WO2004008353A1

WO2004008353A1 - Method and device for the automatic allocation of immediate reductions at the time of purchase

Info

Publication number: WO2004008353A1
Application number: PCT/FR2003/002144
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marcel Pointeau; Frédéric FREBILLOT; Denis Dargelos; Jean-Claude Cazalbou
Original assignee: Infomil
Priority date: 2002-07-12
Filing date: 2003-07-09
Publication date: 2004-01-22
Also published as: EP1540544A1; FR2842327A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and device for the automatic allocation of immediate reductions when a customer purchases articles from a retailer. According to the invention, the articles to be purchased are first recorded (31), but before the customer has paid (65) the corresponding amount, the inventive device and method are used automatically to determine (38, 39, 55) if the reduction allocation conditions for each active immediate reduction on the purchase are satisfied. The invention subsequently comprises the automatic generation (57) of data that are representative of said reduction, comprising a reduction amount, and data that can be used to identify the compensating organisation that is to assume the cost of the reduction, said data being stored such as to enable sorting and/or selections. Finally, the amount of each reduction thus allocated is automatically deducted (63) from the amount to be paid by the customer.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY ALLOCATING IMMEDIATE DISCOUNTS ON A PURCHASE

The invention relates to a method and a device for automatically allocating immediate discounts when purchasing articles.

(one or more item (s)) by a client to a commercial organization

-in particular in a place of sale such as a store or on a mail order site-.

Throughout the text, the term "article" means generically any product and / or service offered for sale individually by a commercial organization, and which can therefore be purchased individually by a customer. These can be products (food, clothing, leisure, etc.) or services (travel, subscriptions, show seats, catering, hotels, etc.) or a combination of products and services (telephone and subscription; computer and Internet subscription...). Items can be marketed in places and / or retail sites for mass distribution intended for the general public (retail stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, shopping malls, paper catalogs and / or mail order computer site ...) or on the contrary, via more limited marketing networks, for example intended for certain professionals.

Cashing devices such as electronic cash registers or networked collection terminals are already known, adapted to automatically calculate and apply an immediate discount on a customer's purchase according to the total amount of the purchase and / or according to items or categories of items purchased benefiting from promotions (for example JP-58155475 or JP-6462795) and / or according to the category to which the customer belongs (for example EP-0313376) and / or according to the moment when the purchase is performed (e.g. GB-1525928). These devices are in fact not really used in practice insofar as they are technologically obsolete and the method of calculation and application of discount is rudimentary, not very scalable, dedicated to specific situations, and does not offer possibilities of sufficient control and programming. In addition, with such discounts, the merchant from whom the purchase is carried out must assume alone the decision, the control and all the financial load of the delivery.

In the case of JP-6462795, where the discount is allocated according to the items or categories of items purchased, the discount is calculated immediately after each item registration, so it is not possible to check the total amount discounts granted, or, more generally, to grant a discount taking into account all of the items in the purchase.

EP-0370847 proposes a solution in which each customer is identified during the checkout, and we record in a customer file cumulative discounts, single or double, allocated to this customer during his various purchases. Other known systems allow in the same direction to manage discount accounts or points allocated to identified customers, on a computer system of the point of sale and / or on memory cards allocated to customers individually. EP-0512509 also plans to create discount coupons according to the past and / or present purchasing behavior of customers identified at checkouts.

But all of these systems have the major drawback of requiring identification of each client and heavy and costly IT management of information, in particular of accounts, for each client.

In this regard, it should be noted that many consumers or customers are reluctant to be identified during their purchases or for their purchasing behavior to be monitored and recorded. In the case of nominative cards allocated to customers, it can thus be seen that a small proportion of regular customers of a business agree to subscribe to such a card as soon as personal information must be provided by the customer and recorded by the merchant in a computer system.

Other documents (EP-0173835, EP-0511463, FR-2765988, etc.) describe systems making it possible to issue discount vouchers or other commercial advantage tickets for deferred use to customers during their checkout process. '' a store, without requiring the identification of each customer, according to products triggering the purchase of the customer and / or others award criteria. However, these documents do not teach to automatically assign immediate discounts to customers.

However, the inventors have determined that it would be advantageous to be able to automatically assign immediate discounts to an unidentified client individually according to the articles of a purchase he makes, provided that the discounts awarded can be: calculated equitably for the customer, allocated without financial risk to the merchant managing the point of sale (in particular by avoiding the accumulation of different reductions on the same items), defined according to many distinct calculation methods, simply, by the merchant, passed on and taken care of financially not only by the merchant but also by various third-party compensating bodies such as manufacturers, groups of manufacturers, wholesalers suppliers, specialized organizations ... It is indeed essentially the manufacturers and wholesalers suppliers who, as for coupons reduction for deferred use, must master, and take in ch financially arge the reductions allocated on purchases of the items they supply to merchants. It should be noted in this regard that throughout the text, the term

"Discount" means a drop in sale price supported by the merchant managing the place or site of sale (that is to say affecting his profit margin), while the term "reduction" more generally means, in the sense of the present invention, a drop in sales price supported by an organization, called a compensating organization, which may vary depending on the article or group of articles purchased to which the reduction applies, and which may be different from the merchant managing the place or site of sale.

The invention therefore aims to propose a method and a device which provide a solution to the above-mentioned problem. The invention more particularly aims to allow

P automatic allocation of immediate discounts to unidentified customers when purchasing items, according to the items purchased during this purchase, in economic and practical technical conditions (in particular in terms of calculation time in real time) compatible with operation on an industrial scale, especially when going to the checkout in a big box store with POS systems with multiple checkout terminals network and / or when ordering on a mail order site, for example via the Internet.

The invention also aims to provide a method and a device which are compatible with systems for recording purchased items (POS systems with cash register terminals in stores, systems for recording items purchased by mail, etc.). ) known and do not significantly disturb its operation.

To do this, the invention relates to a method for automatically allocating immediate reductions when purchasing articles by a customer from a commercial organization, in which computer means are used comprising means for processing digital data and storage means in which the predetermined allocation conditions for immediate discounts are stored, the computer means being adapted for, after recording the articles of the purchase using computer recording means, automatically determining, for each reduction immediate active, whether the conditions for attributing this immediate active reduction are satisfied or not and, if so, automatically generating data representative of this immediate active reduction allocated, characterized in that: - for at least one immediate reduction, so-called reduction on immediate purchase, attribute conditions predetermined and memorized ion relate exclusively to the purchase made by the customer regardless of his identity,

- the IT resources are adapted to automatically determine after the registration of the articles of a purchase and before payment by the customer of the corresponding amount to pay, and for each reduction on the immediate active purchase, if the conditions of allocation of this reduction on the immediate purchase are satisfied, and, if so, to automatically generate data representative of this reduction on the immediate purchase allocated, this data comprising an amount of reduction and data making it possible to identify an organization, known as the compensating organization , assuming the financial charge of the reduction on the immediate purchase allocated, and to store the data representative of each reduction on the immediate purchase allocated so as to subsequently allow sorting and / or selection on this data,

- the amount of each reduction on the immediate purchase allocated is automatically deducted from the amount to be paid by the customer.

It should be noted that in a method according to the invention:

- the compensating body may vary according to the immediate reductions on the purchase (it may for example be the manufacturer or supplier of the article), and may be different from the merchant body (even if nothing prevents that for certain reductions on the immediate purchase, these two organizations are confused;

- the customer receives the reduction which is automatically deducted from the price he has to pay for the purchase, without any identification of the customer being necessary, the latter being able to remain completely anonymous, and without requiring the maintenance of individual accounts of clients or the issuance of individual cards to clients;

- a great flexibility of configuration is allowed for the conditions of attribution of the reductions on the immediate purchase, since the applicable reductions are determined and allocated only after registration of all the articles (before payment); in particular, for example, reductions with attribution conditions relating to all of the items purchased may be defined; these attribution conditions relating exclusively to the purchase of articles can be easily defined by a simple configuration interface, by the commercial organization itself, without requiring on its part special computer skills, particularly in programming . Thanks to the possibilities of sorting and / or selections on the data representative of each reduction on the immediate purchase allocated, the merchant body will be able to easily regularly edit for each compensating body lists and / or accumulations and / or invoices of reductions attributable to this compensating body, and therefore be reimbursed for reductions allocated to customers.

Thus, advantageously, the method according to the invention is characterized in that:

- for each reduction on the immediate purchase, the identification data of a compensating body is stored in association with an identification code of this reduction on the immediate purchase and with the conditions for allocation of this reduction on the '' immediate purchase,

- after allocation of a reduction on immediate purchase, the identification code of this reduction on immediate purchase is stored as part of the data representative of this reduction on immediate purchase allocated, so that it is possible, by cross-selection with the records of the award conditions, to generate lists and / or accumulations of different discounts on the immediate purchase attributed attributable to the same compensating body. Advantageously and according to the invention, the data and parameters defining and relating to the immediate purchase discounts and their allocation conditions are stored in the form of a structure of data tables usable by a computer program of the system type. database management, completed and configured to realize the functionalities of the invention. As a variant and according to the invention, the allocation conditions can be stored in the form of a file structure which can be used by a file management system.

Advantageously and according to the invention, there is stored in the conditions of allocation of each reduction on the immediate purchase, a code identifying a method of calculating this reduction and parameters for the implementation of this method of calculation. Advantageously and according to the invention, the calculation method is chosen from:

- a reduction amount R every Y copies of an item purchased in the purchase, - a percentage P of the purchase amount of Y copies of an item, allocated every Y copies of the item purchased in the purchase,

- a percentage P of the purchase amount of the copies of an item purchased in the purchase, allocated from Y copies purchased in the purchase. Other calculation methods are possible.

The invention is in particular applicable in a point of sale provided with at least one electronic and / or computerized collection device. Advantageously and according to the invention, the registration of the articles is carried out during the passage of the customer to a collection device of a point of sale of the commercial organization.

The invention is also applicable for mail order sales on a computer site, by telephone, fax, mail or communication via a network, in particular on an Internet site. In particular, advantageously and according to the invention, the selection and the recording of the articles are carried out by remote selection via a network on a computer site of mail order. The invention is also applicable more generally for mail order sales, particularly in printed catalogs. The reductions are then allocated when billing is established, before debiting the customer's payment. Furthermore, advantageously, the method according to the invention is characterized in that data memorized defining at least one commercial operation comprising a plurality of immediate reductions not cumulative per item, and in that the means for processing digital data are adapted to determine whether, for each item purchased, the conditions for granting several immediate discounts on the purchase of the same commercial transaction are satisfied, and, if so, to select at most one discount on the purchase immediately assigned for each item purchased and for each commercial operation. This selection can be made automatically, according to predetermined criteria (for example the most advantageous reduction for the customer or, on the contrary, the most advantageous reduction for the merchant), preferably being able to be defined beforehand by configuration by the 'trading organization.

The invention extends to a device for implementing a method according to the invention.

The invention therefore relates to a device for automatically allocating immediate reductions when purchasing articles by a customer from a commercial organization, comprising computer means comprising digital data processing means and storage means in which are stored predetermined conditions for the allocation of immediate reductions, the IT means being adapted for, after recording the items of the purchase using computer recording means, automatically determining, for each active immediate reduction, whether the conditions of allocation of this immediate active reduction are satisfied or not and, if so, automatically generate data representative of this immediate active reduction allocated, characterized in that:

- for at least one immediate reduction, known as reduction on immediate purchase, the predetermined and memorized allocation conditions relate exclusively to the purchase made by the customer regardless of his identity, - the IT resources are adapted to automatically determine after the 'recording of the articles of a purchase and before payment by the customer of the corresponding amount to pay, and for each reduction on the active immediate purchase, if the conditions of attribution of this reduction on the immediate purchase are satisfied, and, if so, to automatically generate data representative of this reduction on the immediate purchase allocated, this data comprising a reduction amount and data making it possible to identify an organization, known as a compensating organization, assuming the financial charge of the reduction on the immediate purchase allocated, and to store the data representative of each reduction on the immediate purchase allocated so as to subsequently allow sorting and / or selection on this data, - the IT resources of registration are adapted to automatically deduct from the amount to be paid by the customer, the amount of each reduction on the immediate purchase allocated.

Advantageously and according to the invention, the device is characterized in that: - for each reduction on the immediate purchase, identification data of a compensating body are stored in association with an identification code of this reduction on the 'immediate purchase and with the conditions of attribution of this reduction on the immediate purchase,

- the digital processing means are suitable for, after allocation of a reduction on the immediate purchase, memorizing the identification code of this reduction on the immediate purchase as part of the data representative of this reduction on the purchase immediately allocated, so that it is possible, by cross-selection with the records of the conditions of allocation, to generate lists and / or accumulations of different discounts on the immediate purchase allocated attributable to the same compensating body.

Advantageously and according to the invention, for each reduction on the immediate purchase, a code identifying a method for calculating this reduction and parameters for the implementation of this calculation method are stored in the conditions for allocation of this reduction on immediate purchase.

Advantageously and according to the invention, the calculation method is chosen from:

- a reduction amount R every Y copies of an item purchased in the purchase,

- a percentage P of the purchase amount of Y copies of an item, allocated all the y copies of the item purchased in the purchase, - a percentage P of the purchase amount of the copies of an item purchased in the purchase, allocated from Y copies purchased in the purchase.

Advantageously, a device according to the invention is associated with a collection device from a point of sale of the commercial organization intended for recording the articles of a purchase during the passage of the customer to this collection device.

As a variant, advantageously, a device according to the invention is associated with a computer site for mail order sales adapted to allow the recording of articles by selection in a catalog - notably computer - remotely via a network.

Advantageously and according to the invention, data defining at least one commercial operation comprising a plurality of immediate reductions not cumulative per item are stored in the storage means, and the digital data processing means are adapted to determine whether, for each item purchased, the conditions for awarding several reductions on the immediate purchase of the same commercial transaction are satisfied, and, if so, to select at most one reduction on the immediate purchase allocated for each item purchased and for each business transaction.

The invention also relates to a method and a device, characterized in combination by all or some of the characteristics mentioned above or below.

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention appear in the following description which refers to the appended figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram representing a device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an example of a data model for implementing a method according to the invention,

FIG. 3 represents a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention, FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the steps for calculating an immediate reduction in a method according to the invention,

FIG. 5 is an example illustrating a TICKET LIST in a method according to the invention,

FIG. 6 is an example illustrating a RII CALCULATED LIST in a method according to the invention,

FIG. 7 is an example illustrating a validated RII LIST in a method according to the invention, FIG. 8 is an example of a sales receipt that can be issued in a method according to the invention,

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the consolidation steps in a method according to the invention,

- Figure 10 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the steps used for compensation in a method according to the invention.

FIG. 1 represents an installation for the sale of articles by a commercial organization comprising a collection site 1 and a device 2 for automatically allocating immediate discounts when a purchase of one or more articles is made by a customer from of this trading organization.

The collection site 1 comprises computerized means 3, 4, 5, 6 for recording articles making up customers' purchases from the commercial organization selling these articles. These computer recording means can take several embodiments, depending on the case. When customer purchases are made in a retail store, the computer recording means can be formed by one or more cash register (s) 3 each formed by an autonomous computer station, the various cash registers 3 which may or may not be networked. It may also be a set of collection terminals 4 linked in groups to one or more control server (s) 5. In another variant, the computer recording means comprise a computer site 6 accessible remotely, for example via the Internet 7, by client computer stations 8. This computer site 6 can be located on a computer server located in a store or not.

The cash registers 3, cash register terminals 4 (commonly known as "POS") and their associated server 5, as well as the computer sites 6 for recording articles are all well known and need not be described in more detail. They can take any traditional embodiment, the choice of one or the other of these embodiments not in fact being important in the context of the present invention, since these means 3, 4, 5, 6 data-processing registers make it possible to create for each purchase of article (s) of a customer, a computer ticket defining at least a list of one or more article (s) bought (s) by a customer, identified individually with the quantity purchased. Traditionally, and preferably, the various articles are identified in the computer ticket by an EAN standard article code. The articles are generally referenced in an ARTICLES table or file of the computer recording means, comprising for each article, a record comprising an ARTICLE CODE field and the corresponding selling price.

The device according to the invention for automatically allocating immediate discounts comprises at least one computer station 9 for managing discounts on immediate purchases, the allocation conditions of which relate exclusively to the purchase made by a customer regardless of his identity. In the following, and in the drawings, the immediate purchase discounts are designated by RII. The device 2 according to the invention comprises, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, at least one other computer station 10 for configuration and configuration of the station 9 for managing the RII. In the case of a retail store, the computer stations 9, 10 may be located at the same place as the computer means 3, 4, 5, 6 for recording, that is to say in the store himself; on the contrary, they can be relocated in whole or in part, and communicate with the computer means 3, 4, 5, 6 of recording via an internal or external digital network, private or public, for example the Internet network. Note also that the various computer functionalities implemented in the invention can be centralized on a single computer machine, that is to say a single computer station (central unit and associated peripherals), or on the contrary wholly or partly divided on several computer stations located on the same place or on the contrary distant from each other and communicating via a network. The choice of the final architecture can be made in a traditional way according to the computing power and memory required, the communication and network possibilities offered, the working conveniences, and the consequences in cost and corresponding hardware and software investment. The architecture represented in FIG. 1 is therefore only a particular non-limiting example of embodiment.

Each computer station 9, 10 can be formed of a traditional microcomputer comprising a central unit and the associated peripherals, so as to form digital data processing means and storage means comprising in particular at least one mass memory such than a hard drive.

Thus, the computer station 9 comprises a database 11 stored in its mass memory, in which the predetermined allocation conditions for immediate reductions are stored, and in particular the predetermined allocation conditions for reduction on the immediate purchase RII .

FIG. 2 represents an example of logical organization of the data of the database 11 allowing in particular the definition of the predetermined conditions of allocation of the discounts on the immediate purchase. Traditionally, in FIG. 2, the tables are represented with a header in which the fields representing keys for the tables are indicated. The links between the tables illustrate their relative dependence with, at the level of each table, a code of two whole numbers representing the minimum number and, respectively, the maximum number of copies of this table for the link considered.

The predetermined conditions for granting immediate discounts on the RII purchase are recorded in a CRITERES_RII table having for key fields the NO_CRITERE_RII fields and a CODE_OPERATION_COMMERCIALE field. This field

CODE_OPERATION_COMMERCIALE allows to group the different CRITERES_RII all corresponding to the same commercial operation, the different commercial operations being defined in an OP_COMMERCIALES table having as key field the CODE_OPERATION_COMMERCIALE field. This OP_COMMERCIALES table includes a LIBELLE_OPERATION_COMMERCIALE field allowing to define a label for each commercial operation, an ACTIVE ON field allowing to define if the commercial operation is active or not at a given moment, a NOS_CAISSES_EMISSION field allowing to define the cash registers or terminals on which the commercial operation can be active (which allows a specific selection of some of the cash registers or cash register terminals of the store). The DATE_DEBUT_EMISSION, DATE_FLN_EMISSION, HEUREJDEBUTJBMISSION fields,

HEURE_FLN_EMISSION allow you to define periods during which the commercial operation can be active or not.

Each record in the CRITERES_RII table defines all the conditions for allocation, known as the RII criterion, of the same RII. The CRITERES_RII table includes a LIBELLE_CRITERE_RII field allowing for each RII criterion to define a label facilitating its identification; a CODE_SOCIETE_COMPENSATRICE field used to define the identity of a compensating body assuming the financial burden of the RII allocated according to the conditions defined by the corresponding record in the CRITERE_RII table; a LIMITE_RII_MONTANT field used to define a maximum total amount of reduction that can be attributed to the different successive RIIs allocated according to this RII criterion; a LIMITE_RII_NOMBRE field allowing in the same way to define a maximum number of RII which can be allocated according to this criterion RII; a CODE_TYPE_VENTILATION field and a VΕNTILATION CODE field used to define the item (s) whose presence in the customer's purchase conditions allocation of the RII; a CODE_METHODE_CALCUL field used to identify a calculation method applicable to calculate the RII; and a plurality of fields for the recording of parameters necessary for the calculation method, namely in the example shown, a field AMOUNT_REDUCTION making it possible to define a fixed amount of reduction, a field PERCENTAGE REDUCING making it possible to define a percentage of the price of sale of the item (s) concerned, and a QUANTITY_PURCHASED field used to define the quantity of item (s) purchased. The parameter fields can of course vary according to the different calculation methods used to determine the actual amount of each RII allocated. The field CODE_TYPE_NENTILATION makes it possible to define the nature of the field CODE_VENTILATION which can either be directly an EAN article code corresponding to the article code of the ARTICLES table having as key the CODE_ARTICLE field; or a supplier code defined by the SUPPLIERS table, the key of which is the SUPPLIER_CODE field and having a SOCIAL_RISON field allowing the business name and contact details of each supplier to be defined. In addition, the TYPE_VENTILATION table includes as key the field

CODE_TYPE_VENTILATION and also the fields

LIBELLE_TYPE_VENTILATION and TAILLE_CODE_NENTILATION allowing to define the size of the CODE_VENTILATION according to whether they are article codes or supplier codes. Other examples of breakdowns are possible, for example by item families, item subfamilies, department stores ...

The SOCIETES_COMPENSATRICES table is used to define the different compensating bodies to be used. This table includes as key the field CODE_SOCIETE_COMPENSATRICE which is the same as that of the table CRITERESJ II. It also includes the field RAISON_SOCIALE in which the contact details of the compensating company can be entered and the field REFERENCE_SOCIETE_ COMPENSATRICE in which a company code specific to the compensating body itself (which may be different from the code CODE_SOCIETE_COMPENSATRICE stored in the database through the trading organization to identify this compensating organization) can be seized.

The table RII_EMIS makes it possible to memorize various data relating to each of the reductions on the immediate purchase allocated according to the conditions defined by the table CRITERES_RII. This RIIJEMIS table includes an RII ID field which constitutes the key and makes it possible to individually identify each of the reductions actually allocated. This table also includes a CODE_OPERATION_COMMERCIALE field allowing to recall the commercial operation to which the reduction on the immediate purchase allocated corresponds; a field NO_CRITERE_RII allowing to recall the recording of the table CRITERES_RII which was used for the emission and the attribution of this RII; a TRANSMISSION DATEJET field allowing the date and time of transmission of this RII to be memorized; a CODE_TRANSACTION_EMISSION field used to store a code identifying the purchase (receipt code or order code) for which the RII has been allocated; a VALUE field in which the monetary value of the allocated RII reduction is stored; a TAUX_TVA field in which the VAT rate applied to this RII is stored; a CODE_ARTICLE field allowing to memorize the code of each item of the purchase that triggered the emission of the reduction on the immediate RII purchase considered; a QUANTITY field allowing to memorize the quantity of each of the articles that triggered the RII as identified in the CODE_ARTICLE field; a NO_DEMANDE_FACTURATION field allowing to indicate either that this RII has not been the subject of any invoicing to the compensating body (the field is then left blank), or to store a billing number to the compensating body.

A REQUEST_BILLING table is used to rescale the invoices issued to clearing organizations. This table presents the field NO_DEMANDE_FACTURATION in key and also includes a field DATE_HEURE_DEMANDE allowing to memorize the moment at which the invoicing is considered as carried out; a CODE_SOCIETE_COMPENSATRICE field allowing to memorize the identity of the compensating body for which the invoicing is intended; and a MODIF_USER field making it possible to memorize various data relating to the user having caused an update of this table.

The table CRITERES_RII_ETAT makes it possible to memorize the fact that a limit concerning a recording of the table CRITERES_RII was or was not reached. This CRITERES_RÏÏ_ETAT table includes in keys the field CODE_OPERATION_COMMERCIALE and the field NO_CRITERE_RII of each record of the table CRITERES_RII. It also includes the field LIMITE_ATTELNTE_0_N allowing to indicate by yes or by no if one of the limits of the criterion of RII as defined by the fields LIMITE_RII_MONTANT and LIMITE_RII_NOMBRE was or not reached.

The METHODE_CALCUL table includes as key the CODE_METHODE_CALCUL field. It also includes the fields LIBELLE_METHODE_CALCUL allowing to identify the calculation method by a sentence understandable by the user; an EXAMPLE field giving a practical example of such a calculation method and allowing a better understanding of the operation of this calculation method for the user; and a REF TREATMENT field comprising the address of the calculation program to be executed to implement the calculation method. Each calculation method is carried out by software programming according to a specific module which also uses one or more of the parameters from the CRITERES_RII table. These calculation programs are incorporated into a global software management and calculation engine for immediate purchase reductions, adapted to achieve the functionalities described below. This management and calculation engine is in fact loaded in several identical copies 12a, 12b, ... into the RAM of the device 9 so as to allow simultaneous processing. The number of copies of the management and calculation engine loaded into random access memory is a parameter which can be stored in the database 11 and used on initialization. The station 9 includes a server module 13, called the server 13 for managing the RII, managing the allocation of reductions on the immediate purchase and the operation of the various copies of the engine 12a, 12b for management and calculation. It also includes a server module 14 receiving the calculation requests from the computer means 3, 4, 5, 6 for recording and a response server module 15 referring to computer means 3, 4, 5, 6 for recording data relating to the RII determined by the server 13 for managing the RII.

Furthermore, a consolidation processing module 16 makes it possible, in real or delayed time, to update the data of the database li from update information generated by the means 3, 4, 5, 6 recording computer systems.

The configuration station 10 includes in particular a module forming a man-machine interface allowing the entry of the various records of the CRITERIA RII table, that is to say the entry of the various conditions of allocation of each reduction on the immediate purchase . We can thus define from this workstation each of the commercial operations. This configuration station 10 can therefore directly access the database 11 to carry out the updates or modifications or additions desired by the user. The configuration station 10 advantageously also comprises a software module 17 capable of detecting the appearance of an event requiring the reinitialization of the management and calculation engines 12a, 12b in the RII management server 13. In particular, each time the user updates the database 11, the reset module 17 commands the server 13 so that the various management and calculation engines 12a, 12b are reset (reloaded in RAM) from updated settings. Such a reset is necessary for example when the user modifies one of the records in the CRITERES_RII table, or even after each update carried out by the consolidation processing module 16 (for example when the CRITERE_RII_ETAT table has been modified by this module 16).

During each reset, the RII management server 13 recovers the different operating parameters of the motors 12a, 12b, and this by means of a software component 18 which makes it possible to extract these parameters from the database 11 for provide them to the server 13. In addition, the server 13 for managing the RII receives from the database 11 the number of copies 12a, 12b of the management and calculation engine which must be simultaneously active in memory. Also shown by way of example and illustration in FIG. 1 is a server 19 belonging to a supplier organization of at least one item sold by the merchant organization, this supplier server 19 being able to be connected remotely by a network. , for example the Internet, at configuration station 10. Thus, the configuration station 10 can obtain information concerning the reductions on the immediate purchase granted by said supplier organization, and the articles of this supplier concerned. Of course, many supplier organizations can be linked remotely to the configuration station 10, as required. As a variant, this information can be provided to the configuration station 10 directly by a user by manual entry, or using a removable recording medium (floppy disk, optical disk, etc.).

Likewise, an illustrative example has been shown of an external server 20 connected by a remote network to the station 9 for managing the RII, in order to exchange information relating to the compensating bodies (reference of the compensating body, billing method ...). In general, the actual invoicing is not carried out by the configuration station 9, but by the general accounting system of the commercial organization not shown in FIG. 1, but to which the computer means 3, 4, 5, 6 for recording and / or the computer stations 9, 10 can be connected.

FIG. 3 represents a general flowchart of the automatic allocation process and of the reductions on the immediate purchase according to the invention, implemented by the device represented in FIG. 1.

The different items of a purchase are recorded by the computer means 3, 4, 5, 6 of recording during step 31. Each time a subtotal is made during step 32, either by activation by a cashier of a subtotal key, or by the server site 6 at the request of the client 8 of a subtotal of the items selected, a calculation of the RII that can be allocated due to the items previously recorded, is performed. To do this, a list is first created in step 33, called a TICKET LIST, an example of which is shown in FIG. 5. This TICKET LIST can be created either by computer means 3, 4, 5, 6 by the server 13 of management of the RII of item 9, starting from the successive recording of the different articles of the customer's purchase. As can be seen in FIG. 5, this TICKET LIST includes for each recording of this list, at least one number identifying the ticket (that is to say the transaction in progress) and the cash register 3, the terminal 4 or the site 6 collection; date and time; and, for each article, an EANi article code, the corresponding quantity Xi recorded since the start of registration of the customer's purchase, the wording of the corresponding article, and the cumulative amount of the amount to be paid represented by the Xi articles of EANi code. In the example shown in Figure 5, the customer bought two "COCA COLA" items with a unit amount equal to 1.5 euros, for a total of 3 euros, 4 "chocolate" items with a unit amount of 2 euros, or a total of 8 euros, and a "shaving foam" item with a unit amount of 4 euros.

During step 34, the RII processing request is put on hold at the request server 14. In the example shown in FIG. 3, this step 34 follows step 33 of the TICKET LIST, which means that in this example the TICKET LIST is developed at the level of the computerized recording means 1.

When the request server 14 communicating with the RII management server 13 considers that the requested calculation can be carried out, one of the management and calculation engines 12a, 12b being free, this engine is activated to perform subsequent steps.

During step 35, a loop is performed on the various active commercial operations as defined in the table OP__COMMERCIALES. For each of the commercial operations, it is examined during test 36 whether the TICKET LIST is compatible with this commercial operation. In particular, it is examined whether the number of the TICKET LIST which incorporates the number of the cash register 3 or of the collection terminal 4 or of the server site 6 on which the articles are registered, is compatible with the field NOS_CAISSES_EMISSION of the commercial operation considered as stored in the OP_COMMERCIALES table. We also check the value of the fields defining the date and time of possible emission for this commercial operation compared to the date and time appearing on the TICKET LIST. If one of the conditions is not satisfied, we go back to step 35 to proceed to the next commercial operation. If on the contrary all these conditions are satisfied, one begins a loop 37 to review the various records of the table CRITERES_RII corresponding to the commercial operation, and this by using the key CODE_OPERATION_COMMERCIALE of the table CRITERES_RII. For each record in this CRITERES_RII table belonging to the commercial operation, we examine during test 38 if the LIMITES_ATTEINTES_0_N field of the CRITERES_RII_ETAT table is set to yes or no. The value of this LIMITES_ATTETNTES_0_N field can only be loaded into RAM during each reset of the motors 12a, 12b, or on the contrary can be obtained by accessing the database 11. Nevertheless, for performance reasons, we prefer n ' use only the values loaded into RAM on each reset, in order to avoid access to the database for real-time processing which must be extremely fast. If the LIMITES_ATTEINTES_0_N field is set to yes, we go back to loop 37 to process the next record in the CRITERES_RII table. If, on the contrary, this LIMITES_ATTEINTES_0_N field is no, processing is continued by performing step 39 of calculation of each RII applicable to the TICKET LIST in progress. This calculation step 39 can be carried out in accordance with the flow diagram represented in FIG. 4, and firstly comprises a test step 41 during which it is examined whether the type of breakdown of the current RII criterion corresponds to the items or not (value of the CODE_TYPE_VENTILATION field). If so, a loop is started in step 42 on the various items of the TICKET LIST, that is to say on the various codes EANI, EAN2, ... of the TICKET LIST. For each of the articles, it is examined during test 43 if its EANi code corresponds to the value of the VENTILATION CODE of the corresponding RII criterion. If not, we apply test 44 consisting in determining whether or not the current EANi item is the last item on the TICKET LIST. If so, we go directly to the end step 50. If not, we go back to step 42 to go to the next item in the TICKET LIST. When test 43 determines that an article in the TICKET LIST corresponds to CODE_VENTILATION, we launch, during step 44, the method of calculating the corresponding RII, as referenced in the field CODE_METHODE_CALCUL of the CRITERES_RII table. The engine 12a or 12b in operation in the RAM 13 of the server 13 therefore performs this calculation, which ends with step 45, of writing a record in a list of the reductions on the immediate purchase calculated, called LIST CALCULATED RII, an example of which is shown in Figure 6. Each record in this list includes the number of the corresponding commercial transaction, the RII criterion used to attribute the RII reduction, the corresponding EANi article code, the number Yi of this article having been used for the calculation of this RII and the total amount of the RII reduction calculated. After writing 45 for registration in the RII CALCULATED LIST, we go back to the entry of test 44 to know if the loop 42 on the various articles must be repeated or if it is the last article. When all the items in the TICKET LIST are reviewed, all the RII that can be calculated for these items and for this ticket are entered in the CALCULATED RII LIST, and the program is at the end step 50.

When the initial test 41 determines that the field CODE_TYPE_VENTILATION is not an article code, a preliminary calculation of the breakdowns on the TICKET LIST is performed during a step 51. For example, if the CODE_TYPE_VENTILATION determines that the breakdown corresponds to the supplier code in the CODE_ SUPPLIERS field, the different corresponding supplier codes are extracted from the TICKET LIST. Indeed, the supplier codes are formed of the first bits of each EANi code. These supplier codes are therefore extracted to establish a list called VENTILATION LIST similar to the TICKET LIST but only containing the information useful later for the calculation method to be applied. During step 52, the corresponding calculation method is launched by the engine 12a, 12b running in memory of the server 13. This calculation method thus makes it possible to calculate each RII that can be allocated according to the VENTILATION LIST obtained at step 51. Each of these calculated RIIs is recorded in the RII CALCULATED LIST for this RII criterion in course, then we go to the end step 50 after which we resume the main process in Figure 3, step 39 being completed. This end step 50 in fact consists in examining whether there is another RII criterion on the active commercial transaction, that is to say whether all the RII criteria have been reviewed by the start step 37. loop. If not, steps 37, 38, 39 are therefore repeated for the following RII criterion. If yes, the processing is continued from the CALCULATED RII LIST.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the example of two commercial operations which have resulted in the TICKET LIST in FIG. 5 has been represented with five calculated RIIs. The calculation methods that can be implemented can be subject to different variants. One can for example choose one or the other of the following methods: allocation of R euros of reduction every Y articles of code EANi, - P% reduction starting from Y articles of code EANi,

P% reduction every Y items of EANi code, reduction of R euros for the ^1st item of EANi code purchased. The above methods relate to ARTICLE type breakdowns. For other breakdowns, such as breakdowns of the CODE_FOURNISSEURS type, one can for example use one or the other of the following methods:

R euros every Y articles of the supplier, P% reduction from Y articles of the supplier, - P% reduction every Y articles of the supplier,

R euros from the ^1st article of the supplier, P% from the ^1st article of the supplier. In the example shown in FIG. 6, for commercial operation no. 1, the RII criterion no. 1 assigns 0.2 euros for every two "COCA COLA" items (Al 1) present in the TICKET LIST. The TICKET LIST in figure 5 comprising two "COCA COLA" items, the reduction is calculated and inserted in the RII CALCULATED LIST. It should be noted that in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, the EANi codes are symbolized (Ai l, Al 8, ...) and not indicated in their real format, and this, for the sake of simplification.

Criterion RII n ° 2 allocates 0.15 euro for each three articles (Al 8) "chocolate" of the ticket. Again, the TICKET LIST comprising four articles Al 8, the reduction of 0.15 euro is entered in the RII CALCULATED LIST.

For the commercial operation n ° 2, the RII criterion n ° 3 allocates 0.50 euro for each item "shaving foam" (A25) purchased. Criterion RII n ° 4 allocates 1% reduction on all Al 8 "chocolate" items purchased. Therefore, the TICKET LIST comprising four "chocolate" items for an amount of 8 euros, a reduction of 0.08 euros is calculated in the RII CALCULATED LIST.

Finally, criterion RII n ° 6 allocates 0.01 euro for each item from the supplier of the "chocolate" items (Al 8). The TICKET LIST comprising four Al 8 items obtained from this supplier, makes it possible to generate an RII of 0.04 euro in the CALCULATED RII LIST.

Once this RII CALCULATED LIST has been obtained, it is advisable in the rest of the processing to examine the various articles having generated redundancies on the immediate redundant purchase (not cumulative) and which should be eliminated if necessary. In principle, in fact, it is considered that the various discounts on immediate purchase that can be obtained in the same commercial transaction cannot be combined for the same article. On the other hand, we can admit that different reductions can be obtained and accumulated on the same article from different commercial operations.

In this way, the trading organization can easily define non-cumulative reductions (it suffices that it defines them within the same commercial operation) and cumulative reductions (which can then be defined on separate commercial operations). Consequently, for each commercial operation examined from loop 35, after step 39 of establishment of the CALCULATED RII LIST, it is necessary to check whether certain elements should not be deleted. discounts calculated but which are cumulative on the same article. This is achieved by test 55 which examines for each item of EANi code from the RII CALCULATED LIST whether or not the sum of the quantities Yi of this list for this item is less than or equal to the quantity Xi of the TICKET LIST for this item. If not, this means that some of the items of EANi code considered were used to generate several different RIIs in the CALCULATED RII LIST. Consequently, a step 56 is carried out of eliminating redundant RII from the CALCULATED RII LIST. This elimination step 56 can be carried out very simply by choosing in the CALCULATED RII LIST, for the corresponding EANi code, the minimum reduction amount calculated and by deleting the recording from this list. In the example shown in Figure 6, we see that the sum of Yi for article Al 8 is equal to 3 for commercial operation n ° 1, which remains less than or equal to Xi = 4. But for the operation commercial n ° 2, the sum of Yi of article Al 8 is equal to 8, that is to say greater than Xi = 4. The two reductions calculated for this article are respectively 0.08 euro and 0 , 04 euro. We therefore delete, for example, the RII of the lowest amount, ie the last line of the CALCULATED RII LIST corresponding to the reduction of 0.04 euro. We then reiterate on this new modified RII list the test 55 to ensure that this deletion was sufficient to avoid cumulation. When test 55 determines that there is no longer any cumulation in the modified RII list, step 56 is skipped and this modified RII list is saved as a VALIDATED RII LIST during step 57. FIG. 7 represents an example of VALIDATED RII LIST obtained from the CALCULATED RII LIST of FIG. 6. After this step 57, we loop back to step 35 to examine successively until the last, the various active commercial operations for the TICKET LIST and reiterate the steps 36 to 57 for each of them. When all the active commercial operations have been examined, the VALIDATED RII LIST is thus obtained (as shown by way of example in FIG. 7), and the server 13 for managing the RII sends to the computer means 3, 4, 5, 6 d recording, that is to say at the cash register 3 and / or at the server 5 and / or at the server site 6, the information necessary for these means 3, 4, 5, 6 computerized registrations to apply the reductions thus validated to the customer's purchase. Thus, during step 60, the server 13 formats and sends to the response server 15 for distribution to the computerized recording means 3, 4, 5, 6, the VALIDATED RII LIST for each cash register concerned, the total amount accumulated RII obtained, the date and time concerned, a complete recording in text format for recording in a LOG file constituting a cash journal, and a recording including the message to be printed on the ticket for the different validated RII.

After sending this information to the cashier, the server 13 reinitializes, during step 61, the different variables and lists (TICKET LIST, LISTE_RII_CALCULEE, LISTE_RII _VALIDEES) for the engine 12a, 12b considered, so that this engine is available to recalculate from new data. The cash register 3, the cash register terminal 4 or the server site 6 then perform, during step 62, an edition (printing on cash receipt or display on the screen) of the subtotal of the ticket. During the subsequent step 63, a display is presented to the client comprising the subtotal of the ticket, the total sum of the immediate purchase discounts obtained and the difference between these two values. The process can then continue by returning to step 31, for the collection and recording of other articles of the customer's purchase. If there are no other items to register, we go to step 65 of payment by the customer of the balance due (difference between the subtotal ticket and the total amount of reductions allocated). It should therefore be noted that in any event, a subtotal and therefore the entire calculation of the allocated RII (steps 32 to 63) is carried out before payment 65 and after recording 31 of all the articles of a customer purchase.

FIG. 8 represents an example of a receipt for the purchase of articles corresponding to the TICKET LIST of FIG. 5. This receipt includes a header from the merchant, a receipt number, a receipt number, the date and time of issue of the ticket, the list of the different items registered with their quantity and the corresponding amount to be paid, then the calculated subtotal. The total amount of RII reductions obtained in the VALIDED RII LIST is 0.93 euro, i.e. a balance due of 14.07 euros. In the example, considered that the client paid 15 euros in cash and returned 0.93 euros of change. During the final step 66, when the balance owed by the customer is equal to 0, the steps for printing the end of the receipt or editing the end of the order are carried out. In particular, it is possible to display and / or print the list of immediate reductions allocated, as shown in Figure 8, with for each article its quantity as well as the amount of the RII reduction allocated.

During step 60, before resetting the engine, the RII management server 13 writes each of the rows of the VALIDED RII LIST in the RII_EMIS table with the various corresponding information. If this is nevertheless judged too penalizing from the point of view of the occupation of the server 13 (a writing in database being a relatively long operation for this server 13 essentially dedicated to real time calculations), one can prefer to carry out this writing later during a delayed consolidation processing, of which FIG. 9 represents an example of flowchart. This consolidation process is implemented by module 16 of station 9, either in real time or almost real time and permanently, or, preferably in deferred time, that is to say periodically, for example once per day while the computer means 3, 4, 5, 6 of recording are no longer active, that is to say inaccessible to customers. In particular, this avoids any disturbance with real-time processing, which could possibly require access to resources simultaneously to the consolidation module 16.

During this consolidation processing, the first step 91 consists in browsing the log file (s) of cash registers. These LOG files are files in text format collecting all the information relating to the events occurring on the various cash registers 3 and / or cash register terminals 4 and / or server sites 6 according to a predetermined format. These RII files are extracted from each of the allocated RIIs as written in step 60 in the LOG file. In practice, this is all the information from the VALIDED RII LIST (cash register number, ticket number, date and time of issue, article code, article quantity, article wording, reduction amount) , but also the reduction message such as edited for tickets or customer invoices. Also among the information recorded in the LOG file, the VAT rate applicable to this RII reduction, which can be simultaneously calculated by the engine 12a or 12b. This information may indeed be of importance for subsequent invoicing to the compensating body as well as for the accounts of the merchant body, the supplier body and the compensating body.

During step 92, the compensation module 16 writes the different information to the RII_EMIS base which is therefore updated. In the variant where this writing is carried out simultaneously with step 60 by the server 13, step 92 is of course not executed.

Furthermore, the module 16 is also programmed to calculate, for each value of the NO CRITERE RII field, that is to say for each criterion of RII (conditions for allocation of a determined reduction), the cumulative amounts of RII reduction actually allocated, that is to say the total of the VALUE field of the RII_EMIS database, as well as the number of records corresponding to this RII criterion in the RII_EMIS table, indicating the number of reductions on the immediate RII purchase assigned corresponding to this criterion. Based on these calculations performed during step 93, the consolidation module 16 then updates, during step 94, the state of the LIMITES_ATTELNTES_0_N field in the CRITERE_RII_ETAT database, for each of the RII criteria identified by the field NO CRITERIA RII. Thus, during the following reinitialization of the engines 12a, 12b of calculation, the new values of the table CRITERE_RII_ETAT will be taken into account. Figure 10 illustrates how compensation is performed. This compensation consists in developing a selection of data necessary subsequently for invoicing the compensating body for the various RII reductions allocated, the financial burden of which must be assumed by this compensating body. To do this, we first make a selection on the SOCIETES_COMPENSATRICES table to obtain the data relating to the corresponding compensating body. From the CODE_SOCIETE_COMPENSATRICE obtained, a selection is made in the CRITERES_RII table to determine all the RII criteria, that is to say all the NO_CRITERES_RII associated with this value of

CODE_SOCIETE_COMPENSATRICE. From this list, we send the table RII_EMIS to select in this table the records having the same value of NO_CRITERES_RII as that obtained in the previous selection, and for which the field NO_DEMANDE_FACTURATION is empty, indicating that no request for invoicing ' has yet been made for this reduction. This gives the selection of the different RII reductions allocated which must be compensated with the selected compensating body. Simultaneously with the establishment of this selection list, the DEMAND_BILLING table is updated by registering a new record. The NO_DEMANDE_FACTURATION field, which is only a simple number to follow incremented with each record and identifying the records in this table DEMANDE_FACTURATION, is also stored in the RII table EMIS for each of the RII (identified by the ID_RII field selected in the list subject to compensation).

Thus, the data making it possible to identify the compensating body for each RII allocated are, in this embodiment, formed of fields ID_RII and NO_CRITERE_RII in the table RII_EMIS, of the field CODE_SOCIETE_COMPENSATRICE of the table CRITERES_RII and corresponding information of the table SOCIETES_COMPENSATRICES .

Other variants not shown are possible. For example, we could save the CODE_SOCIETE_COMPENSATRICE field, or even the corresponding data (RAISON_SOCIALE;

REFERENCE_SOCIETE_COMPENSATRICE), in each record in the RII_EMIS table. It should be noted that the compensating body and / or the merchant body must memorize information making it possible to make the link between their respective codifications, which may be different, from each RII criterion. For example, the compensating body may have a data table in which a link is established between the NO_CRITERE_RII as stored in the CRITERES_RII table of the merchant body and fields representing the codes identifying these RII criteria in its system IT management. Similarly, in a variant not shown, it is possible to provide a specific field in the CRITERES_RII table to store the code of each RII criterion in the format of the management system of the compensating body.

It goes without saying that other types of selection or sorting can be carried out at will. In particular, it is possible to make selections also coupled with the dates and times of issue or crossed selections also with the supplier code or by grouping different compensating bodies ...

The embodiments mentioned above and shown in the figures are in no way limiting and the invention can be the subject of numerous variant embodiments. In particular, the method of allocating immediate reductions could be implemented directly on the servers or computer devices incorporated into the computer means 3, 4, 5, 6 for recording, and not on separate computer means. In addition, if the IT capacities allow it, nothing prevents to carry out permanently in real time, even during the recording of the different articles, the whole process of calculating discounts on immediate purchase, c That is to say to create and update the VALIDATED RII LIST permanently with each article. Likewise, the method according to the invention can be carried out alone or on the contrary simultaneously with other functionalities for the allocation of immediate or deferred commercial advantages, in particular with other types of immediate reductions (for example depending on the behavior of purchase of a customer, if the latter is identified) ...

The different calculation methods used can be adapted to each application, depending in particular on the sales organization and the different items sold.

The invention is more particularly applicable and advantageous in retail stores, such as supermarkets or hypermarkets. It can nevertheless also be applied advantageously for mail order sales, for example for electronic commerce via the Internet. It should be noted in this regard that the invention allows an extremely simple implementation of the reductions on the various articles during sales periods.

Thus, thanks to the invention, by light and efficient computer means and with simple, rapid real-time processing, requiring only a low occupancy in RAM and in mass memory, it is possible to allocate reductions immediately to the various customers, without the need to identify them, while also ensuring that the reductions are paid for financially by a compensating body and / or by a supplying body which may be separate from the trading body itself.

The method according to the invention can be implemented by simple programming with any suitable programming language (in particular Pascal, C, C ++, Visual Basic, ...). It can be easily implemented using a database management system having a table structure such as that shown in FIG. 2 by way of nonlimiting example. It can also be implemented with a file management system. The entire organization of the data can be physically stored in the form of separate data file tables in a database management system, or in any other suitable form, and for example in a single data file.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 / - Method for automatically allocating immediate reductions when purchasing articles by a customer from a commercial organization, in which computer means (9, 10) are used comprising means (12a, 12b) for digital data processing and storage means in which are stored predetermined allocation conditions for immediate reductions, the computer means (9, 10) being adapted for, after recording the articles of the purchase using means ( 1) recording computer, automatically determining, for each immediate active reduction, whether the conditions for attributing this immediate active reduction are satisfied or not and, if so, automatically generating data representative of this immediate active reduction allocated, characterized in that: - for at least one immediate reduction, called reduction on immediate purchase, the conditions s of predetermined and memorized allocation relate exclusively to the purchase made by the customer regardless of his identity,

- the IT means (9, 10) are adapted to automatically determine after the registration of the articles of a purchase and before payment by the customer of the corresponding amount to pay, and for each reduction on the immediate active purchase, if the conditions attribution of this reduction on the immediate purchase are satisfied, and, if so, to automatically generate data representative of this reduction on the immediate purchase allocated, this data comprising an amount of reduction and data allowing identify an organization, known as a compensating organization, assuming the financial burden of the reduction on the immediate purchase allocated, and to memorize the representative areas of each reduction on the immediate purchase allocated so as to subsequently allow sorting and / or selection on these data,

- the amount of each reduction on the immediate purchase allocated is automatically deducted from the amount to be paid by the customer. 21 - Method according to claim 1, characterized in that:

- after allocation of a reduction on immediate purchase, the identification code of this reduction on immediate purchase is stored as part of the data representative of this reduction on immediate purchase allocated, so that it is possible, by cross-selection with the records of the award conditions, to generate lists and / or accumulations of different discounts on the immediate purchase attributed attributable to the same compensating body.

3 / - Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that stored in the conditions of allocation of each reduction on the immediate purchase, a code identifying a method of calculating this reduction and parameters for the implementation of this calculation method.

4 / - Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the calculation method is chosen from:

- a reduction amount R every Y copies of an item purchased in the purchase,

- a percentage P of the purchase amount of Y copies of an item, allocated all Y copies of the item purchased in the purchase, - a percentage P of the purchase amount of the copies of an item purchased in the 'purchase, allocated from Y copies purchased in the purchase.

5 / - Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the registration of the articles is carried out during the passage of the customer to a device (3, 4) of collection of a place of sale of the trading organization. 61 - Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the selection and registration of items are carried out by remote selection via a network on a site (6) computer mail order. 11 - Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that stores data defining at least one commercial operation comprising a plurality of immediate reductions not cumulative per item, and in that the means (12a, 12b) digital data processing systems are suitable for determining whether, for each item purchased, the conditions for granting several discounts on the immediate purchase of the same commercial operation are satisfied, and, if so, for selecting at most one only reduction on immediate purchase allocated for each item purchased and for each commercial operation.

8 / - Device for automatically allocating immediate reductions when purchasing articles by a customer from a commercial organization, comprising computer means (9, 10) comprising means (12a, 12b) for processing digital data and storage means in which are stored predetermined allocation conditions for immediate reductions, the computer means (9, 10) being adapted for, after recording the articles of the purchase using computer means (1) d registration, automatically determining, for each active immediate reduction, whether the conditions for attributing this active immediate reduction are satisfied or not and, if so, automatically generating data representative of this allocated active immediate reduction, characterized in that :

- for at least one immediate reduction, called reduction on the immediate purchase, the predetermined and memorized allocation conditions relate exclusively to the purchase made by the customer regardless of his identity,

- the computer means (9, 10) are adapted to automatically determine after recording the articles of a purchase and before payment by the customer of the corresponding amount to be paid, and for each reduction on the immediate purchase active, if the conditions for allocation of this reduction on the immediate purchase are satisfied, and, if so, to automatically generate data representative of this reduction on the immediate purchase allocated, this data comprising an amount of reduction and data making it possible to identify an organization, known as the compensating organization, assuming the financial charge of the reduction on the immediate purchase allocated, and to store the data representative of each reduction on the immediate purchase allocated so as to subsequently allow sorting and / or selection on this data,

- the computerized recording means (1) are adapted to automatically deduct from the amount to be paid by the customer, the amount of each reduction on the immediate purchase allocated.

91 - Device according to claim 8, characterized in that:

- for each reduction on the immediate purchase, identification data of a compensating body are stored in association with an identification code of this reduction on the immediate purchase and with the conditions for the allocation of this reduction on the 'immediate purchase, - the digital processing means (12a, 12b) are suitable for, after allocation of a reduction on the immediate purchase, memorizing the identification code of this reduction on the immediate purchase as part of the data representative of this reduction on the immediate purchase allocated, so that it is possible, by cross selection with the records of the conditions of allocation, to generate lists and / or accumulations of different discounts on the immediate purchase allocated attributable to the same compensating body.

10 / - Device according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that for each reduction on the immediate purchase, a code identifying a method of calculating this reduction and parameters for the implementation of this calculation method are stored in the conditions of allocation of this reduction on the immediate purchase. 11 / - Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the calculation method is chosen from:

- a percentage P of the purchase amount of the copies of an item purchased in the purchase, allocated from Y copies purchased in the purchase. 12 / - Device according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that it is associated with a device (3, 4) for collecting a place of sale of the trading organization intended for the recording of items of a purchase during the customer's passage to this collection device (3, 4).

13 / - Device according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that it is associated with a site (6) computer mail order adapted to allow the recording of items by selection in a remote catalog via a network.

14 / - Device according to one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that data defining at least one commercial operation comprising a plurality of immediate reductions not cumulative per item are stored in the storage means, and in that the means (12a, 12b) of digital data processing are adapted to determine whether, for each item purchased, the conditions for granting several reductions on the immediate purchase of the same commercial operation are satisfied, and, if so, to select at most one reduction on the immediate purchase allocated for each item purchased and for each commercial operation.