System and method for networked loyalty program
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating a loyalty program having loyalty points, said method including:
- providing loyalty points from a system administrator to at least one of;
a first party and a second party;
maintaining a database of accounts, wherein each of said accounts include a balance of loyalty points associated with at least one of;
said first party and said second party;
receiving, from said first party, criteria for awarding said loyalty points to an account associated with a consumer ID;
receiving, from said second party, criteria for awarding said loyalty points to an account associated with a consumer ID;
receiving consumer ID and at least one of;
purchase data, purchase price, manufacturer item identifier, retailer item identifier and product description data;
calculating a first number of loyalty 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 number of loyalty points based on said consumer ID, said purchase price, and a second currency to point ratio corresponding to said manufacturer item identifier; and
,combining said first number of loyalty points and said second number of loyalty points within a loyalty account associated with said consumer ID;
deducting said first number of loyalty points from said first account associated with said first party; and
,deducting said second number of loyalty points from said second account associated with said second party.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating a loyalty program having loyalty points, said method including:
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providing loyalty points from a system administrator to at least one of;
a first party and a second party;maintaining a database of accounts, wherein each of said accounts include a balance of loyalty points associated with at least one of;
said first party and said second party;receiving, from said first party, criteria for awarding said loyalty points to an account associated with a consumer ID; receiving, from said second party, criteria for awarding said loyalty points to an account associated with a consumer ID; receiving consumer ID and at least one of;
purchase data, purchase price, manufacturer item identifier, retailer item identifier and product description data;calculating a first number of loyalty 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 number of loyalty points based on said consumer ID, said purchase price, and a second currency to point ratio corresponding to said manufacturer item identifier; and
,combining said first number of loyalty points and said second number of loyalty points within a loyalty account associated with said consumer ID; deducting said first number of loyalty points from said first account associated with said first party; and
,deducting said second number of loyalty points from said second account associated with said second party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification