Patent Application
20160063534
The present disclosure relates generally to a customer exercise reward method that utilizes a shopping cart, and more particularly to a customer reward based upon work done by a customer in pushing the shopping cart through a store.
On average, it is believed that store customers that choose to utilize a shopping cart tend to purchase more items from a store relative to other customers who choose a hand held basket or choose no carrying device at all. Rewarding customers is also believed to improve good will in relations between a customer and a store, and improved good will generally translates into higher sales. As an example, U.S. Patent Application Publication to 2002/0121547 teaches a method and system for detecting and rewarding customers for the use of a shopping cart in a hyper market. Although the strategy taught in the reference may promote the use of shopping carts, it does nothing to promote shopping activity, which includes moving through a store and examining a variety of items displayed and offered for sale throughout the store.
The present disclosure is directed toward an improved strategy for promoting sales by rewarding customers for shopping behavior.
In one aspect, a customer reward method includes measuring work done by a customer in pushing a shopping cart through a store. The shopping cart includes a framework supported by a first front swivel wheel, a second front swivel wheel, a first back wheel and a second back wheel. The framework is movable between a shopping configuration and a nested storage configuration. The framework defines a basket in the shopping configuration, and the basket is partially defined by a back wall and a pair of side walls that are separated by a width that narrows from the back wall toward a front wall of the basket. The back wall pivots from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation when the framework is changed from the shopping configuration to the nested storage configuration. The framework also includes a push handle. A customer reward is determined at a check out location that is proportional to the work done measurement. An amount due is determined from the customer to the store for items bought by the customer from item locations in the store to the check out location. At least a portion of the customer reward is redeemed by reducing the amount due.
In another aspect, a shopping cart includes a framework supported by a first front swivel wheel, a second front swivel wheel, a first back wheel and a second back wheel. The framework is movable between a shopping configuration and a nested storage configuration. The framework defines a basket in the shopping configuration, and the basket is partially defined by a back wall and a pair of side walls that are separated by a width that narrows from the back toward a front wall of the basket. The back wall pivots from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation when the framework is changed from the shopping configuration to the nested storage configuration. The framework includes a push handle. A measuring device is attached to the framework and coupled to at least one of the first back wheel and a second back wheel. The measuring device stores a work done measurement that increases responsive to movement of the shopping cart, and the measuring device includes a reset configured to initialize the work done measurement.
The present disclosure teaches a customer reward method and an example shopping cart that is equipped with features for carrying out the method. Broadly speaking, the method of customer reward includes measuring work done by a customer in pushing a shopping cart through a store, and then determining at a check out location in the store a customer reward that is proportional to the work done. At least a portion of the customer reward is redeemed by reducing an amount due for items brought by the customer from item locations in the store to the check out location. A variety of levels of sophistication can be brought to bear in order to practice the customer reward method of the present disclosure. For instance, the method could be accomplished with a shopping cart that included a simple electronic or mechanical device that counted the number of wheel rotations during the customer's shopping experience. In a more sophisticated version, which is described infra, the shopping cart is equipped with a measuring device that includes an electrical generator that generates electricity responsive to the customer pushing the shopping cart through the store.
Referring now to
Apart from the typical features of a shopping cart, shopping cart 21 includes a measuring device 33, which is attached thereto, and includes a watt meter 46 and an electrical generator 34 operably coupled to one or more of the wheels 23-26 of shopping cart 21. In the illustrated example, shopping cart 21 includes electrical generator 34 operably coupled to one of the back wheels 25, 26 and electrically connected to a circuit 38. Electrical energy generated by generator 34 in response to rotation of back wheel 25, 26 may pass through a voltage regulator 43, be measured by watt meter 46 and be supplied to power a display 37, which may be mounted on or adjacent push handle 32, and a storage battery 35. In order to balance the torque placed upon back wheel 25, 26 by generator 34, shopping cart 21 may include two generators with one each operably coupled to each of the respective back wheel 25, 26. An on/off switch 42 may be included, and possibly incorporated as part of display 37 so that measuring device 33 can be enabled or disabled. Measuring device 33 may also include an adjustment device 36 that is capable of changing an inertia of shopping cart 21. In this example, adjustment device 36 takes the form of a variable resistor 41 that is electrically connected to circuit 38. The adjustment device 36 can be moved between a low inertia configuration 54 and a high inertia configuration 55. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the work done measurement is produced by pushing the shopping cart 21 through the store. For practical purposes, the generator 34 becomes more difficult to rotate at the high inertia configuration than at the low inertia configuration 54. Thus, the inertia of shopping cart 21 increases responsive to the adjustment device 36 being moved from the low inertia configuration to the high inertia configuration. A customer who chooses a high the high inertia configuration 55 could expect to perform more work in pushing shopping cart 21 through the store, and thus accumulate a larger customer reward than an identical shopping experience with a shopping cart 21 set at the low inertia configuration 54. In the illustrated embodiment, output from generator 34 may be monitored by a watt meter 46 that is configured to determine an amount of work done by integrating the output of the generator 34 over time. This information can be then communicated to display 37 after application of appropriate conversion factors to provide the customer with up-to-date information with regard to their accumulated customer reward and associated data regarding such things as calories burned, and distance walked, among other things. Watt meter 46 is electrically connected to circuit 38. Readers will appreciate that programming necessary to carry out these functions is well within the realm of routine skill in the art, and need not be taught here. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that measuring device 33 may include watt meter in a more sophisticated version of the disclosure. However, a simple mechanical counting device that simply counted the number of rotations of a wheel 23-26 of shopping cart 21 and provided a visual indication of the number of rotations would also fall within the intended scope of the present disclosure, representing a less sophisticated measuring device 33 according to the present disclosure. In any event, measuring the work done by the customer may be performed responsive to rotation of at least one support wheel 23-26 of shopping cart 21. Depending upon the desired level of sophistication, display 37 can provide real time information regarding the amount of work done thus far in the customer shopping experience might also display exercise related information such as a power level or rate at which work is being measured by measuring device 33. Also, the display 37 may include customer reward information and any suitable information related to the task of measuring the amount of work done and providing information useful to the customer regarding the customer reward. In addition, the display 37 may be equipped with other features such as a port for charging mobile phones and other devices during shopping, a pedometer to show the number of steps a customer took during shopping, an odometer that might show speed and total distance traveled by the customer while shopping. In addition and although not necessary, display 37 might also power an entertainment screen for children while shopping or a screen to show product commercials and items to the customer during the shopping experience.
Shopping cart 21 may also be equipped with an energy discharger 39 that is attached to framework 22 and electrically coupled to battery 35. The energy discharger 39 may include a pair of electrical terminals 40 that allow extraction of accumulated electrical energy stored in battery 35 to be offloaded by the store to perform some purpose, such as power some part of the store or another device. Although not necessary, shopping cart 21 may also be equipped with a checkout scanner 44 that provides a means of wirelessly communicating the work done measurement information from shopping cart 21 to a checkout computer when shopping cart 21 passes through a checkout location 13 in the store. For instance, watt meter 46 may be equipped with a short range radio frequency transmitter that broadcasts work done information to a receiver at the checkout location 13 so that the store may then determine the customer reward proportional to the work done. As used in this disclosure, the word “proportional” need not necessarily mean a linear relationship. Instead, proportional merely means that more work done corresponds to a larger customer reward. In less sophisticated versions of the invention, the checkout operator may utilize some other means, including simple visual observation, in order to obtain the work done measurement for that shopping experience and enter that information manually into the store computer and checkout system.
The features relating to measuring device 33 may be added to an existing shopping cart by installing one or more voltage generators 34 to the shopping cart 21, and coupling the generator(s) 34 with one or more of the wheels 23-26 of shopping cart 21. The drive ratio of the generator 34 to wheel 23-26 might be arranged such that an average walking speed will produce a nominal battery voltage. The generator(s) 34 is preferably mounted in a way to equally spread the load on the wheels 25, 26, so that the shopping cart 21 could be pushed straight without any side loads caused by measuring device 33. Apart from the embodiment illustrated, this could be achieved by installing a separate generator on every wheel, or only to the front wheels 23, 24, or only to the rear wheels 25, 26, as shown. Also, it is possible that a differential mechanism could be used if generators are not attached to every wheel.
Although not necessary, one or more batteries 35 may be attached to shopping cart 21 for storing electrical energy. The voltage regulator 43 may be utilized between generator 34 and battery 35 in order to prevent battery 35 from being overcharged. The on/off switch 42 and adjustment device 36 may be electrically connected to circuit 38 so that the customer can easily activate measuring device 33 and/or to change resistance of the charging and work done measuring feature.
The present disclosure finds potential applicability to any store where customers have a choice of using a shopping cart to collect their items for purchase during a shopping experience through the store. The present disclosure finds specific application to stores that could benefit by incentivizing customers to use a shopping cart during the customer's visit to the store. The present disclosure finds additional applicability in improving customer goodwill to a store, and hence business with the store, by rewarding customers for exercising through pushing a shopping cart through the store during their shopping experience.
Referring now in addition to
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that when the customer 20 walks into store 10 and takes one of the shopping carts 21 to shop, the first thing he or she will do will decide if they desire to be rewarded for their exercise in pushing the shopping cart through the store. If not, they have the option of turning the main on/off switch 42 to off and use shopping cart 21 as a regular cart. On the other hand, if they turn on/off switch 41 to on, they may then set the inertia to appropriate level with adjustment device 36. Of course, the lower the setting the easier it will be to push shopping cart 21, and also the shopping cart 21 will save less energy which will mean a smaller customer reward at the end of the shopping experience. While pushing shopping cart 21, display 37 may show information about calories burned, the rate at which the battery 35 is charging, the rate and total reward in dollars/points, the total distance traveled, etc. At the end of the shopping experience, the customer 20 will come to the checkout location 13 and pay for their items. Although not necessary, shopping cart 21 may be equipped with some suitable device, such as a weighing machine, to adjust the work done measurement by the mass of the items carried in the basket 27 of shopping cart 21. In any event, the customer may either redeem the saved customer reward or have the customer reward credited toward the current purchases or saved for future use in dollars or points.
It should be understood that the above description is intended for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other aspects of the disclosure can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.
