System and method for inverted promotions

• US 8,676,643 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DS-IQ Incorporated
• Original Assignee: DS-IQ Incorporated
• Inventors: Kepecs, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamilton, Matthew L
• Application Number:
  US13/155,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20110238480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/14.38
• 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 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A method of extending promotional discounts and special prices on items for sale to identified consumers. After the identification of a consumer by a unique identifier; a selected item is promoted with a discount or special price to the identified consumer. The discount or special price is granted upon a purchase of the item by the identified consumer prior to the withdrawal or termination of the promotion to the identified consumer. The withdrawal or termination of the promotion is held in abeyance upon an acknowledgment of the promotion by the identified consumer. In other words, the identified consumer must take specific action to prevent a promotional discount from being withdrawn. This inverted promotion provides for greater incentives for the consumer to provide information about his or her purchasing habits.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer executable code that when executed by a computer performs operations comprising:

storing a first table of prices for a plurality of items for all consumers;

storing a second table of prices for a first set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the second table is associated with a first set of selected consumers;

storing a third table of prices for a second set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the third table is associated with a second set of selected consumers;

providing at least one of the following;

a price for a first set selected item from the second table to the first set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the first set selected item is non-zero;

a price for a second set selected item from the third table to the second set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the second set selected item is zero;

a price for an item from the first table to the second set of selected consumers when there is no entry for the item in the second table; and

a price for an item from the first table to consumers who are not members of the first and second sets of selected consumers;

whereby different prices for items can be provided to the first and second sets of selected consumers.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the zero entry in the second table comprises an entry of “

0”

in the second table.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying the first set of selected consumers by a store loyalty card.

4. The computer program product of claim 3 further comprising the step of identifying the second set of selected consumers by a second loyalty card.

5. The computer program product of claim 4 further comprising combining the first set of selected consumers with the second set of selected consumers.

6. A computer program product comprising non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer executable code that when executed by a computer performs operations comprising:

storing a first table of prices for a plurality of items for all consumers;

storing a second table of discounted prices for a first set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the second table is associated with a first set of selected consumers;

storing a third table of discounted prices for a second set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the third table is associated with a second set of selected consumers;

providing at least one of the following;

a discounted price for a first set selected item from the second table to the first set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the first set item is non-zero;

a discounted price for a second set selected item from the third table to the second set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the second set item is zero;

a price for an item from the first table to the second set of selected consumers when there is no entry for the item in the second table; and

a price from the first table to consumers who are not members of the first and second sets of selected consumers;

whereby different discounted prices can be provided to the first and second sets of selected consumers.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the zero entry in the second table comprises an entry of “

0”

in the second table.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising the step of identifying the first set of selected consumers by a store loyalty card.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising the step of identifying the second set of selected consumers by a second loyalty card.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising combining the first set of selected consumers with the second set of selected consumers.

11. For a computer network system having a first table of prices for a plurality of items for all consumers and having a second table of prices for a first set of items selected from the plurality of items for a first set of selected consumers, a method for providing different prices to different sets of selected consumers comprising:

storing a third table of prices for a second set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the third table is associated with a second set of selected consumers;

providing, by a computer processor, at least one of the following;

a price for a first set selected item from the second table to the first set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the first set selected item is non-zero;

a price for a second set selected item from the third table to the second set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the second set item is zero;

a price for an item from the first table to the second set of selected consumers when there is no entry for the item in the second table; and

a price for an item from the first table to consumers who are not members of the first and second sets of selected consumers;

whereby different prices for items can be provided to the first and second sets of selected consumers.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the zero entry in the second table comprises an entry of “

0”

in the second table.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising identifying the first set of selected consumers by a store loyalty card.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising identifying the second set of selected consumers by a second loyalty card.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising combining the first set of selected consumers with the second set of selected consumers.

16. For a computer network system having a first table of prices for a plurality of items for all consumers and having a second table of prices for a first set of items selected from the plurality of items for a first set of selected consumers, a method of providing prices to different sets of selected consumers comprising:

setting entries in the second table for all other items in the first table from the plurality of items to zero;

storing a third table of prices for a second set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the third table is associated with a second set of selected consumers;

providing, by a computer processor, at least one of the following;

a price for a first set selected item from the second table to the first set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the first set selected item is non-zero;

a price for a second set selected item from the third table to the second set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the second set selected item is zero;

a price for an item from the first table to the second set of selected consumers when there is no entry for the item in the second table; and

a price from the first table to consumers who are not members of the first and second sets of selected consumers;

whereby different prices for items can be provided to the first and second sets of selected consumers.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the zero entry in the second table comprises an entry of “

0”

in the second table.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising identifying the first set of selected consumers by a store loyalty card.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising identifying the second set of selected consumers by a second loyalty card.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising combining the first set of selected consumers with the second set of selected consumers.

21. A computer system for providing different prices for items to different sets of selected consumers, comprising:

at least one processor coupled to a computer-readable memory, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to provide prices by;

storing a first table of prices for a plurality of items for all consumers;

storing a second table of prices for a first set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the second table is associated with a first set of selected consumers;

storing a third table of prices for a second set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the third table is associated with a second set of selected consumers;

providing at least one of the following;

a price for a first set selected item from the second table to the first set of

selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the first set selected item is non-zero;

a price for a second set selected item from the third table to the second set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the second set selected item is zero;

a price for an item from the first table to the second set of selected consumers when there is no entry for the item in the second table; and

a price for an item from the first table to consumers who are not members of the first and second sets of selected consumers;

whereby different prices for items can be provided to the first and second sets of selected consumers.

22. The computer system of claim 21 wherein the zero entry in the second table comprises an entry of “

0”

in the second table.

23. The computer system of claim 21 wherein the first set of selected consumers is identified by a store loyalty card.

24. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the second set of selected consumers is identified by a second loyalty card.

25. The computer system of claim 24 wherein the first set of selected consumers is combined with the second set of selected consumers.

26. A computer program product comprising non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer executable code that when executed by a computer performs operations comprising:

storing a first table of prices for a plurality of items for all consumers;

storing a second table of prices for a first set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the second table is associated with a first set of selected consumers;

storing a third table of prices for a second set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the third table is associated with a second set of selected consumers;

providing the following;

a price for a first set selected item from the second table to the first set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the first set selected item is non-zero;

a price for a second set selected item from the third table to the second set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the second set selected item is zero; and

a price for an item from the first table to consumers who are not members of the first and second sets of selected consumers;

whereby different prices for items can be provided to the first and second sets of selected consumers.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 further comprising providing a lower price of two prices for an item having non-zero entries in both second and third tables to the second set of selected consumers.

28. A computer program product comprising non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer executable code that when executed by a computer performs operations comprising:

storing a first table of prices for a plurality of items for all consumers;

storing a second table of discounted prices for a first set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the second table is associated with a first set of selected consumers;

storing a third table of discounted prices for a second set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the third table is associated with a second set of selected consumers;

providing the following;

a discounted price for a first set selected item from the second table to the first set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the first set item is non-zero;

a discounted price for a second set selected item from the third table to the second set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the second set item is zero; and

a price from the first table to consumers who are not members of the first and second sets of selected consumers;

whereby different discounted prices can be provided to the first and second sets of selected consumers.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 further comprising providing a lower price of two discounted prices for an item having non-zero entries in both second and third tables to the second set of selected consumers.

30. For a computer network system having a first table of prices for a plurality of items for all consumers and having a second table of prices for a first set of items selected from the plurality of items for a first set of selected consumers, a method for providing different prices to different sets of selected consumers comprising:

storing a third table of prices for a second set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the third table is associated with a second set of selected consumers;

providing, by a computer processor, the following;

a price for a first set selected item from the second table to the first set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the first set selected item is non-zero;

a price for a second set selected item from the third table to the second set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the second set item is zero; and

a price for an item from the first table to consumers who are not members of the first and second sets of selected consumers;

whereby different prices for items can be provided to the first and second sets of selected consumers.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising providing a lower price of two prices for an item having non-zero entries in both second and third tables to the second set of selected consumers.

32. For a computer network system having a first table of prices for a plurality of items for all consumers and having a second table of prices for a first set of items selected from the plurality of items for a first set of selected consumers, a method of providing prices to different sets of selected consumers comprising:

setting entries in the second table for all other items in the first table from the plurality of items to zero;

storing a third table of prices for a second set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the third table is associated with a second set of selected consumers;

providing, by a computer processor, the following;

a price for a first set selected item from the second table to the first set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the first set selected item is non-zero;

a price for a second set selected item from the third table to the second set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the second set selected item is zero; and

a price from the first table to consumers who are not members of the first and second sets of selected consumers;

whereby different prices for items can be provided to the first and second sets of selected consumers.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising providing a lower price of two prices for an item having non-zero entries in both second and third tables to the second set of selected consumers.

34. A computer system for providing different prices for items to different sets of selected consumers, comprising:

at least one processor coupled to a computer-readable memory, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to provide prices by;

storing a first table of prices for a plurality of items for all consumers;

storing a second table of prices for a first set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the second table is associated with a first set of selected consumers;

storing a third table of prices for a second set of items selected from the plurality of items, wherein the third table is associated with a second set of selected consumers;

providing the following;

a price for a first set selected item from the second table to the first set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the first set selected item is non-zero;

a price for a second set selected item from the third table to the second set of selected consumers when an entry in the second table for the second set selected item is zero; and

a price for an item from the first table to consumers who are not members of the first and second sets of selected consumers;

whereby different prices for items can be provided to the first and second sets of selected consumers.

35. The computer system of claim 34 further comprising providing a lower price of two prices for an item having non-zero entries in both second and third tables to the second set of selected consumers.