Techniques for optimizing promotion delivery

1. A computer-implemented method of making offers to consumers for a plurality of products sold by a seller, the method comprising:

providing a system comprising a data processing system and a distribution system; and

performing using the system:

receiving information identifying a plurality of consumers;

receiving purchase history information for the plurality of consumers, the purchase history information comprising information related to purchases made by the plurality of consumers;

identifying a first consumer from the plurality of consumers based upon the purchase history information and the information identifying the plurality of consumers;

generating a first offer, the first offer offering a product from the plurality of products for purchase at a first price for a first time period, wherein sale of the product offered by the first offer provides a first profit margin for the seller;

receiving a first threshold “M”, wherein “M”≧1;

receiving a second threshold “N”, wherein “N”≧1, and “N” is less than or equal to “M”;

(a) providing the first offer to the first consumer;

(b) determining if the first consumer purchased the product offered by the first offer during the first time period;

repeating (a) and (b) until the first consumer has purchased the product offered by the first offer at least “N” times or until the first offer has been offered to the first consumer “M” times;

if the first consumer purchased the product offered by the first offer at least “N” times, generating a second offer for the first consumer, the second offer offering a product from the plurality of products for purchase for a second time period, wherein sale of the product offered by the second offer provides a second profit margin for the seller which is greater than the first profit margin; and

if the first consumer did not purchase the product offered by the first offer at least “N” times and the first offer has been offered to the first consumer “M” times, generating a third offer for the first consumer, the second offer offering a product from the plurality of products for purchase for a third time period, wherein sale of the product offered by the third offer provides a third profit margin for the seller which is less than the first profit margin.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the third offer is generated only if the third profit margin is above a margin threshold configured by the seller.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

receiving the information identifying the plurality of consumers comprises receiving an identifier associated with at least one consumer from the plurality of consumers; and

receiving the purchase history information for the plurality of consumers comprises receiving purchase history information associated with the identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the first consumer from the plurality of consumers based upon the purchase history information and the information identifying the plurality of consumers comprises:

receiving a plurality of conditions to be satisfied in order to receive the first offer;

determining a set of consumers from the plurality of consumers who satisfy the plurality of conditions; and

identifying the first consumer from the set of consumers.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a state machine to control generation of offers, the state machine comprising a plurality of states wherein each state is configured to generate an offer; and

wherein generating the first offer comprises:

entering a first state of the state machine; and

generating the first offer associated with the first state.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein generating the second offer comprises:

transitioning from the first state to a second state which is configured to generate an offer which provides a profit margin for the seller that is greater than the first profit margin; and

generating the offer associated with the second state.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising deleting one or more states from the plurality of states which are configured to generate offers which provide profit margins for the seller that are lower than the first profit margin.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein generating the third offer comprises:

transitioning from the first state to a third state which is configured to generate an offer which provides a profit margin for the seller that is lower than the first profit margin; and

generating the offer associated with the third state.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising deleting one or more states from the plurality of states which are configured to generate offers which provide profit margins equal to or higher than the first profit margin.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if the first consumer purchased the product offered by the first offer during the first time period comprises automatically monitoring information related to purchases made by the first consumer.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the first offer to the first consumer comprises:

selecting a distribution channel for providing the first offer to the first consumer; and

using the distribution channel to communicate the first offer to the first consumer.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the distribution channel is selected from a group of distribution channels comprising web-based distribution channels, direct mail distribution channels, interactive voice recognition systems, and dispensers.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are received via a graphical user interface.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the second offer offers the product from the plurality of products at a second price that is greater than the first price.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the third offer offers the product from the plurality of products at a third price that is less than the first price.

16. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for making offers to consumers for a plurality of products sold by a seller, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving information identifying a plurality of consumers;

code for receiving purchase history information for the plurality of consumers, the purchase history information comprising information related to purchases made by the plurality of consumers;

code for identifying a first consumer from the plurality of consumers based upon the purchase history information and the information identifying the plurality of consumers;

code for generating a first offer, the first offer offering a product from the plurality of products for purchase at a first price for a first time period, wherein sale of the product offered by the first offer provides a first profit margin for the seller;

code for receiving a first threshold “M”, wherein “M”≧1;

code for receiving a second threshold “N”, wherein “N” ≧1 and “N” ≦“M”;

(a) code for providing the first offer to the first consumer;

(b) code for determining if the first consumer purchased the product offered by the first offer during the first time period;

code for repeatedly invoking codes (a) and (b) until the first consumer has purchased the product offered by the first offer at least “N” times or until the first offer has been offered to the first consumer “M” times;

if the first consumer purchased the product offered by the first offer at least “N” times, code for generating a second offer for the first consumer, the second offer offering a product from the plurality of products for purchase for a second time period, wherein sale of the product offered by the second offer provides a second profit margin for the seller which is greater than the first profit margin; and

if the first consumer did not purchase the product offered by the first offer at least “N” times and the first offer has been offered to the first consumer “M” times, code for generating a third offer for the first consumer, the third offer offering a product from the plurality of products for purchase for a third time period, wherein sale of the product offered by the third offer provides a third profit margin for the seller which is less than the first profit margin.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

code for providing a state machine to control generation of offers, the state machine comprising a plurality of states wherein each state is configured to generate an offer;

wherein the code for generating the first offer comprises:

code for entering a first state of the state machine; and

code for generating the first offer associated with the first state;

wherein the code for generating the second offer comprises:

code for transitioning from the first state to a second state which is configured to generate an offer which provides a profit margin for the seller that is greater than the first profit margin; and

code for generating the offer associated with the second state; and

wherein the code for generating the third offer comprises:

code for transitioning from the first state to a third state which is configured to generate an offer which provides a profit margin for the seller that is lower than the first profit margin; and

code for generating the offer associated with the third state.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein:

the code for receiving the first threshold comprises code for receiving the first threshold via a graphical user interface; and

the code for receiving the second threshold comprises code for receiving the second threshold via the graphical user interface.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the second offer offers the product from the plurality of products at a second price that is greater than the first price.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the third offer offers the product from the plurality of products at a third price that is less than the first price.

21. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein:

the code for receiving the information identifying the plurality of consumers comprises code for receiving an identifier associated with at least one consumer from the plurality of consumers; and

the code for receiving the purchase history information for the plurality of consumers comprises code for receiving purchase history information associated with the identifier.

22. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the code for identifying the first consumer from the plurality of consumers based upon the purchase history information and the information identifying the plurality of consumers comprises:

code for receiving a plurality of conditions to be satisfied in order to receive the first offer;

code for determining a set of consumers from the plurality of consumers who satisfy the plurality of conditions; and

code for identifying the first consumer from the set of consumers.

23. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the code for providing the first offer to the first consumer comprises:

code for selecting a distribution channel for providing the first offer to the first consumer; and

code for using the distribution channel to communicate the first offer to the first consumer.

24. A system for making offers to consumers for a plurality of products sold by a seller, the system comprising:

a communication network;

a computer system coupled to the communication network; and

a distribution channel;

wherein the computer system is configured to:

receive information identifying a plurality of consumers;

receive purchase history information for the plurality of consumers, the purchase history information comprising information related to purchases made by the plurality of consumers;

identify a first consumer from the plurality of consumers based upon the purchase history information and the information identifying the plurality of consumers;

generate a first offer offering a product from the plurality of products for purchase by the first consumer, wherein sale of the product offered by the first offer provides a first profit margin for the seller;

receive a first threshold “M”, wherein “M”≧1;

receive a second threshold “N”, wherein “N”≧1, and “N”≦“M”;

(a) provide the first offer to the distribution channel which is configured to advertise the first offer to the first consumer;

(b) determine if the first consumer purchased the product offered by the first offer during the first time period;

repeat (a) and (b) until the first consumer has purchased the product offered by the first offer at least “N” times or until the first offer has been offered to the first consumer “M” times;

if the first consumer purchased the product offered by the first offer “N” times, generate a second offer offering a product from the plurality of products for purchase by the first consumer for a second time period, wherein sale of the product offered by the second offer provides a second profit margin for the seller which is greater than the first profit margin; and

if the first consumer did not purchase the product offered by the first offer at least “N” times and the first offer has been offered to the first consumer “M” times, generate a third offer offering a product from the plurality of products for purchase by the first consumer for a third time period, wherein sale of the product offered by the third offer provides a third profit margin for the seller which is less than the first profit margin.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the computer system is configured to generate the third offer only if the third profit margin is above a margin threshold configured by the seller.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the information identifying the plurality of consumers received by the computer system comprises an identifier associated with at least one consumer from the plurality of consumers, and the purchase history information for the plurality of consumers received by the computer system comprises purchase history information associated with the identifier.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein in order to identify the first consumer from the plurality of consumers based upon the purchase history information and the information identifying the plurality of consumers, the computer system is configured to:

receive a plurality of conditions to be satisfied in order to receive the first offer;

determine a set of consumers from the plurality of consumers who satisfy the plurality of conditions; and

identify the first consumer from the set of consumers.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein the computer system is further configured to:

provide a state machine to control generation of offers, the state machine comprising a plurality of states wherein each state is configured to generate an offer; and

wherein in order to generate the first offer for the first consumer, the computer system is configured to:

enter a first state of the state machine; and

generate the first offer associated with the first state.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein in order to generate the second offer, the computer system is configured to:

transition from the first state to a second state which is configured to generate an offer which provides a profit margin greater than the first profit margin; and

generate the offer associated with the second state.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein, in order to generate the second offer, the computer system is further configured to delete states from the plurality of states which are configured to generate offers which provide profit margins lower than the first profit margin.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein in order to generate the third offer, the computer system is configured to:

transition from the first state to a third state which is configured to generate an offer which provides a profit margin lower than the first profit margin; and

generate the offer associated with the third state.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein, in order to generate the third offer, the computer system is further configured to delete states from the plurality of states which are configured to generate offers which provide profit margins equal to or higher than the first profit margin.

33. The system of claim 24 wherein in order to determine if the first consumer purchased the product offered by the first offer during the first time period, the computer system is configured to automatically monitor information related to purchases made by the first consumer.

34. The system of claim 24 wherein in order to provide the first offer to the distribution channel, the computer system is configured to:

select the distribution channel from a group of distribution channels comprising web-based distribution channels, direct mail distribution channels, interactive voice recognition systems, and dispensers; and

use the selected distribution channel to advertise the first offer to the first consumer.

35. The system of claim 24 wherein the computer system comprises a display system which is configured to display a graphical user interface, and the computer system is configured to receive the first threshold and the second threshold via the graphical user interface.