises a self-checkout system.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving, by said point of sale system, a pre-selection of the forms of payment associated with the customer;

wherein the customer is only presented with the pre-selected forms of payment in step (e).

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said receiving, by the point of sale system, a pre-selection of the forms of payment associated with the customer comprises receiving a signal from a mobile device associated with said customer, wherein said signal comprises said pre-selection information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein step (g) further comprises combining the discount associated with the payment received in step (f) to a previously earned discount by the customer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein step (g) comprises saving the discount associated with the payment received in step (f) in a loyalty account associated with the customer.

10. A method for associating discounts with payment options for a customer utilizing a fuel pump, the method comprising:

a) receiving, at the fuel pump, a preliminary form of payment from the customer;

b) pumping, by the fuel pump, fuel to said customer;

c) receiving, at the fuel pump, a selection of additional items for purchase from said customer;

d) determining, by a point of sale system one or more discounts associated with one or more forms of payment;

e) presenting, by the fuel pump, to said customer the one or more discounts associated with one or more forms of payment determined in step (d) to said customer;

f) receiving, at the fuel pump, payment from said customer; and

g) applying, by the point of sale system, the discount associated with the payment received in step (f).

11. The method of claim 10 wherein step (d) comprises associating relatively smaller discounts with forms of payment that are relatively costly to a merchant in operation of said fuel pump.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said fuel pump comprises said point of sale system.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein step (c) comprises receiving a signal from a mobile device associated with the customer, wherein the signal comprises said selection of additional items for purchase.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein step (g) further comprises combining the discount associated with the payment received in step (f) to a previously earned discount by the customer.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein step (g) comprises saving the discount associated with the payment received in step (f) in a loyalty account associated with the customer.

16. A method for associating discounts with payment options for a customer, the method comprising:

a) receiving, at a point of sale system, items for purchase from said customer;

b) determining, by said point of sale system, one or more discounts associated with one or more forms of payment;

c) presenting, by the point of sale system, the one or more discounts associated with one or more forms of payment determined in step (b) to said customer;

d) receiving, by the point of sale system, payment from said customer; and

e) applying, by the point of sale system, the discount associated with the payment received in step (d).

17. The method of claim 16 wherein step (b) comprises associating relatively smaller discounts with forms of payment that are relatively costly to a merchant in operation of said point of sale system.

18. A system for associating discounts with payment options for a customer, the system comprising:

a) a fuel pump, the fuel pump comprising;

i) a display,

ii) an input device,

iii) a payment acceptor,

iv) a processor, and

v) a communications module; and

b) a point of sale system;

wherein the payment acceptor is configured to receive a preliminary form of payment from the customer;

wherein the input device is configured to receive a selection of items for purchase from said customer;

wherein the point of sale system is configured to determine one or more discounts associated with one or more forms of payment;

wherein the display is configured to display said one or more discounts associated with one or more forms of payment to the customer;

wherein the payment acceptor is configured to receive payment from the customer; and

wherein the point of sale system is configured to apply the discount associated with the form of payment received from the customer.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the point of sale system is configured to associate relatively smaller discounts with forms of payment that are relatively costly to a merchant in operation of said point of sale system.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the point of sale system is configured to receive a pre-selection of the forms of payment associated with the customer;

and wherein only the pre-selected forms of payment are displayed to the customer via the display of the fuel pump.