Systems of influencing shoppers at the first moment of truth in a retail establishment

• US 7,783,527 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunrise R&D Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sunrise R&D Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Bonner, Brett Bracewell, Jones, Titus Arthur, Hjelm, Christopher Todd, Perkins, Dion Brent, Osborne, John Edward II, Menz, Gregory Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah; Amee A
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZUKANOVICH, BRANDY A
• Application Number:
  US12/609,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 370/406
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Provided herein are systems and methods for influencing shoppers while they consider making purchasing decisions in a retail establishment. Specifically, the systems and methods for influencing shoppers may occur during a shopper'"'"'s first moment of truth by transmitting through a communication network one or more influential messages to a handheld wireless electronic device or intelligent shopping cart, which is in close proximity to a shopper during a shopping trip throughout a retail establishment.

Claims

1. A system of influencing a shopper'"'"'s product selection during a shopper'"'"'s shopping trip in a retail establishment, comprising:

i) A communications multi-network positioned about said retail establishment, said communications multi-network comprising at least one mesh communication network and at least one star communication network, said mesh communication network and said star communication network operating within said communications multi-network to produce tracking data and product selection data;

ii) A logic engine operatively connected to said communications multi-network, said logic engine managing said communications multi-network; and

iii) A wireless end device positioned into close proximity to said shopper whereby said shopper uses the wireless end device to scan product data, thereby creating product selection data, said wireless end device being in tracked communication through said at least one mesh communication network of said communications multi-network with said logic engine;

Whereby said wireless end device transmits said product selection data to said logic engine through said communications multi-network, and said logic engine creates an influential message based on said tracking data and said product selection data and delivers the influential message through said star communication network to said wireless end device, said influential message operating to influence said shopper'"'"'s product selection.

2. The system of claim 1 whereby said logic engine examines said product selection data and directs the transmission of said influential message through said communications multi-network to said wireless end device positioned into close proximity to said shopper.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the form of said influential message is selected from the group consisting of a text message, a video, an electronic photograph, an illustration, a hyperlink, and an audio message.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said influencing of said shopper'"'"'s product selection occurs prior to said shopper'"'"'s product selection.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said influencing of said shopper'"'"'s product selection causes said shopper'"'"'s product selection to be altered.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said influencing of said shopper'"'"'s product selection occurs during said shopper'"'"'s product selection.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said influencing of said shopper'"'"'s product selection causes said shopper'"'"'s product selection to be altered.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said influencing of said shopper'"'"'s product selection occurs after said shopper'"'"'s product selection.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said influencing of said shopper'"'"'s product selection causes said shopper'"'"'s product selection to be altered.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said product selection data is produced by said shopper scanning a readable medium positioned onto a product with said wireless end device, said wireless end device transmitting said product selection data to said logic engine.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said wireless end device is operatively connected to a tracking location device;

wherein said tracking location device is in communication through said communications multi-network with said logic engine.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said logic engine tracks said tracking location device and creates a shopper location data.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said logic engine organizes each said product selection data with each said shopper location data collected within a predetermined period of time, from said wireless end device to create a product selection location data.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said logic engine organizes each said product selection data with each said shopper location data collected within a predetermined period of time, from said wireless end device to create a product selection location data and wherein said logic engine collects said product selection location data created during a single trip to said retail establishment to create a collective product selection location data;

wherein said logic engine stores said collective product selection location data collected for each said shopper in a shopper'"'"'s electronic profile.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said logic engine collects each said collective product selection location data stored in said shopper'"'"'s electronic profile to create a historical progression.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said influential message is transmitted to said wireless end device at a time selected from the group consisting of:

prior to said shopper'"'"'s product selection;

during said shopper'"'"'s product selection; and

just after said shopper'"'"'s product selection.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said influential message is selected from the group consisting of:

a competitive saving opportunity, a co-branding opportunity, a product warning, a product combination warning, a product review, a response to a historical progression, an electronic coupon, price cut alerts, price increase alerts, and budget limit alerts.

18. The system of claim 13 further comprising a two-dimensional X and Y grid juxtaposed on top of a map of said retail establishment and a product location map wherein the logic engine is aware of a majority of the locations of products displayed in the retail establishment, said locations of products comprising a product location data.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said logic engine, storing all said product selection location data produced by a single identifiable shopper, compares said product selection location data with the product location map.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein said logic engine compares said shopper location data with said product location data.