Method and apparatus for generating purchase incentives based on price differentials
First Claim
1. Targeted incentive generation apparatus, for use with a sales transaction recording system having at least one checkout terminal and a store controller with access to an item price file, the apparatus comprising:
- storage means for holding data defining separate sets of incentive terms pertaining to at least one item of which sales are to be promoted;
means for identifying a purchased triggering item presented at a checkout terminal;
means for identifying an additional item associated with the purchased triggering item in an incentive deal, wherein one of the two items is a promoted item and the other is a competitive item;
means for obtaining sales prices for the promoted item and the competitive item;
means for selecting a set of incentive terms from the storage means, based on whether the purchased triggering item is the promoted item or the competitive item, and further based on the prices of the promoted item and the competitive item, wherein the incentive terms are tailored to a consumer'"'"'s purchasing behavior and the price of the promoted item relative to the competitive item; and
means for generating an incentive for the consumer, consistent with the selected set of incentive terms.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for customizing purchase incentives, such as discount coupons and the like, based on whether a consumer buys a promoted item or a competitive item, and on the price of the promoted item relative to the competitive item. The system identifies promoted or competitive products in a consumer'"'"'s order, and selects an incentive that is appropriate for the price differential between the promoted and competitive items, and for the purchase choice already made between the promoted and competitive items. a different incentive is provided for the different pricing and choice combinations, in an effort to maximize sales for the promoted item, and the different incentives are stored in an incentive matrix accessed by product purchased and by consumer profile as determined from whether the consumer bought the more expensive item, the less expensive item, or one of two equally priced items.
429 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. Targeted incentive generation apparatus, for use with a sales transaction recording system having at least one checkout terminal and a store controller with access to an item price file, the apparatus comprising:
-
storage means for holding data defining separate sets of incentive terms pertaining to at least one item of which sales are to be promoted; means for identifying a purchased triggering item presented at a checkout terminal; means for identifying an additional item associated with the purchased triggering item in an incentive deal, wherein one of the two items is a promoted item and the other is a competitive item; means for obtaining sales prices for the promoted item and the competitive item; means for selecting a set of incentive terms from the storage means, based on whether the purchased triggering item is the promoted item or the competitive item, and further based on the prices of the promoted item and the competitive item, wherein the incentive terms are tailored to a consumer'"'"'s purchasing behavior and the price of the promoted item relative to the competitive item; and means for generating an incentive for the consumer, consistent with the selected set of incentive terms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A computer implemented method for generation of purchase incentives, for use with a sales transaction recording system having at least one checkout terminal and a store controller with access to an item price file, the method comprising the steps of:
-
storing in memory data defining multiple separate sets of incentive terms pertaining to at least one item of which sales are to be promoted; identifying a purchased triggering item presented at a checkout terminal; identifying an additional item associated with the purchased triggering item in an incentive deal, wherein one of the two items is a promoted item and the other is a competitive item; obtaining sales prices for the promoted item and the competitive item; selecting a set of incentive terms from memory, based on whether the purchased triggering item is the promoted item or the competitive item, and further based on the prices of the promoted item and the competitive item, wherein the incentive is tailored to a consumer'"'"'s purchasing behavior and to the price of the promoted item relative to the competitive item; and generating an incentive for the consumer, consistent with the selected set of incentive terms. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
Specification