Coupon issuing device, coupon issuing method, and program

Abstract

This invention provides a coupon issuing device that enables sales promotion by sending coupons to a wider audience. [Solution] A coupon issuing device 1 for issuing coupons that allow users to receive benefits for purchasing a purchase target, on behalf of the seller of the purchase target, comprises: a storage unit 11 that stores a plurality of correspondence information that associates a user identifier with purchase target information which is information about the purchase target purchased by the user; a receiving unit 12 that receives a plan for issuing a coupon, which includes conditions concerning the user to whom the coupon will be sent and the benefits to be granted for the purchase target; a specification unit 13 that uses the correspondence information to identify users who meet the conditions included in the accepted plan; an issuing unit 16 that issues a coupon to grant the benefits included in the accepted plan; and a transmitting unit 17 that transmits the issued coupon to the specified user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a coupon issuing device that issues coupons and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, sales promotion using coupons has been carried out. When a company issues coupons, it usually sends the coupons to its own customers and members.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] In the conventional issuance of coupons, there is a problem that the effect of sales promotion using coupons is limited because coupons can only be sent to the company's own customers and members.

[0004] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a coupon issuing device and the like that can promote sales by sending coupons more widely.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To achieve the above objective, a coupon issuing device according to one aspect of the present invention is a coupon issuing device for issuing coupons that allow the user to receive benefits for purchasing a purchase target, on behalf of the seller of the purchase target, comprising: a storage unit that stores a user identifier that identifies a user and a plurality of correspondence information that associates one or more purchase target information which is information relating to the purchase target purchased by the user; a receiving unit that receives a plan for issuing a coupon, which includes conditions relating to the user to whom the coupon will be sent and benefits to be granted for the purchase target; a specification unit that uses the plurality of correspondence information to identify a user who satisfies the conditions included in the plan received by the receiving unit; an issuing unit that issues a coupon to grant the benefits included in the plan received by the receiving unit; and a transmitting unit that transmits the coupon issued by the issuing unit to the user specified by the specification unit. This configuration allows the coupon issuing device to issue coupons on behalf of retailers and other sellers. Therefore, for example, coupons from retailers can be sent to users who have never shopped at that retailer before, enabling broader coupon distribution. Furthermore, it becomes possible to send coupons to consumers who want them, on behalf of sellers who cannot identify or reach such consumers. Additionally, by appropriately setting conditions regarding the users to whom coupons are sent, it becomes possible to send coupons to the intended users.

[0006] Furthermore, in a coupon issuing device according to one aspect of the present invention, the device further comprises a publishing unit that publishes the plans received by the reception unit, and a receiving unit that receives applications from sellers for the plans published by the publishing unit, and the issuing unit may issue coupons from sellers whose applications have been received by the receiving unit. This configuration allows sellers to select their desired promotion from a pre-registered list, thus reducing the burden on sellers regarding coupon issuance.

[0007] Furthermore, in a coupon issuing device according to one aspect of the present invention, the coupon transmitted by the transmitting unit may include a code related to the coupon. With this configuration, for example, a store that receives a coupon can learn about the coupon's contents and other details by scanning the coupon's code.

[0008] Furthermore, in a coupon issuing device according to one aspect of the present invention, the code included in the coupon transmitted by the transmitting unit may indicate information that identifies the issuer of the coupon. With this configuration, for example, a store that receives a coupon can learn about the coupon issuer by scanning the coupon code.

[0009] Furthermore, in a coupon issuing device according to one aspect of the present invention, the reception unit may receive a plan for coupon issuance from the seller. This configuration allows sellers to, for example, create their own plans for issuing desired coupons.

[0010] Furthermore, in a coupon issuing device according to one aspect of the present invention, the issuing unit does not have to issue coupons according to a plan if the number of users identified by the identification unit for a plan related to the issuance of coupons received from a seller by the receiving unit is less than a threshold. This configuration makes it possible to avoid situations where users' personal information is leaked through the issuance of coupons.

[0011] Furthermore, in a coupon issuing device according to one aspect of the present invention, a billing unit may be further provided that bills the seller for the issuance of a coupon when the issuing unit issues a coupon based on a coupon issuance plan received from the seller by the receiving unit. This configuration allows coupon issuers to receive compensation for the issuance of desired coupons by sellers.

[0012] Furthermore, a coupon issuance method according to one aspect of the present invention is a coupon issuance method that performs the process of issuing a coupon on behalf of the seller of the purchase target, which allows the user to receive a benefit for purchasing the purchase target, using a storage unit that stores a plurality of correspondence information that associates a user identifier that identifies a user with one or more purchase target information which is information about the purchase target purchased by the user, a reception unit, a specification unit, an issuance unit, and a transmission unit, wherein the reception unit receives a plan for issuing a coupon, which includes conditions concerning the user to whom the coupon will be sent and the benefits to be granted for purchasing the purchase target; the specification unit uses the plurality of correspondence information to identify a user who satisfies the conditions included in the received plan; the issuance unit issues a coupon to grant the benefits included in the received plan; and the transmission unit transmits the issued coupon to the specified user. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, a coupon issuing device can send coupons to users other than the seller's customers and members, thereby increasing the effectiveness of sales promotion through coupons. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing an information processing system including a coupon issuing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Flowchart showing the operation of the coupon issuing device according to the same embodiment. [Figure 3A] A diagram showing an example of multiple correspondence information in the same embodiment. [Figure 3B] This figure shows an example of multiple address correspondence information in the same embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of how to display a list of coupon plans in the same embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of coupon display in the same embodiment. [Figure 6]Diagram showing another example of the configuration of the coupon issuing device according to the embodiment [Figure 7] Schematic diagram showing an example of the appearance of the computer system in the embodiment [Figure 8] Diagram showing an example of the configuration of the computer system in the embodiment

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, the coupon issuing device and the coupon issuing method according to the present invention will be described using embodiments. In the following embodiments, components and steps with the same reference numerals are the same or corresponding, and repeated descriptions may be omitted. The coupon issuing device according to the present embodiment is for issuing a coupon that can receive a privilege for the purchase of a purchase target on behalf of the seller of the purchase target.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an information processing system 100 according to the present embodiment. The information processing system 100 according to the present embodiment includes a coupon issuing device 1, an issuer terminal 2, a plurality of information processing terminals 3, and a seller terminal 4 that are communicably connected via a wired or wireless communication line 500. The communication line 500 may be, for example, the Internet, an intranet, a public telephone line network, or the like.

[0017] The issuer terminal 2 is a terminal used by the person in charge of the coupon issuer, who is the business operator managing the coupon issuing device 1. The information processing terminal 3 is a terminal used by the user, who is the consumer purchasing the purchase target. The seller terminal 4 is a terminal used by the person in charge of the seller selling the purchase target. The seller may be, for example, a retailer or the manufacturer of the product that is the purchase target. Also, the retailer as the seller may be, for example, a retail company or a specific store of the retail. In the present embodiment, the case where the seller is a retailer will be mainly described.

[0018] In addition, in FIG. 1, for the sake of convenience of explanation, only one issuer terminal 2 and one seller terminal 4 are shown as being included in the information processing system 100. However, the information processing system 100 may include two or more issuer terminals 2, and may also include two or more seller terminals 4.

[0019] The issuer terminal 2, the information processing terminal 3, and the seller terminal 4 may each independently be, for example, a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like. The issuer terminal 2, the information processing terminal 3, and the seller terminal 4 may be, for example, portable terminals, or may not be. In the latter case, the issuer terminal 2, the information processing terminal 3, and the seller terminal 4 may be, for example, a desktop personal computer or the like.

[0020] The coupon issuing device 1 according to the present embodiment issues a coupon that can receive a privilege for the purchase of a purchase target on behalf of the seller of the purchase target, and includes a storage unit 11, a reception unit 12, a specifying unit 13, a disclosure unit 14, a reception unit 15, an issuing unit 16, and a transmission unit 17. The coupon issuing device 1 may be, for example, a server for issuing a coupon.

[0021] In the storage unit 11, a plurality of correspondence information that associates a user identifier for identifying a user with one or more purchase target information that is information regarding a purchase target purchased by the user is stored. By this correspondence information, information regarding a purchase target purchased by the user in the past can be known. Here, the correspondence information that associates the user identifier with the one or more purchase target information may be, for example, information having the user identifier and the one or more purchase target information. The same shall apply to other information that associates two or more pieces of information.

[0022] The user identifier can be any information that can identify a user. For example, the user identifier may be a string of characters used to identify a user, or an address such as a telephone number or email address. In the case of the coupon issuing device 1, if the user identifier used to identify a user is not linked to the user's personal information, the user identifier may also be information that does not include the user's personal information, such as a randomly generated string of characters. In this case, the user identifier may be information that can distinguish users but cannot identify an individual user.

[0023] The object of purchase may be a tangible object or an intangible object. In the latter case, the object of purchase may be a service such as the provision of food and drink or accommodation. A tangible object of purchase may be a product. A product can be anything, such as food, daily necessities, home appliances, or books. This embodiment mainly describes the case where the object of purchase is a product such as a home appliance. Note that "object of purchase" is a term used from the buyer's perspective; from the seller's perspective, it is called "object of sale." Therefore, "object of purchase" can also be considered as "object of sale."

[0024] Furthermore, the purchase item may be, for example, the item purchased by the user, or it may be an item associated with the item purchased by the user. In the latter case, for example, if a user purchases an apartment, they will also be able to use the shared facilities of the apartment, such as the shared entrance, so it is reasonable to consider the shared facilities as part of the purchase item.

[0025] Purchase information may include, for example, a purchase identifier, purchase date, purchase price, and quantity purchased. Furthermore, purchase information may also include the name of the purchase, its type (generic name), and a store identifier that identifies the store where the purchase was made. If the purchase is a product, the purchase information may also include, for example, information about the manufacturer of the purchase. Note that the name, type, and manufacturer of the purchase may be managed separately, for example, by linking them to the purchase identifier. This embodiment primarily describes the case where the purchase information includes the name and type of the purchase.

[0026] The purchase item identifier is not particularly limited as long as it is information that can identify the purchase item, but for example it may be a JAN (Japanese Article Number) code, another identification code for the purchase item, or any other identifier that can identify the purchase item.

[0027] Furthermore, the storage unit 11 may store, for example, multiple address correspondence information that associates a user's user identifier with the user's address. This address may also be the recipient address when sending coupons. In other words, coupons may be sent to the user using this address correspondence information. The user's address may be, for example, the address of the application used by the user to receive coupons, the user's email address or social networking service (SNS) address, the user's mobile phone number, or any other address that can contact the user. In this embodiment, the case where the user's address is the address of the application used by the user on the information processing terminal 3 to receive coupons will be mainly described.

[0028] Furthermore, the storage unit 11 may store multiple pieces of purchase-related information, for example, associating a purchase-related identifier with information related to that purchase (for example, the instruction manual for the purchase or the specifications of the purchase). In this case, the user may be able to view the purchase-related information and related information by accessing the coupon issuing device 1 from, for example, the information processing terminal 3. In this case, the coupon issuing device 1 may, for example, send the purchase-related information corresponding to the user, and the information related to the purchase that is linked to the purchase-related identifier contained in the purchase-related information, to the information processing terminal 3 that sent the transmission request, in response to a transmission request sent from the user's information processing terminal 3. As an example, the coupon issuing device 1 may also function as a server that provides the user with information about the purchase-related items that the user has purchased.

[0029] The process by which information is stored in the storage unit 11 is not relevant. For example, information transmitted via a communication line or the like may be stored in the storage unit 11, or information input via an input device may be stored in the storage unit 11. As an example, the corresponding information may be registered in the coupon issuing device 1 by the user who purchased the item, or by the seller, such as a consumer electronics retailer, who sold the item. For details on such registration, please refer to, for example, Patent Document 1 below. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0030] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-047969

[0031] The storage unit 11 is preferably implemented using a non-volatile recording medium, but may also be implemented using a volatile recording medium. The recording medium may be, for example, a semiconductor memory or a magnetic disk.

[0032] The reception unit 12 receives a plan for issuing coupons. This plan may include conditions for the users to whom the coupons will be sent, and benefits to be granted for the purchases to be made. The plan may also include, for example, the expiration date of the coupons. The reception unit 12 may receive the plan for issuing coupons via the communication line 500, or it may receive it from an input device. In the latter case, the issuer's representative may directly input the plan for issuing coupons to the coupon issuing device 1 by operating the input device. In this embodiment, the case in which the plan for issuing coupons is received from the issuer terminal 2 will be mainly described. Here, the plan received by the reception unit 12 is strictly speaking information indicating a plan, but for the sake of explanation, it will simply be called a plan. The same applies to other information such as conditions and benefits.

[0033] The conditions for users to whom coupons are sent are used to identify users who are eligible to receive coupons, and may include, for example, conditions related to purchase information. Conditions related to purchase information may include, for example, conditions related to the type of purchase, the date of purchase, and the purchase amount. These conditions may include, for example, conditions for identifying users who have moved into a new home within a specified period, conditions for identifying users who have purchased a specified number of home appliances exceeding a specified amount within one year, and conditions for identifying users who have purchased an air conditioner more than a specified number of years ago. These conditions may be indicated, for example, by a predetermined search expression related to purchase information for identifying the target user. Furthermore, these conditions may include, for example, a search expression used by the identification unit 13 to identify users and an explanation of the conditions to be displayed on the coupon.

[0034] For example, the conditions for identifying users who have moved into a new home within the last two months could be, for instance, that the type of purchased item is a "shared entrance" or "intercom," and that the purchase date is within two months of the search date. This condition assumes that when a user moves into a new apartment or house, the information regarding the purchased item, such as a shared entrance or intercom, is usually registered in the corresponding information.

[0035] As another example, the conditions for identifying users who have purchased three or more home appliances costing 300,000 yen or more within the past year could be, for example, that the purchased items are of a type corresponding to home appliances such as "washing machines," "vacuum cleaners," and "televisions," the purchase date is within one year from the date of the search, and the total number of items included in the purchase information that cost 300,000 yen or more is three or more.

[0036] As another example, the conditions for identifying users who purchased an air conditioner more than eight years ago could be, for instance, that the type of item purchased was an "air conditioner" and the purchase date was more than eight years prior to the current date of the search.

[0037] The benefits offered for purchasing the target product may include at least one of the following: discounts, point accrual, increased point accrual rates, prizes, cashback, or other benefits. Discounts may be a predetermined amount (e.g., 100 yen), or a percentage of the price of the target product, such as 30% off or half price. Points may be points that can be used to purchase the target product. Points awarded may be a predetermined number of points (e.g., 100 points), or a percentage of the price of the target product, such as 20% or 30%. Prizes may be so-called "freebies," such as samples, or other items that can be purchased. Cashback may be a predetermined amount refunded to the user who purchased the target product.

[0038] The benefits may be granted, for example, when certain conditions are met. The benefits may also be granted, for example, when a certain amount or a certain number of items are purchased, or when a specific item is purchased.

[0039] The reception unit 12 may, for example, receive plans input from an input device (e.g., a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, etc.), or it may receive plans transmitted via a wired or wireless communication line 500. If the reception unit 12 only receives from input devices, the information processing system 100 does not need to include an issuer terminal 2. The reception unit 12 may or may not include devices for receiving plans (e.g., input devices and communication devices). Furthermore, the reception unit 12 may be implemented by hardware, or by software such as a driver that drives a predetermined device.

[0040] The identification unit 13 uses multiple correspondence information stored in the storage unit 11 to identify users who meet the conditions included in the plan received by the reception unit 12. User identification may also be, for example, identification of a user identifier. For example, if the conditions are indicated by a search expression, the identification unit 13 may use that search expression to search multiple correspondence information and identify the user by reading the user identifier from the matching correspondence information.

[0041] The publishing unit 14 publishes the projects received by the receiving unit 12. The method of publication is not limited as long as the seller can view the published projects. For example, the publishing unit 14 may be a web server. In this case, the publishing unit 14 publishes one or more accepted projects and, for example, in response to receiving a transmission request sent from the seller terminal 4, sends a list of one or more published projects to the seller terminal 4 that sent the transmission request. Alternatively, the publishing unit 14 may request another server to publish the projects. In this case, for example, the publishing unit 14 may send the projects to a web server that publishes projects, and the projects may be published on that web server. When a list of one or more projects is published, for example, an application button for applying to a project may be displayed for each project. When that application button is selected, an application for the project corresponding to that application button may be sent to the coupon issuing device 1.

[0042] The receiving unit 15 receives applications from sellers for projects published by the publishing unit 14. These applications may include, for example, a project identifier that identifies the project to be applied for and a seller identifier that identifies the seller who submitted the application. The project identifier may be, for example, the name of the project, or information that can identify the project in the published list of projects (for example, information indicating the order of the project in the published list of projects). The seller identifier may be, for example, the name of the seller, or other identifier that can identify the seller. Also, if the publishing unit 14 transmits a list of one or more projects in response to the receipt of a transmission request, the receiving unit 15 may, for example, receive that transmission request.

[0043] The receiving unit 15 may or may not include a wired or wireless receiving device (e.g., a modem or network card) for receiving data. Furthermore, the receiving unit 15 may be implemented by hardware or by software such as a driver for operating the receiving device.

[0044] The issuing unit 16 issues coupons to grant benefits included in the project accepted by the receiving unit 12. The coupons issued by the issuing unit 16 are coupons that allow the user to receive benefits for eligible purchases. Issuing these coupons may also involve generating information for the coupons to be transmitted. For example, the issuing unit 16 may issue coupons for sellers whose applications have been received by the receiving unit 15. In this case, for example, when a seller applies to a project, a coupon corresponding to that project may be issued for that seller. In this case, a coupon that allows the user to receive benefits for eligible purchases from that seller may be issued. The coupons issued by the issuing unit 16 may include, for example, information indicating the benefit and information indicating the seller from whom the coupon can be used, and may also include the expiration date of the coupon as needed. Information indicating the benefit may be, for example, a 5% discount for purchases of 100,000 yen or more. Information indicating the seller may be, for example, the name of the seller, and the name of the seller may be included in the application. Furthermore, if a coupon includes an expiration date, and that coupon is displayed by an application designed to display coupons, then, for example, expired coupons do not need to be displayed in that application.

[0045] The issuing unit 16 may issue coupons containing a code. The code is a code related to the coupon, and for example, the content of the coupon may be indicated by the code, or information identifying the coupon issuer may be indicated by the code. The information corresponding to the code may be indicated, for example, by reading the code with a reader such as a POS register. Also, if the content of the coupon is indicated by the code, for example, by reading the code with a reader such as a POS register, the benefit such as a discount may be automatically applied when the conditions for granting the benefit are met. The code included in the coupon is usually an image of the code. The code may be, for example, a barcode, a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark), or any other code. The code may be a JAN code as an example.

[0046] The transmission unit 17 transmits the coupon issued by the issuing unit 16 to the user identified by the identification unit 13. Transmitting a coupon to a user may, for example, mean transmitting the coupon to the address associated with the user's user identifier. The coupon may also be transmitted to the user's information processing terminal 3. The transmission of the coupon may be performed, for example, by a push method or by a pull method. The coupon transmitted by the transmission unit 17 may include, for example, a code related to the coupon. The code included in this coupon may, for example, indicate information that identifies the issuer of the coupon. The coupon to be transmitted may be, for example, an image or may be written in a markup language. In the latter case, for example, the coupon may be displayed on the information processing terminal 3 to which the coupon is sent by interpreting and executing the content written in the markup language.

[0047] If the code indicates information that identifies the issuer of the coupon, for example, when a user presents the coupon at a store and a store employee reads the code with the code reader on the POS register, information indicating the issuer may be displayed on the POS register. In this way, the store employee can confirm that the coupon was issued by the issuer and may provide the benefits displayed on the coupon to the user who presented the coupon. Alternatively, the code included in the coupon may indicate, for example, that the coupon was issued by the issuer managing the coupon issuing device 1.

[0048] The transmission unit 17 may transmit the coupon directly to the user's information processing terminal 3, or it may transmit it indirectly via a server or the like. The transmission unit 17 may or may not include a transmission device (e.g., a modem or network card) for transmission. The transmission unit 17 may be implemented by hardware, or by software such as a driver that drives the transmission device.

[0049] Next, the operation of the coupon issuing device 1 will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 2. (Step S101) The reception unit 12 determines whether it has received the proposal regarding the issuance of coupons. If it has received the proposal, it proceeds to step S102; otherwise, it proceeds to step S104.

[0050] (Step S102) The reception unit 12 stores the received proposal in the memory unit 11.

[0051] (Step S103) The public section 14 publishes the accepted proposal. If there are other proposals that have been accepted up to that point, the public section 14 may publish a list of multiple proposals, including those other proposals. Then, the process returns to step S101.

[0052] (Step S104) The receiving unit 15 determines whether it has received an application for the publicly announced project. If it has received an application, it proceeds to step S105; otherwise, it returns to step S101.

[0053] (Step S105) The identification unit 13 identifies users who meet the conditions included in the project for which the application was received by the receiving unit 15.

[0054] (Step S106) The issuing unit 16 issues a coupon for a seller whose application has been received by the receiving unit 15, which grants a benefit included in the promotion for which the application was received.

[0055] (Step S107) The transmission unit 17 sends the coupon issued in step S106 to the user identified in step S105. Then, the process returns to step S101.

[0056] Note that the order of processing in the flowchart in Figure 2 is just one example, and the order of each step may be changed if similar results can be obtained. For example, the user may be identified after the coupon has been issued. Also, in the flowchart in Figure 2, processing may be terminated by power off or processing completion interrupt.

[0057] Next, the operation of the coupon issuing device 1 according to this embodiment will be explained using a specific example. In this example, it is assumed that the storage unit 11 stores a plurality of correspondence information shown in Figure 3A and a plurality of address correspondence information shown in Figure 3B. In Figure 3A, the correspondence information is information that has the user identifier of the user and purchase item information relating to the purchase items purchased by that user. The purchase item information includes the purchase item identifier, the name of the purchase item, the type of purchase item, the purchase date, the purchase price, the store identifier that identifies the store where the purchase was made, and the number of items purchased. In Figure 3B, the address correspondence information is information that has the user identifier of the user and the address of that user. In this example, it is assumed that the user's address is the address of the application that the user uses to view their own purchase item information and display coupons.

[0058] First, let's assume that the issuer's representative comes up with a new plan for issuing coupons and sends it to the coupon issuing device 1 via the issuer terminal 2. The name of the plan is "Coupon plan for new residents," and the conditions included in the plan are to identify users who have moved into a new residence within the last two months. The benefit included in the plan is a 5% discount on purchases of 100,000 yen or more. The deadline included in the plan is November 30, 2024. When the reception unit 12 receives the plan, it stores it in the storage unit 11 (steps S101, S102). In response to the storage of this new plan, the publication unit 14 publishes a list of coupon plans, including the stored new plan (step S103). As a result, let's assume that the list of coupon plans shown in Figure 4 is published.

[0059] Suppose a representative from BCD Electric Osaka Store views the list of publicly available coupon promotions via the seller terminal 4 and selects the "Apply" button corresponding to the "Coupon Promotion for New Residents" shown in Figure 4. Then, in response to this selection of the "Apply" button, the seller terminal 4 sends an application to the coupon issuing device 1, including the seller identifier, the seller's name "BCD Electric Osaka Store," and the name of the promotion being applied for, "Coupon Promotion for New Residents."

[0060] The application is received by the receiving unit 15 of the coupon issuing device 1 and passed to the issuing unit 16 (step S104). The issuing unit 16 reads the conditions corresponding to the name of the project included in the received application from the storage unit 11 and passes them to the identification unit 13. Upon receiving the conditions, the identification unit 13 searches the corresponding information stored in the storage unit 11 for corresponding information where the "purchase date" is within two months and the "type" of the purchase item is a shared entrance or an intercom, and obtains the user identifier from the matching corresponding information (step S105). Here, it is assumed that if the user moves into a new apartment, information on the purchase item for a shared entrance is usually added, and if the user moves into a new detached house, information on the purchase item for an intercom is usually added. In this specific example, it is assumed that the identification unit 13 identifies the user identifier "U001" and passes it to the transmission unit 17.

[0061] Furthermore, the issuing unit 16 issues a coupon to the transmitting unit 17 that includes the name of the seller included in the received application, "BCD Denki Osaka Store", the benefits of the promotion corresponding to the name of the promotion included in the received application, the expiration date of the promotion, and a code that identifies the issuer (step S106).

[0062] Upon receiving a user identifier and a coupon, the transmission unit 17 uses the address correspondence information stored in the storage unit 11 to identify the address corresponding to the received user identifier and transmits the received coupon to that identified address (step S107). For example, the issued coupon will be transmitted to address "address 001" which corresponds to the user identifier "U001".

[0063] The coupon transmitted from the coupon issuing device 1 is received, for example, by the information processing terminal 3 of a user identified by the user identifier "U001" (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "User U001"). User U001 can then display the coupon on the information processing terminal 3, as shown in Figure 5. When User U001 uses the coupon, they show it to a store clerk at BCD Denki Osaka store. The clerk reads the barcode 31 contained in the coupon with the barcode reader of the POS register, and the name of the coupon issuer is displayed on the POS register accordingly. Based on this display, the clerk can then confirm that the coupon is legitimate and issued by the issuer, and apply the discount according to the coupon's benefits. In this way, User U001, having received the coupon, can purchase goods at BCD Denki Osaka store at the discounted price according to the coupon's benefits.

[0064] As described above, the coupon issuing device 1 according to this embodiment can issue coupons on behalf of retailers and other sellers. For example, when retailers and other sellers issue coupons, they can only send them to their own customers or members. However, by issuing coupons with the coupon issuing device 1 according to this embodiment, coupons can be sent to users who have no past purchase history or transaction history with the seller's company. Therefore, coupons can be sent to a wider audience, improving the effectiveness of sales promotion through coupons. Furthermore, by appropriately setting conditions regarding the users to whom coupons are sent, it becomes possible to send coupons to the target users, and from this perspective as well, the effectiveness of sales promotion through coupon sending can be enhanced. As an example, by sending a coupon that provides a benefit for purchasing an air conditioner to a user who purchased an air conditioner more than eight years ago, it is possible to encourage them to replace their air conditioner and increase air conditioner sales.

[0065] Furthermore, if a coupon issuance plan is announced and sellers apply to participate in the plan, allowing those sellers to issue their own coupons, sellers can easily issue their coupons without having to configure detailed settings related to coupon issuance.

[0066] Furthermore, as an example, if a business that provides users with purchase information issues coupons, it can increase the number of users registered in the system that provides purchase information, or increase the number of sellers participating in that system, in response to the issuance of those coupons.

[0067] In this embodiment, the coupon issuing device 1 has mainly described the case where a plan for coupon issuance is received from the issuer, but this is not required. The receiving unit 12 of the coupon issuing device 1 may, for example, receive a plan for coupon issuance from a seller. More precisely, receiving a plan from a seller may mean receiving the plan from a seller terminal 4 operated by a representative of the seller. In this case, for example, the seller can issue a coupon of their choice, i.e., a custom-made coupon, through the coupon issuing device 1. In this case, the plan received from the seller may include, for example, the name of the seller, and may also include a seller identifier that identifies the seller. The name of the seller may, for example, be used to be displayed on the coupon.

[0068] As an example, coupons issued in response to a proposal received from a seller may be issued only for that seller. In this case, the proposal received from the seller does not need to be made public by the public unit 14, nor does the receiving unit 15 need to receive applications for that proposal. As another example, proposals received from sellers may also be made public by the public unit 14, nor do the receiving unit 15 need to receive applications for that proposal. In this case, coupons issued in response to a proposal received from a seller may be issued to the seller who sent the proposal to the coupon issuing device 1 regardless of whether they applied, or they may be issued only to the seller who applied for the proposal. In the latter case, for example, a proposal created by a manufacturer-seller may be sent to the coupon issuing device 1, and coupons from retail-sellers who applied for that proposal may be issued by the coupon issuing device 1. In this case, for example, coupons from retailers who applied for a proposal regarding a coupon for a discount on a specific product of a specific manufacturer may be issued. Furthermore, the manufacturer may, for example, sell the eligible products at a discount to retailers who have applied to the program, and may also provide retailers with sales incentives commensurate with the discounts for the sale of eligible products.

[0069] When issuing coupons in accordance with a plan received from a seller, for example, the issuing unit 16 does not have to issue a coupon in accordance with a plan if the number of users identified by the identification unit 13 for the coupon issuance plan received from the seller by the receiving unit 12 is less than a threshold. On the other hand, if the number of identified users is greater than the threshold, the issuing unit 16 may, for example, issue a coupon in accordance with that plan. Furthermore, if the number of identified users matches the threshold, the issuing unit 16 may or may not issue a coupon. For example, depending on the conditions included in the coupon issuance plan, the number of users who meet those conditions may be one or a very small number. As an example, if the conditions for users to whom coupons are sent are set to users who have purchased an item with extremely low sales volume (for example, a car with only a few units sold in Japan, or a one-of-a-kind painting or sculpture), then the recipients of the coupon will be extremely narrowed down by those conditions, and the seller may be able to find out who the user who used the coupon is. Therefore, for promotions where the number of users identified by the identification unit 13 is less than the threshold, coupons will not be issued. This enhances the anonymity of the coupons and prevents the leakage of users' personal information. The threshold may be set to a value of 20 or less, a value of 10 or less, or a value of 5 or less.

[0070] Furthermore, when issuing coupons in accordance with a plan received from a seller, the issuer may charge the seller. In this case, the coupon issuing device 1 may further include a billing unit 21, as shown in Figure 6. The billing unit 21 may charge the seller for issuing a coupon when the issuing unit 16 issues a coupon in accordance with a plan for issuing coupons received from the seller by the receiving unit 12. In this case, it is preferable that the plan received from the seller includes a seller identifier that identifies the seller. The billing unit 21 may then charge the seller identified by that seller identifier. For example, the billing unit 21 may process the charge when it receives from the issuing unit 16, via a route not shown, that a coupon has been issued in accordance with a plan for issuing coupons received from the seller.

[0071] The billing unit 21 may, as an example, charge a fixed amount for issuing a coupon corresponding to a single promotion. Alternatively, as another example, the billing unit 21 may charge a higher amount for issuing a coupon corresponding to a single promotion if the number of recipients of the coupon is greater, or if the degree of filtering by the coupon is greater. In this case, the charge amount may be, for example, as follows: Charge amount = A × (Number of recipients of coupons) + B × ((Number of recipients of coupons) / (Total number of users with multiple correspondence information))

[0072] Here, A and B are positive real numbers. The total number of users for multiple correspondence information refers to the total number (unique number) of user identifiers associated with the purchase target information in the multiple correspondence information stored in the storage unit 11.

[0073] The billing unit 21 may, for example, output a pair of the billing amount and the seller identifier of the seller making the charge when a coupon is issued in response to the receipt of a plan from the seller. This output may be the billing process, and by using this outputted information, for example, a process to bill the amount may be performed. This output may be displayed on a display device, transmitted via a communication line (for example, sending an invoice by email), printed by a printer (for example, printing a payment slip or invoice), or stored on a recording medium. The billing unit 21 may also, for example, use information that associates the seller identifier with the address of the seller identified by that seller identifier to obtain an address corresponding to the seller identifier, and send information to the obtained address to bill the billing amount. The billing unit 21 may also, for example, perform a process to deduct the billing amount from the account of the seller identified by the seller identifier. Note that the specific billing process when the billing destination and the billing amount are determined is already publicly known, and a detailed explanation thereof is omitted.

[0074] Furthermore, although this embodiment mainly describes the case in which a plan received by the reception unit 12 is made public and applications for the publicly available plan are received, this is not necessarily the case. For example, if a plan is received from a seller, the plan may not be made public, and coupons corresponding to it may be issued or sent. In this case, the coupon issuing device 1 may not have, for example, a public display unit 14 or a receiving unit 15.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the recipient of the coupon may also be identified using the user's location information. In this case, the user's location information may also be associated with the user's user identifier in the correspondence information. If the conditions included in the plan also include a region, the user to whom the coupon will be sent may be identified using that location information. The location information may, for example, be the location information of the user's home. For example, the user may register the location information in the correspondence information, or the location information of the information processing terminal 3 held by the user may be transmitted to the coupon issuing device 1 and registered in the correspondence information.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, demographic information such as the user's gender, age, residential area, income, occupation, and family structure may be obtained using one or more purchase target information corresponding to the user, and the user to whom the coupon will be sent may be identified using this demographic information. In this case, the conditions included in the plan may include conditions related to demographic information, such as conditions related to gender, age, residential area, and income. In addition, the acquisition of demographic information from one or more purchase target information may be performed, for example, using statistical methods or using a learning model such as a neural network.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each process or function may be implemented by centralized processing by a single device or a single system, or by distributed processing by multiple devices or multiple systems.

[0078] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the exchange of information between each component may, for example, be performed by outputting information from one component and receiving information from the other component if the two components performing the information exchange are physically different, or by moving from the processing phase corresponding to one component to the processing phase corresponding to the other component if the two components performing the information exchange are physically the same.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, information related to the processing performed by each component, such as information received, acquired, selected, generated, transmitted, or received by each component, as well as information such as thresholds, formulas, and addresses used by each component in processing, may be temporarily or for a long period of time stored in a recording medium (not shown), even if not explicitly stated in the above description. The storage of information in the recording medium (not shown) may be performed by each component or a storage unit (not shown). The reading of information from the recording medium (not shown) may be performed by each component or a reading unit (not shown).

[0080] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, if the information used in each component, such as thresholds, addresses, and various setting values ​​used by each component in processing, can be changed by the user, then even if not explicitly stated in the above description, the user may be allowed to change such information as appropriate, or not. If the user can change such information, the change may be implemented, for example, by a receiving unit (not shown) that receives change instructions from the user and a changing unit (not shown) that changes the information in response to those change instructions. The receiving unit (not shown) may receive change instructions from an input device, receive information transmitted via a communication line, or receive information read from a predetermined recording medium.

[0081] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, if two or more components included in the coupon issuing device 1 have a communication device, an input device, etc., the two or more components may have a single physical device, or they may have separate devices.

[0082] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each component may be made up of dedicated hardware, or, if a component can be implemented by software, it may be implemented by executing a program. For example, each component can be implemented by a program execution unit such as a CPU reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory. During execution, the program execution unit may execute the program while accessing the storage unit or recording medium. The software that implements the coupon issuing device 1 in the above embodiment is the following program. In other words, this program is a program that causes a computer that can access a storage unit that stores multiple correspondence information that associates a user identifier that identifies a user with one or more pieces of purchase information that are information about the items purchased by the user, to function as a coupon issuing device for issuing coupons that allow users to receive benefits for purchasing the items purchased, on behalf of the seller of the items purchased. The program may also function as a receiving unit that receives a plan for issuing coupons, which includes conditions concerning the users to whom the coupons will be sent and the benefits to be granted for purchasing the items purchased; an identification unit that uses multiple correspondence information to identify users who meet the conditions included in the plan received by the receiving unit; an issuing unit that issues coupons to grant the benefits included in the plan received by the receiving unit; and a transmitting unit that transmits the coupons issued by the issuing unit to the users identified by the identification unit.

[0083] Furthermore, the functions implemented by the above program do not include any functions that can only be implemented by hardware. For example, functions that can only be implemented by hardware such as modems and interface cards in the receiving unit that receives information, the receiving unit that receives information, and the transmitting unit that sends information are not included in the functions implemented by the above program.

[0084] Furthermore, this program may be executed by being downloaded from a server or the like, or by being read from a predetermined recording medium (for example, an optical disc such as a CD-ROM, a magnetic disc, or a semiconductor memory). This program may also be used as a program constituting a program product.

[0085] Furthermore, the computer running this program may be a single computer or multiple computers. That is, it may perform centralized processing or distributed processing.

[0086] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the appearance of a computer that executes the above program to realize the coupon issuing device 1 according to the above embodiment. The above embodiment can be realized by computer hardware and a computer program executed thereon.

[0087] In Figure 7, the computer system 900 includes a computer 901 with a CD-ROM drive 905, a keyboard 902, a mouse 903, and a monitor 904.

[0088] Figure 8 shows the internal configuration of the computer system 900. In Figure 8, the computer 901 includes, in addition to the CD-ROM drive 905, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) 911, a ROM 912 for storing programs such as boot-up programs, a RAM 913 connected to the MPU 911 for temporarily storing instructions for application programs and providing temporary storage space, a hard disk 914 for storing application programs, system programs, and data, and a bus 915 that interconnects the MPU 911, ROM 912, etc. The computer 901 may also include a network card (not shown) that provides connectivity to a LAN or WAN.

[0089] The program that causes the computer system 900 to execute the functions of the coupon issuing device 1 according to the above embodiment may be stored on a CD-ROM 921, inserted into a CD-ROM drive 905, and transferred to the hard disk 914. Alternatively, the program may be transmitted to a computer 901 via a network (not shown) and stored on the hard disk 914. The program is loaded into RAM 913 when executed. The program may also be loaded directly from the CD-ROM 921 or the network. Furthermore, the program may be loaded into the computer system 900 via another recording medium (e.g., a DVD) instead of the CD-ROM 921.

[0090] The program does not necessarily include an operating system (OS) or third-party program that causes the computer 901 to execute the functions of the coupon issuing device 1 according to the above embodiment. The program may include only the instruction portion that calls appropriate functions or modules in a controlled manner to obtain the desired result. How the computer system 900 operates is well known, and a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0091] Furthermore, the embodiments described above are illustrative examples for specifically carrying out the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the description of the embodiments, and modifications within the literal scope and equivalent meaning of the claims are intended. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0092] 1. Coupon issuing device 11 Storage section 12 Reception Department 13 Specific section 14 Public Section 15 Receiving section 16 Publishing Department 17 Transmitter 21 Billing Section

Claims

1. A coupon issuing device for issuing coupons that allow customers to receive benefits for purchases made on behalf of the seller of the purchased item, A storage unit that stores multiple correspondence information, which associates a user identifier that identifies a user with one or more purchase item information items that the user has purchased, A reception department that accepts proposals regarding the issuance of coupons, including conditions for the users to whom the coupons will be sent, and the benefits to be granted for purchases made. An identification unit that uses the aforementioned multiple pieces of correspondence information to identify users who meet the conditions included in the plan received by the reception unit, An issuing department issues coupons to grant benefits included in the plans accepted by the aforementioned reception department, A coupon issuing device comprising: a transmitting unit that transmits a coupon issued by the issuing unit to a user identified by the identifying unit.

2. The public section is where the projects received by the aforementioned reception section are made public, The system further comprises a receiving unit that receives applications from sellers for projects made public by the aforementioned public unit, The coupon issuing device according to claim 1, wherein the issuing unit issues coupons from sellers whose applications have been received by the receiving unit.

3. The coupon issuing device according to claim 1, wherein the coupon transmitted by the transmitting unit includes a code relating to the coupon.

4. The coupon issuing device according to claim 3, wherein the code contained in the coupon transmitted by the transmitting unit indicates information identifying the issuer of the coupon.

5. The coupon issuing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the receiving unit receives a plan for issuing coupons from the seller.

6. The coupon issuing device according to claim 5, wherein the issuing unit does not issue a coupon corresponding to a coupon issuance plan received from a seller by the receiving unit if the number of users identified by the identification unit is less than a threshold.

7. The coupon issuing device according to claim 5, further comprising a billing unit that charges the seller for issuing a coupon when the issuing unit issues a coupon based on a coupon issuance plan received from the seller by the receiving unit.

8. A coupon issuance method for issuing coupons that allow users to receive benefits for purchases, on behalf of the seller of the purchase target, using a storage unit that stores a user identifier that identifies a user and multiple correspondence information that associates one or more purchase target information items that the user has purchased, a receiving unit, a specification unit, an issuing unit, and a transmission unit, wherein the process for issuing coupons that allow users to receive benefits for purchases of the purchase target is carried out on behalf of the seller of the purchase target, The aforementioned reception department receives a plan for issuing coupons, which includes conditions regarding the users to whom the coupons will be sent, and benefits to be granted for purchases. The aforementioned identification unit uses the multiple pieces of correspondence information to identify users who meet the conditions included in the accepted plan, The aforementioned issuing department issues a coupon to grant the benefits included in the accepted plan, A coupon issuance method comprising the step of the transmitting unit transmitting the issued coupon to a specified user.

9. A program to cause a computer that can access a storage unit that stores multiple correspondence information, which associates a user identifier that identifies a user with one or more pieces of purchase information that are related to the items purchased by that user, to function as a coupon issuing device for issuing coupons that allow users to receive benefits for purchasing the items, on behalf of the seller of the items purchased. The aforementioned computer, A reception desk that accepts proposals regarding the issuance of coupons, including conditions for the users to whom the coupons will be sent, and the benefits to be granted for purchases. Using the aforementioned multiple pieces of correspondence information, the identification unit identifies users who meet the conditions included in the plan received by the reception unit. An issuing department that issues coupons to grant benefits included in the plans accepted by the aforementioned reception department. A program for functioning as a transmission unit that transmits coupons issued by the issuing unit to users identified by the identifying unit.

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