JPH03134793A - Method and device for selline prepaid card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To promote sales dependent upon prepaid cards by adding a classification code for another commodity to prepaid cards, which a seller manages and sells, through the register of a retail shop to manage sales. CONSTITUTION:Prepaid cards 1 like telephone cards which are fundamentally sold in a handling manner different from that of general commodities are sold by even a retail shop like a convenience store under the control of a seller 6. A vendor 4 where prepaid cards 1 like telephone cards are stored by the management of the seller 6 is intalled in the shop, and a read button 11 of the vendor 4 is operated to connect a reader 12, which calculates the quantity of sold cards, to a register 9 in the retail shop. Since the vendor 4 is installed in the retail shop like a convenience store, a propaganda impact to purchasers in the shop is heavy and sales dependent upon prepaid cards 1 is promoted.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The disclosed technology relates to a method and device for selling cards in the distribution of card-type prepaid products such as telephone cards and coupon tickets sold in the telephone communication industry, railway business, etc. It belongs to the technical field of structure.

<Summary of the gist> The invention of this application is a distribution system in which general products are sold through retail stores such as convenience stores, and a distribution system in which special electronic products corporations, railway operators, etc. sell them as novice products. Sales and sales of prepaid cards such as telephone cards, which are sold through sales channels different from general products, usually through special agent stores or vending machines to expand sales. This invention relates to such a device, and in particular, a vending machine that stores and manages prepaid cards in multiple types is provided with an eject button linked to a release device and a reading device that can be freely set to identify charges. Vending machines are displayed at a distance within the store, and electronically linked reading devices are connected to the registers at the cash register, allowing customers to purchase products in the store in the same way as regular products by activating the eject button. When paying at the cash register after shopping, the cash register enters an identification code such as a product code, or inputs a bar code, etc. to manage sales. A code is entered from a reader to identify the sale of a prepaid card, and the total amount is paid by the purchaser. Prepaid card sales are recorded by category within the register, and the inventory is Sales of prepaid cards that can be sold at retail stores scattered throughout the area in accordance with the sales format of supermarkets, convenience stores, etc. by providing returns to the seller by managing inquiries, etc. The invention relates to a method and an apparatus.

<Prior Art> As is well known, with the development of industry, the use of cards in finance, especially in consumption forms, has become extremely widespread, and in what is called the so-called card era, various cards have appeared as an alternative to cash. It has been well-received by many users, and ordinary people do not need to carry expensive banknotes or coins, can easily present their card when paying for food, drinks, or shopping, and is highly portable. It has become deeply permeated into the lives of citizens due to its benefits, such as being able to give and receive mental and physical services without the risk of losing or having cash stolen, and being seen as a smart lifestyle. .

Against this background, so-called prepaid cards have been sold as products that contain a lot of information such as advertisements by printing designs, etc., and function as magnetic registration instead of monetary value. For example, telephone cards issued by special electric corporations and orange cards issued by railway operators have been released as part of services for users, and recently gasoline cards have also become available. .

In recent years, telephone cards issued by special electronics corporations and other companies with sales rights have become more practical as a product, such as the ability to make several calls with one card and converting it into a predetermined call charge. In other words, by inserting the card into a designated telephone or ticket vending machine, the user can use the card to make calls, purchase tickets, etc., and the card in hand can be used for call charges and fares within the balance limit. This makes it extremely convenient because you don't have to carry coins with you, and since the remaining amount is recorded and returned, you can collect and admire used cards as a collection.

There are also cases where such prepaid cards are distributed as premium products with a wide variety of designs.
Regular purchases can be made at retail stores such as specialty sales areas such as department stores, special agents, and station kiosks.Furthermore, stand-type vending machines have become extremely popular, and in order to expand the product sales network, prepaid card-based automatic vending machines are becoming popular. Vending machines are prepared by the sales side, so it can be obtained in all areas, regardless of subcommittee or region.

<Problem to be solved by the invention> However, users who expect the above-mentioned services are required to pay a predetermined fee equivalent to the face value of 500 or 1,000 yen when obtaining a prepaid card. It is rare to see them at convenience stores, supermarkets, etc., which are popular with consumers, and this is because prepaid cards are service-oriented due to their nature, and the management of sales etc. is on the sales side such as the above-mentioned corporations, so the face value is There is no profit for the retailer as sales are not carried out at the following locations, and due to distribution issues, prepaid cards are sold in vending machines installed outside the store or in some cases at the seller's special agent store. However, there is a high potential demand due to the use of telephones and transportation, and since it is a consumable item by nature, it is a product that requires wide-ranging sales in terms of distribution, and we are looking to expand sales. However, in retail stores such as small-scale stores such as convenience stores and supermarkets that have strong sales capabilities such as those that are open 24 hours a day, they are not treated like regular products, and lack of expansion and distribution in terms of public relations. However, there was also a disadvantage on the retail store side in that sales to users were stagnant.

In the future, as the demand for and supply of prepaid cards increases due to an increase in the number of card-operated public telephones and automatic ticket vending machines installed, sales will further expand, and this will lead to an increase in the number of prepaid cards sold over the phone and on trains. For those using the service, they were unable to receive and receive the above-mentioned services, and as a result, they often had to carry coins and small change with them, as they were primarily concerned with cards.

Although sales using discounts as a selling point are not possible in the same way as with royalties such as records and lucky records, the fact is that retail stores such as discount stores account for the majority of product purchases in their stores. Furthermore, in order to achieve advertising effects, it is desirable to use prepaid cards for display and sale at vending machines and in stores.

<Purpose of the Invention> The purpose of the invention of this application is to solve the technical problem of selling so-called prepaid cards based on the above-mentioned prior art, and to solve the problem of distribution such as demand and supply of products such as telephone cards to be sold. In view of this, while trying to promote the sales of the products that the management side sells, the management can manage the products concerned, and
An excellent prepaid card that benefits the use of management technology in the distribution and sales industry by making use of advantages such as reliability in smooth sales at stores between buyers who use prepaid card services and sellers such as retail stores. The present invention aims to provide a card sales method and device.

<Means/effects for solving the problem> In accordance with the above-mentioned purpose, the structure of the invention of this application, which has the gist of the above-mentioned patent claims, is When selling prepaid cards such as telephone cards that are released as part of a service provided by the company and whose sales, inventory, etc. are managed, a sales device that individually stores multiple types of products with each face value in multiple boxes is considered a product. An eject button that is linked to the release mechanism of the eject button and a reading device that detects the operation of the eject button are integrally linked to enable display in the store. Connect it to a computing device or an external output device and install it in a designated sales area in the store.
Therefore, by attaching a writing device (recording device) to a reader device that can be freely set to identify the price of coins or banknotes in conventional vending machines, prepaid cards can be displayed in the store like general products and taken out. Each time a button is selected or operated, the product is taken out via a release mechanism, and at the time of checkout, it is automatically entered at the cash register along with the product code of other products, sorted by identification code, etc. While managing sales by issuing specified receipts through input using codes, etc., a specified portion of the purchaser's total payment is aggregated and stored by category within the register for each management, so that the seller can Technological means to return the product to the seller by making it available for management such as inventory inquiries, or by communicating the sales status so that the sales are managed by the seller. This is something that has been taught.

<Example> Next, an example of the invention of this application will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In Fig. 4, numeral 1 is a well-known telephone card as a prepaid card, which is inserted by the holder in a predetermined manner to replace the call charges when using a card-type telephone owned by a telephone carrier. In this embodiment, the card 1 can be purchased, for example, from a vending machine 4 installed in a store 3 of a convenience store 2.

That is, as shown in FIG.
A plurality of telephone cards are stored, and sales and inventory are managed by the seller 6 (displayed as a telephone booth in the illustrated embodiment).On the other hand, the sales of the telephone card 1 are changed to the face value due to the purchase by the purchaser 7. The price is output to a register 9 installed in the store 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vending device 5 has a reading device 12 connected to the register 9 in conjunction with an eject button 11 provided in conjunction with a release device 10 from which the telephone card 1 can be freely removed.
It is connected to a writing device 14 for categorizing the products 13.

The register 9 serves as a terminal for a so-called POS system and communicates with the parent company 15 of the convenience store 2 (not shown in the figure), and the register 8 registers each product 13 purchased by the purchaser 7 in a predetermined manner. The identification code is read by the barcode input pen and immediately sent to the parent company 1.
5 to manage the inventory of the convenience store 2, and also to the purchaser 7 to add up the total amount, tally it up, print it out, issue a receipt, and use the writing device 14 as appropriate. The calculation unit allows the inventory to be managed by sorting the various products 13, 13', etc. by code and recording the quantities.

The vending device 5 stores in the box 16 a plurality of preset telephone cards i, i', and 1' each having a displayed price of, for example, 500 yen, 1,000 yen, and 100 yen. A releasing device 10 for ejecting the telephone card 1 is internally provided at the ejecting port 17, and the ejecting button 1
1.11' and 11' are operated in conjunction with each other and are also linked to transmit a signal to the reading device 12.

It should be noted that a key is provided on the door of the box 16 so that it can be refilled by a service person such as the owner through a predetermined communication.

As shown in FIG. 2, the writing device 14 is configured to receive an interrupt input each time the take-out button 11 of the vending machine 4 is operated in parallel with the input of the identification code of the product 13 using the bar code of the register 9. The total sales from the vending machine 4 are accumulated and recorded by a writing device 14.

Incidentally, it is possible to communicate the sales quantity and sales amount to the distributor 6 of the telephone card 1 through a telephone line as appropriate.

In the above configuration, a purchaser 7 walks inside the store 3 of a convenience store 2 with a product 13 such as a daily necessity in hand, and displays it in the vending machine 4 of the telephone card 1 in the same way as a general product 13 due to psychological search. telephone card 1
For example, the user may be aware of the purchase for telephone use, or may be motivated to purchase by the advertising effect of the design, and may operate the eject button 11 with the price displayed at 500 yen and place the telephone card 1 in the basket. When the telephone card 1 is presented, the clerk inputs the face value of the telephone card 1 using the call button, and waits for payment at the cash register 8, and waits for the clerk to input the barcode. Each time the eject button 11 of No. 4 is operated, the data that has been interrupted in the register 9 is called up and sent to the writing device 14.
At the same time, sales from the vending machine 4 are accumulated and recorded and handled separately, and a receipt including a telephone card 1 is issued to the purchaser 7, and the total amount is paid.

Note that returns, exchanges, etc. of the telephone card 1 are carried out through conversation between the purchaser 7 and the store clerk (retail store 2), and services such as exchange of products are freely performed.

Therefore, the sales volume and total sales amount are periodically and irregularly reported to the seller 6 of the telephone card 1, and the seller 6 dispatches the phone card 1 to the owner in advance when the convenience store 2 is out of stock. Telephone cards 1 are always kept in stock at retail stores by being replenished by service personnel.

It goes without saying that the embodiments of the invention of this application are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments; for example, a vending machine may be installed outside the store and the register inside the store may be automated to create a 24-hour sales system. Inventory management can be performed freely, and the items for sale are not limited to telephone cards, but can also be ticket purchase cards released by railway operators.Furthermore, the register can be of a regular type, and the register can be displayed by code and printed out. Therefore, various aspects can be adopted, such as preventing erroneous issuance of slips.

Of course, the target prepaid card can also be applied to things other than telephone cards.

Furthermore, the products stored in the vending machine for prepaid cards such as telephone cards can be managed and refilled by the clerk of the convenience store based on a contract or the like.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the invention of this application, prepaid cards such as telephone cards, which are basically sold differently from general products, can also be sold at retail stores such as convenience stores under the control of the seller. Therefore, users who wish to receive the services of special type nested corporations and railway operators can purchase them anytime and anywhere, which has the excellent effect of promoting the sales of the seller.

Therefore, a vending machine that stores prepaid cards such as telephone cards under the control of the seller is installed in the store, and a reading device that calculates the sales quantity by operating the vending machine's eject button is connected to the retail store's register. This allows flexibility such as bulk purchases at the cash register where sales are settled on-site, and the status of prepaid card sales is determined by code classification under separate management in conjunction with the purchaser's eject button operation. This has the excellent effect of being used for personal management.

In addition, by installing vending machines inside retail stores such as convenience stores, it has a great advertising effect on shoppers wandering around the store, and from this point of view, sales using prepaid cards are promoted. Excellent effect will be Qin.

Furthermore, compared to purchasing from conventional vending machines installed outside stores,
Like general products, prepaid cards also have the advantage of being able to make payments at the cash register, check the change at the time of payment, and exchange products. Since the seller only has to pay the total amount including other products, the seller is freed from the hassle of having to prepare coins to insert into a vending machine, and the seller also benefits from the sales power of convenience stores and other retailers that are scattered throughout the area. By making full use of this, sales and advertising effects can be enhanced, and retailers can gain commercial benefits by being able to provide telephone cards and orange cards that are useful and can greatly stimulate buyers' desire to purchase. This has the advantage of allowing people to use the installed public telephones and ticket vending machines to receive and receive services from businesses.

In addition, as the development of creative products with various built-in functions is promoted, it is possible to sell them in parallel with functional products such as radios and calculators, which are sold as card-type products, thereby increasing the motivation for purchase by buyers. It also has an excellent soothing effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is an explanatory diagram of one embodiment of the invention of this application, and the drawing is a first embodiment of the invention of this application.
The figure is a schematic system diagram of the arrangement of the vending machine with the register, Fig. 2 is a sales flowchart diagram, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of how the vending machine is installed in the store, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a telephone card. . 6...Seller, 2...Retail store, 9...Register, 10...Release device, 4...Vending machine, 1...Prepaid card, 3...In-store, 13...・Product, 11...Eject button, 12...Reader procedure correction layer February 14, 1990

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A method of selling prepaid cards managed and sold by a seller, characterized in that sales of the prepaid cards are managed by attaching a classification code for other products through a register owned by a retail store. Sales method. (2) A prepaid card vending device in which a coin or banknote reading device is provided in conjunction with an ejection button linked to a release device, characterized in that the reading device is connected to a register of a retail store. Prepaid card sales equipment. (3) The prepaid card sales device according to claim 2, wherein the register is a terminal of a POS system.