Decision Coupon System for Dynamic Customer Preference Profiling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional coupon systems are underutilized as an information source for improving customer profiles, which limits their effectiveness in targeted advertising, as they do not effectively gather or update customer purchasing preferences.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize decision coupons to allow customers to select between promotional options, with their choices recorded to update their purchasing preference profiles, enabling targeted advertising based on their affinity for specific products or categories.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If traditional coupon systems are used, then customers can receive promotional offers, but customer purchasing preference profiles remain incomplete and ineffective for targeted advertising

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer purchasing preference informationVSAvoideffectiveness of targeted advertising

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by presenting customers with multiple promotional options and recording their selections. This feedback loop allows the system to learn customer preferences dynamically, updating their profiles based on actual choices made rather than relying on incomplete traditional coupon data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by proactively presenting decision coupons with multiple promotional options before customers make purchasing decisions. This allows preference data to be collected in advance, enabling more effective targeted advertising campaigns to be prepared and deployed sooner.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If decision coupons with multiple promotional options are presented to customers, then purchasing preference profiles are improved, but the complexity of the coupon system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer purchasing preference informationVSAvoidcoupon system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The decision coupon system serves multiple functions: it acts as both a promotional tool and a preference gathering mechanism. By combining these functions into a single unified system, the patent reduces overall complexity while improving information collection, as the same interface used for promotion also captures preference data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If customer profiles are enhanced with detailed purchasing preferences, then targeted advertising effectiveness improves, but customers may receive more unsolicited communications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of targeted advertisingVSAvoidunsolicited email and junk mail

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts advertising communications based on customer preferences gathered through decision coupon selections. Rather than sending static unsolicited communications, the system adapts its outreach to match actual customer interests, making communications more relevant and less likely to be perceived as junk mail.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10121168B2Customer purchasing preference profiles based on coupon choices

Publication Date: 2018.11.06 DOORDASH INC

AI summary

According to an aspect, a method for creating or improving customer preference profiles includes providing a decision coupon to a customer with two or more promotional options directed to related items selected to ascertain a purchasing preference associated with the related items through selection of one of the promotional options. A selection of one of the promotional options is received and an indication of the selected promotional option is stored in a purchasing preference profile for the customer. The indication of the selected option is used to update an affinity for a product or product category for the customer within the customer's purchasing preference profile.