Method for managing a frequent shopper program at an e-commerce site and an in-store site
First Claim
1. A method for managing a frequent shopper program in an electronic commerce (e-commerce) system permitting both on-line shopping and in-store shopping, comprising the steps of:
- establishing a point of sale (POS) system for a store, said POS system having a POS loyalty database and a POS purchase history database;
establishing a shoppable on-line e-commerce list builder tool in an e-commerce site, said on-line list builder tool having an on-line shopping history database which is distinct from said POS purchase history database;
establishing a query interface enabling communications between said POS system, said on-line e-commerce list builder tool and a network browser; and
, updating said POS purchase history database with information from said on-line shopping history database through said query interface;
whereby an in-store shopper'"'"'s purchase history is also based on said in-store shopper'"'"'s on-line e-commerce purchasing history.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for managing a frequent shopper program at a site providing both electronic commerce (e-commerce) shopping and in-store shopping, comprising the steps of: establishing a point of sale (POS) system, having a POS loyalty database and a POS purchase history database; establishing a list builder tool having an on-line shopping history database; establishing a query interface enabling communications between the POS system, the list builder tool and a network browser; updating the on-line shopping history database with information from the POS purchase history database through the query interface; updating the POS purchase history database with information from the on-line shopping history database through the query interface; and, determining a shopper'"'"'s entitlement to a frequent shopper discount by accessing information from the updated POS purchase history database and the updated on-line shopping history database.
96 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for managing a frequent shopper program in an electronic commerce (e-commerce) system permitting both on-line shopping and in-store shopping, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a point of sale (POS) system for a store, said POS system having a POS loyalty database and a POS purchase history database;
establishing a shoppable on-line e-commerce list builder tool in an e-commerce site, said on-line list builder tool having an on-line shopping history database which is distinct from said POS purchase history database;
establishing a query interface enabling communications between said POS system, said on-line e-commerce list builder tool and a network browser; and
,updating said POS purchase history database with information from said on-line shopping history database through said query interface;
whereby an in-store shopper'"'"'s purchase history is also based on said in-store shopper'"'"'s on-line e-commerce purchasing history. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
a demand from said POS system;
a scheduled basis; and
,automatically after said on-line shopping history database changes.
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3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing a POS authentication database for said POS system.
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4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling said communications in said system query interface establishing communications over at least one of the Internet, a wide area network and a local area network.
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5. A method for managing a frequent shopper program in an electronic commerce (e-commerce) system permitting both on-line shopping and in-store shopping, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a point of sale (POS) system for a store, said POS system having a POS loyalty database and a POS purchase history database;
establishing a shoppable on-line e-commerce list builder tool in an e-commerce site, said on-line list builder tool having an on-line shopping history database which is distinct from said POS purchase history database;
establishing a query interface enabling communications between said in-store POS system, said on-line e-commerce list builder tool and a network browser; and
,updating said on-line shopping history database with information from said POS purchase history database through said query interface;
whereby an on-line e-commerce shopper'"'"'s purchase history is also based on said on-line e-commerce shopper'"'"'s in-store purchasing history. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
a demand from said list builder tool;
a scheduled basis; and
,automatically after said POS purchase history database changes.
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7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of establishing a POS authentication database for said POS system.
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8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of enabling said communications in said system query interface establishing communications over at least one of the Internet, a wide area network and a local area network.
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9. A method for managing a frequent shopper program in an electronic commerce (e-commerce) system permitting both on-line shopping and in-store shopping, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a point of sale (POS) system for a store, said POS system having a POS loyalty database and a POS purchase history database;
establishing a shoppable on-line e-commerce list builder tool in an e-commerce site, said on-line list builder tool having an on-line shopping history database which is distinct from said POS purchase history database;
establishing a query interface enabling communications between said in-store POS system, said on-line e-commerce list builder tool and a network browser;
updating said on-line shopping history database with information from said POS purchase history database through said query interface; and
,updating said POS purchase history database with information from said on-line shopping history database through said query interface;
whereby said shopper'"'"'s purchase history is based on said shopper'"'"'s on-line and in-store purchasing histories. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
a demand from said POS system;
a demand from said list builder tool;
a scheduled basis; and
,automatically after said on-line shopping history database and said POS purchase history database undergo respective changes.
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11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of establishing a POS authentication database for said POS system.
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12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of enabling said communications in said system query interface establishing communications over at least one of the Internet, a wide area network and a local area network.
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13. A frequent shopper management program for a vendor electronic commerce (e-commerce) system permitting both on-line shopping and in-store shopping, comprising:
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a point of sale (POS) system for a store, said POS system having a POS loyalty database and a POS purchase history database;
a shoppable on-line e-commerce list builder tool in an e-commerce site, said on-line list builder tool having an on-line shopping history database which is distinct from said POS purchase history database;
a query interface enabling communications between said in-store POS system, said on-line e-commerce list builder tool and a network browser; and
,means for updating said POS purchase history database with information from said on-line shopping history database through said query interface;
whereby an in-store shopper'"'"'s purchase history is also based on said in-store shopper'"'"'s on-line e-commerce purchasing history. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
a demand from said POS system, a scheduled basis; and
,automatically after said on-line shopping history database changes.
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15. The program of claim 13, further comprising a POS authentication database for said POS system.
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16. The program of claim 13, wherein said communications enabled by said system query interface is over at least one of the Internet, a wide area network and a local area network.
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17. A frequent shopper management program for a vendor electronic commerce (e-commerce) system permitting both on-line shopping and in-store shopping, comprising:
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a point of sale (POS) system for a store, said POS system having a POS loyalty database and a POS purchase history database;
a shoppable on-line e-commerce list builder tool in an e-commerce site, said on-line list builder tool having an on-line shopping history database which is distinct from said POS purchase history database;
a query interface enabling communications between said in-store POS system, said on-line e-commerce list builder tool and a network browser; and
,means for updating said on-line shopping history database with information from said POS purchase history database through said query interface;
whereby an on-line e-commerce shopper'"'"'s purchase history is also based on said on-line e-commerce shopper'"'"'s in-store purchasing history. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 24)
a demand from said list builder tool;
a scheduled basis; and
,automatically after said POS purchase history database changes.
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19. The program of claim 17, further comprising a POS authentication database for said POS system.
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20. The program of claim 17, wherein said communications enabled by said system query interface is over at least one of the Internet, a wide area network and a local area network.
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24. The program of claim 17, wherein said communications enabled by said system query interface is over at least one of the Internet, a wide area network and a local area network.
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21. A frequent shopper management program for a vendor electronic commerce (e-commerce) system permitting both on-line shopping and in-store shopping, comprising:
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a point of sale (POS) system for a store, said POS system having a POS loyalty database and a POS purchase history database;
a shoppable on-line e-commerce list builder tool in an e-commerce site, said on-line list builder tool having an on-line shopping history database which is distinct from said POS purchase history database;
a query interface enabling communications between said in-store POS system, said on-line e-commerce list builder tool and a network browser;
means for updating said on-line shopping history database with information from said POS purchase history database through said query interface; and
,means for updating said POS purchase history abase with information from said on-line shopping history database through said query interface;
whereby said shopper'"'"'s purchase history is based on said shopper'"'"'s on-line and in-store purchasing histories. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
a demand from said POS system;
a demand from said list builder tool;
a scheduled basis; and
,automatically after said on-line shopping history database and said POS purchase history database undergo respective changes.
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23. The program of claim 21, further comprising a POS authentication database for said POS system.
Specification