JP2007515004A - Retail marketing methods - Google Patents

Abstract

Kind Code: A1 A method for managing information related to products supplied by a vendor supply chain and sold by a retailer is provided.
A method is devised that allows retailers to upgrade their operations by providing their vendors with labeling standards including RFID and RSS barcodes and formatting guidelines, This method includes additional information in the labeling, including additional supply chain logistic information, item number, lot and expiry date, production time and location, more detailed criteria that were previously possible for goods, and information A method of capturing and supplying it to a retailer's information management system via customized forms and middleware is disclosed. The retailer uses the information management company's service to set up this program at the supplier to the retailer, thereby reducing the associated costs of augmenting their system. Retailers, vendors and consumers can benefit from additional information through a variety of means of feedback, providing higher inventory management, consumer safety, more efficient purchase trends, product content Extract information, security, supply chain logistics, compliance with government regulations regarding retail merchandise, other government regulations and pricing, rebates, coupons and consumer returns as well as bioterrorism behavior in a more useful way.
[Selection] Figure 7

Description

(Copyright and legal notice)
The content disclosed in this patent specification includes materials subject to copyright protection. As long as the patent document or the disclosure of this patent is in a file or record of the Patent and Trademark Office, the copyright holder will not object to copying it by facsimile, but not In case, any copyright is reserved.

(Cross-reference of related applications)
This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application 10 / 320,995 filed on December 17, 2002 and claims benefit under 35 USC Section 120, the contents of which are incorporated by reference It forms part of the present disclosure. This application also claims benefit under 35 USC 119 (e) relating to provisional patent application 60 / 528,105 filed December 8, 2003, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference Part of the disclosure.

  Information is a keystone of concern in modern retailing. In order for retailers to remain competitive, they need to demonstrate expertise in many areas such as supply chain logistics, inventory management, warehouse management, and information management tracking. In addition to all aspects of the retail experience, information management also allows retailers to manage the flow of goods and services, storage, ordering, reordering, inventory, sales, shipping, along with the marketing of retail goods. It is key to complying with government regulations on sales. Without considering the retail experience, competitiveness in the modern market is lost.

  Traditionally, partnerships established between retailers and suppliers set standards for information communication. In its simplest form, the retailer requires each supplier to label the goods and services with item numbers. This item number is printed on inventory that is shipped to the retailer in a machine-readable format, for example, in the form of a UPC (A) barcode. This allows retailers to automate systems related to supply chain logistics, inventory, warehouse management, retail sales, and delivery.

  As systems that rely on machine-readable data become increasingly sophisticated, retailers will increase supply chain logistics, inventory, sales and delivery systems as more and better information is provided in a timely manner. Recognize. The retail information system has a large landscape. On-Demand, FIFO, SAP, etc. keep the legacy systems that retailers have used over the past 25 years (earmark). Any modern solution where retailers upgrade their information management systems must include ways to adapt these legacy systems to the new information technology introduced.

  As a method for newly including information, a bar code, a magnetic strip, and an RFID tag having a large information holding capacity are used.

  It has become clear that retailers are central players contributing to the growth of retail information systems. This is because, in order to establish that system, retailers are at the heart of the vendor world that labels goods and services. Retailers need to be standard setters for additional information that vendors print on goods and services.

However, the fact that each retailer's new initiative to establish standards for vendors is obfuscating vendor issues is also clear. Which vendor standards should be emulated? Does the 500 pound gorilla, the largest retailer, choose that standard? Is the standard acceptable to vendors of different sizes in different industries?
Addressing all of these concerns, methods have been developed that allow retailer transactions in a wide range of industries. Furthermore, this method is beneficial to retailers, vendors, consumers, etc. for all parties. The retailer is provided with a means by which the improved method can be used in the retailer's system, without incurring significant expense, i.e., startup costs. In fact, this method is inherently a profit center. This is because vendors are required to purchase the reports, information gathering and labeling required to participate in the retailer's system.

  First, to achieve this information system upgrade, retailers must examine existing information systems, and the programs across various entities in the supply chain and the retailer's product sales capabilities. You must determine what information you need to practice all of the retail / consumer experience that will improve your ability to satisfy your customers. The retailer must then build a new information system that can make use of the additional information and build a program for all of the retail experience. Next, the vendor needs to be given a product along with requirements regarding the information that needs to be supplied to the retailer. Second, vendors need to be given standards and guidelines for labeling products. Next, the retailer needs to build a way to collect and receive information requested by the vendor. The vendor then needs to build a way to receive that information and incorporate it into the retailer's existing information database. If these are not insurmountable, it is a major obstacle for any retailer. One way to achieve the exact same goal is for retailers to require the largest vendors to adopt and pay new information and communication standards. If a retailer “twists arms” to finish work without showing how much revenue the supplier will use with the new standard, the vendor will In particular, it can be very inertial.

  The systems and methods of the present invention relate to information management relating to products and / or services (collectively referred to as “goods”) that are supplied by vendors to retailers and sold by retailers.

  One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for managing information about merchandise supplied by a supply chain of at least one vendor and sold by a retailer. First, the developer creates a system that manages information about the goods supplied from the supply chain and sold by the retailer. Information managed by the system is defined by the retailer. The system is designed so that supply chain vendors provide information by associating information defined by the retailer with the product before shipping the product to the retailer. For example, the information may be encoded in a barcode label, which is affixed to the product, stored in the RFID tag memory attached to the product, or It may be a combination of these two. The retailer then makes the system available throughout the supply chain by requiring each vendor in the chain to purchase and use the system from the developer as a condition to doing business with the retailer. Operate to install (administers).

  According to another embodiment of the invention, the retailer receives a fee for the operation of installing the system throughout the supply chain. For example, this fee may be paid from the developer to the retailer.

  According to other embodiments of the invention, the fee received by the retailer may be based on a purchase made by the chain vendor. For example, the fee may be part of the purchase price of each system.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, a retailer can receive merchandise from a supply chain vendor utilizing the system and obtain information associated with the received merchandise using the system. The retailer can then return at least some of the acquired information to at least one vendor in the supply chain that shipped the item. The information returned from the retailer to the chain's vendor allows the vendor to benefit, for example, the vendor determines the rate at which the goods supplied to the retailer are sold. , Thereby enabling the rate to be supplied to the retailer to be adjusted accordingly.

  Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for a developer to sell a system that manages information about merchandise supplied from at least one vendor's supply chain and sold by a retailer. First, the developer suggests to the retailer a program that installs the system throughout the retailer's supply chain, where each vendor in the chain was developed by the developer as a condition of the deal with the retailer. You are required to purchase and use the system. If the retailer accepts the proposal, the retailer will begin using the program and notify the chain vendor of the requirements. This program allows vendors to purchase systems from developers through retailers. Here, the retailer processes the order of the vendor and prepares to distribute the system from the developer to the vendor.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, the retailer can receive a fee for conducting the program. For example, a retailer may keep a portion of the purchase price for each system purchased.

  According to other embodiments of the invention, the retailer may provide a means that allows the consumer to obtain additional information about the product. For example, a retailer may place a kiosk at a retailer's store that allows a consumer to scan a bar code attached to the product to obtain additional information about the product supplied by the vendor. For example, information about some products, such as fruit, may include a country of origin that allows the consumer to select and purchase products from a particular region. In other examples, additional information that a consumer can obtain about a product may include detailed care information about food or pharmaceuticals, possible allergic reactions, and the like. In addition, retailers may provide such additional information to consumers as real-time advertisements. For example, if a product such as food from a specific area is highlighted positively or negatively in the latest news report, the retailer will display the news in a computer-controlled real-time display to the consumer. It can be advertised whether the product is from a specific region or not, so as to match the report.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for managing information between an entity and a vendor is provided. First, the developer generates a system in which the entity receives information associated with items provided to the entity by the supply chain of at least one vendor. The system comprises a specification and one or more subsystems, which are defined by at least an entity, which defines the type of information received through the system. Each of the one or more vendor subsystems stores conforming information in an information storage device and associates the information storage device with an item provided to the entity so that each vendor subsystem Allows operators to provide information to the entity that conforms to the standard. Next, one of the one or more vendor subsystems is purchased from a developer and the purchased vendor subsystem is manipulated to allow the entity to maintain a business relationship with the entity. By requiring one or more of the at least one vendor to provide information, an entity can facilitate installation of the system throughout the supply chain.

  According to one embodiment of the invention, the information storage device comprises a barcode.

  According to another embodiment of the invention, the information storage device comprises an RSS barcode.

  According to another embodiment of the invention, the information storage device comprises an RFID tag.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, the developer pays the entity to facilitate installation of the system throughout the supply chain.

  According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the fee is based on purchasing a subsystem from a developer by one or more of at least one vendor.

  According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a system enables a business entity to obtain information from an information storage device associated with items received from each vendor that operates the vendor subsystem. An entity subsystem that enables the entity to send data to one or more of the vendors operating the vendor subsystem. This data relates to items previously received by the entity from one or more of the vendors operating the vendor subsystem.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for managing information associated with items between an entity and one or more vendors. The method includes accessing data from a data storage device associated with an item received by the entity from one or more vendors. Here, the data stored in the data storage device has been selected by one or more vendors based on a request issued by the business entity. The entity then sends at least a portion of the accessed data to one or more vendors. Finally, the one or more vendors determine sales related information associated with the item based on the transmitted portion of the accessed data provided by the entity to the one or more vendors. .

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, accessing data associated with an item comprises reading a barcode label.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, the barcode label comprises a reduced space symbology (RSS) barcode.

  According to another embodiment of the invention, the barcode label comprises a two-dimensional symbol.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, accessing data associated with an item receives the accessed data from a Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) device.

  According to another embodiment of the invention, the data associated with the item comprises product information.

  According to another embodiment of the invention, the sales related information associated with the item comprises reorder request information.

  According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the reorder request information allows one or more vendors to adjust product levels.

  The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are illustrative and not limiting, in which like reference numerals refer to like or corresponding parts.

  External information management companies, such as information system developers, can develop configurable information-oriented programs to investigate retailer operations and increase retail experience for consumers and increase retailer revenue. To construct. It should be noted that increasing the profits of both retailers and vendors alike can be achieved with good information management. Next, the necessary additional information that can facilitate the new program must be constructed. Currently, products that carry only limited information such as price, shipping date, vendor ID, retailer number, etc. with barcodes attached to the product can be shipped to retailers . However, retailers can earn money by knowing more information about various minimum inventory management units (SKUs) such as color, size, gender, quantity, and so on. Since this additional information can be determined for each SKU, it can vary from one SKU to the next. This additional information may then be associated with merchandise supplied to the retailer from the vendor via the RFID tag and / or barcode, and then an RFID tag format comprising the associated RSS barcode format may be constructed. The necessary software and hardware to generate and print these tags must be identified. All of these new standards can then be sent to the vendor using a retailer information program laid out for the retailer. At the same time, the retailer must build middleware designed to have a format that can accept vendor information from the vendor's existing database management system and convert it into a record that can be provided to the retailer information management system.

  In order to achieve the goals of the retailer program, retailers may make the following suggestions to each vendor: ie, as we explain, label you all the goods sold and delivered to us Use our new RFID / RSS barcode standard. You use the following software and hardware to label your items: You use the following formats and information management techniques to send the associated data: You purchase the software and hardware through an approved supplier that we identify. In return, we will continue to do business with your company. We can also strengthen our relationship with you by providing you with information to make your product sales to us profitable. An example of how this additional information can make a retailer-vendor relationship more profitable is: a retailer may better manage reordering It will be possible and can improve the inventory turns supplied by individual vendors. The vendor can use the information returned from the retailer to adjust the product level. The retailer can better communicate which products are in stock to the customer. Retailers can better handle rebates, coupons, and customer returns on behalf of vendors. Retailers will be able to reorder inventory to its delivery channel with greater logistic efficiency and more timely.

  There are many benefits for retailers by using external companies to build this information system. First, retailers do not need to rebuild their own information system from scratch. Existing systems can be augmented by using middleware that can be constructed to receive new data and incorporate it into the existing system. Second, retailers do not have to spend to improve their systems. This cost is shared by the vendor that is the supplier. Third, vendors do not need to build a way to satisfy the retailer's requirements for new systems. Software and hardware that vendors can purchase from existing ones and meet retailer requirements are identified. Therefore, adopting a retailer program is very acceptable for vendors. In addition, by purchasing a system already developed by an external organization at a reasonable price, the retailer asks the vendor to build the retailer's own information system and works according to guidelines specified by the retailer. Compared to a case where the vendor is requested to perform the system development, the system development costs can be distributed among the plurality of vendors more efficiently. Fourth, if an RFID / RSS barcode tag is used as a label, the existing system can read the new label, so the existing item identification system can be converted to a new standard and transparent Can be (transparent). If new readers and scanners are introduced, the information can be read by the vendor and sent to the retailer.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of the relationship of a vendor (vendor) to a consumer, a retail store, a retail information system, and a retailer. All information used for communication between different entities begins with the vendor. Information in the form of product information (eg, item number (UPC), expiration date, lot number, serial number, in depth product description, production time and location) It can be attached to the product itself in the form of a corresponding RSS barcode. When the product arrives at the retailer's warehouse or distribution center, the relevant information is scanned and entered into the retailer's information system by using forms and middleware. By using this information, various sales and marketing proposals for use in retail stores can be created. For example, if a product such as food from a specific location is highlighted positively or negatively in the latest news report, the retailer can use a computer-controlled real-time display to match the news report. Thus, it can be advertised to the consumer that the product is from a specific location or is not from a specific location. In addition, product information can be provided to consumers using information associated therewith. The information can also be used to assist the consumer with rebates, coupons, and returns. As merchandise is delivered from the retailer to the consumer at the store, the retailer can use information about the merchandise to augment the retailer's system. Information about inventory and habits is relayed to suppliers in the form of requirements for reordering and delivery to vendors. By improving the flow and quality of information based on retail experience, retailers can take advantage of these benefits to make money.

  In one example, the additional information collected, sent to the consumer, and returned to the vendor facilitates the construction of an effective rebate and coupon program offered by the vendor through the store. Current systems lack the ability of stores to provide consumers with accurate information about coupons and rebate offers. Current systems lack the ability of stores to return consumer information to vendors. Therefore, it is left to the consumer to interact directly with the vendor using the mail or the Internet. This greatly hinders retailers from participating in the coupon process. Consumers also face the task of a retailer in a timely manner indicating to the vendor that the vendor's product has actually been purchased. Vendors treat consumers as thief rather than consumers. The benefits of distributing coupons are minimized, and any benefits realized by the retailer through the coupon program are lost. By flowing coupon information to the retailer's own information system, consumers, retailers and vendors can all benefit. Rebates are free to provide, along with more reliable information about consumers, purchased products, and retail locations.

  Use additional information collected using the invention described above, sent to the consumer, and returned to the vendor to facilitate the construction of a more effective rebate and coupon program offered by the vendor through the retailer There are several techniques. Examples of such techniques are described below.

  Significant additional information by changing the code used in coupons, ranging from UCC / EAN-128 codes to space-saving symbols (RSS) and other compact and / or two-dimensional codes Can be included in the barcode symbol, so that it is possible to make a coupon with greatly expanded functions. In addition, coupon-based barcodes, magnetic stripes, and smart cards by emulating the format of credit card transactions, using existing or no longer legacy credit card processing infrastructure Can be processed as a credit card transaction. This has the advantage that it not only conveys the additional data associated with the coupon, but also speeds up the processing of the money involved, which creates a huge new marketing opportunity. The redemption center also eliminates the boring of collecting coupons for redemption. Furthermore, the present invention can be conveniently performed in stages by providing a barcoded coupon with both one-dimensional and two-dimensional symbols.

  FIG. 1 shows a coupon processing system. Point of sale information management system (POS) location 100 may be a retail store where a merchant provides a product or service, a self-service kiosk, a virtual location, a customer home, or other workplace. The term “merchant” is meant to encompass virtually any business that provides a product or service, including business serving the public, government, business-to-bubiness, etc. is there. The terms “sales”, “purchase” and the like are meant to encompass sales in the conventional sense and rental of products and other arrangements. The scanner / reader 110 scans the barcoded coupon 105 or reads a magnetic stripe card or smart card, eg, a coupon card, both of which are encoded using data according to the present invention. It is what has been made. The scanner / reader 110 includes software that reads information and transmits the information to a merchant computer system 120 or a credit card terminal 115. The magnetic stripe card can be read by using a known swipe reader, and the smart card can be read by using a known smart card reader. Thus, in addition to barcoded coupons with barcode symbols printed on a substrate such as paper, other data storage media such as magnetic stripe cards and smart cards that store equivalent data; You may use this invention together. Many modern POS locations already have scanners that can read both one-dimensional and two-dimensional barcodes. An example of a scanner that can handle RSS is Cyclone Technologies, Inc. Cyclone. For example, if the scanner 110 cannot read a two-dimensional barcode and can only read a one-dimensional barcode, the scanner 110 is not RSS compatible and can read a conventional barcode portion of a coupon. Otherwise, an RSS compatible dedicated two-dimensional scanner 112 may be provided. The scanner / reader 112 may be a stand-alone RSS coupon terminal that operates together with the credit card terminal 115. The scanner / reader 112 may be a second handheld scanner that is placed on a checkout counter and scans only RSS coupons. Since the scanner / reader 110 is not RSS compatible, the coupon can be scanned or read by using a single dedicated two-dimensional scanner 112. When the scanner / reader 110 is RSS compatible, a single dedicated two-dimensional scanner 112 is not necessary. In addition, the coupon may include a graphic and supporting text to inform the cashier and the consumer that the coupon needs to be processed by a 2D scanner.

  Small businesses are also able to purchase 2D barcode scanning equipment. In fact, thanks to the benefits gained from the present invention, purchases by companies that previously did not require a scanner are encouraged. This includes companies in the service industry whose main business is to provide services to customers rather than products, such as hair salons, travel agencies, and entertainment facilities. Cashiers and consumers do not need special training. This is because coupons provided in accordance with the present invention are handled and scanned in the same way as conventional coupons. Furthermore, since all processing is performed electronically, coupons may be discarded after scanning. The discarded coupon is destroyed by, for example, a shredder so as not to be abused. A shredder may be incorporated into the scanner / reader 110 or 112 for this purpose.

  The scanner / reader 110 or 112 communicates with a credit card terminal 115 that can be equipped with a swipe reader and a keypad. Data can be received from the scanner / reader 110 or 112 using the RS232 port of the credit card terminal 115. Such ports are available for interfacing with peripheral devices such as a keyboard. The credit card terminal 115 may be of a ubiquitous type used in businesses that can use credit cards and debit cards for payment for products and services. VeriFone is one of the major suppliers. In general, coupon information is designed to offer coupons in various ways, such as manually typing the information or reading a barcode and sending it to the unit as ASCII text data. And sent to the credit card terminal 115 via reading of a magnetic stripe or a smart card. The scanner 110 can communicate with the merchant computer system 120 using an RS232 link, if available. The merchant computer system 120 can store information such as purchased products and sales figures for inventory management and other purposes. Further, the merchant computer system 120 can store coupon information from the scanner 110. The cash register and display 122 can communicate with a merchant computer system 120 known in the art to inform consumers of the price of each purchased item.

According to the present invention, the information obtained from the scanner / reader 110 or 112 includes an account identifier such as a credit card number or debit card number of a coupon issuer that is an entity that responds to the discount provided by the coupon. May be. As will be described further below, by utilizing such an account identifier, a credit / debit card processing infrastructure including existing scanner / reader 110, credit card terminal 115, and upstream processing facilities and protocols already installed. By using, coupons can be processed electronically. Coupon transaction information such as products and discounts is piggybacked on account identifiers etc. sent from the credit card terminal to the upstream processing facility, and similarly sent from the credit card terminal to the upstream facility. The coupon discount may be given as a constant value or as a percentage of the item's list price. According to one approach, the credit card terminal 115 processes coupon information from the scanner / reader 110 or 112. According to another approach, the coupon information is processed by a merchant computer system 120 that has similar functionality to the credit card terminal 115. In any case, coupon transaction information for different transactions can be stored in the credit card terminal 115 or the merchant computer system 120. Periodically, for example, every day, coupon transaction information is uploaded as a batch job to the processing center 135 via a communication network 125 such as a telephone network. Importantly, coupon transaction information is communicated using existing protocols for credit card and debit card purchases. There are several standards or protocols related to the description of credit card and debit card transactions. The basic standard is “Bank Cards Magnetic Strip Data Content for Track 3” of ANSI X9.1-1991, which is an incorporated document of the present application. According to the present invention, the data read from the coupon barcode may be an emulation of track 3 data. However, many variations are possible and the present invention can be used with credit card and debit card processing systems. Coupon data batch processing and other processing are performed in accordance with a service schedule provided by the processing center 135.

  The ANSI X9 standard includes credit card numbers or debit card numbers, card / payment type, expiration date, whether a card and consumer are present, transaction amount, merchant identifier, manually entered by the cashier, eg customer mail A standard for communication of transaction information such as security / authentication code such as number, transaction date and time, and other data. This information utilized in the present invention is referred to as “coupon transaction information”. In a conventional transaction where a customer pays for an item using a credit card, ANSI information of up to 105 characters is included in the customer's credit card transaction statements, providing a record of the transaction to the customer. However, in the present invention, the account identifier is associated with the coupon issuer, and coupon information including discount amount, product identifier, consumer data, and other information can be sent in 105 characters.

  In particular, a subset of ANSI X9 is ANSI X9.59 “Payment Card Process”, which may comprise the following data elements: This is typical of what would be expected in a credit card transaction. This standard is equally applicable to debit cards. A payment card refers to a credit card or a debit card.

ANSI X9.59 signed payment elements:
Standard version X9.59 Protocol version Payment code Payment instruction to merchant PrcC Customer account number (will be coupon issuer's account number)
LUID (Customer) Locally unique identifier PrcM Merchant account number / id
PaydataC Currency type and transaction amount DateS Date and time of transaction DateE Expiration date of account SHS {OD} Hash value of order details DSS {VD} X9.59 Digital signature of signed element X9.59 Supplementary fields:
Standard version X9.59 Protocol version Payment code Payment instruction to merchant LUID (customer) Locally unique identifier DateS Date and time of transaction SHS {OD} Date and time of transaction DSS {VD} X9.59 Digital signature of signed element However, Many variations are possible and the present invention is meant to encompass any credit card processing system.

  The present invention is suitable for use with any kind of account identifier that can be processed to receive payment from a coupon issuer. This includes not only debit cards that can be processed in the same way as credit cards using the ANSI X9 standard, but also banks such as universal credit cards, affinity cards, visa cards, master cards, and discover cards. Credit cards including issued bank cards, entertainment cards such as American Express Cards, Diner's Club Cards and Carte Blanche Cards, and house cards that are valid only for certain companies and corporate chains such as department stores, gas stations and telephone companies Includes an account number. Most national credit and debit cards have a numbering system based on the ANSI X4.13-1983 standard, and house cards, gas cards and telephone cards often follow this system. Terms such as “credit card number” and “debit card number” include a credit card identifier and a debit card identifier, respectively. Includes any combination.

  In the ANSI X4.13 standard, a credit card or debit card has a 15-digit account number and one check digit. The first digit of the credit card number indicates the system, for example, 3 for a travel / entertainment card, 4 for a visa card, 5 for a master card, and 6 for a discover card. The card number structure is different for each system. For example, American Express card numbers start at 37; Diner's Club cards and Carte Blanche cards start at 38. American Express Card 3rd and 4th digits are the type and currency, 5th to 11th digits are the account number, 12th to 14th digits are the card number in the account, and 15th digit is the check digit. The 2nd to 6th digits of the visa card are the bank number, the 7th to 12th digits or the 7th to 15th digits are the account number, and the 13th to 16th digits are the check digit. The 2nd and 3rd digits, 2nd to 4th digits, 2nd to 5th digits, or 2nd to 6th digits of the master card are bank numbers (the second digit is 1, 2, 3 or other numbers) Depending on whether or not). The digits up to 15 digits after the bank number are account numbers, and the 16th digit is a check digit.

  Optionally, coupon transaction information can be processed immediately after each transaction. There is also an option for the credit card terminal 115 to obtain an authorization code for each transaction from the processing center 135. This authorization code ensures that the credit account is good enough to be used and that the balance is also sufficient. It is the same authorization code that you receive when purchasing with a conventional credit card and can be obtained in certain situations. For example, an authentication code may be obtained when a coupon discount exceeds a certain dollar value. This can be accomplished, for example, by utilizing software to check the discount amount and see if it exceeds a predetermined amount. As described above, this code is stored by the credit card terminal 115 and periodically uploaded to the processing center 135. The merchant may desire an authentication code based on an agreement with the provider of the credit card terminal 115. For example, if the provider agrees to obtain an authorization code for the transaction, the merchant may be charged a lower monthly fee to use the terminal. This is because an unauthorized transaction or an illegal transaction hardly occurs. On the other hand, there may be a delay in the checkout process while waiting for the code.

  The processing center 135 capable of associating with a bank processes, for example, coupon transaction information received from the POS 100 as if it were a purchase with a conventional consumer credit card or debit card. However, according to the present invention, since the account identifier of the coupon transaction information is associated with the coupon issuer, not with the consumer, the coupon issuer's account 155 is charged according to the coupon discount amount. Is done. In addition, a service fee may be charged by the processing center 135 or an involved entity and held in the service provider account 150. This fee may be similar to the processing fee charged with a traditional credit card or debit card transaction, eg, a fixed fee or percentage. The discount amount included in the coupon transaction information is credited to the merchant's account 165 that accepted the coupon. The merchant can be identified by a merchant identifier that is sent to the processing center 135 with coupon transaction information using existing protocols. The database of the processing center 135 may associate the merchant identifier with a merchant account number for electronic funds transfer (EFT). Alternatively, the merchant account number itself may be carried in the coupon transaction information, in which case no database lookup is required to route for reimbursement. As will be described below, it is also possible to credit a consumer's account. It is an advantage that repayments can be made very quickly to the merchant, for example, in just one or two business days. Also, thanks to the short float time provided by the present invention, merchants are willing to accept higher coupons, for example, $ 5.00, $ 50.00 or more. it can. Therefore, manufacturers and those who can engage in rebates in advance using an email program and offer consumers significant discounts on higher-priced items such as appliances are not Coupons can be provided easily. Consumers are more responsive to such offers because they receive discounts at the point of purchase rather than waiting for a few weeks for rebates by mail. These rebates are called “coupon rebates”. Thus, according to the present invention, coupons are transferred from an arena that offers a reasonable, for example, a dollar or less savings in advance from a coupon to an arena where thousands of dollars of purchases are routinely processed. This allows a paradigm shift on how coupons are approached. In addition, discounts on expensive coupons are given the same protection as protection on existing credit card and debit card processing infrastructure.

  FIG. 2 shows a coupon processing method. Steps 205 through 225 may occur at POS location 100, while steps 230 through 260 may occur at processing center 135. In block 205, the credit number is read from the coupon 105 and entered. If the received information does not appear to be a valid credit card based on, for example, the number of digits or other criteria, the transaction is rejected (block 225). At block 210, the expiration date of the coupon is examined to determine if the coupon has expired. If so, the transaction is rejected. In block 215, a discount amount is obtained. If this amount cannot be read or if it appears to be inconsistent with the product or other evaluation criteria, the transaction is rejected. At block 220, other data encoded in the coupon is obtained. This data includes new information that can be encoded using the techniques of the present invention, for example, information related to coupon delivery and redemption, information related to the consumer being refunded, and general demographic information. Data and specific data associated with an individual may be included if available.

  If execution of the above steps is successful, the coupon transaction information is further processed. At block 230, the issuer's credit or debit account is checked to determine whether the account is in good standing and whether the loan limit is sufficient. This may include an authentication code as described above. In general, a reputable coupon issuer, such as a large manufacturer, can be extended credited by a processing facility that repays to the merchant before receiving payment from the manufacturer. . Otherwise, the processing facility may require the issuer to deposit a deposit in cash prior to payment to the merchant. For coupon discounts, the account or payment may have funds sent from the issuer based on the credit card protocol. This account may have a minimum balance and an accompanying replenishment rate. If a problem is found in this regard, the transaction is rejected (block 235). Assuming no such problem has been detected, at block 240 the transaction is processed, resulting in sending funds to the retailer or other merchant (block 245) and deducting charges for processing (block 250). ), Funds can be withdrawn from the manufacturer's account, eg, the coupon issuer's account (block 255). Since coupons are processed in the same way as credit card transactions, offer codes in coupon transaction information and certain details regarding transaction handling established between the issuer and the processing unit. The amount is withdrawn from the issuer's account and transferred to the merchant's account. At block 260, the data may be sent to the facility for further analysis of demographic data and other data for marketing research. Reports generated from coupon transaction information can be accumulated and periodically presented to the coupon issuer. Coupon issuers can choose from monthly, weekly, daily, or other time intervals to receive information reports and schedule repayment payments to merchants.

  In particular, coupon issuers and other entities may employ software to process a wealth of new coupon information that is available. By coordinating the coupon format, advertisers and retailers can devise ways to provide high-target marketing and marketing to collect consumer purchasing trends, consumer demographics, etc. it can. For example, the coupon information may include information regarding a particular consumer who is redeemed to deliver, redeem, and redeem the coupon. The delivery information includes the geographical location where the coupon was delivered, a specific delivery medium (media), such as the name of a newspaper or magazine, in particular, the specific title of a newspaper such as the morning, day, evening, etc. The issue date of the medium may be included. Furthermore, for example, a coupon provided to a specific consumer by direct mail includes a consumer identifier or demographic information such as age, educational history, income, family structure, past purchase tendency, etc. individually. It may be encoded.

  Also, coupons printed by a consumer from a website, for example, web-based coupons, may include specific information about the consumer obtained by the consumer communicating with the website. Internet websites that consumers can select from a variety of coupons and print for redemption are uniquely identifiable and serial numbered to avoid duplicate use. The consumer receives data from the website in order to print the coupon using his computer and printer. Such coupons look similar to coupons printed on other media and may include, for example, barcodes, product photos, merchant information on redemption, constraints, offer codes, discounts, expiration dates. This coupon is processed in the same manner as the coupon presented at the store and printed by the coupon issuer. Its unique encoding method and serial number ensure that coupons are not used twice or redundantly. Consumers can be warned against duplicate use. The coupon may also have a consumer name. Demographic information is sent to the manufacturer during coupon processing.

  For example, a consumer may be asked to answer a survey to obtain a coupon for a discount on an item of interest. The coupon printed by the consumer using data from the website may include information obtained from the answer. In addition, consumers receive cash payments and awards for interacting with websites by receiving data to print coupons that instruct consumers to receive payments or awards. Sometimes. In this case, the credit card number or debit card number, or other account identifier such as a bank account identifier, for example, the checking account number or the ordinary account number is the credit card number of the coupon issuer, for example, the sponsor of the survey. Alternatively, it is encoded in the coupon along with the debit card number. Consumer responses to the survey may also be encoded in the coupon. Processing a coupon is similar to the way a consumer gets credit when returning an item purchased using a credit or debit card. Alternatively, electronic payments can be made to a consumer's checking account or savings account. Alternatively, the consumer may receive a reward of points similar to frequent flyer miles that can be redeemed for products or services. As explained herein, terms such as “award” encompass any payment or award to the consumer. Consumers may be rewarded after further contact with the website without further requirements.

  For example, a manufacturer can build a website where customers are invited to participate in an additional incentive to make money. The consumer fills in the consumer's credit card information or debit card information with an expiration date, account number, and street address. For the survey, a message from the website can be issued: “Use 5 minutes to answer the following 10 questions and get $ 1.00 from Proctor and Gamble”. The customer fills in the questionnaire and then fills in a series of text fields asking for the customer's credit or debit card, expiration date, and street address for security purposes. The customer then prints the resulting coupon and takes it to the merchant who processes it. In another approach, the website may issue a message: “Enter the contest where you can immediately earn $ 1,000,000 from Proctor and Gamble”. The customer fills out an entry blank and the series of text fields described above. The entry is sent to the web server to confirm whether the customer is a winner. The customer is then notified online, gets the data, prints the coupon, and requests a prize. Alternatively, the customer takes the coupon to an authorized merchant where it is verified whether the customer has won a prize.

  Another advantage of the coupon according to the invention is that the coupon issuer may be a different entity than the product manufacturer, thanks to the additional information conveyed. This creates many opportunities for cross-marketing and new types of marketing and trading. In contrast, only conventional coupons allow for manufacturer identification and have the same UCC company number as the code of the product to which the coupon applies. For example, the barcode according to the present invention comprises a conventional part that identifies the manufacturer via the UCC company number and an additional part such as a two-dimensional barcode that identifies the account identifiers of other parties. You may have. For example, health clubs issue discount coupons for consumers to practice equipment and health foods, or hotels issue discount coupons for consumers to enter rental cars or local attractions. To do. In another example, an individual may print a coupon for a gift that the recipient will receive a discount on a particular product or service.

  The various barcode codes that can be used are described below. In general, the bar code symbol according to the present invention is similar to one of the existing coupon linear formats, eg UPC A, UCC-EAN-128, etc. A dimension symbol is further added. Depending on how the POS location checkout counter is designed, the scanner can find additional information from any symbol. For example, if the scanner is designed to look for new RSS 2D additional data and it turns out that it is a UPC (A) code with a leading digit “5” indicating that it is a coupon, RSS two-dimensional data can also be added to the UPC (A) code. On the other hand, if the UCC / EAN-128 portion of the coupon is in the proper format and encounters such a symbol, the scanner can look for additional information. If the symbol contains the necessary flag and linkage characters to make the scanner understand that the UCC / EAN-128 code is a linear part of the RSS symbol, the UCC / EAN-128 The code can be read as a linear part of the RSS symbol. Fortunately, the scanner is capable of reading UCC / EAN-128 codes with or without flags and linkage characters, and can be designed to work with either.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer, such as a personal computer programmed to generate a barcode symbol disclosed herein, and a computer comprising software that generates a barcode symbol having the functions disclosed herein. Program products are included. For this purpose, any known software development and computer programming techniques can be used. Barcode Technology is one such supplier of software.

  FIG. 3A shows a conventional UCC / EAN-128 coupon format. The symbols are linear or one-dimensional because they contain only vertical lines. The symbol comprises two side-by-side barcodes: a UPC (A) Universal Product Code symbol 305 on the left side and a UCC / EAN-128 symbol 310 on the right side. It is possible for a scanner designed for this purpose to scan these two pieces of information in a single scan.

  FIG. 3B shows a first embodiment of a two-dimensional barcode combined with a UCC / EAN-128 barcode. The symbol comprises a UCC / EAN-128 coupon format 320 that includes an RSS two-dimensional composite code 325 that is printed above the UPC (A) portion of the symbol. With the new RSS 2D information compliant with the UCC / EAN-128 coupon format standard, retailers equipped with new RSS scanners and retailers without new equipment can use the same coupons. Retailers equipped with a new scanner capable of reading RSS information can benefit from being able to obtain coupons that have been processed in the new manner described herein. Retailers who do not have a new RSS scanner can continue to accept coupons in the usual way.

  FIG. 3C shows a second embodiment of a two-dimensional barcode combined with a UCC / EAN-128 barcode. The symbol comprises a UCC / EAN-128 coupon format 330 that includes an RSS two-dimensional composite code 325 printed above the UCC / EAN-128 portion of the symbol.

  4 (A)-(C) are examples of bar code symbols, the design of which is not constrained by the requirement to comply with the UCC / EAN-128 coupon format standard. They have been completely redesigned to minimize the size of the barcode and are RSS coupons reflecting the type of informational exchange described in this application with additional RSS 2D barcodes Is to provide.

  FIG. 4A shows a two-dimensional barcode combined with a barcode of Code 128. This symbol comprises a two-dimensional composite barcode 410 printed on the barcode 415 of the code 128.

  FIG. 4B shows a two-dimensional barcode combined with a UPC (A) barcode. This symbol comprises a two-dimensional composite barcode 410 that is printed above the UPC (A) barcode 435.

  FIG. 4C shows a two-dimensional barcode combined with a stacked bar code. This symbol comprises a two-dimensional component 440 above the RSS stacked omnidirectional component 445.

  FIGS. 5A to 5G are examples of optimized coupon barcodes. These show another example of bar code symbols, the design of which is not constrained by the requirement to comply with the UCC / EAN-128 coupon format standard. These are fully redesigned to minimize the size of the barcode and provide an RSS coupon that reflects the type of information exchange described in this application with additional RSS 2D barcodes It is. These bar codes indicate the different sizes available. Thanks to the different RSS symbol configurations and types, they can be used in different ways. Each code comprises a linear part to carry different numbers of characters that will result in different widths, while the two-dimensional part of each example is the same. For example, the linear portions of FIGS. 5A-G are for carrying 6 to 12 digits, respectively.

  Since coupons can use small bar code symbols, the overall coupon size can be reduced, or human readable promotional information can be provided. For example, the total area of the format of FIG. 4C is 0.66 square inches, or 12% of the 5.25 square inches area of the UCC / EAN-128 coupon format of FIG. Also, the RSS coupon can carry 60 characters of data. Since the number of pages required to offer the same coupon is reduced, the advertising cost can be reduced. Alternatively, a new space for the coupon can be used for graphics and the like. Similarly, there is an environmental effect by reducing the number of papers used.

  Further, the bar-coded coupon symbol disclosed in the present application is an information amount included in a general UCC / EAN-128 coupon format, for example, an offer number, a serial number, an expiration date, a product identifier, a family code, a value code (value code), more information than the amount of information can be provided. The RSS variation allows 56,338 or 2363 more characters (56,338 or 2363 more characters), which is information exceeding 14 characters in the UCC / EAN-128 coupon format. Currently, the 338-character format is considered appropriate.

  A standardized format for new information included in the coupon can be prepared. For example, additional information beyond the standard UCC / EAN-128 coupon format includes: Global Trade Item or Identification Number (GTIN), (01) Application Identifier (AI), AI Date (20), Along with the Time, the Offer Code, the Offer Expiration Date, the Sub-Offer Code, the Issue Date, and a unique serial number, Can be included. For example, offer code “12345” is assigned to a brand X soap coupon printed on the New York Times newspaper on Sunday, August 24, 2002 and distributed to the New York Metropolitan area. The sub-offer code may identify whether the issued coupon is a newspaper morning edition, a day edition, or an evening edition.

  Another problem with existing coupon formats is that the area for family codes is limited. The family code is designed by the manufacturer and indicates which product set the coupon is intended for. However, due to the characteristics of the product lines of various companies, this is not always sufficient to distinguish between products. Therefore, the extended family code information may be encoded by utilizing the new data-carrying capability of the coupon of the present invention.

  Also, the credit card or debit card account expiration date and / or the personal coupon offer expiration date may be encoded into the coupon. The latter is used during the process to establish the validity of the coupon for redemption. Since the manufacturer can provide more than one coupon at the same time, the expiration date can vary between coupons. RSS coupons can also include specific information that is put into by the manufacturer when preparing for a specific delivery method. For example, if a particular magazine or newspaper reader has a specific set of demographics, the demographic figures may be inserted into coupons printed on the magazine. This will pass that information to the manufacturer when redeeming.

  In addition to the information described above, the entire character string of the coupon may be encrypted and the CRC code and security code may be retained. The CRC code functions to check the integrity of the data and greatly reduce or eliminate coupon duplication and fraud. Since the coupon can be printed with a strong degree of specificity, illegal patterns and overlapping patterns can be easily detected. Other safeguards may be provided to avoid unauthorized use of credit card numbers and debit card numbers, such as reserving a predetermined number sequence of credit and debit cards used in coupons. ), There is a way to limit related transactions based on the offered discount. Furthermore, the issuer's credit card or debit card account may have an expiration date based on the expiration date of the coupon.

  Encoding the information of the two-dimensional part of the RSS coupon prevents others from reading or using the same information, and the processing center provides enclosed information that is only available to the coupon issuer. Reading can be prevented.

  Furthermore, coupons printed in large quantities can be easily distinguished by assigning unique offer codes and sub-offer codes to reduce duplication and fraud.

  Another advantage of the present invention is that small businesses, individuals, and other entities can issue coupons. In contrast, in conventional systems, only companies with UCC / EAN numbers can be coupon sponsored by using the existing UCC / EAN-128 coupon format. The coupon redemption system described herein can be opened by any company, individual, or other entity with a credit or debit card account, personal computer with barcode printing software, whether or not the manufacturer of the UPC system. It can be done. As a result, new trading opportunities are expected.

Several techniques and business practices should be implemented in order to build a system where coupons are optimally utilized and redeemable via a credit or debit card system. This includes the following: That is:
a. Banking alliances-Banks must be prepared to process coupon issuer credit and debit card accounts based on contractual agreements with escrow accounts and minimum balances.

  b. Processing / Scanners-Use a “Verifone” or other credit card processor that accepts coupon information from coupons. Speak to your credit card processor using a barcode scanner that can read RSS coupons and traditional coupons.

  c. Retailer consent-Retailers are willing to read and understand RSS coupon information, upgrade checkout scanners to read RSS coupon information, or install 2D Veriphone / newly installed with traditional systems You have to accept to change the internal software to double-scan coupons using both the scanner and the phone line.

  d. Manufacturer's Consent-The manufacturer is willing to accept, for example, using Barcode Technology's software to print a coupon containing new RSS information.

  e. Customer consent—Customers must be willing to accept the use of RSS coupons. This is not a problem because the type of barcode is not of interest to the customer. Products and discounts are of primary concern.

  FIG. 6 illustrates a method for ensuring that coupons are redeemed only when related products are purchased.

  One problem with conventional coupon processing is that when a new coupon is issued, the merchant's computer system is unaware of the new coupon. This makes it difficult to know what a merchant's computer system will process or how to process and what a new coupon will offer. For example, a security method to ensure that a related product corresponding to a given coupon actually exists in a customer's order is what products are associated with the offer to the computer system. And to know if it is a product family. If the information is known, the scanner and computer double check to see if there is a UPC (A) code for the product and the coupon associated with the purchased product be able to. To solve this problem, the RSS coupon itself may include related product identifiers such as global trade item number information (GTIN). The GTIN is a 14-digit number that can provide more detailed information than a 12-digit UPC code in the format based on the packing instruction. For example, the UPC code identifies a product such as soap, and the GTIN indicates whether the soap is a single item, a pack of six, or packed in a carton. The computer can read the coupon and its associated product GTIN and look up other products in the transaction to detect the presence of the GTIN or UPC (A) code. If they match, coupon redemption is allowed. The UPC-A bar code symbol is a bar code symbol of an EAN / UPC code (Symbology) that encodes a UCC-12 identification number. See FIG. 4 (b). GTIN is available on all RSS barcode coupons. If we need to emulate the old style UCC / EAN-128 coupon format, we can either use the right half of the existing barcode symbol type EAN-128 or the UPC It can be placed on the upper left half. In this case, there is no GTIN.

  FIG. 6 illustrates the process described above. At block 605, coupons provided in accordance with the present invention are scanned at the POS. Also, purchased products are scanned (block 610). These steps can occur in any order. At block 615, the product identifier provided in the coupon is temporarily stored, and at block 620 the product identifier from the barcode on the product is also stored. These product identifiers may be GTIN codes. For example, in block 630, which may be executed when the total number of customer orders reaches a certain number, it is determined whether the product identifier from the coupon matches the product identifier from the product being purchased. If there is no mismatch (block 640), coupon discounts are allowed (block 645). If there is a mismatch (block 650), coupon discounts are not allowed. In addition, a message may be generated on the cash register and display, for example, to inform the customer and cashier that the coupon is not authorized. Advantageously, redemption of unauthorized coupons and fraudulent coupons is suppressed.

  While the invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is not limited to the details of the method and construction described above, and such variations and modifications are within the scope of the invention. Except to the extent necessary for the process itself, that is, the range inherent in the process itself, there is no particular order for the methods and process steps and stages disclosed herein, including the drawings. In many cases, the order of the process steps can be changed without changing the purpose, effect, or spirit of the method described above.

It is a figure which shows a coupon processing system. It is a figure which shows a coupon processing system. It is a figure which shows the conventional UCC / EAN-128 coupon format. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a two-dimensional barcode combined with a UCC / EAN-128 barcode. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of a two-dimensional barcode combined with a UCC / EAN-128 barcode. It is a figure which shows the two-dimensional barcode combined with the code | cord | chord 128 barcode. It is a figure which shows the two-dimensional barcode combined with the UPC (A) barcode. It is a figure which shows the two-dimensional barcode combined with the stacked barcode. It is a figure which shows the example of the optimized coupon barcode. It is a figure which shows the example of the optimized coupon barcode. It is a figure which shows the example of the optimized coupon barcode. It is a figure which shows the example of the optimized coupon barcode. It is a figure which shows the example of the optimized coupon barcode. It is a figure which shows the example of the optimized coupon barcode. It is a figure which shows the example of the optimized coupon barcode. FIG. 5 illustrates a method for ensuring that coupon redemption is performed only when an associated product is purchased. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a supplier's relationship to a consumer, retail store, retail information system, and retailer.

Claims (15)

A method of managing information between an entity and a vendor,
A developer generates a system for the entity to receive information associated with items provided to the entity from at least one vendor supply chain;
The system comprises a specification and one or more subsystems,
The standard is defined by at least the entity,
The standard defines the type of information received via the system,
Each of the at least one vendor subsystem stores respective conforming information in an information storage device, and associates the information storage device with an item provided to the entity, thereby providing a respective vendor subsystem. The operator can provide information to the entity that conforms to the standard; and the entity purchases one of the at least one vendor subsystem from the developer and purchases the vendor. Requesting one or more of the at least one vendor to operate the subsystems to provide the entity with information as a condition for maintaining a business relationship with the entity. Facilitate installation of the system against
A method characterized by comprising: The method of claim 1, wherein the information storage device comprises a barcode. The method of claim 2, wherein the information storage device comprises an RSS barcode. The method of claim 1, wherein the information storage device comprises an RFID tag. The above method further comprises:
The developer pays the entity to facilitate the installation of the system throughout the supply chain;
The method of claim 1 comprising: The method of claim 5, wherein the fee is based on purchasing the subsystem from the developer by one or more of the at least one vendor. The system is an entity subsystem that enables the entity to obtain information from an information storage device associated with items received from each vendor that the entity operates the vendor subsystem, the vendor subsystem comprising: Comprising an entity subsystem that allows the entity to transmit data to one or more of the vendors operating;
The method of claim 1, wherein the data relates to items previously received from one or more of the vendors operating the vendor subsystem by the entity. A method of managing information associated with an item between an entity and one or more vendors, comprising:
An entity accesses data from a data storage device associated with an item received by the entity from one or more vendors, and the data stored in the data storage device is issued by the entity. Selected by the one or more vendors on request;
The entity sends at least a portion of the accessed data to the one or more vendors; and the access provided by the one or more vendors to the one or more vendors from the entity. Determining sales related information associated with the item based on the sent portion of the received data;
A method comprising the steps of: The method of claim 8, wherein accessing data associated with the item reads a bar code label. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the barcode label comprises a space saving symbol (RSS) barcode. The method of claim 8, wherein the barcode label comprises a two-dimensional code. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein accessing data associated with the item comprises receiving accessed data from an RFID. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the data associated with the item comprises product information. The method of claim 8, wherein the sales related information associated with the item comprises reorder request information. The method of claim 14, wherein the reorder request information allows one or more vendors to adjust product levels.

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