Integration of multiple consumer communications

• US 8,082,177 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: Williams, Eric N., Erickson, J. Michael, Dolan, Kellie Katherine
• Primary Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US12/105,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20080208676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.51, 705/14.65, 705/14.68, 705/26.1, 705/27.1
• US Class Current: 705/14.51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0243 Comparative campaigns
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A system, computer program product and method including delivering an initial promotion to a customer, determining a status of the initial promotion delivered, selecting a related promotion based on the status of the initial promotion determined, and delivering the related promotion to the customer. The related promotion is selected based on the status of the initial promotion determined by selecting a predetermined related promotion associated with the status of the initial promotion determined. Moreover, the initial and related promotions may be delivered through an electronic or hard delivery medium, and the status of the initial promotion delivered may be determined by determining a status of the initial promotion based on electronic feedback from the customer or based on predetermined status criteria assigned to the initial promotion. Promotions may be delivered primarily through an effective delivery medium for a particular customer which is determined by applying a predetermined effectiveness criteria which includes one of determining the number of occurrences of a predetermined status within a delivery medium and determining the frequency of the customer'"'"'s use of the delivery medium.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for delivering promotions, comprising:

storing, in computer memory accessible by a computer comprising a processor, at least;

a first effectiveness criteria;

a customer identification (CID) associated with a customer;

a plurality of promotions; and

for each one of said plurality of promotions, an association to said CID, a delivery medium used to deliver the corresponding one of said plurality of promotions to said customer, and a status of said corresponding one of said plurality of promotions, such that an initial promotion is stored in said computer memory in association with said CID, a first delivery medium, and an initial promotion status, and said second promotion is stored in said computer memory in association with said CID, a second delivery medium, and a second promotion status;

determining a targeted plurality of promotions for said consumer;

delivering said targeted plurality of promotions to said customer through a plurality of delivery mediums;

determining a status of each promotion delivered, wherein said status corresponds to one of (1) accepted, (2) rejected, and (3) unknown, wherein said determining comprises applying status criteria to said transaction data; and

storing said status;

determining an effective medium for the customer based on the status of each promotion delivered; and

delivering promotions to said customer primarily through the effective medium determined.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of delivering said targeted plurality of promotions to said customer through a plurality of delivery mediums comprises delivering said targeted plurality of promotions through an electronic medium.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of delivering said targeted plurality of promotions through an electronic medium comprises delivering said promotions to the customer through at least one of a kiosk, a point of sale (POS), an electronic transaction device, and a customer computer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of delivering said targeted plurality of promotions through an electronic medium further comprises delivering said initial promotion via the Internet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of delivering said targeted plurality of promotions to said customer through a plurality of delivery mediums comprises delivering said plurality of promotions through a hard copy medium.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of delivering said targeted plurality of promotions through a hard copy medium comprises delivering said targeted plurality of promotions to the customer through at least one of a direct mailing and hand delivery process.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining a status of each promotion delivered comprises determining a status of a promotion based on electronic feedback from the customer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of determining a status of a promotion based on electronic feedback from the customer comprises receiving an explicit accept or reject indication from said customer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of determining a status of a promotion based on electronic feedback from the customer comprises receiving an implicit accept or reject indication from said customer based on the customer:

(i) printing or downloading the initial promotion, or (2) declining to print or download the initial promotion.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining a status of each promotion delivered comprises determining a status of a promotion based on predetermined status criteria assigned to the promotion.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of determining a status of a promotion based on predetermined status criteria assigned to the promotion comprises determining a status of the promotion based on purchase information of the product promoted by the promotion.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of determining a status of a promotion based on predetermined status criteria assigned to the promotion comprises determining a status of the promotion based on redeeming information of the promotion.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of determining a status of a promotion based on predetermined status criteria assigned to the promotion comprises determining a status of the promotion based on a delivery date of the promotion.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of determining a status of a promotion based on predetermined status criteria assigned to the promotion comprises determining a status of the promotion based on an expiration date of said promotion.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining an effective medium for the customer based on the status of each promotion delivered comprises determining whether a delivery medium meets a predetermined effectiveness criteria.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of determining whether a delivery medium meets a predetermined effectiveness criteria comprises determining a number of occurrences of a predetermined status within a delivery medium.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of determining whether a delivery medium meets a predetermined effectiveness criteria comprises determining a frequency of the customer'"'"'s use of the delivery medium.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 1, comprising:

storing in a database a status criteria associated with an initial promotion;

storing in said database at least a first status value associated with said status criteria and a second status value associated with said status criteria, said first status value indicating acceptance of said initial promotion, and said second status value indicating rejection of said initial promotion;

delivering said initial promotion to a customer;

determining a status of said initial promotion delivered to said customer by monitoring customer transactions at a point of sale (POS) and by using said status criteria associated with said initial promotion;

selecting a related promotion for said customer based on said status of the initial promotion delivered to said customer; and

delivering said related promotion to said customer.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a related promotion based on said status of each of said promotions determined, wherein said step of selecting said related promotion based on said status of each of said promotions determined comprises selecting a predetermined related promotion associated with said status of each of said promotions determined;

delivering said related promotion to said customer; and

monitoring customer transactions at a point of sale (POS) during said step of determining said status of said promotions delivered.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of delivering said targeted plurality of promotions to said customer through a plurality of delivery mediums further comprises:

determining said status of each promotion delivered, determining said effective medium for said customer based on said status of each promotion delivered;

delivering promotions to said customer primarily through said effective medium determined;

selecting said related promotion based on said status of each of said promotions determined;

wherein delivering said related promotion to said customer is performed through a single medium in a single transaction with the customer; and

wherein said single medium is said customer'"'"'s computer and said single transaction comprises an online shopping event.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of delivering said targeted plurality of promotions to said customer through a plurality of delivery mediums further comprises:

determining said status of each promotion delivered, determining said effective medium for said customer based on said status of each promotion delivered;

delivering promotions to said customer primarily through said effective medium determined;

selecting said related promotion based on said status of each of said promotions determined;

wherein delivering said related promotion to said customer is performed in at least two transactions with the customer; and

wherein said at least two transactions with said customer are performed either through the same delivery method or at least two delivery methods.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining a status of each promotion delivered comprises accessing a promotions tracking table, identifying products related to said initial promotion, reviewing products in an electronic shopping cart, and determining whether or not a product related to said initial promotion is stored in said electronic shopping cart, wherein a status of said initial promotion is “

accept”

if a product related to said initial promotion is stored in said electronic shopping cart.