Pre-sale data broadcast system and method

• US 8,543,510 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Tedesco, Daniel E., Mik, Magdalena
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US13/366,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20120136720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/16, 705/64, 705/67, 705/75
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0223 based on inventory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for promoting the sale of a substitute product at the point of sale (POS). Upon the presentation of an original product for purchase by a consumer at a POS terminal, various manufacturers may decide to offer a substitute product to the consumer, prior to completing the purchase of the original product. If the customer accepts the offer, the point of sale terminal completes the sale of the substitute product.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a communications port in communication with the processor;

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor, when executing the instructions, to;

receive transaction data regarding an original product presented for purchase by a consumer via a point of sale terminal;

upon receiving the transaction data, determine, by the processor based on information about one or more product suppliers registered in a database, at least one substitute product, associated with a respective product supplier, for the original product; and

offer, to the consumer via the point of sale terminal, the at least one substitute product.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the transaction data includes at least one of:

a product price, a product identifier and a product UPC code.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

receive, via the point of sale terminal, an identifier identifying the substitute product.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein offering the at least one substitute product comprises:

transmitting an indication of the at least one substitute product to the consumer via at least one of;

a printer, a display terminal and a speaker.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

receive inventory information of at least one potential substitute product for the original product.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

receive additional information for determination of the at least one substitute product, the additional information comprising at least one of;

product profit margin information,

product inventory information,

product expiration date information,

retail product price information,

product floor price information,

product sales information,

sale and promotional pricing information,

product demand information,

product forecast information,

product class information,

product pricing information, and

information regarding product features.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

receive from the product supplier a respective associated offer for the at least one substitute product associated with the product supplier.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one substitute product is a manufacturer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one substitute product does not manufacture the at least one substitute product.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a communications port in communication with the processor;

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor, when executing the instructions, to;

receive transaction data regarding an original product presented for purchase by a consumer via a point of sale terminal;

upon receiving the transaction data, determine, by the processor based on information about one or more product suppliers registered in a database, at least one supplemental product, associated with a respective product supplier, for the original product; and

offer, to the consumer via the point of sale terminal, the at least one supplemental product.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the transaction data includes at least one of:

a product price, a product identifier and a product UPC code.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

receive, via the point of sale terminal, an identifier identifying at least one of the at least one supplemental product.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein offering the at least one supplemental product comprises:

transmitting an indication of the at least one supplemental product to the consumer via at least one of;

a printer, a display terminal and a speaker.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

receive inventory information of at least one potential supplemental product for the original product.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

receive additional information for determination of the at least one supplemental product, the additional information comprising at least one of;

product profit margin information,

product inventory information,

product expiration date information,

retail product price information,

product floor price information,

product sales information,

sale and promotional pricing information,

product demand information,

product forecast information,

product class information,

product pricing information, and

information regarding product features.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, the instructions being further configured to direct the processor to:

receive from the product supplier a respective associated offer for the at least one supplemental product associated with the product supplier.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one supplemental product is a manufacturer.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one supplemental product does not manufacture the at least one supplemental product.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, via a point of sale terminal by a server device comprising at least one processor, transaction data regarding an original product presented via the point of sale terminal for purchase by a consumer;

upon receiving the transaction data, determining, by the server device based on information about one or more product suppliers registered in a database, at least one substitute product, associated with a respective product supplier, for the original product; and

offering, by the server device to the consumer via the point of sale terminal, the at least one substitute product.

20. The method of claim 19, in which the transaction data includes at least one of:

a product price, a product identifier and a product UPC code.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving, via the point of sale terminal, an identifier identifying at least one of the at least one substitute product.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein offering the at least one substitute product comprises:

transmitting an indication of the at least one substitute product to the consumer via at least one of;

a printer, a display terminal and a speaker.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving inventory information of at least one potential substitute product for the original product.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving additional information for determination of the at least one substitute product, the additional information comprising at least one of;

product profit margin information,

product inventory information,

product expiration date information,

retail product price information,

product floor price information,

product sales information,

sale and promotional pricing information,

product demand information,

product forecast information,

product class information,

product pricing information, and

information regarding product features.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving from the product supplier a respective associated offer for the at least one substitute product associated with the product supplier.

26. The method of claim 19, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one substitute product is a manufacturer.

27. The method of claim 19, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one substitute product does not manufacture the at least one substitute product.

28. A method comprising:

receiving, via a point of sale terminal by a server device comprising at least one processor, transaction data regarding an original product presented via the point of sale terminal for purchase by a consumer;

upon receiving the transaction data, determining, by the server device based on information about one or more product suppliers registered in a database, at least one supplemental product, associated with a respective product supplier, for the original product; and

offering, by the server device to the consumer via the point of sale terminal, the at least one supplemental product.

29. The method of claim 28, in which the transaction data includes at least one of:

a product price, a product identifier and a product UPC code.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving, via the point of sale terminal, an identifier identifying at least one of the at least one supplemental product.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein offering the at least one supplemental product comprises:

transmitting an indication of the at least one supplemental product to the consumer via at least one of;

a printer, a display terminal and a speaker.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving inventory information of at least one potential supplemental product for the original product.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving additional information for determination of the at least one supplemental product, the additional information comprising at least one of;

product profit margin information,

product inventory information,

product expiration date information,

retail product price information,

product floor price information,

product sales information,

sale and promotional pricing information,

product demand information,

product forecast information,

product class information,

product pricing information, and

information regarding product features.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving from the product supplier a respective associated offer for the at least one supplemental product associated with the product supplier.

35. The method of claim 28, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one supplemental product is a manufacturer.

36. The method of claim 28, in which the product supplier associated with the at least one supplemental product does not manufacture the at least one supplemental product.