System and method for networked loyalty program

• US 7,398,225 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2001
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Ariff, Fauziah B., Voltmer, Theodore S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US09/836,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,639 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/14.27
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/6562 Manganese
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/8913 Cobalt and noble metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0205 in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0226 Oxidation of the substrate, e.g. anodisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0219 based on funds or budget
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0227 Frequent usage incentive value reconciliation between diverse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0228 On-line clearing houses
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0229 Multi-merchant loyalty card systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0232 Frequent usage rewards other than merchandise, cash or travel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 : constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 : Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 : at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 : Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 : Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 : Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 : Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for implementing a loyalty program on a network-wide level. The system associates UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns for example. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the association of UPC and SKU data by the system facilitates implementation of an incentive or loyalty program by providing a universal rewards currency. This universal rewards currency may be “spent” by participants who have earned rewards and accepted by the other participants in the multi-tiered network created by the system. The network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers, retailers (and any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the association of UPC and SKU data by the system facilitates data analysis on a network level based upon several factors, including a consumer ID, consumer profile, retailer ID, SKU number, UPC, manufacturer ID, and/or the like. The system may compile any of the above data across multiple entities for the purpose of data analysis, such as analyses which may be employed in strategic planning and marketing for example.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a loyalty program at a host computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing manufacturer item identifiers, wherein said manufacturer item identifiers are received from a manufacturer;

receiving and storing retail item identifiers, wherein said retail item identifiers are received from a merchant;

associating and storing each of said retail item identifiers with a corresponding one of said manufacturer item identifiers;

receiving and processing a purchase transaction, wherein said purchase transaction includes a consumer ID, a retailer item identifier, and a purchase price;

retrieving a manufacturer item identifier corresponding to said retail item identifier;

calculating a first set of reward points based on said consumer ID, said purchase price and a first currency to point ratio corresponding to said retailer item identifier;

calculating a second set of reward points based on said consumer ID, said purchase price and a second currency to point ratio corresponding to said manufacturer item identifier;

calculating a third set of reward points based on said consumer ID, said purchase price and a third currency to point ratio corresponding to affiliated Service Establishment (SE) numbers; and

,

combining said first set of reward points, said second set of reward points, and said third set of reward points within a loyalty account associated with said consumer ID.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing an analysis that is further dependent upon at least one of:

a retailer ID, a manufacturer ID, and a consumer profile.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein performing an analysis comprises calculating rewards points.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein calculating rewards points further comprises calculating rewards points based upon a points ratio determined by at least one of:

a retailer, a manufacturer, and a third-party provider.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising storing said rewards points and informing a consumer of said rewards points.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein storing and informing a consumer of rewards points is performed in real-time at a point-of-sale.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising offering an award in exchange for said reward points, wherein an offer of said award comprises at least one of:

a retailer, a manufacturer, and a third-party provider.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein offering an award is performed in real-time at a point-of-sale.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein offering an award comprises offering at least one of:

a coupon, a gift certificate, bonus rewards points, a product, a service, and any combination of these.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing data analysis using, either independently or in any combination, at least one of:

said consumer ID, said purchase data, said retailer item identifier, said manufacturer item identifier, said rewards points, said retailer ID, said manufacturer ID, and a consumer profile.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said consumer profile comprises at least one of:

a date on which a consumer made a particular purchase, a frequency of purchases, a quantity of purchases, and a total transaction price.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said purchase data further comprises at least one of:

an item purchased, an item price, a number of items purchased, a total transaction price, a payment vehicle, a date, a store identifier, and an employee identifier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said payment vehicle comprises at least one of:

cash, a check, a credit card, and a debit card.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is implemented by an interactive, online computer system.

15. The method of claim 1, further including receiving and processing multiple purchase transactions.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of calculating a first set of reward points, calculating a second set of reward points, calculating a third set of reward points, and combining is performed in real-time at a point-of-sale.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising

associating at least two of said consumer ID, said retailer item identifier and said manufacturer item identifier.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allocating rewards points to at least one of;

a manufacturer and a retailer;

issuing, by at least one of;

said retailer and said manufacturer, said rewards points to a consumer; and

,

redeeming said rewards points for a said consumer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of redeeming comprises redeeming said rewards points for a consumer through a universal rewards catalog.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allocating rewards points to at least one of;

a manufacturer and a retailer;

issuing, by at least one of;

said retailer and said manufacturer, rewards points to a consumer;

redeeming said rewards points for said consumer;

calculating additional reward points based on associating said consumer ID, said purchase data, and said manufacturer item identifier.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving and processing said purchase transaction, wherein said purchase transaction includes an employee ID, a consumer ID, a retailer item identifier, and a purchase price;

retrieving a manufacturer item identifier corresponding to said retail item identifier;

calculating a first set of reward points based on said employee ID, said purchase price and a first currency to point ratio corresponding to said retailer item identifier;

calculating a second set of reward points based on said employee ID, said purchase price and a second currency to point ratio corresponding to said manufacturer item identifier;

calculating a third set of reward points based on said employee ID, said purchase price and a third currency to point ratio corresponding to affiliated Service Establishment (SE) numbers; and

,

combining said first set of reward points, said second set of reward points, and said third set of reward points within a loyalty account associated with said employee ID.