System and method for networked loyalty program
View Patent ↗A system for implementing a loyalty program on a network-wide level is disclosed. The system associates UPC and SKU data on a network level to reward consumers and/or to analyze the data for a variety of business purposes, such as market segmentation analyses and/or analyses relating to consumer spending behaviors or patterns for example. The association of UPC and SKU data by the system facilitates implementation of an incentive or loyalty program by providing a universal rewards currency. This universal rewards currency may be “spent” by participants who have earned rewards and accepted by the other participants in the multi-tiered network created by the system. The network may comprise any number of participants, including consumers, retailers (and any of their employees), manufacturers, third-party providers, and the like.
1. A method comprising:
calculating, by a computer-based system, a first set of reward points based at least on a consumer ID and a retailer identifier corresponding to a purchased item;
calculating, by the computer-based system, a second set of reward points based at least on the consumer ID and a manufacturer identifier corresponding to the purchased item; and
associating, by the computer-based system, the first set of reward points and the second set of reward points with a loyalty account associated with the consumer ID.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
deducting, by the computer-based system, the first set of reward points from a first account associated with a retailer associated with the retailer identifier; and
deducting, by the computer-based system, the second set of reward points from a second account associated with a manufacturer associated with the manufacturer identifier.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a first set of criteria from a retailer associated with the retailer identifier for calculating the first set of reward points and receiving a second set of criteria from a manufacturer associated with the manufacturer identifier for calculating the second set of reward points.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second set of criteria comprises a defined quantity of points per item.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a database of accounts, wherein each of the accounts includes a balance of reward points associated with a retailer associated with the retailer identifier and a manufacturer associated with the manufacturer identifier.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of reward points are granted by a retailer associated with the retailer identifier and the second set of reward points are granted by a manufacturer associated with the manufacturer identifier.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer-based system is configured to associate reward points from a plurality of retailers and a plurality of manufacturers with the loyalty account.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising redeeming the reward points for a consumer based on a request from the consumer.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein redeeming the reward points for a consumer further comprises redeeming the reward points through a universal rewards catalog.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating additional reward points based on associating the consumer ID, the product description, and a retailer ID.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising informing a consumer of the rewards points via a wireless device.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising informing a consumer of the rewards points in real-time at a point-of-sale device.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retailer identifier is a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) number.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the loyalty account is associated with a consumer having a stored consumer profile including purchase data regarding the purchased item.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the stored consumer profile is based at least in part on retailer identifiers and manufacturer identifiers corresponding to purchased items.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manufacturer identifier is a Universal Product Code (UPC) number.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retailer identifier is a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) number and the manufacturer identifier is a Universal Product Code (UPC) number.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising offering an award in exchange for the reward points, wherein the offer is provided by a party other than a retailer associated with the retailer identifier and a manufacturer associated with the manufacturer identifier.
19. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:
calculating a first set of reward points based at least on a consumer ID and a retailer identifier corresponding to a purchased item;
calculating a second set of reward points based at least on the consumer ID, and a manufacturer identifier corresponding to the purchased item; and
associating the first set of reward points and the second set of reward points with a loyalty account associated with the consumer ID.
20. A system comprising:
a processor,
a memory configured to communicate with the processor, the memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
calculating a first set of reward points based on a consumer ID and a retailer identifier corresponding to a purchased item;
calculating a second set of reward points based on the consumer ID and a manufacturer identifier corresponding to the purchased item; and
associating the first set of reward points and the second set of reward points with a loyalty account associated with the consumer ID.