Method to facilitate an in-store audit after issuance of an electronic receipt

• US 9,330,382 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Argue, Stuart, Marcar, Anthony Emile
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilder, Hunter
• Application Number:
  US13/756,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20140214574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 705/21, 705/26.81, 235/383
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

Techniques for allowing a store security associate to complete a purchase audit for a customer leaving a brick and mortar store are disclosed. The techniques include preparing an electronic receipt for completed purchase transaction and transmitting a copy of the electronic receipt to a store audit electronic device at the brick and mortar store. The techniques also include receiving customer information into the store audit electronic device to identify the copy of the electronic receipt associated with a customer, displaying the copy of the electronic receipt on the store audit electronic device, and reviewing the copy of the electronic receipt on the store audit electronic device to verify that the customer has purchased items which are in the customer'"'"'s possession as the customer exits the store.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving notification that a customer has installed a receipts management application associated with a retailer on a mobile electronic device;

prompting, by the application, the customer to provide at least one piece of identifying information corresponding to the customer, wherein the identifying information is stored in a customer database;

prompting, by a sales terminal of the retailer, the customer to provide the at least one piece of identifying information;

sending, by the sales terminal to a receipts management server, the at least one piece of identifying information;

identifying, by the receipts management server, the customer in the customer database based on the at least one piece of identifying information;

facilitating, by the sales terminal, a purchase transaction by the customer;

preparing, at the receipts management server, an electronic receipt for the purchase transaction;

sending, by the receipts management server to the sales terminal, the electronic receipt;

printing, at the sales terminal, a paper stub receipt containing a machine-readable code identifying the purchase transaction and associated with the electronic receipt, wherein the paper stub receipt is provided to the customer;

preparing, at the receipts management server, a modified copy of the electronic receipt, wherein the modified copy of the electronic receipt has additional customer and transaction identifying information for use in conducting store audits and is stored in a receipt database at the receipts management server;

transmitting, by the receipts management server, the modified copy of the electronic receipt to an audit electronic device;

scanning, by the audit electronic device, the machine-readable code of the paper stub receipt;

identifying, by the audit electronic device, the purchase transaction based on the machine-readable code;

displaying, by the audit electronic device, the modified copy of the electronic receipt; and

automatically eliminating the modified copy of the electronic receipt from the audit electronic device after a predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises sending, by the receipts management server, the electronic receipt to the customer mobile electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified copy of the electronic receipt further includes text searchable information associated with the customer to facilitate identification of the modified copy of the electronic receipt.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving a customer telephone number corresponding to a mobile electronic device into the audit electronic device to identify the modified copy of the electronic receipt associated with the customer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving a store member number associated with the customer into the audit electronic device to identify the modified copy of the electronic receipt associated with the customer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises capturing an image of a store membership card associated with the customer via the audit electronic device and optically recognizing the member number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the paper stub receipt does not include purchased items associated with the electronic receipt.

8. A computer system comprising:

an application installed on a communication device associated with a customer programmed to;

receive information regarding a purchase transaction at a brick and mortar store, and

prompt the customer to provide at least one piece of identifying information, wherein the identifying information is stored in a customer database;

a sales terminal programmed to send, to a receipts management server, the at least one piece of identifying information;

the receipts management server programmed to;

identify the customer in the customer database based on the at least one piece of identifying information,

prepare an electronic receipt for the purchase transaction, and

send the electronic receipt to the sales terminal, and

the sales terminal further programmed to print a paper stub receipt containing a machine-readable code identifying the purchase transaction and associated with the electronic receipt, wherein the paper stub receipt is provided to the customer;

the receipts management server is further programmed to;

prepare a modified copy of the electronic receipt, wherein the modified copy of the electronic receipt has additional customer and transaction identifying information for use in conducting store audits and is stored in a receipt database at the receipts management server, and

transmit the modified copy of the electronic receipt to an audit electronic device at the brick and mortar store;

an audit electronic device user interface programmed to;

scan the machine-readable code of the paper stub receipt,

identify the purchase transaction based on the machine-readable code,

display the modified copy of the electronic receipt on the store audit electronic device, and

automatically eliminate the modified copy of the electronic receipt from the audit electronic device after a predetermined period of time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the receipts management server is further programmed to send the electronic receipt to the communication device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the modified copy of the electronic receipt further includes text searchable information associated with the customer to facilitate identification of the copy of the electronic receipt.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the audit electronic device is further programmed to:

receive a customer telephone number corresponding to the communications device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the audit electronic device is further programmed to:

receive a store member number associated with the customer.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an audit electronic device processing device programmed to:

capture an image of a store membership card associated with the customer via an audit electronic device camera and optically recognize the member number.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the

paper stub receipt does not include purchased items associated with the electronic receipt.