Price paid database method and system

• US 8,756,154 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: Fitzpatrick, James Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Akintola, Olabode
• Application Number:
  US09/730,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20030088466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,940 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 705/20, 705/26, 705/10, 705/14, 705/21, 705/16, 705/400
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0223 based on inventory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

A novel price paid database, method, system, and computer program product in which checkout items are scanned at a plurality of stores, and a checkout computer identifies the purchased items. The checkout computer determines a price paid for each purchased item. A central computer records in a price-paid database an item identification and price-paid for each purchased items. The central computer publishes the price-paid database. The checkout computer recurrently updates the price-paid database in the central computer with the price paid for each purchased item, the customer identification (if available), the store identification, and a list price for each purchased item.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing prices paid for purchased items based on a user location that is associated with a user, the method being implemented on a computer having one or more physical processors programmed by computer program instructions that when executed perform the method, the method comprising:

storing, by the computer, in a price-paid database, a plurality of item identifications, wherein each item identification identifies an item that was purchased and is stored in association with a price paid for the item and a retail location at which the item was purchased;

receiving, by the computer, a request from a user to access information from the price-paid database;

obtaining, by the computer, a user location that is associated with the user;

identifying, by the computer, at least one retail location from the price-paid database based on the user location;

obtaining, by the computer, one or more prices paid for one or more items at the one or more retail locations responsive to the request; and

providing, by the computer, the one or more prices paid for the one or more items from the price-paid database responsive to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a customer identification associated with a first item identification from among the plurality of item identifications; and

storing the customer identification in the price-paid database in association with the first item identification.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the customer identification comprises:

receiving the customer identification based on a scan of a frequent shopper card, a credit card, a club member card, or a debit card.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the customer identification comprises:

receiving the customer identification based on a scan of a fingerprint, a retina, or a signature.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

recurrently receiving a new set of item identifications and a corresponding price paid associated with each of the new set of item identifications.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving an inventory list price associated with a first item identification from among the plurality of item identifications or a price differential between the inventory list price and a first price paid associated with the first item identification; and

storing the inventory list price or the price differential in the price-paid database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprising:

receiving a customer identification that identifies a customer that purchased a first item identified by the first item identification and a store identification that identifies the at least one retail location where the first item was purchased; and

storing the customer identification and the store identification in association with the first item identification in the price-paid database.

8. The method of claim 7, the method further comprising:

formatting the price-paid database into one or more columnar entries that store the customer identification, the store identification, the first item identification, the first price paid, the inventory list price, or the price differential.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the one or more prices paid comprises:

generating a web page that displays the one or more prices paid.

10. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising:

receiving, in association with the web page, a selection of a district, a store, a customer, a brand, or a sales category, wherein the one or more prices paid is provided based on the selected district, store, customer, brand, or sales category.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the user location comprises:

determining a zip code or an area code related to the user; and

determining an area of a district for which to provide the one or more prices paid based on the zip code or the area code.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the user location comprises:

determining a remote district, a regional district, or a national district related to the user; and

determining an area of a district for which to provide the one or more prices paid based on the remote district, the regional district, or the national district.

13. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising:

receiving, in association with the web page, a selection of a district for which to provide the one or more prices paid, wherein the one or more prices paid is provided based on the selection.

14. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

recurrently requesting transfer of a new set of item identifications from one or more retailers.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting transfer of an inventory list price for at least a first item identification from among the plurality of item identifications or a price differential between the inventory list price and a first price paid associated with the first item identification.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

requesting transfer of a customer identification of a customer that purchased a first item identified by the first item identification or a store identification of a store at which the first item was purchased.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

formatting the price-paid database into one or more columnar entries that store the customer identification, the store identification, the first item identification, the first price paid, the list price, and the price differential.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing one or more prices paid comprises:

generating a web page that displays the one or more prices paid.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, in association with the web page, a selection of a district, a store, a customer, a brand, or a sales category; and

providing the one or more prices paid via the web page based on the selection.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein obtaining the user location comprises:

determining a zip code or an area code related to the user; and

determining an area of a district for which to provide the one or more prices paid based on the zip code or the area code.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein further comprising:

determining a remote district, a regional district, or a national district related to the user; and

determining an area of a district for which to provide the one or more prices paid based on the remote district, the regional district, or the national district.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, in association with the web page, a selection of a district, wherein the one or more prices paid is provided based on the selected district.

39. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

requesting a first item identification and a first price paid associated with the first item identification from a first retailer;

requesting a second item identification and a second price paid associated with the second item identification from a second retailer; and

storing the first item identification, the first price paid, the second item identification, and the second price paid in the price paid database.

23. A system of providing prices paid for purchased items, the system of providing prices paid for purchased items based on a user location that is associated with a user, the system comprising:

a price-paid database; and

a computer having one or more physical processors programmed by computer program instructions to;

store in the price-paid database a plurality of item identifications, wherein each item identification identifies an item that was purchased and is stored in association with a price-paid for the item and a retail location at which the item was purchased;

receive a request from a user to access information from the price-paid database;

obtain a user location that is associated with the user;

identify at least one retail location from the price-paid database based on the user location;

obtain one or more prices paid for one or more items at the one or more retail locations responsive to the request; and

provide the one or more prices paid for the one or more items from the price-paid database responsive to the request.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

receive a customer identification associated with a first item identification from among the plurality of item identifications; and

store the customer identification in the price-paid database in association with the first item identification.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the customer identification is scanned from a frequent shopper card, a credit card, a club member card, or a debit card.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the customer identification is scanned from a fingerprint, a retina, or a signature.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

recurrently receive a new set of item identifications and a corresponding price paid associated with each of the new set of identifications.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

receive an inventory list price associated with a first item identification from among the plurality of item identifications or a price differential between the inventory list price and a first price paid associated with the first item identification; and

store the inventory list price or the price differential in the price-paid database.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

receive a customer identification that identifies a customer that purchased a first item identified by the first item identification and a store identification that identifies the at least one retail location where the first item was purchased; and

store the customer identification and the store identification in association with the first item identification in the price-paid database.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

format the price-paid database into one or more columnar entries, wherein the columnar entries include at least one of the customer identification, the store identification, the first item identification, the first price paid, the list price, and the price differential.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

generate a web page that displays the one or more prices paid from the price-paid database.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

receive, in association with the web page, a selection of a district, a store, a customer, a brand, or a sales category, wherein the one or more prices paid is provided based on the selection.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

recurrently request transfer of a new set of item identifications and a corresponding price paid for each of the new set of item identifications from one or more retailers.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

recurrently request transfer of an inventory list price or a price differential between the inventory list price and the corresponding price paid for each of the new set of item identifications.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

recurrently request transfer of a customer identification or a store identification.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

format the price-paid database into one or more columnar entries, wherein the columnar entries include the customer identification, the store identification, the purchase item identification, the price paid, the list price, or the price differential.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the central computer is further programmed to generate a web page that displays the one or more prices from the price-paid database.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the central computer is further programmed to:

receive, in association with the web page, a selection of a district, a store, a customer, a brand, or a sales category, wherein the one or more prices paid is based on the selection.

40. The system of claim 23, wherein the central computer is further programmed to:

request a first item identification and a first price paid associated with the first item identification from a first retailer;

request a second item identification and a second price paid associated with the second item identification from a second retailer; and

store the first item identification, the first price paid, the second item identification, and the second price paid in the price paid database.