RETURN COUPON HOLDER

• US 20140304044A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 10/09/2014
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 9,330,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 that provides a return coupon holder to a customer making a merchandise return at a merchant'"'"'s store, the system comprising:

a return coupon holder comprising an electronic customer tracking device, the return coupon holder further configured to hold a return coupon associated with merchandise returned by a customer a point of return associated with a merchant'"'"'s store, wherein the return coupon holder is separate from the return coupon, and wherein the return coupon holder holds the return coupon;

a return coupon holder decision engine comprising computer hardware, wherein the return coupon holder decision engine receives the information about the merchandise returned by the customer, and wherein the return coupon holder decision engine determines whether to give a return coupon holder comprising the electronic customer tracking device to the customer based at least in part on information about the merchandise returned by the customer;

one or more sensors in the merchant'"'"'s store that senses the electronic customer tracking device and collects information regarding customer activities in the merchant'"'"'s store; and

one or more computer devices in the merchant'"'"'s store that process the information collected by the one or more sensors to alert at least one sales clerk in the vicinity of the customer that the customer is associated with a merchandise return.

2. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the return coupon holder further comprises an indication that the customer has been issued a return coupon.

3. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the return coupon holder further comprises information about one or more types of merchandise items returned by the customer.

4. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the return coupon holder indicates at least one of the group 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.

5. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the return coupon holder conveys information regarding the merchandise return in a non-textual manner.

6. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the return coupon holder conveys information about the merchandise return with 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.

7. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the return coupon is visible when the return coupon holder is holding the return coupon.

8. The computerized system of claim 7 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.

9. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the electronic customer tracking device is at least one of the set consisting of:

an electromagnetic device, a radio frequency identifier, and a global positioning system (GPS) device.

10. The computerized system of claim 1 wherein the electronic customer tracking device triggers one or more audio or one or more visual recordings within the merchant'"'"'s store.

11. A computerized method that provides a return coupon holder to a customer making a merchandise return at a merchant'"'"'s store, the system comprising:

receiving information about merchandise returned by a customer at a return coupon holder decision engine that comprises computer hardware;

determining with the return coupon holder decision engine whether to provide a return coupon holder to the customer, based at least in part on information about the merchandise returned by the customer, the return coupon holder configured to hold a return coupon to the customer, wherein the return coupon holder is separate from the return coupon, and wherein the return coupon holder holds the return coupon, the return coupon holder comprising an electronic customer tracking device;

providing to the customer, the return coupon holder comprising the electronic customer tracking device;

sensing the electronic customer tracking device with one or more sensors in the merchant'"'"'s store, wherein the sensing collects information regarding customer activities in the merchant'"'"'s store; and

alerting at least one sales clerk in the vicinity of the customer that the customer is associated with a merchandise return, the alerting based at least in part on the information collected by the one or more sensors.

12. The computerized method of claim 11 further comprising indicating with the return coupon holder that the customer has been issued a return coupon.

13. The computerized method of claim 11 wherein the return coupon holder further comprises information about one or more types of merchandise items returned by the customer.

14. The computerized method of claim 11 further comprising indicating with the return coupon holder at least one of the group 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.

15. The computerized method of claim 11 further comprising conveying with the return coupon holder, information regarding the merchandise return in a non-textual manner.

16. The computerized method of claim 11 further comprising conveying information about the merchandise return with the return coupon holder with 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.

17. The computerized method of claim 11 further comprising visibly displaying the return coupon when the return coupon holder is holding the return coupon.

18. The computerized method of claim 17 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.

19. The computerized method of claim 11 wherein the electronic customer tracking device is at least one of the set consisting of:

an electromagnetic device, a radio frequency identifier, and a global positioning system (GPS) device.

20. The computerized method of claim 11 further comprising triggering with the electronic customer tracking device, one or more audio or one or more visual recordings within the merchant'"'"'s store.