165 results about "E loyalty" patented technology

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for transforming product code snapshots into real-time, offer-driven electronic purchase transaction notifications that minimize fraud. In one embodiment, a smart phone scans a product identifier from a product package, a server accesses a products database for product purchase offers associated with the product identifier, a user authorizes a credit card from his or her wallet to charge, and then product purchase offers or other credit card offers (for loyalty points or otherwise) are provided to the user mobile device. After a user has purchased an item while in the aisle of the store, the user's smart phone displays a barcoded electronic receipt that can be scanned by the exit so that the consumer can walk out with the produce. In some embodiments, a video chat is requested by a customer service representative and a transaction risk score is lowered based on acceptance of the video chat.

A loyalty reward point system that utilizes the pre-existing infrastructure of network such as a credit card network. A user makes a purchase at a merchant using a token such as a credit card. As part of the purchase transaction, the user is awarded reward points from the merchant based on the purchase, which are stored in an account associated with the merchant and the user by the acquiring bank. The reward account is maintained on the acquiring bank server on behalf of the merchant and the user, and the number of reward points in the user's account for that merchant is increased accordingly. The user may redeem the reward points earned from the transaction with the merchant at a later time, or may redeem the points with another merchant in the same marketing cluster, or may aggregate those reward points with those of other merchants into a reward point exchange account, and then redeem the aggregated reward points for goods or services from any approved merchant on the network, depending on the configuration of the system.

Systems and methods for tracking, differentiating and awarding loyalty credits to patrons of a gaming establishment are disclosed. Tracking can be facilitated by and loyalty credits can be stored on patron issued loyalty credit instruments such as printed tickets, magnetic-striped cards, room keys, portable wireless devices and smart cards. Loyalty credits can be awarded for and combined with other loyalty credits awarded for gaming activities involving wagers, game play, and possible monetary awards, as well as purchasing activities involving the procurement of food, lodging, entertainment, transportation, merchandise or services. Theoretical all expenditures profiles can be established for patrons based upon the gaming activities and purchasing activities of the patrons. Customized comps can be awarded on the initiative of the gaming establishment and without any specific request from a patron. Such comps can be based on tracked information on gaming activities and purchasing activities of the patrons.

A disclosed a gaming machine includes an input mechanism with a non-physical contact data interface. The non-physical contact data interface may be capable of reading loyalty program data from a loyalty program instrument without contact between the loyalty program instrument and the non-physical contact data interface. The input mechanism with the non-physical contact data interface may be one of a bill validator, a bar-code reader and a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag reader. The loyalty program instrument may be a substrate including at least one of a 1-D bar-code printed on the substrate, a 2-D bar-code printed on the substrate, a symbol printed on the substrate, alpha-numeric character printed on the substrate, a RFID tag embedded in the substrate, a RFID tag printed on the substrate and combinations thereof. The loyalty program instrument may be used to store an index to a record in a database or a portable data file.

A system and methods to mutually satisfy a consumer with a discount and a vendor with a minimum number of sales by establishing a tipping point associated with an offer for a good or service. If the tipping point is met, the sale of the good or service is executed and the consumer is charged and receives an indication of the discounted sale, such as a certificate. If the tipping point is not met, the discount offer is abandoned and the consumer is not charged. Once the tipping point is established, the vendor receives a payment, even before the consumer uses the certificate. The system and methods also include a reward or loyalty program, an exchange or secondary market for the purchased deals, and a matching algorithm that matches customers to relevant goods or services.

Certain exemplary embodiments described herein relate to digital downloading jukebox systems of the type that typically include a central server and remote jukebox devices that communicate with the central server for royalty accounting and/or content updates. More particularly, certain exemplary embodiments relate to jukebox systems that have revenue-enhancing features such as for example, music recommendation engines and bartender loyalty programs. Such innovative techniques help to both increase per jukebox revenue as well as keep jukebox patrons engaged with the jukebox.

The present invention provides a Mobile Loyalty and Community Service (MLCS) for decreasing customer churn and increasing customer spend. In an embodiment, the MLCS provides an event driven platform based around sticky accounts. The MLCS issues tokens, currencies, loyalty points and other value assets to customers based on definable user activities (e.g., purchases, forwarding promotional messages to friends, etc.), and stores these assets into customer accounts. Each of these accounts is made sticky by associating it with the mobile carrier and the customer's phone number. The MLCS provides prize catalogs where customers can redeem points in their accounts for valuable prizes (e.g., free voice minutes, ringtones, etc.). The MLCS also provides downloadable games, e.g., pay-per-play games. To motive customers to play these games, and thus increase customer spend, the MLCS issues points to customer based on in-game events (e.g., game score, level reached within a game, etc.).

Provided are business methods pertaining to a clearinghouse or brokerage that converts loyalty points to a currency (known or invented, real or virtual) in order to reduce the loyalty points liability of a corporation.

The platform supports a wide variety of merchants who are interested in a loyalty and/or value card products. The platform is an integrated set of software packages and tools that allows merchants to develop and offer loyalty award and payment products. The platform consists of a series of sub-systems that form the operating environment for the loyalty and payment products, collectively called common systems herein. These systems work together to customize and orchestrate product functionality. The platform processes real-time messages from devices, such as point-of-sale and CRIND/ICR/ICR (gas pump) devices, that are modified to work with the platform. The platform responds to the messages from the devices with a range of actions from approval of the pending purchase to addition of loyalty points into an account. In the case of the system-based service, messages are formatted according to defined standards so that they can be received by the platform. Other devices currently supported by the platform include Kiosk, IVR, API, and Web. New modules may be added to the platform that allow it to accept translations in any data format.

The invention includes facilitating the substantially real-time transfer of loyalty points between accounts. The method and system include receiving a transfer request (e.g., consumer request, triggering event, etc) for a transfer of a certain number of loyalty points, accessing and analyzing the total number of loyalty points in the transferor account to determine if a sufficient number of points exist, analyzing the type/level of consumer and type/level of points to be involved in the transfer, deducting the requested loyalty points from the transferor account, determining if any rules exist for restricting or limiting the transfer of points, using a conversion engine to convert the point value to an appropriate point value in the transferee account and increasing the point balance in the transferee account.

A media targeting system may be configured to coordinate media and manage media conflicts in its delivery to consumers. The media targeting system may in near real-time arbitrate between all offers assigned to a particular consumer or available to the consumer via one or more channels to ensure that a consumer only receives non-conflicting offers during particular time periods. The media targeting system may translate offers into a real-time, in-store loyalty environment including consumer real-time behavior assignment into traits in order to make a real-time offer assignment based on the traits. An application on a mobile device of a consumer may allow the consumer to share offers with other consumers via a bump of the consumers' mobile devices.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for encouraging one or more viewers to engage with a broadcast of a live sporting event, and more specifically to a system and method for rewarding people for watching and interacting with live broadcast sporting events to promote loyalty to or improve recognition of sporting events, while collecting useful data about sports consumption habits as well as the rewards consumption patterns associated with those consumers.

A loyalty suite business method is described for building profitable customer relationships. The method is based on a combination of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Business Intelligence (BI) and Customer Value Management (CVM). The structure of the method is based on an engagement model, followed by phases, activities, tasks, work products and technique papers. The Loyalty Suite approach takes a customer-centered view and integrates CRM operational processes, customer collaboration touchpoints and CRM analytical processes. This results in identification of factors which engender loyalty from a customer perspective. This then determines the enablers and capabilities needed by a client enterprise seeking to deliver customer value.

A method, system and computer program for enabling a loyalty program to be linked to one or more card issuers, and thereby their cardholders is provided. A loyalty system is provided that is operable to enable the creation, implementation and management of one or more loyalty programs that provide benefits to members of the loyalty programs in connection with transactions between the members and one or more merchants associated with the loyalty system. The method includes registering on the loyalty system one or more card issuers; the operator of the loyalty system, the one or more card issuers, and the merchants establishing the rules for accrual and processing of benefits from the merchants to cardholders associated with the one or more card issuers in connection with transactions between the cardholders and the merchants with the loyalty system; registering on the loyalty system one or more merchant acquirers associated with the one or more card issuers; registering a plurality of the cardholders as members of the loyalty program; and applying the rules to accrue and process the benefits of cardholders in connection with the transactions between the cardholders and the merchants, by operation of the loyalty system. The invention provides a method for increasing transactions within a loyalty system, as well as a method for card issuers and merchants to share the risk and costs associated with directing loyalty programs to cardholders. The method also involves connecting the loyalty system to systems associated with the card issuers and one or more associated merchant acquirers. On this basis, the method enables merchants to direct the loyalty programs or aspects thereof to specific cardholders based on BIN ranges, and based on geographic and/or time based parameters. A system and computer program for implementing the method of the invention is also provided.

A blockchain-based multi-merchant loyalty point partnership system may include a blockchain API host that receives a request to create a partnership smart contract for a multi-merchant loyalty point partnership. The request may specify various partnership parameters to include in the partnership smart contract. The blockchain API host may create the partnership smart contract and write the partnership smart contract to a blockchain. One or more qualified merchants may join the partnership smart contract to make the partnership active. In response to a customer completing a plurality of purchases that complete the partnership parameters of the partnership smart contract, the system may issue the customer a purchase reward which may include a loyalty point payout.

The system and method of this invention increases customer contact and affinity with a business through services and information provided via a data storage device. In one exemplary embodiment a retail business provides a targeted customer with a pocket flash drive unit customized with the business's logo on the outside and information specifically chosen for the customer in the device memory. The customer is encouraged to regularly patronize the business to obtain further information of value onto the flash drive.

The invention is a method and apparatus for storing and communicating information between a customer and proprietor, enabling the proprietor to build a database of customer information and enabling the customer to build a database of information from businesses participating in the system of the invention. Customers provide information only to those proprietors they choose and automatically receive business contact information and other important information (including but not limited to store hours, special deals). Examples of the customer information to be stored by the business are contact information such as address and telephone information, shopping habits, amounts purchased, photographs, demographic data, date of initiation into the customer loyalty program, and the like. The invention enables the proprietor to analyze customer habits and communicate special offers or customer rewards to specific classes of customers. The customer utilizes a handheld personal information device to store personal information such as name, address, telephone number, email address, and other customer information. The personal information unit transmits said personal information to, and may receives information from, an information exchange unit upon entry of the customer onto the proprietor's business premises. Customer personal information and shopping metrics are recorded in a relational database. The business proprietor establishes reward criteria specific to his business and utilizes the system of the invention to analyze customer shopping habits, demographic information, and geographic information; and the system of the invention is furthermore used to reward customer loyalty.