Systems and methods for determining whether to offer a reward at a point of return
First Claim
1. A computerized system for providing a reward incentive to a customer desiring to return merchandise to a merchant at a point of return, the system comprising:
- a web page configured to receive merchandise return data, the web page used by customers to transact a portion of a current merchandise return, wherein the current merchandise return comprises one or more items that the customer desires to return to the merchant for a credit, wherein the web page obtains customer identification data about the customer submitting the merchandise return;
a device operated by a clerk at a merchant facility, the device further configured to receive additional information about current merchandise return by a customer at a merchant'"'"'s point of return within a merchant'"'"'s physical location, wherein the current merchandise return comprises the one or more items that the customer desires to return to the merchant for a credit;
a customer return data repository implemented as a plurality of servers operating as a server farm under management of one or more clustering technologies, the customer return data repository in communication with the web page and the device, wherein the customer return data repository comprises at least one database comprising return data wherein the return data comprises information about return history of prior merchandise returns associated with the return of one or more items by customers to merchants; and
at least one decision engine comprising computer hardware configured to perform a first analysis regarding a return authorization that determines whether to authorize the credit for the current merchandise return, the decision engine in communication with the plurality of servers, the decision engine configured to access the customer return data repository and identify return history data associated with the customer submitting the merchandise return based at least in part on the customer identification data;
wherein the decision engine is further configured to perform a second analysis regarding whether to offer a reward incentive to the customer at the point of return, wherein the reward incentive is in addition to a credit given for the returned items;
wherein the decision engine analyzes in the second analysis customer identification data to create a customer identity that correlates the customer identity with at least a customers address;
wherein the decision engine in the second analysis uses the customers address to automatically calculate a geographical distance from a customers address to the merchant facility where the merchandise return transaction occurs;
wherein the decision engine in the second analysis determines whether to offer the reward incentive based on the geographical distance from the customers address to the merchant facility;
wherein the decision engine further determines in the second analysis whether to offer the reward incentive based at least in part on the return history and the information about the current merchandise return stored in the customer return data repository, wherein the decision engine determines a reward incentive that provides a discount for different types of items than the items being returned by the customer;
wherein the decision engine further determines in the second analysis whether to offer the reward incentive based at least in part on the authorization of the credit for the current merchandise return; and
wherein the device, in response to the determinations by the decision engine, provides the return authorization and provides the reward incentive at the point of return within the merchant'"'"'s physical location, wherein the reward incentive incentivizes the customer to make a purchase with at least a portion of the credit before leaving the merchant'"'"'s physical location.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Computerized decision-making systems and methods are described for determining whether to provide one or more rewards, such as a coupon or instant discount, to a customer requesting to make a merchandise return at a store, and, if so, to determine the terms of the reward, such as value, expiration date/time and other terms that may be associated with a coupon. The reward determinations may be implemented in conjunction with a system for authorizing the requested merchandise return transaction. Information about the requested return may be used together with data about the customer'"'"'s past purchase, return transactions, and other customer-related data. In some embodiments, the determinations are based, at least in part, on store-related information and policies. The reward may be printed with a receipt issued to the customer at the point of return and/or may be provided to the customer using a wide variety of other communications technologies.
81 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computerized system for providing a reward incentive to a customer desiring to return merchandise to a merchant at a point of return, the system comprising:
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a web page configured to receive merchandise return data, the web page used by customers to transact a portion of a current merchandise return, wherein the current merchandise return comprises one or more items that the customer desires to return to the merchant for a credit, wherein the web page obtains customer identification data about the customer submitting the merchandise return; a device operated by a clerk at a merchant facility, the device further configured to receive additional information about current merchandise return by a customer at a merchant'"'"'s point of return within a merchant'"'"'s physical location, wherein the current merchandise return comprises the one or more items that the customer desires to return to the merchant for a credit; a customer return data repository implemented as a plurality of servers operating as a server farm under management of one or more clustering technologies, the customer return data repository in communication with the web page and the device, wherein the customer return data repository comprises at least one database comprising return data wherein the return data comprises information about return history of prior merchandise returns associated with the return of one or more items by customers to merchants; and at least one decision engine comprising computer hardware configured to perform a first analysis regarding a return authorization that determines whether to authorize the credit for the current merchandise return, the decision engine in communication with the plurality of servers, the decision engine configured to access the customer return data repository and identify return history data associated with the customer submitting the merchandise return based at least in part on the customer identification data; wherein the decision engine is further configured to perform a second analysis regarding whether to offer a reward incentive to the customer at the point of return, wherein the reward incentive is in addition to a credit given for the returned items; wherein the decision engine analyzes in the second analysis customer identification data to create a customer identity that correlates the customer identity with at least a customers address; wherein the decision engine in the second analysis uses the customers address to automatically calculate a geographical distance from a customers address to the merchant facility where the merchandise return transaction occurs; wherein the decision engine in the second analysis determines whether to offer the reward incentive based on the geographical distance from the customers address to the merchant facility; wherein the decision engine further determines in the second analysis whether to offer the reward incentive based at least in part on the return history and the information about the current merchandise return stored in the customer return data repository, wherein the decision engine determines a reward incentive that provides a discount for different types of items than the items being returned by the customer; wherein the decision engine further determines in the second analysis whether to offer the reward incentive based at least in part on the authorization of the credit for the current merchandise return; and wherein the device, in response to the determinations by the decision engine, provides the return authorization and provides the reward incentive at the point of return within the merchant'"'"'s physical location, wherein the reward incentive incentivizes the customer to make a purchase with at least a portion of the credit before leaving the merchant'"'"'s physical location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for providing a reward incentive to a customer desiring to return merchandise to a merchant at a point of return, the method comprising:
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receiving merchandise return data via a web page that can be used by customers to transact a portion of a current merchandise return, wherein the current merchandise return comprises one or more items that the customer desires to return to the merchant for a credit; receiving customer identification data for the customer submitting the merchandise return request via the web page; receiving at a device operated by a clerk at a merchant facility, additional information about the current merchandise return by a customer at a merchant'"'"'s point of return within a merchant'"'"'s physical location, wherein the current merchandise return comprises the one or more items that the customer desires to return to the merchant for a credit; storing in a customer return data repository comprising at least one database of return data wherein the return data comprises information about return history of prior merchandise returns associated with the return of one or more items by customers to merchants the customer return data repository implemented as a plurality of servers operating as a server farm under management of one or more clustering technologies; and performing a first analysis with at least one decision engine comprising computer hardware, the first analysis determining whether to authorize the credit for the current merchandise return, the decision engine in communication with the plurality of servers, the decision engine configured to access the customer return data repository and identify return history data associated with the customer submitting the merchandise return based at least in part on the customer identification data; performing a second analysis with the decision engine regarding whether to offer a reward incentive to the customer at the point of return, wherein the reward incentive is in addition to a credit given for the returned items; analyzing with the decision engine customer identification data to create a customer identity that correlates the customer identity with at least a customer'"'"'s address; using the customer'"'"'s address to automatically calculate a geographical distance from a customer'"'"'s address to the merchant facility where the merchandise return transaction occurs; determining with the decision engine whether to offer the reward incentive based on the geographical distance from the customer'"'"'s address to the merchant facility, wherein determining whether to offer the reward incentive is based at least in part on the return history and information about the current merchandise return stored in the customer return data repository, wherein the decision engine determines a reward incentive that provides a discount for different types of items than the items being returned by the customer and further determining whether to offer the reward incentive based at least in part on the authorization of the credit for the current merchandise return; and in response to the determinations by the decision engine, the device provides the return authorization and provides the reward incentive at the point of return within the merchant'"'"'s physical location, wherein the reward incentive incentivizes the customer to make a purchase with at least a portion of the credit before leaving the merchant'"'"'s physical location. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification