Accounting devices and programs

Abstract

To provide an accounting device and a program which enable improvement in purchase motivation of a customer who is a member of a store.SOLUTION: An accounting device of an embodiment includes: an acquisition part which acquires a member rank determined according to a purchase amount within a predetermined set period and a purchase amount within the set period before a transaction as information of a customer who performs the transaction; an account processing part which executes the processing related to the calculation and the settlement of a transaction amount in the transaction; and a receipt information output part which outputs the receipt information including the transaction amount calculated by the account processing part and a message. In the receipt information output part, the message is determined depending on whether the target amount obtained by adding the purchase amount within the set period and the calculated transaction amount is equal to or greater than a threshold set for the membership rank acquired by the acquisition part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD An embodiment of the present invention relates to an accounting device and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, stores selling products and services (hereinafter collectively referred to as "products") offer services that provide benefits to customers who register as members in order to retain customers. For example, stores offer services such as providing members with points based on a predetermined percentage of the purchase amount.

[0003] It is common for receipts issued by stores offering this type of service to include information about members, such as points awarded to members for transactions, the total number of points held by the member, and member rank (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] While the receipts of the above-mentioned prior art can inform customers of membership information, they cannot be expected to have the effect of increasing the customer's motivation to purchase. It is desirable for stores to print information on receipts that will increase the customer's motivation to purchase. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a checkout device and a program that can increase the purchasing motivation of customers who are members of a store. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The accounting device of the embodiment includes an acquisition unit that acquires information about a customer who performs a transaction, such as a membership rank determined according to the purchase amount within a predetermined set period and the purchase amount within the set period before the transaction; an accounting processing unit that calculates the transaction amount for the transaction and performs processing related to settlement; and a receipt information output unit that outputs receipt information including the transaction amount calculated by the accounting processing unit and a message, and the receipt information output unit outputs a target amount obtained by adding the purchase amount within the set period and the calculated transaction amount. If the member rank acquired by the acquisition unit is less than a threshold set for the member rank, a message including the target amount is output, and if the target amount is equal to or greater than the threshold, a message including the purchase amount required to reach a higher member rank is output. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a store system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main hardware configuration of the POS terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data configuration of a product master stored in the storage unit of the POS terminal of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the data configuration of a rank setting table stored in the storage unit of the POS terminal of the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a data configuration of a message pattern setting table stored in the storage unit of the POS terminal of the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the main functional configuration of the control unit of the POS terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a main hardware configuration of a server device according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the data structure of the member master stored in the storage unit of the server device of the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a data structure of a member information management file stored in the storage unit of the server device according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a main functional configuration of a control unit of a server device according to an embodiment. [Figure 11]FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of transaction processing by the control unit of the POS terminal of the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 shows a receipt with message pattern 1 issued by the POS terminal of this embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 shows a receipt with message pattern 2 issued by the POS terminal of this embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 shows a receipt with message pattern 3 issued by the POS terminal of this embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 shows receipts with other message patterns issued by the POS terminal of this embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the flow of transaction processing by the control unit of the POS terminal in the modified example. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 shows a receipt issued by a POS terminal in this modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The following describes a checkout device and a program according to an embodiment with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. For example, in the embodiments described below, a point-of-sale (POS) terminal in which a store clerk performs operations related to product registration and transaction processing is used as the checkout device, but the present invention is not limited to this. The checkout device may be a self-service POS terminal in which a customer performs operations related to product registration and transaction processing, a semi-self-service POS checkout device in which a store clerk performs operations related to product registration on a registration device and a customer performs operations related to transaction processing on the checkout device, or a checkout device in which a customer operates a smartphone or tablet to obtain registered product information and perform transaction processing.

[0009] In the following embodiment, the receipt is a paper receipt, but this is not limiting. The receipt may also be an electronic receipt. In this case, the checkout device may be configured, for example, with a POS terminal with checkout processing capabilities and a server device with the capability to output receipt information.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a store system 1 according to an embodiment. The store system 1 according to this embodiment is applied to, for example, specialty stores that mainly sell products in a specific category, such as apparel products, or mass retailers such as supermarkets. The store system 1 has multiple POS (Point of Sales) terminals 2 and a server device 3. The POS terminals 2 and the server device 3 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0011] The POS terminal 2 is used by store clerks to perform operations related to product registration and transaction processing. The POS terminal 2 executes product registration by reading the product code of the product purchased by the customer through operation by the store clerk and storing product information obtained based on the read product code. The POS terminal 2 also executes transaction processing based on the registered product information.

[0012] The accounting process is a process for a customer to make a payment, and includes a calculation process, a settlement process, and a receipt issuance process. The calculation process is a process for calculating the transaction amount, etc. The settlement process is a process for completing the payment of the transaction amount calculated in the calculation process, and includes the calculation and disbursement of change in the case of cash payments, and communication with the payment server in the case of cashless payments. The receipt issuance process is a process for issuing a paper receipt or an electronic receipt. The POS terminal 2 is an example of an accounting device.

[0013] In addition, the POS terminal 2 transmits transaction data for the completed transaction to the server device 3. The transaction data includes the transaction date and time, transaction number, transaction amount, product information for the purchased product, the customer's membership ID, etc.

[0014] The server device 3 receives and manages transaction data settled during checkout from the POS terminal 2. The server device 3 also manages member information based on the transaction data received from the POS terminal 2. The member information managed by the server device 3 includes the purchase amount during a predetermined set period (hereinafter simply referred to as the "set period"), for example, from January 1st to January 31st, and the member rank determined according to the purchase amount during the set period. The server device 3 also appropriately updates a product master that stores product information on products handled in the store and transmits the updated information to each POS terminal 2.

[0015] Next, the POS terminal 2 will be described in detail. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the main hardware configuration of the POS terminal 2. The POS terminal 2 includes a control unit 20, a memory unit 21, a display unit 22, an operation unit 23, a scanner 24, a printer 25, a card reader 26, a change dispenser 27, and a communication unit 28. The control unit 20, the memory unit 21, the display unit 22, the operation unit 23, the scanner 24, the printer 25, the card reader 26, the change dispenser 27, and the communication unit 28 are connected to one another via a bus 29 or the like.

[0016] The control unit 20 is configured as a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 202, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 203. The CPU 201, the ROM 202, and the RAM 203 are connected to each other via a bus 29.

[0017] The CPU 201 controls the overall operation of the POS terminal 2. The ROM 202 stores various programs, such as a program used to drive the CPU 201, and various data. The RAM 203 is used as a work area for the CPU 201, and loads various programs and data stored in the ROM 202 and the storage unit 21. The control unit 20 executes various control processes for the POS terminal 2 by the CPU 201 operating in accordance with the control programs stored in the ROM 202 and the storage unit 21 and loaded in the RAM 203.

[0018] The RAM 203 also includes a product information section 2031 and a member information section 2032. The product information section 2031 stores product information on products purchased by customers. The product information stored in the product information section 2031 is read from the storage section 21 based on, for example, a product code read by the scanner 24 from a code symbol attached to the product. Storing (registering) product information in the product information section 2031 is also referred to as product registration.

[0019] Member information section 2032 stores member information of a customer when the customer is a member. The member information stored in member information section 2032 is obtained from server device 3, for example, based on a member ID read by scanner 24 from a code symbol displayed on the customer's smartphone or the like at the start of a transaction. Alternatively, the member information stored in member information section 2032 is obtained from server device 3 based on a member ID read by card reader 26 from the customer's membership card at the start of a transaction. The member information stored in member information section 2032 includes a member rank and a purchase amount within a set period.

[0020] The storage unit 21 is configured with a storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory, and maintains its stored contents even when power is cut off. The storage unit 21 stores a control program 211, a product master 212, a rank setting table 213, and a message pattern setting table 214.

[0021] The control program 211 includes a program for registering products based on product codes read by the scanner 24, a program for processing the accounting for a transaction based on information stored in the product information section 2031, a program for issuing receipts with messages printed on them, and a program for sending and receiving various information to and from the server device 3.

[0022] The product master 212 is a master file that stores product information about products sold by the store, and is transmitted from the server device 3 and stored in the storage unit 21. Because the products handled by the store change daily, the product master 212 is updated as appropriate. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the data structure of the product master 212. The product master 212 stores product names, prices, and images in association with product codes.

[0023] The product code is product identification information that identifies the product. The product name is the name of the product. The price is the price of the product. The amount registered as the price may include or exclude tax. The image is image data that shows the appearance of the product.

[0024] The rank setting table 213 is a table that stores information related to member ranks. Each piece of information registered in the rank setting table 213 can be set arbitrarily by the store. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the data configuration of the rank setting table 213. The rank setting table 213 stores rank conditions, thresholds, and benefits in association with member ranks.

[0025] The member rank indicates the rank of the member and is determined according to the member's purchase amount within a set period. In this embodiment, there are three set member ranks: A, B, and C. The rank conditions are conditions for determining the member rank. Figure 4 shows that if a customer's purchase amount within the set period is 100,000 yen or more, they will be assigned the highest member rank A, if it is between 50,000 yen and 100,000 yen, they will be assigned the next highest member rank B, and if it is less than 50,000 yen, they will be assigned the lowest member rank C. The set period is one month, from the beginning to the end of the month. To become a member, you must complete the required member registration procedures.

[0026] The threshold is a value set for each membership rank. No threshold is set for the highest membership rank A. The threshold is referenced when the POS terminal 2 determines the message to print on the receipt. The benefits are benefits that members of each membership rank can receive. In this embodiment, a point redemption rate is set according to the membership rank. Points have a monetary value that can be used for future purchases, and are an example of a benefit that a store can grant to a member. The redemption rate is the rate at which points are awarded relative to the purchase amount, and can be said to be the content of the benefits that members can receive.

[0027] The message pattern setting table 214 is a table that stores the content of the message to be printed on a receipt for each condition. The information registered in the message pattern setting table 214 can be set arbitrarily by the store. Figure 5 shows the data structure of the message pattern setting table 214. The message pattern setting table 214 stores conditions and content in association with pattern numbers.

[0028] The pattern number is a number that identifies the pattern of the message to be printed on the receipt. The condition is a condition for selecting the pattern number. The content is information that indicates the content of the message. In this embodiment, if the purchase amount within the set period at the time the transaction is completed (hereinafter also referred to as the "target amount") is equal to or greater than the upper limit of the rank conditions for the current membership rank, message pattern 1 is selected, which is a message indicating that the next rank has been reached. Furthermore, if the membership rank is the highest membership rank A, or if the target amount is less than the threshold for the current membership rank, message pattern 2 is selected, which is a message notifying the user of the target amount. If the target amount is equal to or greater than the threshold for the current membership rank and less than the upper limit for the membership conditions, message pattern 3 is selected, which is a message notifying the user of the purchase amount required to reach a higher membership rank.

[0029] Here, the product master 212, the rank setting table 213, and the message pattern setting table 214 may be stored in an external device such as the server device 3, instead of in the storage unit 21. In this case, the POS terminal 2 can execute the same processing as when the product master 212, the rank setting table 213, and the message pattern setting table 214 are stored in the storage unit 21, by referring to the product master, the rank setting table, and the message pattern setting table stored in the external device.

[0030] Returning to FIG. 2, the hardware configuration of the POS terminal 2 will be described.

[0031] Display unit 22 is a display device and is configured with a liquid crystal display or the like. Display unit 22 displays various information under the control of control unit 20. For example, display unit 22 displays product information of registered products, transaction amounts (total amounts for one transaction), etc.

[0032] Operation unit 23 is an input device and is composed of a touch panel provided on the surface of display unit 22, a keyboard provided separately from display unit 22, and the like. Operation unit 23 inputs various information input by operations by a store clerk or the like to control unit 20. For example, operation unit 23 inputs a transaction start input to control unit 20, which instructs the start of a transaction process.

[0033] The scanner 24 reads a product code from a code symbol such as a barcode attached to a product (hereinafter also referred to as a "product barcode"). Specifically, the scanner 24 recognizes the product barcode optically or by capturing an image. The scanner 24 then decodes the recognized product barcode and reads the product code indicated by the product barcode. Note that the decoding of the product barcode recognized by the scanner 24 may be performed by the control unit 20. The scanner 24 also reads the member ID of the store member from a barcode displayed on, for example, a smartphone carried by a customer. The member ID is an example of member identification information that identifies the member. The scanner 24 may be fixedly provided in the POS terminal 2, or may be a handheld type that can be operated by a store clerk.

[0034] Printer 25 prints and issues a receipt for each transaction under the control of control unit 20. Printer 25 prints transaction information, including the transaction amount, and various messages on the receipt. For example, printer 25 prints on the receipt a message including the purchase amount within a set period, a message including the purchase amount required to achieve a higher membership rank, a message indicating that the customer has achieved a higher membership rank, and the like.

[0035] Card reader 26 reads information from various cards. For example, card reader 26 reads customer information required for credit card payments from a customer's credit card. Card reader 26 also reads a member ID from a member card held by the customer. Card reader 26 may be a magnetic card reader that reads information from a magnetic card, or an IC card reader that reads information from a card with a built-in IC chip.

[0036] When a customer pays for a purchase in cash, the change dispenser 27 accepts the bills and coins paid by the customer and dispenses change as necessary.

[0037] The communication unit 28 is an interface for communicating with an external device such as the server device 3. The control unit 20 is connected to the external device via the communication unit 28, thereby enabling transmission and reception of information (data) with the external device.

[0038] Next, the functional configuration of the control unit 20 of the POS terminal 2 will be described. Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing the main functional configuration of the control unit 20 of the POS terminal 2. The control unit 20 functions as a transmission / reception unit 2001, an input unit 2002, a registration unit 2003, an accounting processing unit 2004, a comparison unit 2005, a receipt information output unit 2006, and a display control unit 2007, as the CPU 201 operates in accordance with control programs stored in the ROM 202 or the storage unit 21. Note that each of these functions may be configured using hardware such as a dedicated circuit.

[0039] The transmitting / receiving unit 2001 transmits and receives various information to and from the server device 3, etc. For example, the transmitting / receiving unit 2001 transmits the member ID entered into the input unit 2002 at the start of a transaction to the server device 3. The transmitting / receiving unit 2001 then receives member information from the server device 3, including the member rank of the member identified by the transmitted member ID and the purchase amount within a set period before the transaction. The transmitting / receiving unit 2001 functions as an acquisition unit that acquires the member rank of the member performing the transaction and the purchase amount within a set period.

[0040] Various types of information are input to the input unit 2002 from the operation unit 23, the scanner 24, and the card reader 26. For example, a member ID is input to the input unit 2002 from the scanner 24 or the card reader 26. A product code is also input to the input unit 2002 from the scanner 24. Furthermore, a transaction start input instructing the start of transaction processing is input to the input unit 2002 from the operation unit 23.

[0041] The registration unit 2003 executes product registration. Specifically, the registration unit 2003 reads product information corresponding to the product code input to the input unit 2002 from the product master 212 and registers (stores) the information in the product information unit 2031. The registration unit 2003 also registers the member rank and the purchase amount within a set period received by the transmission / reception unit 2001 from the server device 3 in the member information unit 2032.

[0042] The accounting processing unit 2004 calculates the transaction amount for one transaction based on the information stored in the product information unit 2031. The accounting processing unit 2004 also calculates the target amount by adding the calculated transaction amount to the purchase amount within a set period before the transaction that was received by the transmitting / receiving unit 2001. The target amount is the purchase amount within a set period after the transaction.

[0043] The accounting processing unit 2004 executes settlement processing to complete payment of the calculated transaction amount. When the customer pays in cash, the accounting processing unit 2004 calculates the change by subtracting the transaction amount from the amount inserted into the change dispenser 27, and causes the calculated change to be dispensed from the change dispenser 27. When the customer pays by cashless payment, the accounting processing unit 2004 communicates with the settlement server via the transmission / reception unit 2001.

[0044] When the transaction settlement is complete, the accounting processor 2004 causes the receipt information output unit 2006 to output receipt information to be printed on a receipt to the printer 25. The printer 25 prints and issues a receipt based on the input receipt information.

[0045] The comparison unit 2005 compares the target amount calculated by the accounting processing unit 2004 with the threshold value stored in the rank setting table 213. The threshold value to be compared with the target amount is the threshold value set for the member rank received by the transmission / reception unit 2001. Note that if the member rank received by the transmission / reception unit 2001 is the highest member rank A, the comparison unit 2005 does not compare the target amount with the threshold value.

[0046] The comparison unit 2005 also compares the target amount calculated by the accounting processing unit 2004 with the upper limit value of the condition stored in the rank setting table 213. The upper limit value of the condition to be compared with the target amount is the upper limit value of the condition set for the membership rank received by the transmission / reception unit 2001. For example, if the membership rank received by the transmission / reception unit 2001 is membership rank C, the comparison unit 2005 compares the target amount with 50,000 yen. Also, if the membership rank received by the transmission / reception unit 2001 is membership rank B, the comparison unit 2005 compares the target amount with 100,000 yen. Note that if the membership rank received by the transmission / reception unit 2001 is membership rank A, the highest rank, the comparison unit 2005 does not compare the target amount with the upper limit value of the condition.

[0047] The receipt information output unit 2006 outputs receipt information to the printer 25. The receipt information is information used by the printer 25 to print a receipt or information used by the member's terminal device to display an electronic receipt, and includes transaction-related information and a message. The receipt information output unit 2006 determines the message to be included in the receipt information based on the comparison result by the comparison unit 2005. Specifically, the receipt information output unit 2006 references the message pattern setting table 214 and selects a message pattern based on the comparison result by the comparison unit 2005 to determine the message.

[0048] For example, if the comparison by the comparison unit 2005 shows that the target amount is smaller than the threshold, the receipt information output unit 2006 refers to the message pattern setting table 214 and selects message pattern 2 that meets the conditions. As a result, the receipt information output unit 2006 determines that the message to be included in the receipt information will be a message notifying the target amount.

[0049] Furthermore, if the comparison by the comparison unit 2005 shows that the target amount is equal to or greater than the threshold value and less than the membership condition upper limit, the receipt information output unit 2006 references the message pattern setting table 214 and selects message pattern 3 that meets the conditions. As a result, the receipt information output unit 2006 determines that the message to be included in the receipt information will be a message notifying the customer of the purchase amount required to reach a higher membership rank.

[0050] Similarly, if the comparison by the comparison unit 2005 shows that the target amount is equal to or greater than the membership condition upper limit, the receipt information output unit 2006 refers to the message pattern setting table 214 and selects message pattern 1 that meets the condition. As a result, the receipt information output unit 2006 determines that the message to be included in the receipt information will be a message notifying the user that a higher membership rank has been reached.

[0051] The receipt information output unit 2006 then outputs receipt information, including the transaction amount calculated by the accounting processing unit 2004 and the determined message, to the printer 25. The printer 25 prints a receipt based on the input receipt information. The receipt information output unit 2006 may also output the receipt information, including the transaction amount calculated by the accounting processing unit 2004 and the determined message, to an electronic receipt server (not shown), which transmits an electronic receipt to a terminal device owned by the member.

[0052] The display control unit 2007 causes the display unit 22 to display various information. For example, the display control unit 2007 causes the display unit 22 to display product information of registered products, the transaction amount of one transaction, and the like.

[0053] Next, the server device 3 will be described in detail. Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing the main hardware configuration of the server device 3. The server device 3 includes a control unit 30, a storage unit 31, a display unit 32, an operation unit 33, and a communication unit 34. The control unit 30, the storage unit 31, the display unit 32, the operation unit 33, and the communication unit 34 are connected to one another via a bus 35 or the like.

[0054] The control unit 30 is configured as a computer including a CPU 301, a ROM 302, and a RAM 303. The CPU 301, the ROM 302, and the RAM 303 are connected to one another via a bus .

[0055] The CPU 301 controls the overall operation of the server device 3. The ROM 302 stores various programs, such as a program used to drive the CPU 301, and various data. The RAM 303 is used as a work area for the CPU 301, and loads various programs and data stored in the ROM 302 and the storage unit 31. The control unit 30 executes various control processes of the server device 3 by the CPU 301 operating in accordance with the control programs stored in the ROM 302 and the storage unit 31 and loaded in the RAM 303.

[0056] The memory unit 31 is configured with a storage medium such as a HDD or flash memory, and retains its stored contents even when the power is turned off. The memory unit 31 stores a control program 311, a member master 312, a member information management file 313, and a product master 314.

[0057] The control program 311 includes a program for acquiring transaction data from the POS terminal 2, a program for managing member information based on the acquired transaction data, and a program for extracting member information corresponding to the member ID received from the POS terminal 2 and transmitting it to the POS terminal 2.

[0058] Member master 312 is a master file that stores information about store members, i.e., customer information. Figure 8 shows the data structure of member master 312. Member master 312 stores name, gender, age, and notification destination in association with a member ID. The notification destination is, for example, the email address of a terminal owned by the member.

[0059] The member information management file 313 is a file that manages member information. The member information management file 313 is updated based on transaction data received from the POS terminal 2. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the data structure of the member information management file 313. The member information management file 313 stores member IDs and member information in association with each other. The member information associated with a member ID is the member rank and the purchase amount for the current month.

[0060] The member rank indicates the rank of the store member and is determined according to the amount of purchases made at the store during a set period. The member rank may be changed for the following month depending on the amount of purchases made each month, or the member rank may be immediately upgraded if the rank conditions are met during the set period. For example, if a member with member rank C makes purchases in January exceeding 50,000 yen as of January 20th, the member's member rank may be upgraded to member rank B from February, or may be upgraded to member rank B from January 20th. Furthermore, once a member rank is set, it may not be possible for the member rank to be downgraded to a lower member rank, or it may be downgraded depending on the amount of purchases made each month. The purchase amount for the current month is the total amount of purchases made at the store during the current month (set period).

[0061] The product master 314 has the same configuration as the product master 212 of the POS terminal 2. Therefore, a duplicated description will be omitted.

[0062] Returning to FIG. 7, the hardware configuration of the server device 3 will be described.

[0063] Display unit 32 is configured, for example, with a liquid crystal panel, and displays various information. Display unit 32 displays information stored in member master 312, member information management file 313, and product master 314, for example, as needed.

[0064] The operation unit 33 is used to input information to the control unit 30, and is composed of a keyboard, a touch panel, a mouse, and the like.

[0065] The communication unit 34 is an interface for communicating with an external device such as the POS terminal 2. The control unit 30 is connected to the external device via the communication unit 34, thereby enabling transmission and reception of information (data) with the external device.

[0066] Next, a functional configuration of the control unit 30 of the server device 3 will be described. Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing the main functional configuration of the control unit 30 of the server device 3. The control unit 30 functions as a transmission / reception unit 3001, an input unit 3002, and a data management unit 3003 by the CPU 301 operating in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM 302 or the storage unit 31. Note that each of these functions may be configured by hardware such as a dedicated circuit.

[0067] The transmitting / receiving unit 3001 transmits and receives various information to and from the POS terminal 2. For example, the transmitting / receiving unit 3001 receives the member ID of the member performing the transaction from the POS terminal 2 at the start of the transaction, and transmits the member rank and the purchase amount for the current month of the member identified by the member ID to the POS terminal 2. The transmitting / receiving unit 3001 also receives transaction data from the POS terminal 2 at the end of the transaction.

[0068] Various information is input to input unit 3002 from operation unit 33. For example, when member master 312, member information management file 313, or product master 314 is manually updated, information for updating is input to input unit 3002.

[0069] The data management unit 3003 registers and updates various data stored in the memory unit 31. The data management unit 3003 also reads out information stored in the memory unit 31 as needed. For example, when the transmitting / receiving unit 3001 receives transaction data from the POS terminal 2, the data management unit 3003 updates the member information management file 313 based on the transaction data. When the transmitting / receiving unit 3001 receives a member ID from the POS terminal 2, the data management unit 3003 extracts the member rank and the purchase amount for the current month corresponding to the member ID from the member information management file 313.

[0070] A description will now be given of the transaction processing executed by the POS terminal 2 during a transaction in the store system 1 configured as described above. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of the transaction processing executed by the control unit 20 of the POS terminal 2.

[0071] The control unit 20 determines whether or not a transaction start input has been made to the input unit 2002 (step S1), and if no input has been made (N in step S1), the control unit 20 returns to the processing of step S1 and waits.

[0072] When a transaction start input is made to the input unit 2002 (Y in step S1), the control unit 20 determines whether or not a member ID has been input to the input unit 2002 (step S2). In other words, the control unit 20 determines whether or not the customer performing the transaction is a member.

[0073] When a member ID is input to the input unit 2002 (Y in step S2), the transmitting / receiving unit 2001 transmits the input member ID to the server device 3 (step S3). Next, the control unit 20 determines whether the transmitting / receiving unit 2001 has received member information from the server device 3 (step S4), and if not (N in step S4), returns to the processing of step S4 and waits.

[0074] When the transmitting / receiving unit 2001 receives the member information (Y in step S4), the registration unit 2003 registers the member information in the member information unit 2032 (step S5). Specifically, the registration unit 2003 associates the member ID input to the input unit 2002 with the member rank and the purchase amount for the current month, and stores them in the member information unit 2032.

[0075] Next, the control unit 20 determines whether or not a product code has been input to the input unit 2002 (step S6), and if not (N in step S6), returns to the processing of step S6 and waits.

[0076] When a product code is input to the input unit 2002 (Y in step S6), the registration unit 2003 executes product registration (step S7). Specifically, the registration unit 2003 reads out product information corresponding to the product code input to the input unit 2002 from the product master 212 and stores it in the product information unit 2031.

[0077] Next, the control unit 20 determines whether a payment instruction has been entered into the input unit 2002 (step S8). If no payment instruction has been entered (N in step S8), the process returns to step S6. If a payment instruction has been entered into the input unit 2002 (Y in step S8), the payment processing unit 2004 executes calculation and settlement processing (step S9). Specifically, the payment processing unit 2004 calculates the transaction amount based on the information stored in the product information unit 2031 and executes settlement processing to allow payment by the customer's preferred payment method.

[0078] Next, the control unit 20 determines whether or not member information is registered in the member information unit 2032 (step S10). In other words, the control unit 20 determines whether or not the customer who performed the transaction is a member.

[0079] If member information is registered in the member information section 2032 (Y in step S10), the accounting processing section 2004 calculates the target amount. Specifically, the accounting processing section 2004 calculates the target amount by adding the transaction amount calculated in the processing of step S9 and the purchase amount for the current month stored in the member information section 2032.

[0080] Next, the control unit 20 determines whether the membership rank stored in the member information unit 2032 is not membership rank A (step S12). If the membership rank is not A (Y in step S12), that is, if the membership rank is B or C, the comparison unit 2005 compares the target amount with a threshold value to determine whether the target amount is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S13). Specifically, the comparison unit 2005 compares the target amount calculated in the processing of step S11 with the threshold value corresponding to the membership rank stored in the member information unit 2032 in the rank setting table 213.

[0081] If the target amount is equal to or greater than the threshold (Y in step S13), the comparison unit 2005 compares the target amount with the rank upper limit value to determine whether the target amount is equal to or greater than the rank upper limit value (step S14). Specifically, the comparison unit 2005 compares the target amount calculated in the processing of step S11 with the upper limit value of the rank condition corresponding to the member rank in the rank setting table 213.

[0082] If the target amount is equal to or greater than the rank upper limit (Y in step S14), the receipt information output unit 2006 selects message pattern 1 from the message pattern setting table 214, outputs receipt information including a message related to the new member rank to the printer 25, and causes the printer 25 to print a receipt (step S15). Specifically, the receipt information output unit 2006 outputs receipt information including a message indicating that the customer has reached a higher member rank to the printer 25.

[0083] Once the receipt is issued, the transmitting and receiving unit 2001 transmits the transaction data to the server device 3 (step S16). At this time, the transmitting and receiving unit 2001 may also transmit the new member rank to the server device 3. Then, the control unit 20 ends the transaction process.

[0084] In the process of step 2, if the member ID is not entered (N in step S2), the control unit 20 proceeds to the process of step S6. If the member ID is not entered, the control unit 20 determines that the customer performing the transaction is not a member, skips the process related to registering member information, and waits until the product code is entered.

[0085] In the process of step S10, if member information is not registered (N in step S10), the receipt information output unit 2006 outputs receipt information that does not include a message related to member information to the printer 25 and causes the printer 25 to print a receipt (step S17). If member information is not registered, the receipt information output unit 2006 determines that the transaction is by a customer who is not a member, and outputs receipt information that does not include a message related to member information to the printer 25. The control unit 20 then proceeds to the process of step S16.

[0086] In the processing of step S12, if the member rank is A (N in step S12), the receipt information output unit 2006 selects message pattern 2 from the message pattern setting table 214, outputs receipt information including a message related to the target amount to the printer 25, and prints a receipt (step S18). Specifically, the receipt information output unit 2006 outputs receipt information including a message notifying the customer of the target amount to the printer 25. Then, the control unit 20 proceeds to the processing of step S16.

[0087] In the process of step S13, if the target amount is less than the threshold value (N in step S13), the control unit 20 proceeds to the process of step S18. If the target amount is less than the threshold value, the receipt information output unit 2006 selects message pattern 2 from the message pattern setting table 214, outputs receipt information including a message related to the target amount to the printer 25, and prints a receipt.

[0088] In the process of step S14, if the target amount is less than the rank upper limit (N in step S14), the receipt information output unit 2006 selects message pattern 3 from the message pattern setting table 214, outputs receipt information including a message regarding the purchase amount required to reach a higher membership rank to the printer 25, and causes the printer 25 to print a receipt (step S19). Specifically, the receipt information output unit 2006 outputs receipt information including a message notifying the customer of the purchase amount required to reach a higher membership rank to the printer 25. Then, the control unit 20 proceeds to the process of step S16.

[0089] By carrying out the above transaction process, the POS terminal 2 completes the payment of the purchase price by the customer, and can print a message to the member according to the purchase record of that month on the receipt.

[0090] Here, we will explain the receipt printed by the printer 25. Figure 12 shows an example of a receipt printed when message pattern 1 is selected. The receipt has a store information area A, a product information area B, a bonus information area C, and a message area W.

[0091] Store information area A is printed with information the store wishes to communicate, such as the store name, company name, and advertisements, the date of the transaction, the number of the cash register (POS terminal) that performed the transaction, and the name and employee number of the cashier. Product information area B is printed with the product name and quantity of the purchased item, the purchase price for each item, tax, total amount, and change. Benefit information area C is printed with information regarding points for the customer / member. Specifically, the amount of points eligible for points in this transaction, the number of points the member had up to the previous transaction, the number of points awarded in this transaction, and the total number of points accumulated by the member up to the previous transaction are printed.

[0092] Message area W is printed with the member number (member ID), a message explaining the products to which the reduced tax rate applies, the receipt number, the store number, etc. Also printed in message area W is a message WA that is determined according to the target amount of the customer member. Message WA is a message notifying that a member has reached a higher membership rank, and is printed with a message such as "Congratulations, △△ member. You are now an ○○ member." Here, for example, △△ member indicates a member with membership rank C, and ○○ member indicates a member with membership rank B, one rank higher.

[0093] The POS terminal 2 can notify the customer that their membership rank has been upgraded by printing and issuing a receipt with message pattern 1. In other words, the POS terminal 2 can make the customer aware that they will receive more benefits from the store in the future, which can increase the customer's motivation to make purchases.

[0094] Next, we will explain receipts with message pattern 2. Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of a receipt printed when message pattern 2 is selected. Note that parts that are similar to those in the receipt with message pattern 1 shown in Figure 12 are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again. The same applies to the receipts in Figures 14, 15, and 17.

[0095] A message area X is formed on the receipt. A message XA is printed in the message area X, which is determined based on the target amount for the customer member. Message XA notifies the target amount and may be printed with a message such as "Thank you, member XX. This month's purchase amount is XX yen."

[0096] The POS terminal 2 can print and issue a receipt with message pattern 2 to inform the customer of the target amount, which is the purchase amount for the current month.

[0097] Next, we will explain the receipt for message pattern 3. Figure 14 shows an example of a receipt that is printed when message pattern 3 is selected.

[0098] A message area Y is formed on the receipt. A message YA is printed in message area Y, which is determined based on the target amount for the customer member. Message YA notifies the customer of the amount of purchases required to reach a higher membership rank, and may include a message such as "Thank you, XX member. Purchase XX yen more by the end of the month to become an XX member."

[0099] By printing and issuing a receipt with message pattern 3, the POS terminal 2 can inform the customer of the purchase amount required to upgrade their membership rank. This encourages the customer to upgrade their membership rank and increases their willingness to purchase. Furthermore, if the purchase amount required to upgrade their membership rank is large, the target amount is notified, and when the required purchase amount decreases, the message is switched. This allows the customer to realize that they are getting closer to meeting the conditions for upgrading to a higher membership rank, which also increases their willingness to purchase.

[0100] Next, a receipt for a non-member customer will be described. Figure 15 shows an example of a receipt for a non-member customer.

[0101] A message area Z is formed on the receipt. No message determined based on the target amount of the customer member is printed in the message area Z. In addition, points and the like are not printed in each item of the benefit information area C.

[0102] (Variation) Next, a modified example will be described, in which a message indicating the contents of the benefits that the member can receive is printed on the receipt.

[0103] 16 is a flowchart showing the flow of transaction processing by the control unit 20 of the POS terminal 2 in the modified example. Note that steps similar to those in the transaction processing shown in FIG. 11 are given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted. The processing from step S1 to step S10 is the same as that in FIG. 11.

[0104] If member information is registered in the member information unit 2032 (Y in step S10), the receipt information output unit 2006 reads out from the rank setting table 213 the benefits corresponding to the member rank stored in the member information unit 2032, and outputs receipt information including the read benefits to the printer 25 to print a receipt (step S21). Specifically, the receipt information output unit 2006 outputs receipt information including a message indicating the point redemption rate corresponding to the member rank to the printer 25. The control unit 20 then proceeds to the processing of step S16.

[0105] If no member information is registered in the member information unit 2032 (N in step S10), the receipt information output unit 2006 outputs receipt information that does not include a message related to member information to the printer 25 to print a receipt (step S22). The receipt printed at this time is the receipt shown in Figure 15. The control unit 20 then proceeds to the processing of step S16.

[0106] The receipt printed in step S21 will now be described. Figure 17 shows an example of a receipt printed in step S21.

[0107] A message area D is formed on the receipt. A message DA is printed in the message area D to inform the customer / member of the benefits of their membership rank. The message DA is printed with a message such as "Thank you, member △△. The point redemption rate for member △△ is ○○" to inform the customer of the benefits of their membership rank.

[0108] The POS terminal 2 can inform the customer of the benefits that the customer can receive by printing and issuing a receipt showing the benefits of the customer's membership rank, thereby increasing the customer's motivation to purchase.

[0109] As described above, the POS terminal 2 of the embodiment comprises a transmitting / receiving unit 2001 that acquires information about the customer performing a transaction, such as a membership rank determined based on the purchase amount within a predetermined set period and the purchase amount within the set period before the transaction; an accounting processing unit 2004 that calculates the transaction amount for the transaction and performs processing related to settlement; and a receipt information output unit 2006 that outputs receipt information including the transaction amount calculated by the accounting processing unit 2004 and a message, and the receipt information output unit 2006 determines the message depending on whether the target amount obtained by adding the purchase amount within the set period and the calculated transaction amount is equal to or greater than a threshold set for the membership rank acquired by the transmitting / receiving unit 2001.

[0110] This allows the POS terminal 2 to make the customer realize that he or she is getting closer to meeting the conditions for upgrading to a higher membership rank, thereby increasing the customer's motivation to make purchases.

[0111] In addition, in the POS terminal 2 of the embodiment, the receipt information output unit 2006 outputs a message including the target amount if the target amount is less than a threshold, and outputs a message including the purchase amount required to achieve a higher membership rank if the target amount is equal to or greater than the threshold.

[0112] Thus, when the customer's purchase amount approaches the condition for upgrading to a higher member rank, the POS terminal 2 notifies the customer of the purchase amount required to upgrade to a higher member rank, thereby making it possible to increase the customer's motivation to purchase.

[0113] Furthermore, in the POS terminal 2 of the embodiment, if the target amount corresponds to a higher membership rank than the membership rank acquired by the transmitting / receiving unit 2001, the receipt information output unit 2006 outputs a message indicating that the customer who performed the transaction has achieved the higher membership rank.

[0114] This allows the POS terminal 2 to notify the customer that they have been promoted to a higher member rank by using the receipt issued for a normal transaction. This eliminates the need to separately notify customers of their member rank, making it easier to operate member services at the store.

[0115] In addition, the POS terminal 2 of the embodiment is equipped with a transmission / reception unit 2001 that acquires information about the customer performing the transaction, such as a membership rank determined according to the purchase amount within a predetermined set period, an accounting processing unit 2004 that calculates the transaction amount for the transaction and performs processing related to settlement, and a receipt information output unit 2006 that outputs receipt information including the transaction amount calculated by the accounting processing unit 2004 and a message indicating the contents of the benefits that can be obtained by a member with the membership rank acquired by the transmission / reception unit 2001.

[0116] This allows the POS terminal 2 to notify the customer of the member's benefits every time the customer makes a transaction, thereby making the customer aware of the benefits they can receive every time they make a transaction, thereby increasing the customer's motivation to purchase.

[0117] In the above embodiment, the control programs executed by the POS terminal 2 and the server device 3 may be provided by being recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM. Alternatively, the control programs executed by the above devices may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network, or may be provided via a network such as the Internet.

[0118] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 2. POS terminal (accounting device) 2001 Transmitting and receiving unit (acquiring unit) 2004 Accounting Department 2006 Receipt information output section [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0120] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-15378

Claims

1. an acquisition unit that acquires information about a customer who performs a transaction, including a membership rank determined according to a purchase amount within a predetermined set period and a purchase amount within the set period before the transaction; an accounting processing unit that executes processing related to calculation of transaction amounts and settlement in the transactions; a receipt information output unit that outputs receipt information including the transaction amount calculated by the accounting processing unit and a message; the receipt information output unit outputs a message including the target amount obtained by adding the purchase amount within the set period and the calculated transaction amount if the target amount is less than a threshold set for the member rank acquired by the acquisition unit, and outputs a message including the purchase amount required to achieve a higher member rank if the target amount is equal to or greater than the threshold; An accounting device characterized by:

2. If the target amount corresponds to a higher membership rank than the membership rank acquired by the acquisition unit, the receipt information output unit outputs a message indicating that the customer who performed the transaction has achieved the higher membership rank. The accounting device of claim 1 .

3. A program for controlling an accounting device by a computer, The computer an acquisition unit that acquires information about a customer who performs a transaction, including a membership rank determined according to a purchase amount within a predetermined set period and a purchase amount within the set period before the transaction; an accounting processing unit that executes processing related to calculation of transaction amounts and settlement in the transactions; a receipt information output unit that outputs receipt information including the transaction amount calculated by the accounting processing unit and a message; the receipt information output unit outputs a message including the target amount obtained by adding the purchase amount within the set period and the calculated transaction amount if the target amount is less than a threshold set for the member rank acquired by the acquisition unit, and outputs a message including the purchase amount required to achieve a higher member rank if the target amount is equal to or greater than the threshold; A program that makes it work.

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