System and method for networked loyalty program
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- calculating, by a processor for managing reward points, a first set of reward points based on a consumer ID, a purchase price, a first currency to point ratio corresponding to a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) and first criteria associated with said SKU, wherein product description data includes said purchase price and said SKU;
calculating, by said processor, a second set of reward points based on said consumer ID, said purchase price, a second currency to point ratio corresponding to a universal product code (UPC) related to said SKU and second criteria associated with said UPC;
combining, by said processor, said first set of reward points and said second set of reward points within a loyalty account associated with said consumer ID;
deducting, by said processor, said first set of reward points from a first account associated with a first party associated with said SKU; and
deducting, by said processor, said second set of reward points from a second account associated with a second party associated with said UPC.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
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.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
calculating, by a processor for managing reward points, a first set of reward points based on a consumer ID, a purchase price, a first currency to point ratio corresponding to a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) and first criteria associated with said SKU, wherein product description data includes said purchase price and said SKU; calculating, by said processor, a second set of reward points based on said consumer ID, said purchase price, a second currency to point ratio corresponding to a universal product code (UPC) related to said SKU and second criteria associated with said UPC; combining, by said processor, said first set of reward points and said second set of reward points within a loyalty account associated with said consumer ID; deducting, by said processor, said first set of reward points from a first account associated with a first party associated with said SKU; and deducting, by said processor, said second set of reward points from a second account associated with a second party associated with said UPC. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor for managing reward points, cause said processor to perform operations comprising:
-
calculating, by said processor, a first set of reward points based on a consumer ID, a purchase price, a first currency to point ratio corresponding to a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) and first criteria associated with said SKU, wherein product description data includes said purchase price and said SKU; calculating, by said processor, a second set of reward points based on said consumer ID, said purchase price, a second currency to point ratio corresponding to a universal product code (UPC) related to said SKU and second criteria associated with said UPC; combining, by said processor, said first set of reward points and said second set of reward points within a loyalty account associated with said consumer ID, deducting, by said processor, said first set of reward points from a first account associated with a first party associated with said SKU; and deducting, by said processor, said second set of reward points from a second account associated with a second party associated with said UPC.
-
-
20. A system comprising:
-
a processor for managing reward points, a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with said processor, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by said processor, cause said processor to perform operations comprising; calculating, by said processor, a first set of reward points based on a consumer ID, a purchase price, a first currency to point ratio corresponding to a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) and first criteria associated with said SKU, wherein product description data includes said purchase price and said SKU; calculating, by said processor, a second set of reward points based on said consumer ID, said purchase price, a second currency to point ratio corresponding to a universal product code (UPC) related to said SKU and second criteria associated with said UPC; combining, by said processor, said first set of reward points and said second set of reward points within a loyalty account associated with said consumer ID, deducting, by said processor, said first set of reward points from a first account associated with a first party associated with said SKU; and deducting, by said processor, said second set of reward points from a second account associated with a second party associated with said UPC.
-
Specification