Electronic consumer-tracking coupons
Embodiments of a system and method for associating a user with a physical transaction, are generally described herein. A method may include accessing a webpage based on a machine-readable indication printed on a receipt received as a result of a transaction, the webpage including a coupon, associating the coupon and the transaction with a user identification included in a browser attribute of the webpage, receiving, on the webpage, a user selection of a destination for the coupon, and sending the coupon to the destination.
1 . A device comprising:
a processor coupled to a memory device, the memory device containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations to:
identify a user identification stored at the device, the user identification corresponding to a first transaction at the device, and the user identification generated in response to occurrence of the first transaction at the device;
receive information from a scan of a machine-readable indication, the information including a unique identifier;
relate the user identification to the unique identifier based on the scan;
send a request, including the user identification corresponding to the first transaction, for a webpage to a web server, the request based on the information from the machine-readable indication including the unique identifier generated as a result of a prior transaction, the machine-readable indication printed on a receipt received as a result of a second transaction conducted after the first transaction, and the first, second, and prior transactions conducted without a user registration, wherein the second and prior transactions occurred at a point of sale device, and wherein the first transaction was conducted using the device;
receive the webpage from the web server, the webpage including a coupon associated with the user identification using a browser attribute of the webpage, the coupon generated using the unique identifier;
receive a user selection of a destination for the coupon;
send the coupon to the destination;
determine that the user registration has occurred on another device based on a subsequent registered access of the webpage at the device;
in response to the determination, associate the user identification with the user registration; and
link, based on the subsequent registered access of the webpage by the device, the first, second, and prior transactions to historical transactions associated with the user registration based on a previously stored cookie at the device corresponding to the first transaction.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable indication includes a QR code, a barcode, or a short uniform resource locator (URL).
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a mobile device.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the destination is an email address, a phone number, a printer, or a messaging application.
5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the user registration is associated to the user identification using the email address or the phone number.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the coupon includes a second machine-readable indication used to complete a third transaction.
7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein, when used to complete the third transaction, the second machine-readable indication is scanned at a point of sale (POS) device.
8 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further to, in response to the third transaction being completed, associate the third transaction with the user identification.
9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the user identification was previously stored in a database and associated with a previous transaction.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the browser attribute includes at least one of a cookie or a unique browser fingerprint.
11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further to:
associate the coupon, and the second transaction with the user registration.
12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further to:
detect a third transaction including a second coupon associated with a second user identification and at least one coupon associated with the user identification; and
merge associated transactions and coupons of the user identification with associated transactions and coupons of the second user identification.
13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the coupon is not identified on the receipt.
14 . A method comprising:
identifying a user identification stored at a user device, the user identification corresponding to a first transaction at the user device, and the user identification generated in response to occurrence of the first transaction at the user device;
receiving information from a scan of a machine-readable indication, the information including a unique identifier;
relating the user identification to the unique identifier based on the scan;
sending a request, including the user identification corresponding to the first transaction, for a webpage to a web server, the request based on the information from the machine-readable indication including the unique identifier generated as a result of a prior transaction, the machine-readable indication printed on a receipt received as a result of a second transaction conducted after the first transaction, and the first, second, and prior transactions conducted without a user registration, wherein the second and prior transactions occurred at a point of sale device, and wherein the first transaction was conducted using the user device;
receiving the webpage from the web server, the webpage including a coupon associated with the user identification using a browser attribute of the webpage, the coupon generated using the unique identifier;
receiving a user selection of a destination for the coupon;
sending the coupon to the destination;
determine that the user registration has occurred on another device based on a subsequent registered access of the webpage at the device;
in response to the determination, associate the user identification with the user registration; and
link, based on the subsequent registered access of the webpage by the device, the first, second, and prior transactions to historical transactions associated with the user registration based on a previously stored cookie at the device corresponding to the first transaction.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the machine-readable indication includes a QR code, a barcode, or a short uniform resource locator (URL).
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the user device is a mobile device.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the browser attribute includes at least one of a cookie or a unique browser fingerprint.
18 . At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions for associating a user with a transaction, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:
identify a user identification stored at a user device, the user identification corresponding to a first transaction at the user device, and the user identification generated in response to occurrence of the first transaction at the user device;
receive information from a scan of a machine-readable indication, the information including a unique identifier;
relate the user identification to the unique identifier based on the scan;
send a request, including the user identification corresponding to the first transaction, for a webpage to a web server, the request based on the information from the machine-readable indication including the unique identifier generated as a result of a prior transaction, the machine-readable indication printed on a receipt received as a result of a second transaction conducted after the first transaction, and the first, second, and prior transactions conducted without a user registration, wherein the second and prior transactions occurred at a point of sale device, and wherein the first transaction was conducted using the user device;
receive the webpage from the web server, the webpage including a coupon associated with the user identification using a browser attribute of the webpage, the coupon generated using the unique identifier;
receive a user selection of a destination for the coupon;
end the coupon to the destination;
determine that the user registration has occurred on another device based on a subsequent registered access of the webpage at the device;
in response to the determination, associate the user identification with the user registration; and
link, based on the subsequent registered access of the webpage by the device, the first, second, and prior transactions to historical transactions associated with the user registration based on a previously stored cookie at the device corresponding to the first transaction.
19 . The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising instructions to associate the coupon, and the second transaction with the user registration.
20 . The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising instructions to:
detect a third transaction including a second coupon associated with a second user identification and at least one coupon associated with the user identification; and
merge associated transactions and coupons of the user identification with associated transactions and coupons of the second user identification.