Method and system for processing supplementary product sales at a point-of-sale terminal

• US 7,801,762 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2009
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Van Luchene, Andrew S., Jorasch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Agwumezie, Charles C
• Application Number:
  US12/420,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/16, 705/17, 705/20, 705/21, 705/23, 705/24
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/24 : with change-giving
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 : Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 : Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 : electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 : Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

A point-of-sale terminal determines an upsell to offer in exchange for a round-up amount in connection with a purchase. In one embodiment, the point-of-sale terminal preferably maintains a database of at least one upsell price and a corresponding upsell to offer a customer in exchange for a round-up amount (e.g., change due the customer).

Claims

1. A method for determining an upsell at a point-of-sale terminal, comprising:

generating a purchase price of a purchase;

determining, by the point-of-sale terminal, a rounded price;

calculating a round-up amount, the round-up amount being a difference between the purchase price and the rounded price;

determining, by the point-of-sale terminal, an upsell in dependence on the round-up amount; and

transmitting an offer to exchange the round-up amount for the upsell.

2. The method of claim 1, in which determining the rounded price comprises:

rounding up the purchase price to a whole number amount.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an acceptance of the transmitted offer.

4. The method of claim 1, in which determining an upsell comprises:

searching a database of a plurality of upsells, each of the plurality of upsells having a corresponding range of prices; and

selecting from the plurality of upsells, at least one upsell having a corresponding range of prices that includes the round-up amount.

5. The method of claim 4, in which each of the ranges of prices is based on a respective cost of the corresponding upsell and a respective retail price of the corresponding upsell.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting the round-up amount in exchange for the upsell.

7. The method of claim 1, in which determining the upsell comprises:

selecting an upsell to be sold at a price lower than its retail price in exchange for the round-up amount.

8. The method of claim 1, in which transmitting the offer comprises:

displaying text that identifies the upsell and at least one of the round-up amount and the rounded price.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection signal that indicates that the upsell is to be sold.

10. The method of claim 1, in which determining the upsell comprises:

determining a plurality of upsells; and

in which transmitting the offer comprises;

outputting a signal indicative of the plurality of upsells.

11. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a point-of-sale terminal to perform a method for determining an upsell, the method comprising:

generating a purchase price of a purchase;

determining a rounded price;

calculating a round-up amount, the round-up amount being a difference between the purchase price and the rounded price;

determining, by a point-of-sale terminal, an upsell in dependence on the round-up amount; and

transmitting an offer to exchange the round-up amount for the upsell.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, in which determining the rounded price comprises:

rounding up the purchase price to a whole number amount.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11, the instructions being further configured to direct the point-of-sale terminal to receive an acceptance of the transmitted offer.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11, in which determining an upsell comprises:

searching a database of a plurality of upsells, each of the plurality of upsells having a corresponding range of prices; and

selecting from the plurality of upsells, at least one upsell having a corresponding range of prices that includes the round-up amount.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, in which each of the ranges of prices is based on a respective cost of the corresponding upsell and a respective retail price of the corresponding upsell.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 11, the instructions being further configured to direct the point-of-sale terminal to accept the round-up amount in exchange for the upsell.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 11, in which determining the upsell comprises:

selecting an upsell to be sold at a price lower than its retail price in exchange for the round-up amount.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 11, in which transmitting the offer comprises:

displaying text that identifies the upsell and at least one of the round-up amount and the rounded price.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 11, the instructions being further configured to direct the point-of-sale terminal to receive a selection signal that indicates that the upsell is to be sold.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 11, in which determining the upsell comprises:

determining a plurality of upsells; and

in which transmitting the offer comprises;

outputting a signal indicative of the plurality of upsells.