Return coupon holder

• US 8,694,364 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Retail Equation, Inc. (Bamboo Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Retail Equation, Inc. (Bamboo Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hammond, Mark S., Bradshaw, Peter L., Ibert, Jim, Justus, Dave, Hilinski, Mark R., Speights, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lastra, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/844,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,420 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/14.1
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• 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 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives

Abstract

A return coupon holder is described for holding a return coupon issued in a store in conjunction with a customer'"'"'s merchandise return transaction. The return coupon holder is preferably sized large enough to discourage the customer from stowing the coupon away, such as in a handbag. Additionally, holders may be of different types that visually or electronically convey information about a category associated with the customer'"'"'s return transaction. Thus, salespersons may accordingly provide appropriate customer service to the customer. The holder categories may indicate an approximate dollar value of the return transaction, a type of merchandise returned, a return payment method, an assessment of the profitability of the customer, an assessment of the risk of fraud associated with the return transaction, and the like. A computer decision system may select holder type. Some embodiments of the coupon holder are fitted with a device that allow tracing of the customer'"'"'s movements while still in the store.

Claims

1. A computerized system for providing a return coupon and a return coupon holder to a customer making a merchandise return at a merchant'"'"'s store, the system comprising:

a plurality of return coupon holders, each return coupon holder comprising a radio frequency identifier (RFID) that references electronic information regarding a merchandise return transaction, the plurality of return coupon holders further configured to hold a return coupon, wherein the return coupon is separate from the return coupon holder, and wherein the return coupon is placed into and held within the return coupon holder, both the return coupon and the return coupon holder associated with the merchandise return transaction made by a customer at a merchant'"'"'s store at a point of return, wherein the return coupon is placed into the return coupon holder at the point of return,

wherein the plurality of return coupon holders comprise different types, wherein a first type of return coupon holder comprising the RFID is configured to indicate a merchandise department in the merchant'"'"'s store associated with one or more of the returned items, wherein a second type of return coupon holder comprising the RFID is configured to indicate a monetary value of one or more of the items returned by the customer, and wherein a third type of return coupon holder comprising the RFID is configured to indicate a duration of the return coupon held by the return coupon holder;

a processor configured to receive information about the merchandise return, wherein the merchandise return comprises one or more items that the customer desires to return to the merchant; and

a return coupon holder decision engine executing in one or more computer processors, in communication with the processor and with the database, wherein the return coupon holder decision engine is configured to receive the information about the merchandise return by the customer,

wherein the return coupon holder decision engine determines that a coupon holder should not be given to the customer at the point of return, when the return holder decision engine determines, based at least in part on information about the merchandise return, that the monetary amount of the merchandise return falls below a threshold;

wherein the return coupon holder decision engine selects the first type of coupon holder for the customer at the point of return when the return coupon holder decision engine determines, based at least in part on information about the merchandise return, that the items returned by the customer are associated with a merchandise department in the merchant'"'"'s store, wherein the electronic device associated with the first type of return coupon holder is configured to play an audio recording at a location in the merchant'"'"'s store based on type of items returned by the customer; and

wherein the return coupon holder decision engine selects the second type of coupon holder for the customer at the point of return when the return coupon holder decision engine determines, based at least in part on the information about the merchandise return, that the monetary amount of the items returned by the customer exceeds a threshold, wherein the electronic device associated with the second type of return coupon holder is configured to play an audio recording at a location in the merchant'"'"'s store based on similarity of price to the items returned by the customer,

wherein the return coupon holder decision engine selects the third type of coupon holder for the customer at the point of return based at least in part on the duration of the return coupon associated with the return items

a sensor that senses the RFID in the first type, second type or third type of coupon holder and alerts a sales clerk in the vicinity of the sensor that a merchandise return transaction has been completed.

2. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the combination of the return coupon holder and the return coupon conveys information regarding the merchandise return transaction to a representative of the merchant.

3. The computerized system of claim 2, wherein the information regarding the merchandise return transaction includes an indication that the customer made the merchandise return transaction and that the customer has been issued a return coupon.

4. The computerized system of claim 2, wherein the information regarding the merchandise return transaction comprises an indication of a dollar amount of the return transaction.

5. The computerized system of claim 2, wherein information regarding the merchandise return transaction comprises information about one or more types of merchandise items returned by the customer.

6. The computerized system of claim 5, wherein the information about the one or more types of merchandise items includes at least one of the set consisting of:

a department associated with one or more of the merchandise items, a brand name associated with one or more of the merchandise items, and one or more SKU codes associated with one or more merchandise items.

7. The computerized system of claim 2, wherein the return coupon holder conveys the information in a non-textual manner.

8. The computerized system of claim 7, wherein the information is conveyed visually.

9. The computerized system of claim 8, wherein the information is conveyed by at least one of the set consisting of:

a size of the return coupon holder, a color of the return coupon holder, a shape of the return coupon holder, a graphic design on the return coupon holder, text or other typographic symbols on the return coupon holder, and a material from which the return coupon holder is made.

10. The computerized system of claim 8, wherein the information is conveyed by a portion of the return coupon that is visible when the return coupon holder is holding the return coupon.

11. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the portion of the return coupon that is visible when the return coupon holder is holding the return coupon is visible through a window in the return coupon holder.

12. The computerized system of claim 7, wherein the electronic device is embedded in the return coupon holder.

13. The computerized system of claim 12, wherein the electronic device is at least one of the set consisting of:

an RFID device, an electromagnetic device, and a global positioning system (GPS) device.

14. The computerized system of claim 12, wherein the electronic device is in communication with at least one device in the merchant'"'"'s store.