GEOGRAPHIC LOYALTY SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20040243468A1
• Filed: 03/11/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Mayer, Birgitta, Voltmer, Theodore S., Cohagan, Perry A., Wood-Kulko, Penelope, Menichilli, Julia
• Granted Patent: US 7,856,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0229 Multi-merchant loyalty card systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0232 Frequent usage rewards other than merchandise, cash or travel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• 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 30/0259 based on store location

Abstract

The invention facilitates a loyalty system which is associated with pre-determined geographic locations and/or services and goods offered in a specific geographic area. The system is configured with one product platform with a modularized approach to facilitate the development of market specific rewards and communication materials. The loyalty points may be earned within a specific geographic location, then redeemed in one geographic location, a subset of locations or without restrictions. Similarly, the loyalty points may be earned in one geographic location, a subset of locations or without restrictions, then redeemed only in a specific geographic location. The geographic features of the system may be implemented using existing data that is associated with geographic areas such as, for example, zip codes, retailer identification codes, service establishment codes and/or the like. The geographic area information may be associated with the consumer, merchant, processing system and/or any other part of the overall system.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating earning loyalty points, wherein the loyalty points are associated with a geographic area, said method including:

maintaining a database for storing geographic area loyalty points in a loyalty account corresponding to a participant;

receiving purchase data;

determining a geographic area related to said purchase data;

determining an amount of geographic area loyalty points based on said geographic area and said purchase data; and

updating said loyalty account with said geographic area loyalty points.

2. The method of claim 1 further including redeeming said geographic area loyalty points in a pre-determined geographic area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a geographic area related to said purchase data includes using at least one of:

zip codes, retailer identification codes, retailer item identifier, store identifier, warranty data, service establishment codes, SKU codes, UPC manufacturer codes, consumer ID, retailer ID, manufacturer ID, purchaser profile, consumer enrollment data, retailer loyalty identifier, consumer account, aggregate consumer account, consumer profile, supplementary member profile, and third party provider information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining an amount of geographic area loyalty points based on said geographic area and said purchase data includes calculating said geographic area loyalty points using at least one of a formula, ratio, percentage, consumer level, cellular phone caller location, global positioning system information, point level, retailer level, manufacturer level, and reward level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving purchase data includes the steps of:

receiving and storing manufacturer item identifiers;

receiving and processing a consumer ID;

receiving and processing purchase data, wherein said purchase data comprises a retailer item identifier;

associating at least two of said consumer ID, said purchase data, and a manufacturer item identifier; and

performing an analysis that is dependent upon the step of associating at least two of said consumer ID, said purchase data, and said manufacturer item identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 further including informing a consumer of said loyalty points in real-time at a point-of-sale.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is implemented by an interactive, online computer system.

8. The method of claim 1 further including:

receiving and storing manufacturer item identifiers;

allocating geographic area loyalty points to at least one of a manufacturer and a retailer;

receiving and processing a consumer ID;

receiving and processing purchase data, wherein said purchase data comprises a retailer item identifier;

issuing, by at least one of said retailer and said manufacturer, geographic area loyalty points to a consumer;

redeeming said geographic area loyalty points for a consumer;

associating at least two of said consumer ID, said purchase data, and a manufacturer item identifier; and

performing an analysis that is dependent upon the step of associating at least two of said consumer ID, said purchase data, and said manufacturer item identifier.

9. The method of claim 1 further including providing a suggestive sale in a geographic area.

10. The method of claim 1 further including at least one of pooling, gifting and transferring said geographic area loyalty points.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of receiving purchase data includes receiving consumer data from a dual use transaction card.

12. A method for facilitating redeeming loyalty points, wherein the loyalty points are associated with a geographic area, said method including:

maintaining a database for storing geographic area loyalty points in a loyalty account corresponding to a participant;

receiving a request related to a requested geographic redemption area to redeem an amount of said geographic area loyalty points;

determining if said requested geographic redemption area is associated with said geographic area loyalty points; and

,

adjusting said loyalty account based upon said amount of geographic area loyalty points.

13. The method of claim 12 further including earning said geographic area loyalty points in a pre-determined geographic area.

14. The method of claim 12 further including providing an award to said participant, wherein said award includes at least one of providing a coupon, certificate, gift card, code, good, and service.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein determining if said requested geographic redemption area is associated with said geographic area loyalty points includes using at least one of:

zip codes, retailer identification codes, retailer item identifier, store identifier, warranty data, service establishment codes, SKU codes, UPC manufacturer codes, consumer ID, retailer ID, manufacturer ID, purchaser profile, consumer enrollment data, retailer loyalty identifier, consumer account, aggregate consumer account, consumer profile, supplementary member profile, and third party provider information.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said adjusting said loyalty account based upon said amount of geographic area loyalty points includes calculating said geographic area loyalty points using at least one of a formula, ratio, percentage, geographic area information, cellular phone caller location, global positioning system information, consumer level, point level, retailer level, manufacturer level, and reward level.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said receiving a request related to a requested geographic redemption area to redeem an amount of said geographic area loyalty points includes receiving a request based upon a rewards catalog, wherein said rewards catalog includes at least one of:

paper catalog, online catalog, customized catalog, customized catalog based upon geographic area information and customized catalog based upon levels of participants.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said method is implemented by an interactive, online computer system.

19. The method of claim 12 further including at least one of pooling, gifting and transferring said geographic area loyalty points.

20. The method of claim 12 further including calculating an exchange rate between geographic areas.

21. The method of claim 12 further including determining if said request is related to at least one of a particular product and a particular service.