CA2412936A1 - Method of and system for managing promotions for purchase transactions over a network - Google Patents
Method of and system for managing promotions for purchase transactions over a network Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2412936A1 CA2412936A1 CA002412936A CA2412936A CA2412936A1 CA 2412936 A1 CA2412936 A1 CA 2412936A1 CA 002412936 A CA002412936 A CA 002412936A CA 2412936 A CA2412936 A CA 2412936A CA 2412936 A1 CA2412936 A1 CA 2412936A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- server system
- promotion
- promotions
- commercial server
- commercial
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06Q30/0201—Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
- G06Q30/0203—Market surveys; Market polls
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06Q30/0207—Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
- G06Q30/0225—Avoiding frauds
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06Q30/0207—Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
- G06Q30/0239—Online discounts or incentives
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06Q30/0241—Advertisements
- G06Q30/0251—Targeted advertisements
- G06Q30/0254—Targeted advertisements based on statistics
Abstract
A system (100) for managing promotions over a network includes a promotion server system (130) having a computer processor and associated datastore, the datastore containing data representative of terms and statistics of one or more item promotions, and a commercial server system being selectively coupleable to the promotion server system over the network (160). The promotion server system includes promotion code for transferring, to the commercial server system, the data representative of the terms and statistics of the promotions.
Description
METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING PROMOTIONS FOR
PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS OVER A NETWORK
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of and system for managing promotions for purchase tra~isactions over a network and more particularly to a method and system that enables a manufacturer or retailer to monitor the status of and track the redemption of promotions for items offered for sale at online retail outlets.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In order to increase the number of new customers who buy a particular product, many retail outlets, and grocery stores in particular, set up a database of certain items that it sells and links each of these primary items to a secondary item that is different from the item to which it is linlced for the purpose of promoting the secondary item.
As a customer is checlcing out and each item is scanned at the checkout, the items are monitored and simultaneously compared to the items in the database to determine whether any of the items are associated with a secondary item. If an item is associated with a secondary item, a coupon for the secondary item is printed out for the customer to use at a later date.
This system enables the store to provide to a customer, who may not normally purchase the secondary item, an incentive for purchasing the secondary item, simply because the customer purchased the particular item that was linked to the secondary item. The system thus potentially creates a new customer for the secondary item.
While this system is in use in the so-called "brick and mortar" outlets, there is no such system that enables an online retail store to provide coupons to customers for items in this manner. Furthermore, in the above-described system, the promotions are available only within each store or store chain where the promotion has been set up. A
promotion cannot be set up by a manufacturer or wholesaler for an item at a central location that is available to a large number of retail outlets for access to the promotions and for redemption of the coupons. There is also no means for managing the coupons online and for monitoring the success of the coupons.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method of and system for managing promotions for items offered for sale at online retail outlets, wherein a manufacturer or retailer has access to its promotions to authorize the promotions, obtain an accounting for the promotions and to obtain a report of the success of the promotions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a method of and system for managing promotions for items offered for sale at online retail outlets. The method and system enable a manufacturer or retailer to access statistics of its promotions, including the number of promotions issued and redeemed. The method and system also enable the manufacturer or retailer to authorize or decline a promotion that has been created and to obtain accounting reports that provide information about the dollar value of the promotions that have been redeemed.
A system for managing promotions over a networlc according to one embodiment of the invention includes a promotion server system having a computer processor and associated datastore, the datastore containing data representative of terms and statistics of one or more item promotions and a commercial server system including a computer processor, the commercial server system being selectively coupleable to the promotion server system over the network. The promotion server system includes promotion code for transferring, to the commercial server system, the data representative of the terms and statistics of the promotions. The promotion server system may further include authorization code for enabling the commercial server system to accept or decline one or more of the promotions and/or accounting code for providing to the commercial server system data representative of one or more of the number of promotions redeemed and the value of the redeemed promotions.
Certain of the promotion data in the datastore of said promotion server system may be associated with a specific commercial server system and the specific commercial server system can only access the certain of the promotion data associated therewith. The authorization code may include screen display data having a promotion search portion for enabling the commercial server system to search for its promotions based on search terms input to the promotion search portion by the commercial server system.
The promotion code may include screen display data having a promotion search portion for enabling the commercial server system to search for its promotions based on search terms input to the promotion search portion by the commercial server system.
The accounting code may include screen display data having a promotion search portion for enabling the commercial server system to search for its promotions based on search terms input to the promotion search portion by the commercial server system.
The accounting code screen display data may include a table having at least one of the total number of promotions redeemed a~ld the total value of the redeemed promotions.
The accounting code screen display data table may include at least one of the total number of promotions redeemed and the total value of the redeemed promotions for each of a number of days that the promotions are active. The promotion data may be transferred to the commercial server system in the form of screen display data.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of managing promotions over a network includes the steps of establishing a connection between a commercial server system and a promotion server system over the network and the promotion server system transferring promotion data to the commercial server system over the networlc, the promotion data including terms of the promotions and statistics of a performance of the promotions. The promotion data may be transferred to the commercial server system in the form of screen display data. The method may further include the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion management option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the commercial server system that provides the commercial server system with an option to view the statistics and the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion management option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the commercial server system that provides the commercial server system with an option of pulling one or more of the promotions from an active status. The method may further include the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion authorization option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the commercial server system that provides the commercial server system with an option of accepting a promotion and the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion authorization option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the cormnercial server system that provides the conunercial server system with an option of declining a promotion. The method may further include the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion accounting report option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the commercial server system that provides the commercial server system with statistics that include the dollar value of the promotions redeemed by a client system through the commercial server system and the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion success report option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the commercial server system that provides the commercial server system with statistics that include a redemption rate of the promotions redeemed by a client system through the commercial server system.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a system for managing promotions over a networlc includes a promotion server system and associated data store containing data representative of one or more item promotions, a commercial server system selectively coupleable to the promotion server system over the network and at least one client system selectively coupleable to the commercial server system over the networlc. The promotion server system includes available promotion code for providing, to the commercial server system, data representative of the identity and terms of one or more of the item promotions and promotion distribution code, responsive to requests from the commercial server system for specific ones of the item promotions, for transmitting the promotion data for the specific item promotions to the commercial server system. The commercial server system is responsive to access thereto by one of the client systems, and includes pointer code that points the client .
system to the promotion data representative of terms of the promotions in the datastore, to transfer the promotion term data to the client system. The item promotion data in the data store may be associated with a specific commercial server system and the available promotion code may transmit to the specific commercial server system only item promotion data associated with the specific commercial server system. The promotion server system may maintain data representative of the identity of the commercial server system and the identity of item promotion data requested by the commercial server system. The commercial server system and the client systems may include code which enables transactions over the network and the commercial server system may include code for transmitting, to the promotion server system, transaction data representative of transactions between the commercial server system and the client systems which involve the item promotions. The promotion server system may maintain data representative of the transaction data. The promotion server system and the commercial server system may include code enabling the commercial server system to request information relating to the transaction data and, in response thereto, to adjust the terms of the promotions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects of this invention, the various features thereof, as well as the invention itself may be more fully understood from the following description when read together with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a system for defining promotions in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method of defining promotions in accordance with the present invention; and FIGS. 3-I 1 are diagrams of the screen displays for each of the steps involved in the method in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is directed to a method of and system for managing promotions for items offered for sale on a communication network such as the Internet.
A promotion server system includes screen display code that enables a corrunercial server system to select from a number of options for reviewing the performance of the promotions set up on the promotion server system by the manufacturer or retailer. One of the options includes a screen display that enables the commercial server system to review a listing of all of its promotions and the status of each promotion.
Another option includes a screen display that enables the commercial server system to review a listing of its promotions and to accept or authorize each promotion or to decline or cancel each promotion. Another option includes a screen display that provides reports about each promotion, including an accounting report and a success report. An overview option includes a programmable screen display that provides a ranking of the performance of each of a manufacturer's or retailer's promotions relative to each other.
In order for the promotion server system to obtain the information necessary to compile the accounting and success reports, as well as the overview page, the cormnercial server system reports this information to the promotion server system. The commercial server system can either report this information to the promotion server system, or the commercial server system can use the promotion server system to process the redemption of the promotions, as described in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No.
6,041,309, entitled METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING AND
REDEEMING ELECTRONIC COUPONS and commonly assigned copending patent application Serial No. , entitled METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR
DISTRIBUTING AND REDEEMING ELECTRONIC COUPONS, both incorporated herein by reference. By using the promotion server system for processing the redemption of the promotions, the promotion server system has the information necessary for compiling the reports.
FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a system 100 for managing promotions in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The system includes commercial server system 120 and promotion server system 130 coimected to a common communications network 160. A client system 150 may also be connected to the communications network 160. Preferably, the commercial server system 120, promotion server system 130 and client system 150 can each be a personal computer such as an IBM PC or IBM PC compatible system or an APPLE~ MacINTOSH~
system or a more advanced computer system such as an Alpha-based computer system available from Compaq Computer Corporation or a SPARC~ Station computer system available from SUN Microsystems Corporation, although a main frame computer system can also be used. Preferably, the communications network 160 is a TCP/IP-based networlc such as the Internet or an intranet, although almost any well lcnown LAN, WAN or VPN technology can be used.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the client system 150 is an IBM
PC compatible system operating an operating system such as the Microsoft Windows~
operating system, and cormnercial server system 120 and promotional server system 130 are configured as web servers providing access to information such as web pages in HTML format via a protocol such as the HyperText Transport Protocol (http).
The client system 150 includes software to allow viewing of web pages, commonly referred to as a web browser, thus being capable of accessing web pages located on commercial server system 120 and promotional server system 130. Alternatively, client system 150 can be any wired or wireless device that can be connected to a communications network, such as an interactive television system, such as WEBTV, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a cellular telephone. In this preferred embodiment, commercial server system 120 can be either an e-tail server offering a plurality of items for sale over the Internet, a distributor or a manufacturer or items and promotion server system 130 includes a database for storing the promotions that define electronic coupons and promotional linlcing code for linking items in the inventory to promotional terms that define the electronic coupons. Promotional server system 130 also includes the software necessary to authenticate electronic coupons prior to their redemption. The commercial server system 120 is responsive to access thereto by the client system 150, and includes pointer code that points the client system to promotion data representative of terms of the promotions in the database of the promotion server system 130, to transfer promotion term data to the client system. The items offered for sale by the e-tail server 120 can be products and/or services.
In one preferred embodiment, promotion server system 130 includes web server software that is adapted to produce an electronic coupon or a book of electronic coupons that is transferred to the client system 150 in the form of an electronic token, such as a coolcie, that is stored in memory at the client system. Preferably, the electronic coupon is a data structure which can include any or all of the following information elements: data representative of an electronic coupon serial number or identification number; data representative of a unique lcey that can be used to validate or authenticate the coupon; data representative of the vendor that authorized the coupon and will redeem the coupon; and data representative of the nature of the discount or access provided by the coupon data representative of the server or entity that issued the coupon. In one preferred embodiment, the electronic coupon can be issued as part of an electronic coupon book. The coupon book can include data representative of a version number for the electronic coupon book and data representative of a serial number or identification number for the electronic coupon book.
In one preferred embodiment, the electronic coupon contains all the information necessary to redeem the coupon. Specifically, the electronic coupon identifies the grantor (i.e., the party or vendor that will redeem the electronic coupon), the nature of the discount or benefit provided and a unique serial number or other data structure that permits the electronic coupon to be authenticated or validated. Thus, a server redeeming this type of electronic coupon can obtain all the information necessary to redeem from the electronic coupon. The server can even include the software necessary to authenticate or validate the electronic coupon.
In an alternative embodiment, an electronic coupon boolc includes a unique serial number or identification number and data structure useful for authenticating or validating the electronic coupon boolc. The actual content of the electronic coupon book can be determined for example, by visiting a website which reads the coupon boolc serial number and provides the user with listings of the coupons available. A
benefit to this configuration is the organization that issues the electronic coupon book can add vendors even after the electronic coupon boolc has been issued. Thus, if a vendor signs up with the organization that issues electronic coupon books after a particular coupon boolc has been issued to a client, the vendor can be added to the electronic coupon book at a later date. In order to redeem this type of electronic coupon, the server that intends to redeem the electronic coupon must connect to an authentication server which will authenticate or validate the coupon book and indicate the nature of the benefit of the electronic coupon to the server requesting authentication/validation. Another benefit of this configuration is that the coupons are relatively tamper-proof due to the authentication and validation facilities.
In many prior art systems, coupons could be copied and/or altered by the user with relative ease;
in the absence of validation/authentication schemes, few reliable methods for detection of such counterfeits exist.
FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram 200 of a method of managing promotions in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention. In a primary step 202, the commercial server system 120, FIG. 1, establishes a connection with the promotion server system 130 over communications networlc 160. The commercial server system then initiates promotion management by logging on to the website hosted by the promotion server system, step 204. By logging on to the website with a username and password that is specific to that commercial server system, the user of the commercial server system gains access to its account which includes the promotions that have previously been created by, the commercial server system. When logged on, the promotion server system generates screen display data that shows a promotion overview page, step 206. The promotion overview page is customizable by the commercial server system and can provide ~a ranking of the commercial server system's promotions, relative to each other.
In the preferred embodiment, from the promotion overview page, the user of the commercial server system has three options. First, the promotion management option may be selected, step 208. When this option is selected, the promotion server system generates screen display data that shows a listing of the commercial server system's active promotions. From this screen, the user of the commercial server system can choose to view the statistics of each promotion, step 210, or to pull the promotion from active status, step 212.
Second, the promotion authorization option may be selected, step 214. When this option is selected, the promotion server system generates screen display data that shows a listing of the commercial server system's promotions that have been defined by the commercial server system. Preferably, the promotions are created using the invention described in applicant's commonly assigned copending patent application Serial No. , entitled METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR DEFINING A
PROMOTION FOR A PURCHASE TRANSACTION OVER A NETWORK, incorporated herein by reference. For each promotion, the listing includes a promotion identification number, the title of the promotion, the website hosted by the commercial server system and the commencement and expiration dates of the promotion. The user of the commercial server system can then accept or authorize the promotion, step 216, or decline the promotion, step 218.
When the promotion accounting report option is selected, step 220, the promotion server system generates screen display data that shows the number of electronic coupons redeemed for each promotion and the total dollar amount of the promotion. From the accounting report, the user may view a promotion success report, step 222. When the promotion success report is selected, the promotion server system generates screen display data that shows how successful each promotion has been, as dictated by the total number of electronic coupons redeemed or by a ratio of the number of electronic coupons redeemed to the total number of electronic coupons issued.
An example of the management of promotions will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3-11, which are screen displays generated by the promotion server system. FIG. 3 shows the promotion overview page 230 that is accessed in step 206, FIG. 2. When the user logs on to the promotion server using its specific username and password, the user is allowed to access only its own account which includes its promotions. Promotion overview page 230 includes promotion ranking portion 232 which includes several categories in which the promotions are ranked. Each of the promotions are identified by a promotion identification number and a title.
The promotions may be ranked in a top promotion category 234 and a least productive category 236, wherein the promotions are ranked based on the redemption ratio of the promotions; and a top promotion category 238 and a least productive category 240;
wherein the promotions are ranked based on the number of redeemed promotions.
Promotion ranking portion 232 may be customized by the user to include any number of these categories and also may include graphs of the promotion redemptions.
.
Promotion overview page 230 also includes a summary portion 242 which shows the total number of active promotions, the number of promotions starting in the current month and the number of promotions ending in the current month. Lines portion includes links to the management, authorization and report options of the invention.
When the user "clicks on" the "Manage Promotions" link 246, step 208, the promotion server system generates the promotion management screen display 252, FIG.
4. Promotion management screen display 252 includes a promotion search portion which enables the user to search for its promotions based on the creation date, box 256, which allows the user to search all dates, specific dates, or ranges of dates.
The user can also search based on the status of the promotion, box 258, whether the promotion is active, inactive, in production or disabled. The format of the promotions is selected in box 260, which allows the user to select to view only the text of the promotion or the graphics of the electronic coupon associated with the promotion. The title or promotion identification number of the promotion may also be searched using lcey word search portion 262. As shown in FIG. 4, three promotions have been found as a result l0 of a search for all of the promotions of the commercial server system "Demo Site," as indicated by website identifier portion 264. Promotion table 266 includes each of the promotions found in the search. Each of the promotions listed in table 266 are identified by the promotion identification number and title of the promotion, as well as the start and expiration dates and status of the promotion. Under the "Action"
heading, the user has the option of either viewing the statistics of the promotion or pulling the promotion from active status.
By clicking on the "Stats" link 268 for a particular promotion, the user gains access to promotion statistics page 272, FIG. 5, to view the statistics for the promotion, step 210. Promotion statistics page 272 includes information about the number of promotions issued, viewed, "clicked," and redeemed, as well as the total money spent to talce advantage of the promotion and the amount of money saved by the consumers of the promotional product as a result of redeeming the electronic coupon associated with the promotion. Promotion statistics page 272 also includes a graph portion 274 that shows a graphical representation of the promotion statistics. The user can, select the promotion for which a graph is generated in box 276, as well as the date range of the graph in box 278. The type of graph is selected in portion 280 and the data included in the graph is selected in portion 282.
By cliclcing on the "Pull" link 270, FIG. 4, for a particular promotion, the user gains access to promotion page 284, FIG. 6. Promotion page 284 includes information that identifies the particular promotion, and a "Pull" button 286 which, when clicked, removes the promotion from active status, step 212, FIG. 2.
By cliclcing on the "Authorize Promotions" linlc 248, FIG. 3, the promotion authorization option is selected, step 214, FIG. 2. The promotion server system then generates the promotion authorization screen display 290, FIG. 7. Promotion authorization screen display 290 includes a promotion search portion 292, similar to the promotion search portion 254 of the management screen display 252, which enables the user to search for its newly created promotions which have not yet been authorized.
The promotion search may be based on the creation date, start date and expiration date of the promotion. The user can also search based on the status of the promotion. The title or promotion identification number of the promotion may also be searched using lcey word search portion 294. As shown in FIG. 7, three promotions have been found as a result of a search for all of the promotions of the commercial server system "Demo Site," as indicated by website identifier,portion 296. Promotion table 298 includes each of the promotions found in the search. Each of the promotions listed in table 298 are identified by the promotion identification number and title of the promotion, as well as the start and expiration dates and status of the promotion. Under the "Action"
heading, the user has the option of either accepting or authorizing the promotion or declining the promotion.
By clicking on the "Accept" link 300, the user gains access to accept promotion page 304, FIG. 8. Accept promotion page 304 includes information that identifes the particular promotion, and an "Accept" button 306 which, when cliclced, accepts the promotion into active status, step 216, FIG. 2. By clicking on the "Decline"
link 302, FIG. 7, the user gains access to decline promotion page 308, FIG. 9. Decline promotion page 308 also includes information that identifies the particular promotion, and a "Decline" button 310 which, when cliclced, declines the promotion from active status, step 218, FIG. 2.
By clicking on the "Accounting Report" linlc 250, FIG. 3, the promotion accounting report option is selected, step 220, FIG. 2.. The promotion server system then generates the promotion accounting report screen display 3I2, FIG. 10A.
Promotion accounting report screen display 312 includes date range input portion 314 for selecting the date r ange of the desired accounting data for a particular promotion and report type selection box 316 for selecting the format of the accounting report. In FIG. 10A, the "Total Results Only" format is selected, resulting in a data display portion 318a that shows the total number of promotions redeemed and the total value of the redeemed promotions. Alternatively, the selection of the "Results by Day"
format in report type selection box 316 results in a data display portion 318b, FIG.
l OB, that shows the number of promotions redeemed and the total value of the redeemed promotions for each day that the promotion is active or for each day selected in date range input portion 314.
From promotion accounting report screen display 312, by clicking on the "Success" link 320, FIGS 10A and l OB, the promotion success report option is selected, step 222, FIG. 2. When this option is selected, the promotion server system generates the promotion success screen display 322, FIG. 11. Promotion success screen display 322 includes a promotion search portion 324, similar to the promotion search portion 254 of the management screen display 252, which enables the user to search for its promotions. The promotion search may be based on a start date range and expiration date range of the promotion. The user can also search based on the status of the promotion. The title or promotion identification number of the promotion may also be searched using lcey word search portion 326 and the format of the success report is selected in success measure selection box 328. As shown in Figure 11, the "Redeemed/Issued" success measure is selected in box 328, resulting in a data portion 330 that lists each promotion found in the search and the success of each promotion as a ratio of the number promotions redeemed to the total number of promotions issued.
Alternatively, data portion 330 could include only the total number of promotions redeemed.
Accordingly, the present invention enables a commercial server system to manage its promotions by providing a system that allows the commercial server system to accept or decline pending promotions, to view redemption axed accounting statistics of the promotions and, based on these statistics, to pull promotions from active status.
This allows the commercial server system to monitor its promotions and to change the promotions in real time based on the performance of the promotions.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of the equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS OVER A NETWORK
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of and system for managing promotions for purchase tra~isactions over a network and more particularly to a method and system that enables a manufacturer or retailer to monitor the status of and track the redemption of promotions for items offered for sale at online retail outlets.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In order to increase the number of new customers who buy a particular product, many retail outlets, and grocery stores in particular, set up a database of certain items that it sells and links each of these primary items to a secondary item that is different from the item to which it is linlced for the purpose of promoting the secondary item.
As a customer is checlcing out and each item is scanned at the checkout, the items are monitored and simultaneously compared to the items in the database to determine whether any of the items are associated with a secondary item. If an item is associated with a secondary item, a coupon for the secondary item is printed out for the customer to use at a later date.
This system enables the store to provide to a customer, who may not normally purchase the secondary item, an incentive for purchasing the secondary item, simply because the customer purchased the particular item that was linked to the secondary item. The system thus potentially creates a new customer for the secondary item.
While this system is in use in the so-called "brick and mortar" outlets, there is no such system that enables an online retail store to provide coupons to customers for items in this manner. Furthermore, in the above-described system, the promotions are available only within each store or store chain where the promotion has been set up. A
promotion cannot be set up by a manufacturer or wholesaler for an item at a central location that is available to a large number of retail outlets for access to the promotions and for redemption of the coupons. There is also no means for managing the coupons online and for monitoring the success of the coupons.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method of and system for managing promotions for items offered for sale at online retail outlets, wherein a manufacturer or retailer has access to its promotions to authorize the promotions, obtain an accounting for the promotions and to obtain a report of the success of the promotions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a method of and system for managing promotions for items offered for sale at online retail outlets. The method and system enable a manufacturer or retailer to access statistics of its promotions, including the number of promotions issued and redeemed. The method and system also enable the manufacturer or retailer to authorize or decline a promotion that has been created and to obtain accounting reports that provide information about the dollar value of the promotions that have been redeemed.
A system for managing promotions over a networlc according to one embodiment of the invention includes a promotion server system having a computer processor and associated datastore, the datastore containing data representative of terms and statistics of one or more item promotions and a commercial server system including a computer processor, the commercial server system being selectively coupleable to the promotion server system over the network. The promotion server system includes promotion code for transferring, to the commercial server system, the data representative of the terms and statistics of the promotions. The promotion server system may further include authorization code for enabling the commercial server system to accept or decline one or more of the promotions and/or accounting code for providing to the commercial server system data representative of one or more of the number of promotions redeemed and the value of the redeemed promotions.
Certain of the promotion data in the datastore of said promotion server system may be associated with a specific commercial server system and the specific commercial server system can only access the certain of the promotion data associated therewith. The authorization code may include screen display data having a promotion search portion for enabling the commercial server system to search for its promotions based on search terms input to the promotion search portion by the commercial server system.
The promotion code may include screen display data having a promotion search portion for enabling the commercial server system to search for its promotions based on search terms input to the promotion search portion by the commercial server system.
The accounting code may include screen display data having a promotion search portion for enabling the commercial server system to search for its promotions based on search terms input to the promotion search portion by the commercial server system.
The accounting code screen display data may include a table having at least one of the total number of promotions redeemed a~ld the total value of the redeemed promotions.
The accounting code screen display data table may include at least one of the total number of promotions redeemed and the total value of the redeemed promotions for each of a number of days that the promotions are active. The promotion data may be transferred to the commercial server system in the form of screen display data.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of managing promotions over a network includes the steps of establishing a connection between a commercial server system and a promotion server system over the network and the promotion server system transferring promotion data to the commercial server system over the networlc, the promotion data including terms of the promotions and statistics of a performance of the promotions. The promotion data may be transferred to the commercial server system in the form of screen display data. The method may further include the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion management option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the commercial server system that provides the commercial server system with an option to view the statistics and the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion management option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the commercial server system that provides the commercial server system with an option of pulling one or more of the promotions from an active status. The method may further include the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion authorization option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the commercial server system that provides the commercial server system with an option of accepting a promotion and the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion authorization option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the cormnercial server system that provides the conunercial server system with an option of declining a promotion. The method may further include the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion accounting report option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the commercial server system that provides the commercial server system with statistics that include the dollar value of the promotions redeemed by a client system through the commercial server system and the step of the commercial server system selecting a promotion success report option, wherein the promotion server system transfers screen display data to the commercial server system that provides the commercial server system with statistics that include a redemption rate of the promotions redeemed by a client system through the commercial server system.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a system for managing promotions over a networlc includes a promotion server system and associated data store containing data representative of one or more item promotions, a commercial server system selectively coupleable to the promotion server system over the network and at least one client system selectively coupleable to the commercial server system over the networlc. The promotion server system includes available promotion code for providing, to the commercial server system, data representative of the identity and terms of one or more of the item promotions and promotion distribution code, responsive to requests from the commercial server system for specific ones of the item promotions, for transmitting the promotion data for the specific item promotions to the commercial server system. The commercial server system is responsive to access thereto by one of the client systems, and includes pointer code that points the client .
system to the promotion data representative of terms of the promotions in the datastore, to transfer the promotion term data to the client system. The item promotion data in the data store may be associated with a specific commercial server system and the available promotion code may transmit to the specific commercial server system only item promotion data associated with the specific commercial server system. The promotion server system may maintain data representative of the identity of the commercial server system and the identity of item promotion data requested by the commercial server system. The commercial server system and the client systems may include code which enables transactions over the network and the commercial server system may include code for transmitting, to the promotion server system, transaction data representative of transactions between the commercial server system and the client systems which involve the item promotions. The promotion server system may maintain data representative of the transaction data. The promotion server system and the commercial server system may include code enabling the commercial server system to request information relating to the transaction data and, in response thereto, to adjust the terms of the promotions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects of this invention, the various features thereof, as well as the invention itself may be more fully understood from the following description when read together with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a system for defining promotions in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method of defining promotions in accordance with the present invention; and FIGS. 3-I 1 are diagrams of the screen displays for each of the steps involved in the method in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is directed to a method of and system for managing promotions for items offered for sale on a communication network such as the Internet.
A promotion server system includes screen display code that enables a corrunercial server system to select from a number of options for reviewing the performance of the promotions set up on the promotion server system by the manufacturer or retailer. One of the options includes a screen display that enables the commercial server system to review a listing of all of its promotions and the status of each promotion.
Another option includes a screen display that enables the commercial server system to review a listing of its promotions and to accept or authorize each promotion or to decline or cancel each promotion. Another option includes a screen display that provides reports about each promotion, including an accounting report and a success report. An overview option includes a programmable screen display that provides a ranking of the performance of each of a manufacturer's or retailer's promotions relative to each other.
In order for the promotion server system to obtain the information necessary to compile the accounting and success reports, as well as the overview page, the cormnercial server system reports this information to the promotion server system. The commercial server system can either report this information to the promotion server system, or the commercial server system can use the promotion server system to process the redemption of the promotions, as described in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No.
6,041,309, entitled METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING AND
REDEEMING ELECTRONIC COUPONS and commonly assigned copending patent application Serial No. , entitled METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR
DISTRIBUTING AND REDEEMING ELECTRONIC COUPONS, both incorporated herein by reference. By using the promotion server system for processing the redemption of the promotions, the promotion server system has the information necessary for compiling the reports.
FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a system 100 for managing promotions in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The system includes commercial server system 120 and promotion server system 130 coimected to a common communications network 160. A client system 150 may also be connected to the communications network 160. Preferably, the commercial server system 120, promotion server system 130 and client system 150 can each be a personal computer such as an IBM PC or IBM PC compatible system or an APPLE~ MacINTOSH~
system or a more advanced computer system such as an Alpha-based computer system available from Compaq Computer Corporation or a SPARC~ Station computer system available from SUN Microsystems Corporation, although a main frame computer system can also be used. Preferably, the communications network 160 is a TCP/IP-based networlc such as the Internet or an intranet, although almost any well lcnown LAN, WAN or VPN technology can be used.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the client system 150 is an IBM
PC compatible system operating an operating system such as the Microsoft Windows~
operating system, and cormnercial server system 120 and promotional server system 130 are configured as web servers providing access to information such as web pages in HTML format via a protocol such as the HyperText Transport Protocol (http).
The client system 150 includes software to allow viewing of web pages, commonly referred to as a web browser, thus being capable of accessing web pages located on commercial server system 120 and promotional server system 130. Alternatively, client system 150 can be any wired or wireless device that can be connected to a communications network, such as an interactive television system, such as WEBTV, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a cellular telephone. In this preferred embodiment, commercial server system 120 can be either an e-tail server offering a plurality of items for sale over the Internet, a distributor or a manufacturer or items and promotion server system 130 includes a database for storing the promotions that define electronic coupons and promotional linlcing code for linking items in the inventory to promotional terms that define the electronic coupons. Promotional server system 130 also includes the software necessary to authenticate electronic coupons prior to their redemption. The commercial server system 120 is responsive to access thereto by the client system 150, and includes pointer code that points the client system to promotion data representative of terms of the promotions in the database of the promotion server system 130, to transfer promotion term data to the client system. The items offered for sale by the e-tail server 120 can be products and/or services.
In one preferred embodiment, promotion server system 130 includes web server software that is adapted to produce an electronic coupon or a book of electronic coupons that is transferred to the client system 150 in the form of an electronic token, such as a coolcie, that is stored in memory at the client system. Preferably, the electronic coupon is a data structure which can include any or all of the following information elements: data representative of an electronic coupon serial number or identification number; data representative of a unique lcey that can be used to validate or authenticate the coupon; data representative of the vendor that authorized the coupon and will redeem the coupon; and data representative of the nature of the discount or access provided by the coupon data representative of the server or entity that issued the coupon. In one preferred embodiment, the electronic coupon can be issued as part of an electronic coupon book. The coupon book can include data representative of a version number for the electronic coupon book and data representative of a serial number or identification number for the electronic coupon book.
In one preferred embodiment, the electronic coupon contains all the information necessary to redeem the coupon. Specifically, the electronic coupon identifies the grantor (i.e., the party or vendor that will redeem the electronic coupon), the nature of the discount or benefit provided and a unique serial number or other data structure that permits the electronic coupon to be authenticated or validated. Thus, a server redeeming this type of electronic coupon can obtain all the information necessary to redeem from the electronic coupon. The server can even include the software necessary to authenticate or validate the electronic coupon.
In an alternative embodiment, an electronic coupon boolc includes a unique serial number or identification number and data structure useful for authenticating or validating the electronic coupon boolc. The actual content of the electronic coupon book can be determined for example, by visiting a website which reads the coupon boolc serial number and provides the user with listings of the coupons available. A
benefit to this configuration is the organization that issues the electronic coupon book can add vendors even after the electronic coupon boolc has been issued. Thus, if a vendor signs up with the organization that issues electronic coupon books after a particular coupon boolc has been issued to a client, the vendor can be added to the electronic coupon book at a later date. In order to redeem this type of electronic coupon, the server that intends to redeem the electronic coupon must connect to an authentication server which will authenticate or validate the coupon book and indicate the nature of the benefit of the electronic coupon to the server requesting authentication/validation. Another benefit of this configuration is that the coupons are relatively tamper-proof due to the authentication and validation facilities.
In many prior art systems, coupons could be copied and/or altered by the user with relative ease;
in the absence of validation/authentication schemes, few reliable methods for detection of such counterfeits exist.
FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram 200 of a method of managing promotions in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention. In a primary step 202, the commercial server system 120, FIG. 1, establishes a connection with the promotion server system 130 over communications networlc 160. The commercial server system then initiates promotion management by logging on to the website hosted by the promotion server system, step 204. By logging on to the website with a username and password that is specific to that commercial server system, the user of the commercial server system gains access to its account which includes the promotions that have previously been created by, the commercial server system. When logged on, the promotion server system generates screen display data that shows a promotion overview page, step 206. The promotion overview page is customizable by the commercial server system and can provide ~a ranking of the commercial server system's promotions, relative to each other.
In the preferred embodiment, from the promotion overview page, the user of the commercial server system has three options. First, the promotion management option may be selected, step 208. When this option is selected, the promotion server system generates screen display data that shows a listing of the commercial server system's active promotions. From this screen, the user of the commercial server system can choose to view the statistics of each promotion, step 210, or to pull the promotion from active status, step 212.
Second, the promotion authorization option may be selected, step 214. When this option is selected, the promotion server system generates screen display data that shows a listing of the commercial server system's promotions that have been defined by the commercial server system. Preferably, the promotions are created using the invention described in applicant's commonly assigned copending patent application Serial No. , entitled METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR DEFINING A
PROMOTION FOR A PURCHASE TRANSACTION OVER A NETWORK, incorporated herein by reference. For each promotion, the listing includes a promotion identification number, the title of the promotion, the website hosted by the commercial server system and the commencement and expiration dates of the promotion. The user of the commercial server system can then accept or authorize the promotion, step 216, or decline the promotion, step 218.
When the promotion accounting report option is selected, step 220, the promotion server system generates screen display data that shows the number of electronic coupons redeemed for each promotion and the total dollar amount of the promotion. From the accounting report, the user may view a promotion success report, step 222. When the promotion success report is selected, the promotion server system generates screen display data that shows how successful each promotion has been, as dictated by the total number of electronic coupons redeemed or by a ratio of the number of electronic coupons redeemed to the total number of electronic coupons issued.
An example of the management of promotions will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3-11, which are screen displays generated by the promotion server system. FIG. 3 shows the promotion overview page 230 that is accessed in step 206, FIG. 2. When the user logs on to the promotion server using its specific username and password, the user is allowed to access only its own account which includes its promotions. Promotion overview page 230 includes promotion ranking portion 232 which includes several categories in which the promotions are ranked. Each of the promotions are identified by a promotion identification number and a title.
The promotions may be ranked in a top promotion category 234 and a least productive category 236, wherein the promotions are ranked based on the redemption ratio of the promotions; and a top promotion category 238 and a least productive category 240;
wherein the promotions are ranked based on the number of redeemed promotions.
Promotion ranking portion 232 may be customized by the user to include any number of these categories and also may include graphs of the promotion redemptions.
.
Promotion overview page 230 also includes a summary portion 242 which shows the total number of active promotions, the number of promotions starting in the current month and the number of promotions ending in the current month. Lines portion includes links to the management, authorization and report options of the invention.
When the user "clicks on" the "Manage Promotions" link 246, step 208, the promotion server system generates the promotion management screen display 252, FIG.
4. Promotion management screen display 252 includes a promotion search portion which enables the user to search for its promotions based on the creation date, box 256, which allows the user to search all dates, specific dates, or ranges of dates.
The user can also search based on the status of the promotion, box 258, whether the promotion is active, inactive, in production or disabled. The format of the promotions is selected in box 260, which allows the user to select to view only the text of the promotion or the graphics of the electronic coupon associated with the promotion. The title or promotion identification number of the promotion may also be searched using lcey word search portion 262. As shown in FIG. 4, three promotions have been found as a result l0 of a search for all of the promotions of the commercial server system "Demo Site," as indicated by website identifier portion 264. Promotion table 266 includes each of the promotions found in the search. Each of the promotions listed in table 266 are identified by the promotion identification number and title of the promotion, as well as the start and expiration dates and status of the promotion. Under the "Action"
heading, the user has the option of either viewing the statistics of the promotion or pulling the promotion from active status.
By clicking on the "Stats" link 268 for a particular promotion, the user gains access to promotion statistics page 272, FIG. 5, to view the statistics for the promotion, step 210. Promotion statistics page 272 includes information about the number of promotions issued, viewed, "clicked," and redeemed, as well as the total money spent to talce advantage of the promotion and the amount of money saved by the consumers of the promotional product as a result of redeeming the electronic coupon associated with the promotion. Promotion statistics page 272 also includes a graph portion 274 that shows a graphical representation of the promotion statistics. The user can, select the promotion for which a graph is generated in box 276, as well as the date range of the graph in box 278. The type of graph is selected in portion 280 and the data included in the graph is selected in portion 282.
By cliclcing on the "Pull" link 270, FIG. 4, for a particular promotion, the user gains access to promotion page 284, FIG. 6. Promotion page 284 includes information that identifies the particular promotion, and a "Pull" button 286 which, when clicked, removes the promotion from active status, step 212, FIG. 2.
By cliclcing on the "Authorize Promotions" linlc 248, FIG. 3, the promotion authorization option is selected, step 214, FIG. 2. The promotion server system then generates the promotion authorization screen display 290, FIG. 7. Promotion authorization screen display 290 includes a promotion search portion 292, similar to the promotion search portion 254 of the management screen display 252, which enables the user to search for its newly created promotions which have not yet been authorized.
The promotion search may be based on the creation date, start date and expiration date of the promotion. The user can also search based on the status of the promotion. The title or promotion identification number of the promotion may also be searched using lcey word search portion 294. As shown in FIG. 7, three promotions have been found as a result of a search for all of the promotions of the commercial server system "Demo Site," as indicated by website identifier,portion 296. Promotion table 298 includes each of the promotions found in the search. Each of the promotions listed in table 298 are identified by the promotion identification number and title of the promotion, as well as the start and expiration dates and status of the promotion. Under the "Action"
heading, the user has the option of either accepting or authorizing the promotion or declining the promotion.
By clicking on the "Accept" link 300, the user gains access to accept promotion page 304, FIG. 8. Accept promotion page 304 includes information that identifes the particular promotion, and an "Accept" button 306 which, when cliclced, accepts the promotion into active status, step 216, FIG. 2. By clicking on the "Decline"
link 302, FIG. 7, the user gains access to decline promotion page 308, FIG. 9. Decline promotion page 308 also includes information that identifies the particular promotion, and a "Decline" button 310 which, when cliclced, declines the promotion from active status, step 218, FIG. 2.
By clicking on the "Accounting Report" linlc 250, FIG. 3, the promotion accounting report option is selected, step 220, FIG. 2.. The promotion server system then generates the promotion accounting report screen display 3I2, FIG. 10A.
Promotion accounting report screen display 312 includes date range input portion 314 for selecting the date r ange of the desired accounting data for a particular promotion and report type selection box 316 for selecting the format of the accounting report. In FIG. 10A, the "Total Results Only" format is selected, resulting in a data display portion 318a that shows the total number of promotions redeemed and the total value of the redeemed promotions. Alternatively, the selection of the "Results by Day"
format in report type selection box 316 results in a data display portion 318b, FIG.
l OB, that shows the number of promotions redeemed and the total value of the redeemed promotions for each day that the promotion is active or for each day selected in date range input portion 314.
From promotion accounting report screen display 312, by clicking on the "Success" link 320, FIGS 10A and l OB, the promotion success report option is selected, step 222, FIG. 2. When this option is selected, the promotion server system generates the promotion success screen display 322, FIG. 11. Promotion success screen display 322 includes a promotion search portion 324, similar to the promotion search portion 254 of the management screen display 252, which enables the user to search for its promotions. The promotion search may be based on a start date range and expiration date range of the promotion. The user can also search based on the status of the promotion. The title or promotion identification number of the promotion may also be searched using lcey word search portion 326 and the format of the success report is selected in success measure selection box 328. As shown in Figure 11, the "Redeemed/Issued" success measure is selected in box 328, resulting in a data portion 330 that lists each promotion found in the search and the success of each promotion as a ratio of the number promotions redeemed to the total number of promotions issued.
Alternatively, data portion 330 could include only the total number of promotions redeemed.
Accordingly, the present invention enables a commercial server system to manage its promotions by providing a system that allows the commercial server system to accept or decline pending promotions, to view redemption axed accounting statistics of the promotions and, based on these statistics, to pull promotions from active status.
This allows the commercial server system to monitor its promotions and to change the promotions in real time based on the performance of the promotions.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of the equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
Claims (27)
1. A system for managing promotions over a network comprising:
a promotion server system including a computer processor and associated datastore, said datastore containing data representative of terms and statistics of one or more item promotions; and a commercial server system including a computer processor, said commercial server system being selectively coupleable to said promotion server system over said network;
wherein said promotion server system includes promotion code for transferring, to said commercial server system, said data representative of the terms and statistics of said promotions.
a promotion server system including a computer processor and associated datastore, said datastore containing data representative of terms and statistics of one or more item promotions; and a commercial server system including a computer processor, said commercial server system being selectively coupleable to said promotion server system over said network;
wherein said promotion server system includes promotion code for transferring, to said commercial server system, said data representative of the terms and statistics of said promotions.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said promotion server system further includes authorization code for enabling said commercial server system to accept or decline one or more of said promotions.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein said promotion server system further includes accounting code for providing, to said commercial server system, said statistics of said promotions, said statistics including data representative of one or more of the number of promotions redeemed and the value of the redeemed promotions.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said network is the internet.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein certain of said promotion data in said datastore of said promotion server system is associated with a specific commercial server system and said specific commercial server system can only access said certain of said promotion data associated therewith.
6. The system of claim 2, wherein said authorization code includes screen display data having a promotion search portion for enabling said commercial server system to search for its promotions based on search terms input to said promotion search portion by said commercial server system.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein said promotion code includes screen display data having a promotion search portion for enabling said commercial server system to search for its promotions based on search terms input to said promotion search portion by said commercial server system.
8. The system of claim 3, wherein said accounting code includes screen display data having a promotion search portion for enabling said commercial server system to search for its promotions based on search teens input to said promotion search portion by said commercial server system.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein said accounting code screen display data includes a table having at least one of the total number of promotions redeemed and the total value of the redeemed promotions.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein said accounting code screen display data table includes at least one of the total number of promotions redeemed and the total value of the redeemed promotions for each of a number of days that said promotions are active.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein said promotion data is transferred to said commercial server system in the form of screen display data.
12. A method of managing promotions over a network comprising the steps of:
establishing a connection between a commercial server system and a promotion server system over said network; and said promotion server system transferring promotion data to said commercial server system over said network, said promotion data including terms of said promotions and statistics of performances of said promotions.
establishing a connection between a commercial server system and a promotion server system over said network; and said promotion server system transferring promotion data to said commercial server system over said network, said promotion data including terms of said promotions and statistics of performances of said promotions.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said network is the internet.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said promotion data is transferred to said commercial server system in the form of screen display data.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of said commercial server system selecting a promotion management option, wherein said promotion server system transfers screen display data to said commercial server system that provides said commercial server system with an option to view said statistics.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of said commercial server system selecting a promotion management option, wherein, said promotion server system transfers screen display data to said commercial server system that provides said commercial server system with an option of pulling one or more of said promotions from an active status.
17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of said commercial server system selecting a promotion authorization option, wherein said promotion server system transfers screen display data to said commercial server system that provides said commercial server system with an option of accepting a promotion.
18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of said commercial server system selecting a promotion authorization option, wherein said promotion server system transfers screen display data to said commercial server system that provides said commercial server system with an option of declining a promotion.
19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of said commercial server system selecting a promotion accounting report option, wherein said promotion server system transfers screen display data to said commercial server system that provides said commercial server system with said statistics that include the dollar value of the promotions redeemed by a client system through said commercial server system.
20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of said commercial server system selecting a promotion success report option, wherein said promotion server system transfers screen display data to said commercial server system that provides said commercial server system with said statistics that include a redemption rate of the promotions redeemed by a client system through said commercial server system.
21. A system for managing promotions over a network, comprising:
A. a promotion server system and associated datastore containing data representative of one or more item promotions;
B. a commercial server system selectively coupleable to said promotion server system over said network; and C. at least one client system selectively coupleable to said commercial server system over said network;
wherein said promotion server system includes:
i. available promotion code for providing, to said commercial server system, data representative of the identity and terms of one or more of said item promotions; and ii. promotion distribution code, responsive to requests from said commercial server system for specific ones of said item promotions, for transmitting said promotion data for said specific item promotions to said commercial server system; and wherein said commercial server system is responsive to access thereto by one of said client systems, and includes pointer code that points said client system to said promotion data representative of terms of said promotions in said datastore, to transfer said promotion term data to said client system.
A. a promotion server system and associated datastore containing data representative of one or more item promotions;
B. a commercial server system selectively coupleable to said promotion server system over said network; and C. at least one client system selectively coupleable to said commercial server system over said network;
wherein said promotion server system includes:
i. available promotion code for providing, to said commercial server system, data representative of the identity and terms of one or more of said item promotions; and ii. promotion distribution code, responsive to requests from said commercial server system for specific ones of said item promotions, for transmitting said promotion data for said specific item promotions to said commercial server system; and wherein said commercial server system is responsive to access thereto by one of said client systems, and includes pointer code that points said client system to said promotion data representative of terms of said promotions in said datastore, to transfer said promotion term data to said client system.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein said item promotion data in said data store is associated with a specific commercial server system; and wherein said available promotion code transmits to said specific commercial server system only item promotion data associated with said specific commercial server system.
23. The system of claim 21, wherein said promotion server system maintains data representative of the identity of said commercial server system and the identity of item promotion data requested by said commercial server system.
24. The system of claim 21, wherein said commercial server system and said client systems include code which enables transactions over said network; and wherein said commercial server system includes code for transmitting, to said promotion server system, transaction data representative of transactions between said commercial server system and said client systems which involve said item promotions.
25. The system of claim 24, wherein said promotion server system maintains data representative of said transaction data.
26. The system of claim 25, wherein said promotion server system and said commercial server system include code enabling said commercial server system to request information relating to said transaction data and, in response thereto, to adjust the terms of said promotions.
27. The system of claim 21, wherein said network is the Internet.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US09/595,677 | 2000-06-19 | ||
US09/595,677 US7599850B1 (en) | 2000-06-19 | 2000-06-19 | Method of and system for managing promotions for purchase transactions over a network |
PCT/US2001/014890 WO2001098988A1 (en) | 2000-06-19 | 2001-05-09 | Method of and system for managing promotions for purchase transactions over a network |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
CA2412936A1 true CA2412936A1 (en) | 2001-12-27 |
CA2412936C CA2412936C (en) | 2019-03-26 |
Family
ID=24384211
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
CA2412936A Expired - Lifetime CA2412936C (en) | 2000-06-19 | 2001-05-09 | Method of and system for managing promotions for purchase transactions over a network |
Country Status (6)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (3) | US7599850B1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1311997A4 (en) |
JP (1) | JP4927295B2 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2001261285A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2412936C (en) |
WO (1) | WO2001098988A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (45)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7979057B2 (en) | 2000-10-06 | 2011-07-12 | S.F. Ip Properties 62 Llc | Third-party provider method and system |
JP4632662B2 (en) * | 2001-06-05 | 2011-02-16 | 富士通株式会社 | Electronic commerce method using electronic coupons |
FR2842327A1 (en) * | 2002-07-12 | 2004-01-16 | Infomil | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY ALLOCATING IMMEDIATE DISCOUNTS ON A PURCHASE |
EP1846885A2 (en) * | 2005-02-04 | 2007-10-24 | Cellfire, Inc. | Delivering targeted advertising to mobile devices |
KR100744724B1 (en) * | 2005-06-24 | 2007-08-01 | (주)뮤직소프트 | System for managing online record shop and method for the same |
WO2007038390A2 (en) * | 2005-09-26 | 2007-04-05 | Coupons, Inc. | System and method for augmenting content in electronic documents with links to contextually relevant information |
EP1966748A2 (en) * | 2005-11-25 | 2008-09-10 | I-Movo Limited | Electronic vouchers |
US20070250383A1 (en) * | 2006-04-20 | 2007-10-25 | Preston Tollinger | Paying for placement for advertising on mobile devices |
US9430773B2 (en) * | 2006-07-18 | 2016-08-30 | American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. | Loyalty incentive program using transaction cards |
US7783532B2 (en) * | 2006-10-18 | 2010-08-24 | Aol Inc. | E-couponing |
US20080221982A1 (en) * | 2007-03-06 | 2008-09-11 | Robin Michel Harkins | Systems and methods for advertising |
US20090070207A1 (en) * | 2007-09-10 | 2009-03-12 | Cellfire | Electronic coupon display system and method |
US20090106058A1 (en) * | 2007-10-17 | 2009-04-23 | Yahoo! Inc. | Assessing ad value |
US20100088166A1 (en) * | 2008-10-06 | 2010-04-08 | Cellfire, Inc. | Electronic Coupons |
US20110153393A1 (en) * | 2009-06-22 | 2011-06-23 | Einav Raff | System and method for monitoring and increasing sales at a cash register |
US20110106603A1 (en) * | 2009-10-29 | 2011-05-05 | Mccann Monica Theresa | Self-Service Implementation of Digital Coupons |
US8346601B2 (en) * | 2009-11-30 | 2013-01-01 | Growth & Emerging Markets, Llc | System and method for managing promotional savings using a communications platform |
US20110191238A1 (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2011-08-04 | Bank Of America Corporation | Variable merchant settlement options |
US8442894B2 (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2013-05-14 | Bank Of America Corporation | Guaranteed merchant payment in a card-not-present transaction |
US20110191180A1 (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2011-08-04 | Bank Of America Corporation | Search analyzer system for integrated merchant offer program and customer shopping |
US20110191150A1 (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2011-08-04 | Bank Of America Corporation | Mobile integrated merchant offer program and customer shopping using product level information |
US8930265B2 (en) | 2010-01-29 | 2015-01-06 | Bank Of America Corporation | Monitoring retail transactions associated with a financial institution-based merchant offer program and determining savings metrics |
US20110191149A1 (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2011-08-04 | Bank Of America Corporation | Customer-selected payment clearinghouse |
US20110191157A1 (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2011-08-04 | Bank Of America Corporation | Integrated merchant offer program and customer shopping |
US20110191177A1 (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2011-08-04 | Bank Of America Corporation | Pre-population of merchant check-out entry fields |
US20110191181A1 (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2011-08-04 | Bank Of America Corporation | Wish list for integrated merchant offer program and customer shopping |
US20120032395A1 (en) * | 2010-08-05 | 2012-02-09 | Levine Jonathan E | Adjustable electronic game piece |
WO2012167191A1 (en) * | 2011-06-01 | 2012-12-06 | Al Gharabally Faisal | Promotional content provided privately via client devices |
US10540693B1 (en) | 2012-08-20 | 2020-01-21 | Amazon Technologies, Inc. | Advertisements responsive to coupon states |
US9384497B2 (en) | 2013-07-26 | 2016-07-05 | Bank Of America Corporation | Use of SKU level e-receipt data for future marketing |
US9619817B1 (en) | 2013-09-27 | 2017-04-11 | Groupon, Inc. | Method, apparatus, and computer program product for auto-replenishing an inventory of promotions |
US9135235B1 (en) * | 2013-12-18 | 2015-09-15 | Groupon, Inc. | Exporter |
US10089654B1 (en) | 2015-09-24 | 2018-10-02 | Amazon Technologies, Inc. | Detecting expired content within slots in a user interface |
US10080132B2 (en) | 2016-03-28 | 2018-09-18 | Bank Of America Corporation | System for adaptation of multiple digital signatures in a distributed network |
US9507984B1 (en) | 2016-03-28 | 2016-11-29 | Bank Of America Corporation | Resource tag generation and deployment for resource valuation and distribution |
US9743272B1 (en) | 2016-03-28 | 2017-08-22 | Bank Of America Corporation | Security implementation for resource distribution |
US10039113B2 (en) | 2016-03-28 | 2018-07-31 | Bank Of America Corporation | Intelligent resource procurement system based on physical proximity to related resources |
US10135817B2 (en) | 2016-03-28 | 2018-11-20 | Bank Of America Corporation | Enhancing authentication and source of proof through a dynamically updatable biometrics database |
US10796253B2 (en) | 2016-06-17 | 2020-10-06 | Bank Of America Corporation | System for resource use allocation and distribution |
US10038607B2 (en) | 2016-06-17 | 2018-07-31 | Bank Of America Corporation | System for aggregated machine-initiated resource distribution |
US10103936B2 (en) | 2016-06-21 | 2018-10-16 | Bank Of America Corporation | Computerized resource reallocation system for transferring resource blocks based on custodian event |
US10334462B2 (en) | 2016-06-23 | 2019-06-25 | Bank Of America Corporation | Predictive analytics for resource development based on information communicated from inter-related communication devices |
US10439913B2 (en) | 2016-07-01 | 2019-10-08 | Bank Of America Corporation | Dynamic replacement and upgrade of existing resources based on resource utilization |
US10127400B2 (en) | 2016-09-26 | 2018-11-13 | Bank Of America Corporation | Control device for aggregation and distribution of machine-initiated resource distribution |
WO2021067511A1 (en) * | 2019-09-30 | 2021-04-08 | Luvo, Inc. | Systems and methods for coupon-based incentive promotions and tracking |
Family Cites Families (135)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3426326A (en) | 1963-06-21 | 1969-02-04 | Robert P Goldstein | Automatic inventory data acquisition apparatus |
US3771132A (en) | 1971-04-19 | 1973-11-06 | Msi Data Corp | Data collection system including controlled power switching of the data collection modules thereof |
US3737631A (en) | 1971-07-12 | 1973-06-05 | Super Key Asso | Automatic checkout and inventory control |
US3770941A (en) | 1971-11-18 | 1973-11-06 | Olivetti & Co Spa | Data processing system for handling the flow of merchandise articles or services on a plurality of selling points |
US3899775A (en) | 1973-04-13 | 1975-08-12 | Msi Data Corp | Automatic store transaction system and terminal therefor |
US3959624A (en) | 1974-12-13 | 1976-05-25 | Walter Kaslow | Coded merchandising coupon |
US4002886A (en) | 1975-06-20 | 1977-01-11 | Ronald Murl Sundelin | Electronic price display unit |
DE3109599C2 (en) | 1980-03-19 | 1986-12-11 | Maatschappij van Berkel's, Patent N.V., Rotterdam | Sales system with several optionally usable scales |
JPS5868176A (en) | 1981-10-19 | 1983-04-22 | Casio Comput Co Ltd | Electronic register |
US4674041A (en) | 1983-09-15 | 1987-06-16 | James K. Appleton | Method and apparatus for controlling the distribution of coupons |
US4554446A (en) | 1983-11-18 | 1985-11-19 | Murphy Arthur J | Supermarket inventory control system and method |
US5173851A (en) | 1984-07-18 | 1992-12-22 | Catalina Marketing International, Inc. | Method and apparatus for dispensing discount coupons in response to the purchase of one or more products |
US4882675A (en) | 1984-11-26 | 1989-11-21 | Steven Nichtberger | Paperless system for distributing, redeeming and clearing merchandise coupons |
US5128752A (en) | 1986-03-10 | 1992-07-07 | Kohorn H Von | System and method for generating and redeeming tokens |
US5697844A (en) | 1986-03-10 | 1997-12-16 | Response Reward Systems, L.C. | System and method for playing games and rewarding successful players |
US5227874A (en) | 1986-03-10 | 1993-07-13 | Kohorn H Von | Method for measuring the effectiveness of stimuli on decisions of shoppers |
JPS62237569A (en) | 1986-04-09 | 1987-10-17 | Hitachi Ltd | Commodity file managing system for pos terminal |
US4833308A (en) | 1986-07-24 | 1989-05-23 | Advance Promotion Technologies, Inc. | Checkout counter product promotion system and method |
US4791281A (en) | 1986-10-16 | 1988-12-13 | C.P.C. Investment Trust | Encoding and decoding system |
US5119294A (en) | 1986-11-12 | 1992-06-02 | Omron Tateisi Electronics Company | Pos terminal group management device with memory for pre-storing different collection data ranges for each pos terminal |
US5025372A (en) * | 1987-09-17 | 1991-06-18 | Meridian Enterprises, Inc. | System and method for administration of incentive award program through use of credit |
US4887208A (en) | 1987-12-18 | 1989-12-12 | Schneider Bruce H | Sales and inventory control system |
US4972504A (en) | 1988-02-11 | 1990-11-20 | A. C. Nielsen Company | Marketing research system and method for obtaining retail data on a real time basis |
JP2735213B2 (en) | 1988-03-04 | 1998-04-02 | 株式会社日立製作所 | Automatic ordering system |
JP2924905B2 (en) | 1988-03-25 | 1999-07-26 | エヌシーアール インターナショナル インコーポレイテッド | File backup system |
US4949256A (en) | 1988-05-06 | 1990-08-14 | Humble David Raymond | Coupon validation network with storage of customer coupon data for credit on future purchases |
US5185695A (en) | 1988-07-14 | 1993-02-09 | Pruchnicki Michael A | Method and system for handling discount coupons by using centrally stored manufacturer coupons in place of paper coupons |
CA1337132C (en) | 1988-07-15 | 1995-09-26 | Robert Filepp | Reception system for an interactive computer network and method of operation |
JPH02155067A (en) | 1988-12-07 | 1990-06-14 | Hitachi Ltd | Method for warning inventory and system using such method |
US5237496A (en) | 1988-12-07 | 1993-08-17 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Inventory control method and system |
US5202826A (en) | 1989-01-27 | 1993-04-13 | Mccarthy Patrick D | Centralized consumer cash value accumulation system for multiple merchants |
US5117355A (en) | 1989-01-27 | 1992-05-26 | Mccarthy Patrick D | Centralized consumer cash valve accumulation system for multiple merchants |
US5644723A (en) | 1989-05-01 | 1997-07-01 | Credit Verification Corporation | Method and system for selective incentive point-of-sale marketing in response to customer shopping histories |
US5305196A (en) | 1989-05-01 | 1994-04-19 | Credit Verification Corporation | Check transaction processing, database building and marketing method and system utilizing automatic check reading |
US5687322A (en) | 1989-05-01 | 1997-11-11 | Credit Verification Corporation | Method and system for selective incentive point-of-sale marketing in response to customer shopping histories |
US5621812A (en) | 1989-05-01 | 1997-04-15 | Credit Verification Corporation | Method and system for building a database for use with selective incentive marketing in response to customer shopping histories |
US5056019A (en) | 1989-08-29 | 1991-10-08 | Citicorp Pos Information Servies, Inc. | Automated purchase reward accounting system and method |
WO1991017530A1 (en) | 1990-05-01 | 1991-11-14 | Environmental Products Corporation | A method of transferring display and print data |
US5367452A (en) | 1990-10-05 | 1994-11-22 | Carts Of Colorado, Inc. | Mobile merchandising business management system which provides comprehensive support services for transportable business operations |
US5337253A (en) | 1990-12-07 | 1994-08-09 | Kaspar Wire Works, Inc. | Vending machine data processing system |
US5245533A (en) | 1990-12-18 | 1993-09-14 | A. C. Nielsen Company | Marketing research method and system for management of manufacturer's discount coupon offers |
US5193056A (en) | 1991-03-11 | 1993-03-09 | Signature Financial Group Inc. | Data processing system for hub and spoke financial services configuration |
US5832457A (en) | 1991-05-06 | 1998-11-03 | Catalina Marketing International, Inc. | Method and apparatus for selective distribution of discount coupons based on prior customer behavior |
CA2067987A1 (en) | 1991-05-06 | 1992-11-07 | Michael R. O'brien | Method and apparatus for selective distribution of discount coupons |
JPH0567119A (en) | 1991-07-12 | 1993-03-19 | Hitachi Ltd | Merchandise analyzing system |
US5401946A (en) | 1991-07-22 | 1995-03-28 | Weinblatt; Lee S. | Technique for correlating purchasing behavior of a consumer to advertisements |
JPH0585340A (en) * | 1991-09-26 | 1993-04-06 | Aisin Seiki Co Ltd | Anti-skid device |
US5396417A (en) | 1991-11-01 | 1995-03-07 | Capitol Cities/Abc, Inc. | Product distribution equipment and method |
US5256863A (en) | 1991-11-05 | 1993-10-26 | Comark Technologies, Inc. | In-store universal control system |
US5237499A (en) | 1991-11-12 | 1993-08-17 | Garback Brent J | Computer travel planning system |
US5557518A (en) | 1994-04-28 | 1996-09-17 | Citibank, N.A. | Trusted agents for open electronic commerce |
US5502636A (en) | 1992-01-31 | 1996-03-26 | R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company | Personalized coupon generating and processing system |
US5315093A (en) | 1992-02-05 | 1994-05-24 | A. C. Nielsen Company | Market research method and system for collecting retail store market research data |
US5305195A (en) | 1992-03-25 | 1994-04-19 | Gerald Singer | Interactive advertising system for on-line terminals |
US5331544A (en) | 1992-04-23 | 1994-07-19 | A. C. Nielsen Company | Market research method and system for collecting retail store and shopper market research data |
JPH05307556A (en) | 1992-04-30 | 1993-11-19 | Olympus Optical Co Ltd | Information processor using integrated data base |
US5249044A (en) | 1992-05-05 | 1993-09-28 | Kohorn H Von | Product information storage, display, and coupon dispensing system |
US5287181A (en) | 1992-08-20 | 1994-02-15 | Holman Michael J | Electronic redeemable coupon system and television |
US5285278A (en) | 1992-05-21 | 1994-02-08 | Holman Michael J | Electronic redeemable coupon system via television |
US5368129A (en) | 1992-07-23 | 1994-11-29 | Von Kohorn; Henry | Retail facility with couponing |
US5353218A (en) | 1992-09-17 | 1994-10-04 | Ad Response Micromarketing Corporation | Focused coupon system |
US5305199A (en) | 1992-10-28 | 1994-04-19 | Xerox Corporation | Consumable supplies monitoring/ordering system for reprographic equipment |
US5305197A (en) | 1992-10-30 | 1994-04-19 | Ie&E Industries, Inc. | Coupon dispensing machine with feedback |
US5708782A (en) | 1993-03-22 | 1998-01-13 | Larson; Blaine | Method and apparatus for dispensing discount coupons |
US5794207A (en) | 1996-09-04 | 1998-08-11 | Walker Asset Management Limited Partnership | Method and apparatus for a cryptographically assisted commercial network system designed to facilitate buyer-driven conditional purchase offers |
US5420606A (en) | 1993-09-20 | 1995-05-30 | Begum; Paul G. | Instant electronic coupon verification system |
US5380991A (en) | 1993-11-16 | 1995-01-10 | Valencia; Luis | Paperless coupon redemption system and method thereof |
EP1235177A3 (en) * | 1993-12-16 | 2003-10-08 | divine technology ventures | Digital active advertising |
US5483049A (en) | 1994-02-07 | 1996-01-09 | In-Store Media Systems, Inc. | Coupon exchanging and check writing system |
US5950173A (en) * | 1996-10-25 | 1999-09-07 | Ipf, Inc. | System and method for delivering consumer product related information to consumers within retail environments using internet-based information servers and sales agents |
US5500681A (en) | 1994-05-24 | 1996-03-19 | Jones; Charles P. | Apparatus and method for generating product coupons in response to televised offers |
US5459306A (en) | 1994-06-15 | 1995-10-17 | Blockbuster Entertainment Corporation | Method and system for delivering on demand, individually targeted promotions |
US5515098A (en) | 1994-09-08 | 1996-05-07 | Carles; John B. | System and method for selectively distributing commercial messages over a communications network |
US5909673A (en) | 1994-09-29 | 1999-06-01 | Gregory; Edward M. | Method and system for creating site specific coupons at a plurality of remote locations which are controlled by a central office |
US5867205A (en) | 1994-11-14 | 1999-02-02 | Intel Corporation | Method and apparatus for controlling video/audio and channel selection for a communication signal based on textual information indicative of channel contents of a signal |
US5758257A (en) | 1994-11-29 | 1998-05-26 | Herz; Frederick | System and method for scheduling broadcast of and access to video programs and other data using customer profiles |
US5774868A (en) | 1994-12-23 | 1998-06-30 | International Business And Machines Corporation | Automatic sales promotion selection system and method |
US5956695A (en) * | 1995-03-21 | 1999-09-21 | Maritz, Inc. | Filter processor and method for implementing a program |
US5715399A (en) | 1995-03-30 | 1998-02-03 | Amazon.Com, Inc. | Secure method and system for communicating a list of credit card numbers over a non-secure network |
US5752246A (en) | 1995-06-07 | 1998-05-12 | International Business Machines Corporation | Service agent for fulfilling requests of a web browser |
US5701451A (en) | 1995-06-07 | 1997-12-23 | International Business Machines Corporation | Method for fulfilling requests of a web browser |
US5740549A (en) | 1995-06-12 | 1998-04-14 | Pointcast, Inc. | Information and advertising distribution system and method |
US5710886A (en) | 1995-06-16 | 1998-01-20 | Sellectsoft, L.C. | Electric couponing method and apparatus |
US5706507A (en) | 1995-07-05 | 1998-01-06 | International Business Machines Corporation | System and method for controlling access to data located on a content server |
US5761648A (en) * | 1995-07-25 | 1998-06-02 | Interactive Coupon Network | Interactive marketing network and process using electronic certificates |
US5857175A (en) | 1995-08-11 | 1999-01-05 | Micro Enhancement International | System and method for offering targeted discounts to customers |
US5812769A (en) | 1995-09-20 | 1998-09-22 | Infonautics Corporation | Method and apparatus for redirecting a user to a new location on the world wide web using relative universal resource locators |
US5712979A (en) | 1995-09-20 | 1998-01-27 | Infonautics Corporation | Method and apparatus for attaching navigational history information to universal resource locator links on a world wide web page |
US5717860A (en) | 1995-09-20 | 1998-02-10 | Infonautics Corporation | Method and apparatus for tracking the navigation path of a user on the world wide web |
US5572643A (en) | 1995-10-19 | 1996-11-05 | Judson; David H. | Web browser with dynamic display of information objects during linking |
US5855007A (en) | 1995-11-15 | 1998-12-29 | Jovicic; Neboisa | Electronic coupon communication system |
US5956027A (en) * | 1995-12-12 | 1999-09-21 | At&T Corp | Method and apparatus for sharing a web page |
JP3133243B2 (en) | 1995-12-15 | 2001-02-05 | 株式会社エヌケーインベストメント | Online shopping system |
US5918213A (en) | 1995-12-22 | 1999-06-29 | Mci Communications Corporation | System and method for automated remote previewing and purchasing of music, video, software, and other multimedia products |
US5970469A (en) * | 1995-12-26 | 1999-10-19 | Supermarkets Online, Inc. | System and method for providing shopping aids and incentives to customers through a computer network |
US6014634A (en) * | 1995-12-26 | 2000-01-11 | Supermarkets Online, Inc. | System and method for providing shopping aids and incentives to customers through a computer network |
US5907830A (en) | 1996-02-13 | 1999-05-25 | Engel; Peter | Electronic coupon distribution |
US5806044A (en) * | 1996-02-20 | 1998-09-08 | Powell; Ken R. | System and method for distributing coupons through a system of computer networks |
US5887271A (en) | 1996-02-20 | 1999-03-23 | Powell; Ken R. | System and method for locating products in a retail system |
US5848396A (en) * | 1996-04-26 | 1998-12-08 | Freedom Of Information, Inc. | Method and apparatus for determining behavioral profile of a computer user |
US5819241A (en) * | 1996-05-28 | 1998-10-06 | Reiter; Joshua J. | Interactive process for applying or printing information on letters or parcels |
US5845259A (en) | 1996-06-27 | 1998-12-01 | Electronic Consumer Concepts, L.L.C. | Electronic coupon dispensing system |
US5903874A (en) | 1996-06-27 | 1999-05-11 | Mci Communications Corporation | System and method for electronic coupon management |
US5933811A (en) * | 1996-08-20 | 1999-08-03 | Paul D. Angles | System and method for delivering customized advertisements within interactive communication systems |
US6041308A (en) * | 1996-09-04 | 2000-03-21 | Priceline.Com Incorporated | System and method for motivating submission of conditional purchase offers |
DE19641092A1 (en) * | 1996-10-04 | 1998-04-09 | Martin Dr Finsterwald | Method for setting up a database containing customer data |
US5948061A (en) * | 1996-10-29 | 1999-09-07 | Double Click, Inc. | Method of delivery, targeting, and measuring advertising over networks |
US5905246A (en) | 1996-10-31 | 1999-05-18 | Fajkowski; Peter W. | Method and apparatus for coupon management and redemption |
US5884278A (en) | 1997-02-11 | 1999-03-16 | Powell; Ken R. | Retail store and method employing multiple network interfaces at each cash register, and receiving signals from portable cards at each cash register |
US6073105A (en) * | 1997-06-13 | 2000-06-06 | Tele-Publishing, Inc. | Interactive personals online network method and apparatus |
KR19990010082A (en) * | 1997-07-15 | 1999-02-05 | 오철석 | Bait casting reel |
US6026370A (en) * | 1997-08-28 | 2000-02-15 | Catalina Marketing International, Inc. | Method and apparatus for generating purchase incentive mailing based on prior purchase history |
US5974399A (en) | 1997-08-29 | 1999-10-26 | Catalina Marketing International, Inc. | Method and apparatus for generating purchase incentives based on price differentials |
US5926795A (en) | 1997-10-17 | 1999-07-20 | Catalina Marketing International, Inc. | System and apparatus for dispensing coupons having selectively printed borders around preferred products |
US6061660A (en) * | 1997-10-20 | 2000-05-09 | York Eggleston | System and method for incentive programs and award fulfillment |
US6049778A (en) * | 1997-10-31 | 2000-04-11 | Walker Asset Management Limited Partnership | Method and apparatus for administering a reward program |
JPH11143966A (en) * | 1997-11-06 | 1999-05-28 | Hitachi Ltd | Electronic sales promotion and business talk method and its execution system |
US6230143B1 (en) * | 1997-11-12 | 2001-05-08 | Valassis Communications, Inc. | System and method for analyzing coupon redemption data |
US6009411A (en) | 1997-11-14 | 1999-12-28 | Concept Shopping, Inc. | Method and system for distributing and reconciling electronic promotions |
JPH11175851A (en) * | 1997-12-11 | 1999-07-02 | Hitachi Ltd | Electronic coupon issuing exchanging system |
US6021362A (en) * | 1998-02-17 | 2000-02-01 | Maggard; Karl J. | Method and apparatus for dispensing samples and premiums |
US6055513A (en) * | 1998-03-11 | 2000-04-25 | Telebuyer, Llc | Methods and apparatus for intelligent selection of goods and services in telephonic and electronic commerce |
US6075971A (en) * | 1998-03-27 | 2000-06-13 | Intel Corporation | Method and apparatus for providing and monitoring coupons via a network |
US6006197A (en) | 1998-04-20 | 1999-12-21 | Straightup Software, Inc. | System and method for assessing effectiveness of internet marketing campaign |
GB2353619A (en) * | 1998-05-06 | 2001-02-28 | Coolsavings Com Inc | Interactive marketing network and process using electronic certificates |
US6141010A (en) | 1998-07-17 | 2000-10-31 | B. E. Technology, Llc | Computer interface method and apparatus with targeted advertising |
US6266649B1 (en) * | 1998-09-18 | 2001-07-24 | Amazon.Com, Inc. | Collaborative recommendations using item-to-item similarity mappings |
US6041309A (en) * | 1998-09-25 | 2000-03-21 | Oneclip.Com, Incorporated | Method of and system for distributing and redeeming electronic coupons |
US6076069A (en) * | 1998-09-25 | 2000-06-13 | Oneclip.Com, Incorporated | Method of and system for distributing and redeeming electronic coupons |
US6341286B1 (en) * | 1998-09-30 | 2002-01-22 | Bsp International Corporation | Method and apparatus for generating and distributing reports |
US6385591B1 (en) * | 1999-05-11 | 2002-05-07 | Jeffrey W. Mankoff | Method and system for electronic organization of coupons |
WO2001044979A2 (en) * | 1999-12-17 | 2001-06-21 | I2 Technologies, Inc. | System and method for tracking web campaign effectiveness |
US20020046091A1 (en) * | 2000-01-11 | 2002-04-18 | Robert Mooers | Interactive incentive marketing system |
US20020062245A1 (en) * | 2000-03-09 | 2002-05-23 | David Niu | System and method for generating real-time promotions on an electronic commerce world wide website to increase the likelihood of purchase |
CA2341819A1 (en) * | 2000-03-23 | 2001-09-23 | Deepak Puri | System and method for providing e-commerce based on a reward currency |
-
2000
- 2000-06-19 US US09/595,677 patent/US7599850B1/en active Active
-
2001
- 2001-05-09 AU AU2001261285A patent/AU2001261285A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2001-05-09 CA CA2412936A patent/CA2412936C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-05-09 JP JP2002503757A patent/JP4927295B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-05-09 WO PCT/US2001/014890 patent/WO2001098988A1/en active Application Filing
- 2001-05-09 EP EP01935169A patent/EP1311997A4/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2008
- 2008-06-23 US US12/144,557 patent/US8108251B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2011
- 2011-10-31 US US13/285,125 patent/US20120109736A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CA2412936C (en) | 2019-03-26 |
AU2001261285A1 (en) | 2002-01-02 |
US20080281680A1 (en) | 2008-11-13 |
EP1311997A4 (en) | 2005-12-07 |
JP4927295B2 (en) | 2012-05-09 |
WO2001098988A1 (en) | 2001-12-27 |
US8108251B2 (en) | 2012-01-31 |
US20120109736A1 (en) | 2012-05-03 |
JP2003536172A (en) | 2003-12-02 |
US7599850B1 (en) | 2009-10-06 |
EP1311997A1 (en) | 2003-05-21 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
CA2412936C (en) | Method of and system for managing promotions for purchase transactions over a network | |
WO2001086378A2 (en) | Method of and system for distributing and/or modifying electronic coupons over a network prior to the consummation of a purchase transaction based on a client's purchasing/redemption history | |
US7647244B2 (en) | Method for providing a certificate for an online product | |
KR100401459B1 (en) | Off-line buying certification system and method | |
WO2003009197A1 (en) | Method of and system for distributing electronic coupons over a network after the consummation of a purchase transaction based on a client's purchase history | |
WO2001086552A1 (en) | Method of and system for distributing electronic coupons over a network after the consummation of a purchase transaction | |
CA2407909A1 (en) | Method of and system for distributing electronic coupons over a network prior to the consummation of a purchase transaction | |
WO2002031708A1 (en) | Product code-based method and system for distributing electronic coupons | |
EP1312000A1 (en) | Method of and system for distributing and/or modifying electronic coupons over a network | |
WO2001098987A1 (en) | Method and system for defining a promotion | |
EP1287422A2 (en) | Method of and system for distributing electronic coupons over a network prior to the consummation of a purchase transaction based on a client's purchasing history | |
JP2004511055A (en) | Distribution of electronic coupons on the network | |
WO2001099001A1 (en) | Method and system for distributing coupons over a network prior to consummation of a purchase transaction | |
JP2002245316A (en) | Point returning method, center device, store device and point return program |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
EEER | Examination request | ||
MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20210510 |