Computerized management system for multi-chain promotions, and related audit system

• US 8,521,583 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2003
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valassis In-Store Solutions, Inc. (MX Holdings One LLC)
• Original Assignee: Valassis In-Store Solutions, Inc. (MX Holdings One LLC)
• Inventors: Schuller, Robert J., Weisz, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAO, VINCENT M
• Application Number:
  US10/746,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,532 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

A promotion management system identifies store-selected identifiers as necessary to implement a particular promotion across multiple store chains. An audit system compares number of promotion offers distributed to number of linking items sold.

Claims

1. A method for promotion monitoring in connection with the distribution of a particular promotion offer for a promoted product by one or more devices in a store in connection with one or more linking products, the method comprising:

tracking a number of the particular promotion offers distributed by the one or more devices in the store, wherein the particular promotion offer for the promoted product is generated in relation to the one or more linking products;

tracking a number of the one or more linking products that pass through a point-of-sale of the store; and

comparing, by one or more processors, the tracked number of the particular promotion offers with the tracked number of the one or more linking products.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initiating an error indication when the tracked number of the particular promotion offers is greater than the tracked number of the one or more linking products by at least a certain amount.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

automatically adjusting billing data for the particular promotion offer to match the number of the one or more linking products.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the certain amount is based on historical data for set downs and operator errors.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating billing data when the tracked number of the particular promotion offers is no more than a certain amount greater than the tracked number of the one or more linking products.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the certain amount is based on historical data for set downs and operator errors.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

generating an audit certification with the billing data.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

generating a bill based on the billing data, the bill including a message indicative of the audit certification.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of particular promotion offers is provided in connection with the one or more linking products, the method further comprising:

dividing the tracked number of promotion offers by the plurality prior to comparing it to the tracked number of the one or more linking products that pass through a point-of-sale of the store.

10. A computerized system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory including instructions executable by the one or more processors, the instructions, when executed, implement the following steps;

tracking a number of the particular promotion offers distributed by the one or more devices in the store, wherein the particular promotion offer for the promoted product is generated in relation to the one or more linking products;

tracking a number of the one or more linking products that pass through a point-of-sale of the store; and

comparing, by one or more processors, the tracked number of the particular promotion offers with the tracked number of the one or more linking products.

11. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed, further implement the step of:

initiating an error indication when the tracked number of the particular promotion offers is greater than the tracked number of the one or more linking products by at least a certain amount.

12. The computerized system of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, further implement the step of:

automatically adjusting billing data for the particular promotion offer to match the number of the one or more linking products.

13. The computerized system of claim 11, wherein the certain amount is based on historical data for set downs and operator errors.

14. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed, further implement the step of:

generating billing data when the tracked number of the particular promotion offers is no more than a certain amount greater than the tracked number of the one or more linking products.

15. The computerized system of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed, further implement the step of:

generating an audit certification with the billing data.

16. An audit system for promotion monitoring in connection with the distribution of a particular promotion offer for a promoted product by one or more devices in a store in connection with one or more linking products, the audit system comprising:

a promotion offer distribution database that stores data indicative of a number of the particular promotion offers distributed by the one or more devices in the store during a billing period, wherein the particular promotion offer for the promoted product is generated in relation to the one or more linking products;

a linking product sales database that stores data indicative of a number of the one or more linking products that pass through a point-of-sale of the store; and

an audit and billing unit in communication with the promotion offer distribution database and the linking product sales database, the audit and billing unit including one or more processors and one or more non-transitory memory devices for storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the audit and billing unit to compare the tracked number of the particular promotion offers with the tracked number of the one or more linking products.

17. The audit system of claim 16, wherein the audit and billing unit generates an error indication when the tracked number of the particular promotion offers is greater than the tracked number of the one or more linking products by at least a certain amount.

18. The audit system of claim 17, wherein the audit and billing unit automatically adjusts billing data for the particular promotion offer to match the number of the one or more linking products.

19. The audit system of claim 16, wherein the audit and billing unit generates billing data when the tracked number of the particular promotion offers is no more than a certain amount greater than the tracked number of the one or more linking products.

20. The audit system of claim 19, further comprising:

a billing generator that generates a bill based on the billing data, wherein the bill includes a message certifying that the billing data has been audited and the audit passed.