Targeted incentives based upon predicted behavior
View Patent ↗A system and method for anticipating consumer behavior and determining transaction incentives for influencing consumer behavior comprises a computer system and associated database for determining cross time correlations between transaction behavior, for applying the function derived from the correlations to consumer records to predict future consumer behavior, and for deciding on transaction incentives to offer the consumers based upon their predicted behavior.
1. A system, comprising:
a database;
a computer system having read and write access to said database; and
wherein said database stores a first plurality of records including a first record for a first consumer;
wherein said first record stores:
(1) CID data (consumer identification data) indicating a first consumer CID for said first consumer;
(2) transaction data in a set of transaction class fields indicating items transacted by said first consumer during a first prior time period, including a first transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in a first transaction class during said first prior time period;
(3) first correlated class predictive data in a first correlated class predictive data field indicating at least one of a ranking, a probability, and a prediction that said first consumer will transact in a first correlated class during a correlated time period, and wherein said correlated time period is subsequent in time to said first prior time period;
wherein said computer system stores data defining a predictive model function, said predictive model function is defined at least in part by values representing statistical correlations between the existence of transactions in at least one transaction class for transactions that occurred during at least one second prior time period and transactions in at least one transaction class that occurred during at least one third time period, wherein said at least one third time period is subsequent in time to said at least one second time period, said statistical correlations derived from a second plurality of consumer records; and
wherein said computer system is structured to (1) apply said predictive model function to transaction data in said first record for transactions in said first record that occurred during said first prior time period, to result in said first correlated class predictive data and (2) store said first correlated class predictive data in said first correlated class predictive data field of said first record.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said statistical correlations include no cross-correlations.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein said statistical correlations include cross-correlations.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein said first record stores transaction data in a second transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in a second transaction class during said first prior time period, and wherein said first transaction class is distinct from said second transaction class.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein said first record stores transaction data in a second transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in a second transaction class during said first prior time period, and wherein said first transaction class is a genus and said second transaction class is a species of said genus.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said database stores, in association with said first consumer CID, transaction data in a second transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in a second transaction class during said first prior time period, and wherein said first transaction class and said second transaction class are distinct.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein said database stores, in association with said first consumer CID, transaction data in a third transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in a third transaction class during said first prior time period, and wherein said first transaction class, said second transaction class, and said third transaction class are all distinct from one another.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein said database stores, in association with said first consumer CID, transaction data in a fourth transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in a fourth transaction class during said first prior time period, and wherein said first transaction class, said second transaction class, said third transaction class, and said fourth transaction class are all distinct from one another.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein said database stores, in association with said first consumer CID, transaction data in a fifth transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in a fifth transaction class during said first prior time period, and wherein said first transaction class, said second transaction class, said third transaction class, said fourth transaction class, and said fifth transaction class are all distinct from one another.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein said database stores, in association with said first consumer CID, transaction data in a sixth transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in a sixth transaction class during said first prior time period.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein said database stores, in association with said first consumer CID, transaction data in a seventh transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in a seventh transaction class during said first prior time period.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein said database stores, in association with said first consumer CID, transaction data in an eighth transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in an eighth transaction class during said first prior time period.
13. The system of claim 1 programmed to decide whether to offer a transaction incentive to said first consumer based upon said predictive data in said first predictive field for said first consumer.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein a term of said transaction incentive is purchase in said first correlated class.
15. The system of claim 13 wherein a term of said transaction incentive is purchase of a specified quantity in said first correlated class.
16. The system of claim 13 wherein a term of said transaction incentive is purchase of a specified brand in said first correlated class.
17. The system of claim 13 wherein terms of said transaction incentive are purchase in said first correlated class during said correlated time period.
18. The system of claim 13 wherein a term of said transaction incentive is purchase in a class other than said first correlated class.
19. The system of claim 13 wherein a term of said transaction incentive is purchase of a specified brand not in said first correlated class.
20. The system of claim 13 wherein terms of said transaction incentive are purchase in a class other than said first correlated class during said correlated time period.
21. The system of claim 1 further comprising a terminal for presenting transaction incentive to said first consumer.
22. The system of claim 1 further comprising a printer for printing terms of a transaction incentive.
23. The system of claim 22 wherein said printer is at a POS terminal.
24. The system of claim 22 wherein said printer is at a Kiosk.
25. The system of claim 22 wherein said printer is at a consumer's computer.
26. A method, comprising:
providing a database;
providing a computer system having read and write access to said database; and
storing in said database a first plurality of consumer records including a first record for a first consumer;
wherein said first record stores:
(1) CID data (consumer identification data) indicating a first consumer CID for said first consumer;
(2) transaction data in a set of transaction class fields indicating items transacted by said first consumer during a first prior time period, including a first transaction class field indicating items transacted by said first consumer in a first transaction class during said first prior time period; and
(3) first correlated class predictive data in a first correlated class predictive data field indicating at least one of a ranking, a probability, and a prediction that said first consumer will transact in a first correlated class during a correlated time period, and wherein said correlated time period is subsequent in time to said first prior time period;
said computer system storing data defining a predictive model function, wherein said predictive model function is defined at least in part by values representing statistical correlations between the existence of transactions in at least one transaction class for transactions that occurred during at least one second prior time period and transactions in at least one transaction class that occurred during at least one third time period, wherein said at least one third time period is subsequent in time to said at least one second time period, and wherein said statistical correlations are derived from a second plurality of consumer records;
said computer system applying said predictive model function to transaction data in said first record for transactions in said first record that occurred during said first prior time period, to result in said first correlated class predictive data; and
said computer system storing said first correlated class predictive data in said first correlated class predictive data field of said first record.
27. The method of claim 26 further comprising providing memory storing code to determine from a plurality of customer records said statistical correlations.
28. The method of claim 26 wherein said correlations include cross-correlations.
29. The method of claim 26 further comprising deciding whether to offer a transaction incentive to said first consumer based upon said predictive data in said first predictive field for said first consumer.
30. The method of claim 29 further comprising printing said transaction incentive.
31. The method of claim 29 wherein said printing comprises printing in the presence of said first consumer.
32. The system of claim 1 further comprising memory storing code to determine from a plurality of customer records said statistical correlations.