System and method for providing electronic vouchers

• US 7,149,706 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MRD Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: MRD Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Duchow, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Retta, Yehdega
• Application Number:
  US09/682,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20020038237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/14.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

The system and method provide access to a structured computer program through a website by a buyer via the Internet. The structured computer program displays a list of producers from a producer database to the buyer, receives a selected producer from the buyer, and stores the selected producer in memory. It displays a list of products from a product database, based on the selected producer, to the buyer, receives a selected product from the buyer, and stores the selected product in memory. It requests information from the buyer such as the buyer'"'"'s zip code and email address, receives the zip code and email address from the buyer, and stores the zip code and email address in memory. Based on the selected product and the zip code, it selects a reseller geographically closest to the buyer from a reseller database and based on the selected producer and product it selects a cash value discount and expiration date from a discount database. Finally, it sends an electronic voucher to the buyer via email containing the selected producer and product, the reseller, the cash value discount, and the expiration date.

Claims

1. A method of distributing a voucher to a prospective customer over the Internet which is redeemable for a producer'"'"'s purchase incentive, said purchase incentive including at least one of:

a purchase price discount, a free upgrade or a free accessory, on a purchase price of a manufactured product at a specific reseller;

the method comprising;

providing at least one screen display to the prospective customer through the Internet to allow the prospective customer to select a producer;

receiving the selection of a producer from the prospective customer;

providing at least one screen display to the prospective customer through the Internet to allow the prospective customer to select only one product of said producer;

receiving the selection of the only one product of the one producer from the prospective customer through the Internet at the website;

after receiving the selection of only one product from said prospective customer and before displaying any amount of any purchase incentive to the prospective customer,

providing a screen display to the prospective customer which requests the prospective customer to enter personal contact information and a postal address code;

receiving at the website from the prospective customer through the Internet said personal contact information and said postal address code corresponding to the selection of the only one product;

after the website receiving the selection of the only one product and the personal contact information and the postal address code from the prospective customer,

the website selecting only one reseller from a plurality of available resellers based on the selection of the only one product and based on the postal address code being within, or closest to, a pre-defined marketing territory of the reseller;

the website then generating a voucher having a time limit for redemption and having a producer'"'"'s purchase incentive on the purchase of the only one selected product at the only one selected reseller; and

communicating the voucher for the only one selected product to at least one of the prospective customer and the selected reseller over the Internet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the prospective customer'"'"'s control over selection of the reseller is limited to the customer entering the selection of only one product and entering the postal address code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reseller is selected by the website in a sequence in which a purchase price of the product is not displayed to the prospective customer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the only one product, the entry of personal contact information and communication of the voucher occurs in only one access to the website.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a voucher is communicated for only one product for each access of the website.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined marketing territory is an exclusive marketing territory assigned to the reseller by the producer of the selected product.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection of the reseller does not use either pre-stored demographic data or direct customer selection through a screen display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase incentive is a purchase price discount of the selected product.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal contact information includes an e-mail address of the prospective customer.

10. A method of distributing a voucher to a prospective customer over the Internet which is redeemable for a producer'"'"'s purchase incentive, said purchase incentive including at least one of:

a purchase price discount, a free upgrade or a free accessory, on a purchase price of a manufactured product at a specific reseller;

the method comprising;

providing at least one screen display to the prospective customer through the Internet to allow the prospective customer to select only one product of one producer;

receiving the selection of only one product of the one producer from the prospective customer through the Internet at the website;

after receiving the selection of only one product from said prospective customer and before displaying any amount of any purchase incentive to the prospective customer,

providing a screen display to the prospective customer which requests the prospective customer to enter personal contact information and a postal address code;

receiving at the website from the prospective customer through the Internet said personal contact information and said postal address code corresponding to the selection of the only one product;

after the website receiving the selection of the only one product and the personal contact information and the postal address code from the prospective customer,

after the website selecting only one reseller from a plurality of available resellers based on the selection of the only one product and based on the postal address code being within, or closest to, a pre-defined marketing territory of the reseller;

the website generating a voucher having a time limit for redemption and having a producer'"'"'s purchase incentive on the purchase of the only one selected product at the selected reseller; and

communicating the voucher for the only one selected product to at least one of the prospective customer and the selected reseller over the Internet as voucher data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the prospective customer'"'"'s control over selection of the reseller is limited to the customer entering the product selection and entering the postal address code.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the reseller is selected by the website in a sequence in which a purchase price of the product is not displayed to the prospective customer.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the selection of the only one product, the entry of personal contact information and communication of the voucher occurs in only one access to the website.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein a voucher is communicated for only one product for each access of the website.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the pre-defined marketing territory is an exclusive marketing territory assigned to the reseller by the producer of the selected product.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said selection of the reseller does not utilize pre-stored demographic data or direct customer selection through a screen display.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the purchase incentive is a purchase price discount of the selected product.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the personal contact information includes an e-mail address of the prospective customer.