Co-branded internet service provider and retailer internet service site with retailer-offered incentives for member use

• US 8,090,629 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Storch, Gerald, Giampietro, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): HAQ, NAEEM U
• Application Number:
  US11/952,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/26.2, 705/26.25, 705/26.3, 705/26.35, 705/26.4, 705 2641- 2644, 705/26.5, 705 2661- 2664, 705/26.7, 705/26.8, 705/26.81, 705/26.82, 705/26.9, 705/27.1, 705/27.2
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement
• 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 and method for a retailer to sell merchandise over the Internet in affiliation with an Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site is accessible through the Internet service site of the Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site includes designations of both the retailer and the Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site including one or more links to the Internet shopping site of the retailer. Client software for accessing the co-branded Internet site is distributed at retailer locations. Members of the co-branded Internet site are provided with incentives to access and shop on the Internet shopping site of the retailer through the co-branded Internet site.

Claims

1. A method for a retailer of the type having an Internet shopping site to sell merchandise over the Internet, the method comprising:

providing members access to the Internet shopping site of the retailer; and

providing members with electronic calendar entries for members'"'"' personalized electronic calendars, the calendar entries being related to retailer events;

wherein the retailer events are incentives to access and shop on the Internet shopping site of the retailer through a co-branded Internet site, and the incentives comprise store-based clearances, promotional events and/or special events provided before publishing notices for such special events to non-members.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic calendar entries are pre-populated into the members'"'"' personalized electronic calendars.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing the members with the personalized electronic calendars.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the personalized electronic calendars are provided through the co-branded Internet site.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentives include retailer promtions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentives include sales.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the retailer events include at least one of a Holiday, Harvest/Halloween, Bridal, and Back-to-School/Back-to-College event.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the retailer sells merchandise over the Internet in affiliation with an Internet service provider of the type having an Internet service site with a graphical user interface by providing the co-branded Internet site including, the graphical user interface, where the co-branded Internet site is accessed through the Internet service site and includes one or more links to the Internet shopping site of the retailer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing members incentives by discounting merchandise purchased on the Internet shopping site accessed through the co-branded Internet site.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising distributing software for the co-branded Internet site at retail stores of the retailer.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising distributing software for the co-branded Internet site on the Internet shopping site.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising distributing software fir the co-branded Internet site on the Internet service site of the Internet service provider.

13. A method for a retailer having an Internet shopping site to sell merchandise over the Internet, the method being performed by at least one web server, the method comprising:

establishing a co-branded Internet site on the at least one web server, wherein the co-branded Internet site is accessible by members through an Internet service site of an Internet service provider, the co-branded Internet site comprises designations of both the retailer and the Internet service provider, the co-branded Internet site includes one or more links to the Internet shopping site of the retailer;

providing members access to the Internet shopping site of the retailer; and

providing members with electronic calendar entries for members'"'"' personalized electronic calendars, the calendar entries being related to retailer events, wherein providing members with the electronic calendar entries includes pre-populating the members'"'"' personalized electronic calendars to highlight events related to the retailer;

wherein establishing the co-branded Internet site includes linking the co-branded Internet site with the Internet shopping site of the retailer to effectuate incentives to access and shop on the Internet shopping site of the retailer through the co-branded Internet site by creating on the co-branded Internet site a hyperlink to an article related to planning a social event and a hyperlink to a page on the Internet shopping site of the retailer offering for sale a product related to the social event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the article is provided through a channel link to ISP channel page content of interest to one or more demographic groups of members.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the social event is a wedding.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the article includes instructions for using the product.

17. A method for a retailer having an Internet shopping site to sell merchandise over the Internet, the method being performed by at least one web server, the method comprising:

establishing a co-branded Internet site on the at least one web server, wherein the co-branded Internet site is accessible by members through an Internet service site of an Internet service provider, the co-branded Internet site comprises designations of both the retailer and the Internet service provider, and the co-branded Internet site includes one or more links to the Internet shopping site of the retailer;

providing members access to the Internet shopping site of the retailer; and

providing members with electronic calendar entries for members'"'"' personalized electronic calendars, the calendar entries being related to retailer events, wherein providing members with the electronic calendar entries includes pre-populating the members'"'"' personalized electronic calendars to highlight events related to the retailer;

wherein establishing the co-branded Internet site includes linking the co-branded Internet site with the Internet shopping site of the retailer to effectuate incentives to access and shop on the Internet shopping site of the retailer through the co-branded Internet site by creating on the co-branded Internet site a hyperlink to a news article and a hyperlink to a page on the Internet shopping site of the retailer offering for sale a product featured in the news article.