System and methods for discount retailing
First Claim
1. A method of discount retailing in which an offer does not become valid until a minimum number of offers are purchased and in which customers are allowed to collect reward points to be redeemed to purchase additional offers or other awards, comprising a network server, a microprocessor, a memory and computer software, said computer software being located in said memory and run by said microprocessor, said computer software comprising a discount retailing algorithm, wherein said discount retailing algorithm comprises the steps of:
- (a) obtaining consent from a merchant to market and advertise an item normally provided by said merchant at a standard offer price;
(b) determining a discount offer price for said item, said discount offer price being a reduction in amount from the standard offer price of that item;
(c) deciding on a tipping point at which time the discount offer price becomes valid;
(d) generating an advertisement to present said discount offer price and said tipping point to potential consumers;
(e) displaying said advertisement over a network through said network server for a predetermined period of time for potential consumers to review;
(f) receiving acceptances of the discount offer price for the item over the network for the predetermined period of time;
(g) determining if the tipping point has been attained;
(h) informing each consumer that accepted the discount offer whether or not the tipping point has been attained;
(i) providing reward points to consumers based on consumer activities; and
(j) allowing each consumer to redeem said reward points.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and methods to mutually satisfy a consumer with a discount and a vendor with a minimum number of sales by establishing a tipping point associated with an offer for a good or service. If the tipping point is met, the sale of the good or service is executed and the consumer is charged and receives an indication of the discounted sale, such as a certificate. If the tipping point is not met, the discount offer is abandoned and the consumer is not charged. Once the tipping point is established, the vendor receives a payment, even before the consumer uses the certificate. The system and methods also include a reward or loyalty program, an exchange or secondary market for the purchased deals, and a matching algorithm that matches customers to relevant goods or services.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of discount retailing in which an offer does not become valid until a minimum number of offers are purchased and in which customers are allowed to collect reward points to be redeemed to purchase additional offers or other awards, comprising a network server, a microprocessor, a memory and computer software, said computer software being located in said memory and run by said microprocessor, said computer software comprising a discount retailing algorithm, wherein said discount retailing algorithm comprises the steps of:
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(a) obtaining consent from a merchant to market and advertise an item normally provided by said merchant at a standard offer price; (b) determining a discount offer price for said item, said discount offer price being a reduction in amount from the standard offer price of that item; (c) deciding on a tipping point at which time the discount offer price becomes valid; (d) generating an advertisement to present said discount offer price and said tipping point to potential consumers; (e) displaying said advertisement over a network through said network server for a predetermined period of time for potential consumers to review; (f) receiving acceptances of the discount offer price for the item over the network for the predetermined period of time; (g) determining if the tipping point has been attained; (h) informing each consumer that accepted the discount offer whether or not the tipping point has been attained; (i) providing reward points to consumers based on consumer activities; and (j) allowing each consumer to redeem said reward points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of discount retailing in which an offer does not become valid until a minimum number of offers are purchased and in which a customer is allowed to exchange, trade or sell previously purchased offers, comprising a network server, a microprocessor, a memory and computer software, said computer software being located in said memory and run by said microprocessor, said computer software comprising a discount retailing algorithm, wherein said discount retailing algorithm comprises the steps of:
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(a) obtaining consent from a merchant to market and advertise an item normally provided by said merchant at a standard offer price; (b) determining a discount offer price for said item, said discount offer price being a reduction in amount from the standard offer price of that item; (c) deciding on a tipping point at which time the discount offer price becomes valid; (d) generating an advertisement to present said discount offer price and said tipping point to potential consumers; (e) displaying said advertisement over a network through said network server for a predetermined period of time for potential consumers to review; (f) receiving acceptances of the discount offer price for the item over the network for the predetermined period of time; (g) determining if the tipping point has been attained; (h) informing each consumer that accepted the discount offer whether or not the tipping point has been attained; (i) allowing consumers to display an accepted discount offer to other consumers for purchase or trade; (j) providing for said consumer displaying said accepted offer for purchase or trade to communicate with said other consumer desiring to purchase or trade for said accepted offer; and (k) allowing said consumer to transfer ownership of said accepted discount offer to said other consumer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of discount retailing in which an offer does not become valid until a minimum number of offers are purchased and in which information about a customer is collected in order to match a customer to particular offers, comprising a network server, a microprocessor, a memory and computer software, said computer software being located in said memory and run by said microprocessor, said computer software comprising a discount retailing algorithm, wherein said discount retailing algorithm comprises the steps of:
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(a) obtaining consent from a merchant to market and advertise an item normally provided by said merchant at a standard offer price; (b) determining a discount offer price for said item, said discount offer price being a reduction in amount from the standard offer price of that item; (c) deciding on a tipping point at which time the discount offer price becomes valid; (d) generating an advertisement to present said discount offer price and said tipping point to potential consumers; (e) displaying said advertisement over a network through said network server for a predetermined period of time for potential consumers to review; (f) receiving acceptances of the discount offer price for the item over the network for the predetermined period of time; (g) determining if the tipping point has been attained; (h) informing each consumer that accepted the discount offer whether or not the tipping point has been attained; (i) obtaining information about a customer; and (j) matching said customer to a particular discount offer based on the information obtained about said customer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification