초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for distributing, generating, and redeeming discount Virtual Coupons.TM., rebate or gift certificates or the like which may be used on conjunction with a frequency card program or the like. Virtual Coupons.TM. may be distributed electronically, for example, in the form of a di

A method and apparatus for distributing, generating, and redeeming discount Virtual Coupons.TM., rebate or gift certificates or the like which may be used on conjunction with a frequency card program or the like. Virtual Coupons.TM. may be distributed electronically, for example, in the form of a diskette or CD-ROM software. Software on the diskette or CD-ROM may prompt a consumer to call a 1-800 number for a validation number or code. During the phone call, telemarketing personnel may request consumer demographic and or identification information which may be entered into a centralized database. Once the software is validated, a consumer may print out a list selected Virtual Coupons.TM. displayed on a Graphical User Interface (GUI). When a product is purchased, the UPC code of the product may be compared electronically with a list of Virtual Coupons.TM. authorized for a particular consumer. An appropriate coupon discount may then be applied and the Virtual Coupon.TM. may be considered "redeemed". Once redeemed, consumer ID information and Virtual Coupon.TM. information may be retrieved electronically and used to update a central database. Accurate data may then be produced illustrating which consumers or groups of consumers are redeeming which Virtual Coupons.TM.. Such data may be used for marketing purposes or to generated further diskettes for distribution targeting specific consumers or groups of consumers with specific classes of Virtual Coupon.TM. offerings. The use of Virtual Coupons.TM. eliminates or reduces fraud, and allows a frequency card discount to be applied only a limited number of times.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A series of operational steps to be performed with the aid of a computer for distributing and generating virtual coupons, comprising the steps of:generating in a first computer a database comprising at least a list of consumer names and addresses,generating in the first c

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A series of operational steps to be performed with the aid of a computer for distributing and generating virtual coupons, comprising the steps of:generating in a first computer a database comprising at least a list of consumer names and addresses,generating in the first computer a package of data for a selected group of consumers from the list, the package of data including at least one virtual coupon data,transmitting from the first computer the package of data to computers of the selected group of consumers from the list,entering, in the first computer, demographic and identification data received from a consumer from the selected group of consumers,transmitting to a computer of the consumer a validation code so as to allow the computer of the consumer to display at least one virtual coupon from the at least one virtual coupon data in the package of data,printing, from the computer of the consumer, in response to a command input by a consumer, a list including said at least one virtual coupon from the at least one virtual coupon data in the package of data,generating, in the first computer, redemption data in response to a consumer purchase of a product corresponding to the at least one virtual coupon, andupdating, in the first computer, the database from redemption data to indicate whether a consumer has redeemed the at least one virtual coupon.