Region-based coupons management method and apparatus thereof

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for managing coupons based on region. Specifically, it relates to a method for adding region information to coupons, enabling the management of coupons from multiple regions through a single coupon management system. Furthermore, it relates to a method for generating and managing coupons with the same effect by considering the characteristics of other regions and modifying previous region coupons. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the region-based coupon management method executed by a computing system may include: a step of inputting discount information; a step of adding first region information related to the discount information to the discount information; a step of generating a first coupon based on the discount information; and a step of displaying the first coupon to customers in the first region.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for managing coupons based on region. Specifically, it relates to a method for managing coupons from multiple regions that can be used on an online shopping platform using a system, and for converting coupons based on the characteristics of a specific region. [Previous Technology]

[0002] With the widespread use of the internet, the e-commerce market, represented by online shopping platforms, is expanding. The development of digital technology and changes in consumer lifestyles play a significant role, leading to more people purchasing products online.

[0003] The expansion of the e-commerce market has rapidly extended beyond the domestic market to the entire world. Thanks to the advancement of digital technology and the widespread use of mobile devices, consumers worldwide are able to purchase products without the constraints of time and location.

[0004] In this context, if an online shopping platform succeeds in one country or region, it can effectively expand into other countries or regions. To enter these other countries or regions, it is necessary to consistently maintain the overall system of the online shopping platform. The greater the consistency, the higher the operational effectiveness, allowing the successful user experience from one country to be provided to customers in other countries, thereby enabling effective market entry.

[0005] On the other hand, coupons are an excellent marketing tool for attracting consumers and encouraging them to make purchases on online shopping platforms. Coupons provide consumers with immediate price discounts or convenient features to induce them to make a purchase decision, thereby extending their stay on the platform and encouraging repeat visits.

[0006] When online shopping platforms enter other countries' markets, it is necessary to maintain consistency in these discount coupons. At the same time, considering regulatory or cultural differences in specific countries, it is necessary to adjust the discount coupons accordingly. Therefore, while maintaining consistency in discount coupons across all countries is essential, there is an urgent need for technology that adapts discount coupons to the specific circumstances of each country.

[0007] [Prior Art Documents]

[0008] [Patent Documents]

[0009] (Patent Document 0001) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0106042 (Published on August 24, 2022) [Summary of the Invention]

[0010] The technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0011] The technical problem to be solved by some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a method for uniformly managing discount coupons taking into account the characteristics of the region, and an apparatus for applying the method.

[0012] Another technical problem to be solved by some embodiments of the present disclosure is to adjust the discount information of goods according to the region and provide discount coupons that take into account the characteristics of the region to customers.

[0013] Another technical problem to be solved by some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a method for adjusting discount coupons by monitoring the characteristics of the region.

[0014] The technical problem disclosed herein is not limited to the technical problems mentioned above. Those skilled in the art should clearly understand another technical problem not mentioned from the following description. The technical solution of this invention lies in...

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a region-based coupon management method executed by a computing system may include: a step of inputting discount information related to a target product; a step of adding information about a first region where the target product is sold to the discount information; a step of generating a first coupon related to the target product based on the discount information; and a step of displaying the first coupon to customers in the first region.

[0016] In one embodiment, the step of inputting the discount information may further include the step of converting the discount information into a second region format, and the step of displaying the first coupon to customers in the first region may include: the step of converting the first coupon from the second region format into the first region format, and the step of displaying the first coupon converted to the first region format to customers in the first region.

[0017] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the step of generating the first coupon may include: obtaining a second coupon for a second region generated before the first coupon is generated, and generating the first coupon based on the second coupon.

[0018] In one embodiment, the step of obtaining the second coupon may include: searching for coupons in the second region corresponding to the discount information, and obtaining coupons in the second region corresponding to the discount information.

[0019] In one embodiment, the step of generating the first coupon based on the second coupon may include: changing the currency unit of the second coupon to the currency unit of the first region, and changing the discount level of the second coupon based on the exchange rate between the first region and the second region.

[0020] In one embodiment, the step of changing the discount level of the second coupon based on the exchange rate between the first region and the second region may include: applying the exchange rate between the first region and the second region to change the discount level of the second coupon, and adjusting the changed discount level of the second coupon based on the difference in purchasing power between customers in the first region and the second region.

[0021] In one embodiment, the step of changing the discount level of the second coupon based on the exchange rate between the first region and the second region may include: applying the exchange rate between the first region and the second region to change the discount level of the second coupon, and adjusting the changed discount level of the second coupon based on the difference in product preferences of customers in the first region and the second region.

[0022] In one embodiment, the method may further include: modifying the content of the second coupon, and automatically modifying the content of the first coupon based on the modified content of the second coupon.

[0023] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the step of displaying the first coupon to customers in the first region may include: displaying the first coupon to a preset customer among the customers in the first region, measuring the purchase conversion rate of the target product when the first coupon is displayed, and adjusting the first coupon based on the purchase conversion rate.

[0024] In one embodiment, the step of adjusting the first coupon may include: determining whether the purchase conversion rate is above a threshold value; and when the purchase conversion rate is above a threshold value, displaying the first coupon to all customers in the first region.

[0025] In one embodiment, the step of adjusting the first coupon may include: determining whether the purchase conversion rate is above a critical value; and when the purchase conversion rate is determined to be above a critical value, changing the first coupon based on the purchase conversion rate.

Implementation Method

[0046] Hereinafter, embodiments of this specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the embodiments of this specification, as well as the methods for implementing them, will become clear with reference to the accompanying drawings and the embodiments described in detail below. However, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, but can be implemented in many different ways. The following embodiments are provided only to complete the technical concept of the present invention and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the subject matter of the present specification of the scope of the present invention. The technical concept of the present invention is defined only within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

[0047] When adding reference numerals to the structural elements in the various figures, care should be taken to ensure that the same structural elements have the same reference numerals even when shown in other figures. Furthermore, when describing embodiments of this specification, detailed descriptions of related well-known structures or functions will be omitted if it is determined that such descriptions may obscure the main idea.

[0048] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification are to be used in a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments of this specification pertain. Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should not be ideally or excessively interpreted unless explicitly defined. The terms used in this specification are for illustrative purposes, and the embodiments of this specification are not limited thereto. In this specification, singular forms are used unless specifically mentioned in the context, plural forms are also included.

[0049] Furthermore, when describing the structural elements of embodiments of this specification, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are used only to distinguish the structural element from other structural elements, and do not imply that the essence, order, or sequence of the structural elements is limited by the term. When it is stated that certain structural elements are "connected," "combined," or "linked" with other structural elements, it should be understood that the structural elements may be directly connected or linked to other structural elements, but the structural elements may also be "connected," "combined," or "linked" to another structural element.

[0050] An online shopping platform refers to a digital business transaction space where interactions related to commercial transactions occur between online sellers and consumers. These interactions can refer to all activities within the digital space used for selling and buying.

[0051] A coupon may be a code or voucher offered by an online shopping platform for a specific discount. Coupons are matched with specific products, specific customers, specific periods, or specific services, and can be used to reduce the price of specific products, reduce the settlement amount for specific customers, or reduce the amount for specific services such as delivery. The final discounted settlement amount is determined by the coupon.

[0052] A coupon management system is a system that can generate, remove, modify, activate, and deactivate coupons, and adjust the data related to the coupons themselves. Based on information input by sellers or online shopping platform operators, the coupon management system can generate or remove coupons, match coupons to specific products, modify the content of coupons, and change the conditions for displaying or applying coupons.

[0053] Sales region refers to the region where the online shopping platform provides services. The online shopping platform differentiates markets by sales region, and the information displayed on the customer's terminal will vary depending on the sales region. For example, when the online shopping platform provides services to South Korea and the United States, products sold in South Korea will be displayed in Korean on the terminal of a customer in South Korea, while products sold in the United States will be displayed in English on the terminal of a customer in the United States. The products handled and the services provided will differ depending on the sales region.

[0054] Furthermore, the sales region can be multiple regions. A sales region different from the sales region can be a different country or a different region within a different country. A sales region different from the sales region can be a different region within the same country.

[0055] The managed region refers to the region that manages the services of the online shopping platform. The managed region and the sales region may be the same or different. The managed region is responsible for the overall management of the online shopping platform, including the publication of products, product prices, product images displayed on the client's terminal screen, product discounts, and other related product management.

[0056] Hereinafter, some embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0057] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of a discount coupon management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG1, the structure and operation of an overall system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. As shown in FIG1, the overall system according to this embodiment may include at least one of an online shopping platform server 100, a coupon management system 200, a region-based coupon conversion system 300, and client terminals 400 and 500.

[0059] The server 100 of the online shopping platform can store information about the online shopping platform. The server 100 can store information about coupons from the product information, and the stored information can be displayed on the client terminals 400 and 500 upon request. Furthermore, the server 100 can input or obtain information about coupons, such as discount information related to the target product, and can transmit the obtained coupon information to the coupon management system 200.

[0060] The coupon management system 200 can supplement the discount information obtained from the online shopping platform server 100 with information about the region of the target product (hereinafter referred to as sales region information). Furthermore, the coupon management system 200 can generate coupons based on the discount information. The coupon management system 200 can also request the online shopping platform server 100 or client terminals 400 and 500 to display the generated coupons on the client terminals. Simultaneously, the coupon management system 200 can manage coupons by classifying them into a first region and a second region. Furthermore, the coupon management system 200 can convert coupons for the same product or service according to the characteristics of the region, and can also display them differently according to the region. Furthermore, the coupon management system 200 can adjust the content of the coupons according to the characteristics of the region.

[0061] When a customer connects to an online shopping platform, customer terminals 400 and 500 can display the online shopping platform's screen. The online shopping platform screen can display both products and coupons. The coupons displayed on the customer terminals may differ depending on the regional information added by the coupon management system 200. For example, if the coupon management system 200 adds the sales region of the relevant coupon product as the first region in the discount information, the relevant coupon may be displayed on the customer terminal 400 in the first region, but not on the customer terminal 500 in the second region. Furthermore, even for coupons related to the same product, the content of the coupon displayed on the customer terminal 400 in the first region may differ from the content displayed on the customer terminal 500 in the second region.

[0062] A region-based coupon management system according to an embodiment of this disclosure can be implemented by at least one computing device. For example, all functions of the online shopping platform server 100 and the coupon management system 200 can be embodied in one computing device, the first function of the online shopping platform server 100 can be embodied in the first computing device, and the second function of the coupon management system 200 can be embodied in the second computing device. Furthermore, specific functions of the region-based coupon management system can also be embodied in multiple computing devices. The computing device can include all types of devices having a computing unit and a communication unit. Furthermore, the region-based coupon management system can also be constructed based on cloud technologies such as virtual machines, utilizing one or more physical servers included in a server farm.

[0063] The coupon management system 200 of Figure 1 can be a computing device that stores data related to coupons and performs calculations using that data. For example, the coupon management system 200 may include a smartphone, desktop computer, laptop computer, etc. However, this disclosure is not limited to this, and the coupon management system 200 may be implemented by any device.

[0064] The structural elements shown in Figure 1 can communicate via network 300. For example, the network can be implemented as all kinds of wired / wireless networks such as Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), Mobile Radio Communication Network, Wireless Broadband Internet (Wibro), etc.

[0065] Up to now, the structure and operation of the region-based coupon management system have been explained with reference to FIG1. ​​Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, embodiments related to the region-based coupon management method will be specifically described. For reference, FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrate the steps and operation of the coupon management system 200 of FIG1. ​​Therefore, in the following description, it can be understood that the coupon management system 200 performs certain steps / operations when the main body of a particular step / operation is omitted.

[0066] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a region-based coupon management method according to the present disclosure.

[0067] Referring to Figure 2, the coupon management system 200 can input discount information (S100). The discount information may include the product for which a discount is to be applied, the conditions for enjoying the discount (discount period, purchase conditions for enjoying the discount, services required for the discount, etc.), the discount method (fixed amount method, fixed rate method), the discount level, and relevant restrictions on the discount. The discount information can be input by the seller of the product for which a discount is to be applied or by the administrator of the online shopping platform. It should be noted that the discount information and the entity inputting the discount information are not limited to these examples.

[0068] Next, the coupon management system 200 may add information about the sales region to the input discount information (S200). The information about the sales region may include information about the regions where the relevant coupons are displayed and applicable.

[0069] To give a specific example, when an online shopping platform provides services to multiple countries, if a seller wants to issue discount coupons to the South Korean market of the online shopping platform, the information about the sales region may be "South Korea".

[0070] Next, the coupon management system 200 can generate coupons based on discount information (S300). The coupon includes an image displayed on the online shopping platform and may include all data such as the coupon name, the conditions for applying the coupon (discount period, discounted products, discounted customers, etc.), the effect of applying the coupon (discount method, discount level, etc.), and information on the sales region of the relevant coupon.

[0071] Next, the coupon management system 200 can display the generated coupons to customers in the relevant sales regions (S400). Specifically, the coupon management system 200 can request the display of coupons from the online shopping platform's server 100 or the customer's terminals 400 and 500, and customers can confirm the coupons through their terminals 400 and 500. For example, when the coupon management system generates a coupon for a first region, the sales region information for the relevant coupon is "first region," and the coupon is displayed on the terminal 400 of customers in the first region, while the coupon may not be displayed on the terminal 500 of customers in the second region.

[0072] Through this process, online shopping platforms that provide services to multiple regions can generate and display coupons based on the region. That is, coupons for multiple regions can be managed using a single system.

[0073] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a region-based coupon management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Hereinafter, only other steps will be specifically described in comparison with Figure 2.

[0074] After the coupon management system 200 inputs discount information, it can convert the discount information into a management region format (S110). For example, when an online shopping platform operating in South Korea enters the US market and also operates an online shopping platform in South Korea for the US market, the sales region can be considered as the US, and the management region can be considered as South Korea. When discount information is input in the US market format, it can be converted into a format for South Korea as the management region.

[0075] Specifically, converting discount information into a management region format may mean converting information such as the language, currency unit, discount level, or discount-related conditions and effects of the discount information into a management region format. Furthermore, when converting discount information into a management region format, if there is discount information for a management region corresponding to the discount information entered in the sales region, the entered discount information can be converted into the discount information for the corresponding management region.

[0076] For example, as shown in Figure 4, when the managed region is South Korea and the sales region is the United States, discount information 40 related to the US market can be entered in English and the format of the US market. The coupon management system 200 can prioritize converting the discount information 40 into the format 41 of the South Korean market, which is the managed region. The language used in the conversion process can be changed from the language of the sales region (English) to the language of the managed region (Korean), and the discount conditions can be further subdivided according to the format 41 of the managed region.

[0077] As another example, when the managed region is South Korea and the sales region is the United States, information regarding discounts in the US market can be entered that applies only to returning members. On the other hand, information regarding returning member discounts may have existed previously in South Korea, where the managed region is located. This information may include the definition of returning members when applying discounts to them, the interaction between returning member discounts and other discounts, and the overall content or information regarding discounts, such as which other discounts should be restricted when applying discounts to returning members.

[0078] Next, the coupon management system 200 can add sales region information to the information converted to the management region format (S200), and can generate a coupon based on the converted discount information (S300). Then, when the coupon management system 200 displays the coupon, it converts it to the sales region format (S410), and the converted coupon can be displayed to customers in the sales region (S420). Converting the coupon to the sales region format means that the functional data for the coupon remains unchanged, and only the data related to the image or name of the coupon displayed to the customer is converted to the sales region format.

[0079] As shown in Figure 4, a specific example can be given, where coupon 42 can be generated based on the converted information. In addition to sales region information, the generated coupon can include data with the same content in both the sales region and the management region. The generated coupon can be matched with products 43 and 44 in different regional markets. Coupon 42a, which matches product 43 in the US market, and coupon 42b, which matches product 44 in the Korean market, can be coupons with the same data except for the sales region information. Therefore, the coupon management system 200 does not need to store or process two different coupon data sets; it only needs to append different sales region information to a single coupon data set, thus managing coupon data uniformly. Furthermore, the matched coupons can be displayed by simply converting coupons 42a and 42b into a sales region format based on the sales region.

[0080] Referring to Figures 2 to 4, a region-based coupon management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has been briefly described so far. Hereinafter, referring to Figures 5 to 14, the steps of the method shown in Figures 2 and 3 will be described in detail.

[0081] FIG5 is a flowchart illustrating a specific example of step S300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0082] In one embodiment, the step of generating coupons based on discount information may include: obtaining coupons for the managed region (S310), and generating coupons for the sales region based on the obtained coupons for the managed region (S320).

[0083] For a specific example, when generating coupons for a sales region, existing coupons for managed regions can be utilized. For instance, to generate a "coupon for first-time download customers" for a sales region, the "coupon for first-time purchase customers" for managed regions can first be obtained. The "coupon for first-time purchase customers" obtained from managed regions and the "coupon for first-time download customers" used for generation can have identical data except for the discount conditions "first purchase" and "first download". Therefore, after obtaining the "coupon for first-time purchase customers" from managed regions, only the discount condition "first purchase" can be changed to "first download" in the obtained "coupon for first-time purchase customers" data. Using the changed data, the "coupon for first-time download customers" can be generated.

[0084] This coupon generation method uses previously generated coupons to generate new coupons, thus requiring less computation compared to re-entering all the data related to the coupons. Furthermore, by using previously generated coupons to generate new coupons, consistency with previous coupons can be maintained.

[0085] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG6, the step of obtaining the coupon for the managed region (S310) may include: the step of searching for the coupon for the managed region corresponding to the input discount information (S311), and the step of obtaining the coupon for the managed region corresponding to the input discount information (S312).

[0086] As a specific example, as shown in Figure 7, in order to generate a Thanksgiving commemorative coupon 73 in the US market, one can first search for a Chuseok coupon 72 in the Korean market corresponding to Thanksgiving. The corresponding coupons 71 for Thanksgiving and Chuseok can be entered arbitrarily, and can be confirmed based on the number of coupon data repetitions. The method of searching for coupons corresponding to the entered discount information is not limited to this example.

[0087] Then, based on the search results for the Korean Mid-Autumn Festival coupon 71, a US harvest Thanksgiving coupon 73 can be generated. When generating the coupon 73 for the sales region, data 72a, 72b, 73a, and 73b that differ in the discount information and the data for managing the regional coupons can be changed, and the images 72c and 73c that display the coupons can be changed.

[0088] For data other than the changed data, the management region coupon and the sales region coupon can be maintained in the same way. For example, when the discount information entered to generate the sales region coupon does not include the discount period information, the discount period information 72d of the management region coupon is kept as is and can be applied as the discount period 73d of the sales region coupon.

[0089] Using this method, without inputting any information about discounts, new coupons for the sales region can be generated using previously generated coupons. Therefore, consistency is maintained for the generated coupons, and only specific functions can be adjusted.

[0090] In one embodiment, the step of obtaining the coupon for the managed region (S310) may include: replacing the step of searching for the coupon for the managed region corresponding to the entered discount information (S311) by arbitrarily inputting the coupon for the managed region.

[0091] For a specific example, as shown in Figure 8, when generating a coupon 83 offering a 10% discount to first-time download customers in the US market, the coupon 81 for the managed region can be directly entered. Based on the entered coupon 82 for the managed region, the coupon management system 200 can generate a coupon 83 for the sales region.

[0092] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG9, the step of generating a sales region coupon based on the management region coupon (S320) may include: changing the currency unit of the management region coupon to the currency unit of the sales region (S321), and changing the discount level based on the exchange rate between the sales region and the management region (S322).

[0093] For a specific example, as shown in Figure 10, a discount coupon 101a for 10,000 KRW from South Korea (the managed region) can be generated, which is a discount coupon from the United States (the sales region). First, based on information 102a regarding the currency unit of the sales region, a coupon 101b can be generated that changes the currency unit to USD (the currency unit of the United States, the sales region). Then, based on information 102b regarding the exchange rate of the sales region (i.e., the same exchange rate for 1 USD and 1300 KRW), a coupon 101c can be generated that changes the discount level from 10,000 to 7.5. Therefore, a sales region coupon 101c with the converted currency unit and discount level can be generated based on the previous managed region coupon 101a. It should be noted that changing the discount level based on the exchange rate between the sales region and the managed region is not simply applying the exchange rate between the sales region and the managed region, but rather applying the exchange rate and then performing additional processing. The exchange rate between the sales region and the managed region can mean a formulaic exchange rate between the sales region and the managed region that changes in real time. Furthermore, the exchange rate can mean a preset ratio between the sales region and the managed region.

[0094] In one embodiment, the step of changing the discount level based on the exchange rate between the sales region and the management region (S322) is shown in FIG11, and may include: applying the exchange rate between the sales region and the management region to change the discount level (S322a), and adjusting the discount level based on the difference in purchasing power of customers in the sales region and the management region (S322b).

[0095] The purchasing power of customers in the sales region and the management region differs. Therefore, the discount level can be adjusted based on the difference in purchasing power between customers in the sales region and the management region. For example, as shown in Figure 12, information 122b shows that the purchasing power of customers in the sales region (US) is greater than that of customers in the management region (South Korea). First, applying the exchange rate between the sales region and the management region, a 10,000 KRW discount coupon 121a can be converted into a 7.5 USD discount coupon 121c. Then, considering the difference in purchasing power between customers in the sales region and the management region, the discount level of the 7.5 USD discount coupon 121c can be reduced, and the discount coupon 121d can be adjusted to 5 USD. Since the purchasing power of customers in the sales region is significantly higher, the promotional effect of the coupon will be the same even with a smaller discount. The difference in customers' purchasing power can be calculated using historical values ​​such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), disposable income, and Consumer Price Index (CPI), or using data from the online shopping platform itself.

[0096] In one embodiment, the step of changing the discount level based on the exchange rate between the sales region and the management region (S322) is shown in FIG13, and may include: applying the exchange rate between the sales region and the management region to change the discount level (S322a), and adjusting the discount level based on the difference in purchasing power of customers in the sales region and the management region (S322c).

[0097] Customers in sales regions and managed regions may have different product preferences. For products they like, the probability of purchasing them is high, even if the discount from a coupon is low. This purchasing characteristic based on product preference can be reflected in the discount level of the coupon.

[0098] For a specific example, as shown in Figure 14, information 142b can be obtained showing that customers in the sales region (USA) have a lower preference for a specific product compared to customers in the management region (Korea). First, the exchange rate is applied to convert a 10,000 KRW discount coupon 141a into a 7.5 USD discount coupon 141c, reflecting the preference for the specific product 142b. A coupon 141d can then be generated to increase the discount of the 7.5 USD coupon to 10 USD. The difference in product preference can be calculated using historical values ​​such as market share, customer satisfaction index, and search trends, or using data from the online shopping platform itself.

[0099] This coupon generation method allows coupons to be generated by taking into account the characteristics of the sales region. Furthermore, without requiring separate input of the discount level for each product, the discount level can be uniformly determined by utilizing differences in customer purchasing power and preferences for specific products. Moreover, by considering regional differences in coupon generation, coupons with the same promotional effect can be uniformly generated.

[0100] Referring to Figures 5 to 14, the steps of generating coupons in the region-based coupon management method shown in Figures 2 and 3 will be explained in detail. Hereinafter, referring to Figures 15 and 16, the steps of modifying coupons in the region-based coupon management method will be explained in detail.

[0101] Figure 15 is an example diagram illustrating the steps of a coupon modification method in a region-based coupon management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0102] The coupon management system 200 can input discount information (S100), add information about the sales region to the input discount information (S200), obtain a managed region coupon (S310), and generate a sales region coupon based on the obtained managed region coupon (S320). Then, the coupon management system 200 can modify the content of the managed region coupon (S510). The modification of the content of the managed region coupon can be based on the modification by the seller of the target product, or by the modification content input by the operator of the online shopping platform, or by the coupon management system 200 itself to uniformly modify the content of the overall coupons.

[0103] Then, based on the modified content of the coupons in the managed region, the coupon management system 200 can automatically modify the content of the sales region coupons generated based on the relevant managed region coupons (S520).

[0104] As a specific example, as shown in Figure 16, a sales region coupon 162a can be generated based on the managed region coupon 161a. Both the managed region coupon 161a and the sales region coupon 162a offer a 20% discount to first-time customers. When the online shopping platform operator modifies the discount of the managed region coupon 161a from 20% to a 10% coupon 161b, the coupon management system 200 can also automatically modify the discount of the sales region coupon 162a from 20% to a 10% coupon 162b.

[0105] At the same time, through the operator of the online shopping platform, the coupon management system 200 can automatically deactivate the coupon 162a of the sales region, prevent it from being displayed to customers in the sales region, and modify it so that customers in the sales region cannot use it.

[0106] On the other hand, when generating a sales region coupon based on a managed region coupon, the sales region coupon can only use some of the functions of the managed region coupon. When modifying such a managed region coupon, if the modified part is related to the functions used by the sales region coupon, the sales region coupon can also be automatically modified. If the modified part of the managed region coupon is unrelated to the functions used by the sales region coupon, the sales region coupon does not need to be modified.

[0107] This coupon modification method allows for unified modification of the same functions for managing regional coupons and selling regional coupons. Furthermore, it significantly improves the effectiveness of coupon management, as modifying managing regional coupons and selling regional coupons separately reduces errors.

[0108] Referring to Figures 15 and 16, the steps of modifying coupons in the region-based coupon management method have been explained in detail so far. Referring to Figures 17 and 18, the method of adjusting the content of coupons for sales regions using the purchase conversion rate when providing coupons in the region-based coupon management method will be explained in detail below.

[0109] Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating a specific example of the coupon display step (S400) of a region-based coupon management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0110] The coupon management system 200 can display coupons to a subset of customers in the sales region (S420). Here, "a subset of customers in the sales region" can refer to a preset percentage of customers who meet the conditions for displaying the relevant coupons. The preset percentage can be a percentage (40%, 50%, 60%, etc.) arbitrarily determined by the online shopping platform operator, and it can be a percentage calculated based on the conditions related to the coupon.

[0111] Then, when the coupon is displayed, the purchase conversion rate of the customer's target product (hereinafter referred to as the purchase conversion rate) can be measured (S420). The customer's purchase conversion rate of the target product may mean the ratio of customers who visit the online shopping platform and inquire about the target product to customers who actually purchase the target product.

[0112] Then, based on the purchase conversion rate, the coupons for the sales region can be adjusted (S430). The adjustment of the coupons for the sales region may include: changing the discount method, the discount level, the discount conditions, the discount recipients, or the discount period.

[0113] As a specific example, as shown in Figure 18, a sales region coupon 181a is displayed only to 50% of customers 180a in the sales region. Then, the purchase conversion rate 182 when the sales region coupon 181a is displayed can be measured. Based on the measured purchase conversion rate, a coupon 181b that increases the discount of the sales region coupon 181a from 10% to 15% can be created.

[0114] In one embodiment, the step of adjusting the sales region coupon (S430) may include: determining whether the purchase conversion rate measured when displaying the sales region coupon is above a threshold value; and adjusting the number of customers displaying the sales region coupon when the purchase conversion rate is above the threshold value. Adjusting the number of customers displaying the sales region coupon may include: displaying it to a higher percentage of customers than a preset percentage, or displaying it to all customers in the sales region.

[0115] For a specific example, as shown in Figure 18, after generating the sales region coupon, it is first displayed only to 50% of customers 180a. When the purchase conversion rate is 70% and the measurement is above the critical value, the sales region coupon can be displayed to all customers 180b.

[0116] In one embodiment, the step of adjusting the sales region coupon (S430) may include: determining whether the purchase conversion rate measured when displaying the sales region coupon is above a threshold value; and when the purchase conversion rate is determined to be above the threshold value, changing the sales region coupon based on the purchase conversion rate. For example, the discount level of the sales region coupon may increase or decrease proportionally to the purchase conversion rate.

[0117] In one embodiment, the step of measuring the purchase conversion rate (S420) may be a step of classifying customers under the first condition and the second condition to measure the purchase conversion rate of customers under the first condition and the purchase conversion rate of customers under the second condition. Then, the step of adjusting the sales region coupon (S430) may be a step of comparing the purchase conversion rates of customers under the first condition and the purchase conversion rates of customers under the second condition, and showing the sales region coupon only to customers under the condition with a higher purchase conversion rate, or increasing the discount of the sales region coupon only to customers under the condition with a lower purchase conversion rate.

[0118] Referring now to Figures 17 and 18, a method for adjusting coupons based on purchase conversion rate in a region-based coupon management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be specifically described. This adjustment method allows for verification of coupon validity in specific regions, and coupons can be effectively managed based on purchase conversion rate. Furthermore, by adjusting coupons, only coupons effective for promotion can be displayed to customers, and coupons with minimal effect can have their discount increased to enhance their effectiveness.

[0119] Figure 19 is an example diagram showing a screen displayed in a first region as a sales region and a second region as a management region by a region-based coupon management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0120] For example, as shown in Figure 19, the management region of an online shopping platform may be South Korea, and the sales region may be the United States. Here, the management region may mean the region that previously provided the online shopping platform service and manages the region that provides the new service, and the sales region may mean the region that provides the new service.

[0121] The same product 190 is sold in both the managed region and the sales region, and coupons 191a and 191b with the same intended effect are available. Coupon 191b for the sales region (United States) can be generated based on coupon 191a for the managed region (South Korea). Coupon 191a for the managed region can be displayed as 1000 KRW, and coupon 191b for the sales region can be displayed as 1 USD.

[0122] On the other hand, the discount levels 192a and 192b and the currency units 193a and 193b of the coupons may differ between the management region and the sales region, but they can correspond to each other. The coupons 191a and 191b displayed on the online shopping platform screen in the sales region (USA) and the management region (South Korea) differ only in the discount level and currency unit, while the image 194 of the frame displaying the coupons can be the same.

[0123] This display method can provide a consistent user experience to customers in other regions, and online shopping platform sellers or operators can manage coupons with the same business objectives and effects.

[0124] According to an embodiment of the region-based coupon management method disclosed herein, coupons are managed by region, allowing a single coupon management system to manage coupons for multiple regions. Furthermore, coupons for new regions are generated based on existing regional coupons, thus maintaining coupon consistency across other regions. Moreover, considering regional characteristics, coupons for new regions are generated based on past regional coupons, maintaining consistency while reflecting regional characteristics to adjust coupons, thereby effectively achieving coupon-based promotion and marketing, and improving customer satisfaction. Furthermore, selectively displaying coupons to only a subset of customers allows for precise evaluation of coupon effectiveness; inefficient coupons are adjusted or removed, allowing for more refined marketing strategies. Additionally, providing targeted offers to specific customers maximizes purchase conversion rates and effectively manages marketing expenses.

[0125] The effects of the technical ideas disclosed herein are not limited to those mentioned above. Those skilled in the art can clearly understand other effects not mentioned through the content of this disclosure.

[0126] Hereinafter, the hardware structure of an exemplary computing device according to some embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG20. This may be the computing device described above, etc.

[0127] FIG20 is an exemplary hardware structure diagram of a computing device that can be implemented in various embodiments of the present invention. The computing device 5000 according to this embodiment may include one or more processors 5100, a system bus 5600, a communication interface 5200, memory 5400 loading a computer program 5500 executed by the processor 5100, and a storage device 5300 storing the computer program 5500. Only structural elements relevant to embodiments of the present invention are shown in the figures. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other general structural elements may be included in addition to those shown in FIG20.

[0128] The processor 5100 controls the overall operation of the various structures of the computer device 5000. The processor 5100 may be configured as at least one of a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor unit (MPU), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or any type of processor known in the art of this invention. Furthermore, the processor 5100 can perform operations on at least one application or program for executing methods / operations according to various embodiments of the present invention. The computer device 5000 may have two or more processors.

[0129] Memory 5400 can store various contents, commands, and / or information. Memory 5400 can load one or more programs 5500 from storage device 5300 to perform methods / operations according to various embodiments of the present invention. An example of memory 5400 may be RAM, but is not limited thereto. System bus 5600 provides communication functions between the structural elements of computer device 5000.

[0130] The system bus 5600 can be implemented as an address bus, data bus, and control bus, among other types of buses. The communication interface 5200 supports wired and wireless internet communication of the computing device 5000. The communication interface 5200 can also support various communication methods other than internet communication. Therefore, the communication interface 5200 can be configured using communication modules known in the technical field of this invention. The storage device 5300 is capable of temporarily storing more than one computer program 5500. The storage device 5300 can be configured using non-volatile memory such as flash memory, a hard disk, a removable magnetic disk, or any form of computer-readable recording medium known in the technical field to which this invention pertains.

[0131] Computer program 5500 may include one or more instructions for implementing the methods / operations according to various embodiments of the present invention. If computer program 5500 is loaded into memory 5400, processor 5100 executes the above-described one or more instructions, thereby enabling the execution of the methods / operations according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0132] Although the tasks are illustrated in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, it should not be construed as meaning that the tasks need to be performed in the specific order illustrated or sequentially, or that all illustrated tasks need to be performed to obtain the desired result. In certain situations, multitasking and parallel processing are more advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various structures in the embodiments described above should not be construed as a necessity, but rather it should be understood that the described program components and systems are typically integrated together as a single software product or can be packaged into multiple software products.

[0133] Although embodiments of this specification have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments of this specification can be implemented in other specific ways without changing their technical concept or essential features. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not limiting. The scope of protection of this invention should be interpreted in accordance with the appended claims, and all technical concepts within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the technical concepts defined by this invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0026] Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the overall structure of a region-based coupon management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a region-based coupon management method according to other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a region-based coupon management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 4 is an example diagram illustrating an embodiment of the region-based coupon management method shown in Figure 3.

[0030] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the coupon generation steps in Figure 2.

[0031] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the steps for obtaining regional coupons in Figure 5.

[0032] Figure 7 is an example diagram illustrating an embodiment of the steps for searching for coupons corresponding to the discount information input in Figure 6 and obtaining coupons corresponding to the input discount information.

[0033] Figure 8 is an example diagram of another embodiment showing the steps of searching for coupons corresponding to the discount information input in Figure 6 and obtaining coupons corresponding to the input discount information.

[0034] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the steps for generating sales region coupons based on the management region coupons in Figure 5.

[0035] Figure 10 is an example diagram illustrating an embodiment of the steps for generating sales region coupons based on the management region coupons in Figure 9.

[0036] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the steps for discounting exchange rate changes based on Figure 9.

[0037] Figure 12 is an example diagram illustrating an embodiment of the steps for changing the discount level based on the difference between the exchange rate and the customer's purchasing power in Figure 11.

[0038] Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the steps for discounting exchange rate changes based on Figure 9.

[0039] Figure 14 is an example diagram illustrating an embodiment of the steps for changing the discount level based on the exchange rate and the preference for the goods in Figure 13.

[0040] Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating a region-based coupon management method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 16 is an example diagram illustrating an embodiment of the coupon modification method in the region-based coupon management method of Figure 15.

[0042] Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating a specific embodiment of the sales region coupon display step (S400) of Figure 2.

[0043] Figure 18 is an example diagram illustrating an embodiment of the steps of displaying coupons to a portion of customers in Figure 17 and adjusting sales region coupons based on purchase conversion rates.

[0044] Figure 19 is an example diagram showing an embodiment of a screen displaying the sales region coupons of Figure 2.

[0045] FIG20 is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of a computing device 5000 for managing region-based coupons according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A region-based coupon management method, executed by a computing device, characterized in that it includes: Steps to enter discount information related to the target product; The step is to add information about the first region where the product is sold to the discount information. The steps to generate a first coupon related to the target product based on the discount information; The method includes the steps of displaying the first coupon to customers in the first region, wherein the step of generating the first coupon includes: obtaining a second coupon for a second region generated before the first coupon was generated; and generating the first coupon based on the second coupon, further including: modifying the content of the second coupon; and automatically modifying the content of the first coupon based on the modified content of the second coupon.

2. The region-based coupon management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of inputting the discount information further includes a step of converting the discount information into a second region format, and the step of displaying the first coupon to customers in the first region includes: The steps to convert the first coupon from the form of the second region to the form of the first region; The steps to display the first coupon in the form of the first region to customers in the first region.

3. The region-based coupon management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of obtaining the second coupon includes: Steps to search for coupons in the second region that correspond to the discount information; And the steps to obtain the coupon for the second region corresponding to the discount information.

4. The region-based coupon management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of generating the first coupon based on the second coupon includes: The steps to change the currency unit of the second coupon to the currency unit of the first region; And the step of changing the discount level of the second coupon based on the exchange rate between the first region and the second region.

5. The region-based coupon management method according to claim 4, characterized in that the step of changing the discount level of the second coupon based on the exchange rate between the first region and the second region includes: The steps for changing the discount level of the second coupon by applying the exchange rate between the first region and the second region; And the steps for adjusting the discount level of the second coupon based on the difference in purchasing power between customers in the first region and the second region.

6. The region-based coupon management method according to claim 4, characterized in that the step of changing the discount level of the second coupon based on the exchange rate between the first region and the second region includes: The steps for changing the discount level of the second coupon by applying the exchange rate between the first region and the second region; And the steps of adjusting the discount level of the second coupon based on the differences in product preferences of customers in the first region and the second region.

7. The region-based coupon management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of displaying the first coupon to customers in the first region includes: The step of displaying the first coupon to a pre-defined customer group within the first region; The steps include measuring the purchase conversion rate of the target product when the first coupon is displayed; and adjusting the first coupon based on the purchase conversion rate.

8. The region-based coupon management method according to claim 7, characterized in that the step of adjusting the first coupon includes: The steps to determine whether the purchase conversion rate is above the critical value; And when the purchase conversion rate is determined to be above the critical value, the first coupon is displayed to all customers in the first region.

9. The region-based coupon management method according to claim 7, characterized in that the step of adjusting the first coupon includes: The steps to determine whether the purchase conversion rate is above the critical value; And when the purchase conversion rate is determined to be above a critical value, the first coupon is modified based on that purchase conversion rate.

10. A region-based coupon management device, characterized in that it comprises: processor; And memory, storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following tasks: inputting discount information related to the target product; appending information about the first region where the target product is sold to the discount information; and generating a first coupon related to the target product based on the discount information. The process also includes displaying the first coupon to customers in the first region. Generating the first coupon involves: obtaining a second coupon for a second region generated prior to the generation of the first coupon; generating the first coupon based on the second coupon; modifying the content of the second coupon; and automatically modifying the content of the first coupon based on the modified content of the second coupon.

11. A region-based coupon management computer program, stored in a computer-readable recording medium, characterized in that the computer program, in conjunction with a computing device, performs the following steps: inputting discount information related to a target product; appending information about a first region where the target product is sold to the discount information; and generating a first coupon related to the target product based on the discount information. The method includes the steps of displaying the first coupon to customers in the first region, wherein the step of generating the first coupon includes: obtaining a second coupon for a second region generated before the first coupon was generated; and generating the first coupon based on the second coupon, further including: modifying the content of the second coupon; and automatically modifying the content of the first coupon based on the modified content of the second coupon.

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