System and method for networked loyalty program

• US 8,024,220 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• 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: Segel, Elizabeth Hilton, Fernandes, Joseph, Zeisser, Michel P, Bharwani, Seraq, Lang, Laura, Zaiac, Joanne, Lam, Johnson, Ewell, Jason, Ciccarone, Christine D, Sneddon, Kendall, Hayes, John, Greenhut, Scott M, Antonucci, Donna A, Voltmer, Theodore S, Ariff, Fauziah B
• Primary Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US11/864,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.28, 705/14.38
• US Class Current: 705/14.28
• 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 network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers (such primary and supplementary members of an aggregate consumer account), retailers (and any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like. In accordance with one aspect, the system enables participation by supplementary members who are associated with a primary member and, in this manner, facilitates the tracking of supplementary member purchasing behavior, reward points earning behavior, and reward points redemption behavior. In accordance with another aspect, the system permits instant enrollment of consumers at a retailer point-of-sale using information that the retailer has previously gathered from the consumer. In accordance with another aspect, the system facilitates the compilation of a purchaser profile, which may be used for a variety of purposes, including various types of marketing analyses.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer-based system for implementing a loyalty program, a transaction file comprising a supplementary member ID and purchase data, wherein said purchase data comprises a retailer item identifier;

associating, by said computer-based system, at least two of said supplementary member ID, said purchase data, and a manufacturer item identifier;

standardizing, by said computer-based system, said transaction file by associating said retailer item identifier and said manufacturer item identifier, wherein said standardizing characterizes at least one of a particular product or service across a plurality of retailers; and

performing, by said computer-based system, an analysis that is dependent upon said transaction file and said associating at least two of said supplementary member ID, said purchase data, and said manufacturer item identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing said analysis comprises performing an analysis that is further dependent upon at least one of a retailer ID, a manufacturer ID, and a supplementary member profile.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing said analysis comprises calculating reward points.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said calculating reward points further comprises calculating reward 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 issuing said reward points to an aggregate consumer account.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said aggregate consumer account encompasses individuals selected by said primary member from one of a household, a business, a charitable organization, and a group designated by said primary member.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein issuing is performed in real-time at a point-of-sale.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising offering an award to redeem said reward points, wherein an offeror of said award comprises at least one of:

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

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

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said offering said award comprises offering at least one of:

a coupon, a gift certificate, bonus reward points, a product, and a service.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said offering said award comprises redeeming said reward points through at least one of a universal rewards catalog, a customized rewards catalog, and a sub-catalog.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said universal rewards catalog comprises awards offered by a plurality of merchants.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said customized rewards catalog is customized for a consumer based upon an indicia of relevance to said consumer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said indicia of relevance comprises at least one of a consumer'"'"'s demographics information, market segment, total accumulated reward points, previously purchased products, and profile information.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said sub-catalog targets a consumer based upon at least one of a capacity for points accumulation, consumer market segment, demographics information, previously purchased products, and profile information.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein an offeree of said award comprises at least one of:

a primary member and a supplementary member.

17. The method of claim 5, further comprising informing at least one of a primary member and a supplementary member of said reward points.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing said analysis comprises performing data analysis using at least one of:

a consumer ID, said supplementary member ID, said purchase data, said retailer item identifier, said manufacturer item identifier, said reward points, said retailer ID, said manufacturer ID, a consumer profile, and a supplementary member profile.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each of said consumer profile and said supplementary member 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.

20. 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.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said payment vehicle comprises at least one of:

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

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising deriving a standard identifier based upon said standardizing.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating bonus offerings to a consumer.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said bonus offerings are customized for a consumer based upon at least one of demographics information, purchasing behavior, reward points earning behavior, and reward points redemption behavior.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating generation of a purchaser profile by merging consumer enrollment data with said purchase data and analyzing a merged data file.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving and processing consumer enrollment data;

merging said consumer enrollment data with said transaction file; and

facilitating an analysis of a merged data file to generate a purchaser profile which reflects a consumer'"'"'s purchases across a plurality of retailers.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein a merchant computer system performs operations comprising:

identifying and processing at least one of a consumer ID and said supplementary member ID;

processing said purchase data; and

processing and transmitting said purchase data and said at least one of said consumer ID and said supplementary member ID to said computer-based system.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said merchant computer further performs operations comprising facilitating enrollment of a consumer at a point-of-sale by transmitting retailer enrollment data to said computer-based system after an affirmative response to an enrollment query at said point-of-sale.

29. A method comprising:

enrolling and receiving, by a computer-based system for participating in a loyalty program, one of a consumer ID and a supplementary member ID;

identifying, by said computer-based system, one of said consumer ID and said supplementary member ID in association with a purchase with purchase data associated with a retailer item identifier;

receiving, by said computer-based system, at least one of reward points and a bonus offering as a result of said purchase; and

exchanging, by said computer-based system, at least one of said reward points and said bonus offering for an award;

wherein at least one of said reward points and said bonus offering are determined by;

associating at least two of said consumer ID, said supplementary member ID, purchase data, and a manufacturer item identifier;

standardizing a transaction file by associating said retailer item identifier and said manufacturer item identifier, wherein said standardizing characterizes at least one of a particular product or service across a plurality of retailers; and

performing an analysis that is dependent upon said association and said transaction file.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said consumer ID is associated with one of a consumer account and an aggregate consumer account.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said supplementary member ID is associated with one of an aggregate consumer account and a sub-account.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said aggregate consumer account encompasses individuals selected by a primary member from one of a household, a business, a charitable organization, and a group designated by said primary member.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein said receiving at least one of said reward points and said bonus offering as a result of said purchase is accomplished in real-time at a point-of-sale.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein said exchanging at least one of said reward points and said bonus offering for said award comprises receiving an award offered by at least one of a retailer, a manufacturer, and a third-party provider.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein said exchanging at least one of said reward points and said bonus offering is accomplished in real-time at a point-of-sale.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein said exchanging at least one of said reward points and said bonus offering for said award comprises receiving at least one of:

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

37. The method of claim 29, wherein said exchanging is accomplished through at least one of a universal rewards catalog, a customized rewards catalog, and a sub-catalog.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said universal rewards catalog comprises awards offered by a plurality of merchants.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein said customized rewards catalog is customized for a consumer based upon an indicia of relevance to said consumer.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said indicia of relevance comprises at least one of a consumer'"'"'s demographics information, market segment, total accumulated reward points, previously purchased products, and profile information.

41. The method of claim 29, wherein said sub-catalog targets a consumer based upon at least one of a capacity for points accumulation, consumer market segment, demographics information, previously purchased products, and profile information.

42. The method of claim 29, wherein payment for said purchase is accomplished through at least one of cash, a check, a credit card, and a debit card.

43. The method of claim 29, wherein said bonus offering is customized for a consumer based upon at least one of demographics information, purchasing behavior, reward points earning behavior, and reward points redemption behavior.

44. The method of claim 29, wherein said enrolling further comprises enrolling at a point-of-sale by responding affirmatively to an enrollment query presented at said point-of-sale.

45. A system comprising:

a processor for implementing a loyalty program,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with said processor,

said tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by said processor, cause said processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by said processor, a transaction file comprising a supplementary member ID and purchase data, wherein said purchase data comprises a retailer item identifier;

associating, by said processor, at least two of said supplementary member ID, said purchase data, and a manufacturer item identifier;

standardizing, by said processor, said transaction file by associating said retailer item identifier and said manufacturer item identifier, wherein said standardizing characterizes at least one of a particular product or service across a plurality of retailers; and

performing, by said processor, an analysis that is dependent upon said transaction file and said associating at least two of said supplementary member ID, said purchase data, and said manufacturer item identifier.