Method of selling and activating consumer products and services

• US 7,374,083 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Hershberger, Michael Nyle, Kline, Jared Bernard, Miller, Christopher Steven, Estruth, Nathan Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US11/085,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20050246233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 235/381, 235/375, 235/383, 705/2, 705/4
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

A business method for products and services. The business model provides for retail purchase of a product or service. The product or service is then transported from the retail point of purchase to a professional. The professional then activates the product or service for the consumer.

Claims

1. A method of making a consumer product or service usable, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a consumer product or service at a retail outlet, wherein said retail outlet does not have a professional on site for activating said product or service, and the consumer product or service is selected from the group consisting of;

RFID chips for implanting in animals or RFID chips for installing in articles of any type, a HVAC device, and beauty care products;

making said product or service available for purchase by a consumer; and

providing instructions with said product or service, said instructions directing the consumer to transport said product or service to a professional for activation of said product or service.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said instructions further comprise guidance as to which professional should be utilized for activation.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of providing a consumer product or service at a retail outlet comprises the step of providing a consumer product or service which is unusable by the consumer as purchased and only becomes usable upon activation by the professional.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said step of making a product or service available for purchase by a consumer comprises the step of making multiple components of said product or service available for purchase by the consumer, wherein the consumer separately purchases a plurality of components necessary in combination to activate said product or service.

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein said consumer purchases said multiple components of said product or service at two different locations, at least one said location being a retail outlet.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said consumer product or service is selected from the group consisting of:

RFID chips for installing in articles other than animals, a HVAC device, and beauty care products.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said consumer product or service is selected from the group consisting of:

a HVAC device, and beauty care products.

8. A method of making a consumer product or service available for use by a consumer, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a consumer product or service at a retail outlet, wherein said retail outlet does not have a professional on site for activating said product or service, and the consumer product or service is selected from the group consisting of;

RFID chips for implanting in animals or RFID chips for installing in articles of any type, a HVAC device, and beauty care products;

making said product or service available for purchase from said retail outlet;

providing a professional to professionally activate said product or service;

bringing said product or service and said professional together at a common location; and

professionally activating said product or service for subsequent use by the consumer.

9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of providing instructions associated with said product or service, wherein said instructions provide guidance on said professional activation.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said consumer takes said product or service from said retail outlet where purchased to a remote location for said professional activation.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein said product or service is sold at a retail price and further comprising the step of incorporating or subsidizing at least a portion of the fee for the professional activation in said retail price.

12. A method according to claim 8 wherein said consumer product or service is selected from the group consisting of:

RFID chips for installing in articles other than animals, a HVAC device, and beauty care products.

13. A method according to claim 8 wherein said consumer product or service is selected from the group consisting of:

a HVAC device, and beauty care products.

14. A method of providing a medical or beauty care product for consumer use, said method comprising the steps of providing a medical or beauty care product for treating a human being, said product being selected from the group consisting of:

a certificate for one or more medical services, a certificate for a strep culture, a certificate for a physical examination, and a beauty care product, said product being made available for purchase by a consumer at a retail outlet, said product being incapable of use upon purchase by the consumer, taking said product from said retail outlet to a professional for activation by the professional; and

professionally activating said product to render said product usable for its intended purpose.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said professional is a physician, dermatologist, other specialist physician, or a licensed beautician.

16. A method of providing a product usable for identification of a pet, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a product for purchase by a consumer at a retail outlet, wherein said product usable for identification of a pet comprises an RFID chip, and said product is incapable of use upon purchase by the consumer;

allowing said RFID chip to be purchased from said retail outlet;

allowing said RFID chip purchased from said retail outlet and said pet to be taken to a veterinarian for activation of the RFID chip by the veterinarian;

allowing said RFID chip to be implanted into said pet by said veterinarian; and

allowing said RFID chip to be activated to render said product usable for its intended purpose to provide information about said pet.

17. A method according to claim 16 further comprising the step of scanning said pet to determine information regarding said pet from said RFID chip.

18. A method according to claim 16 comprising the step of providing a selection of a plurality of RFID chips at said retail outlet.