Merchants have distributed coupons and advertising materials to consumers for many years. One known method of distributing coupons is to include printed coupons within advertisement flyers that are mailed to consumers as part of a newspaper or other publication. Mass mailing methods, however, have significant shortcomings including the requirement that consumers know about or actually read printed coupons, take the time to clip printed coupons, organize printed coupons, don't lose the coupons that were collected or clipped, and have printed coupons when they are shopping. Further, even if printed coupons are redeemed, they may be redeemed on a one-time or random basis, and merchants have no ability or only very limited abilities to maintain or re-establish connections with consumers to encourage repeat purchases by consumers. Moreover, redemption rates of printed coupons are very low, e.g., on the order of 1% according to some estimates. These substantial shortcomings, very low redemption rates, consumer inconvenience and printing, mailing and distribution costs have driven merchants to offer electronic coupons that may be transmitted in an electronic mail message or text or Short Message Service (SMS) message to a consumer's mobile communication device. It is estimated that redemption rates of electronic or mobile coupons is 5-20%, substantially higher than printed coupons.
In certain known mobile coupon systems, consumers are required to register with a merchant by providing personal and/or contact information such as name, electronic mail address or cellular telephone or SMS information, which is used by the merchant to send electronic or mobile coupons to the consumer, e.g., to a cellular telephone or Smartphone such as an IPHONE, IPOD TOUCH, ANDROID, BLACKBERRY. For example, shoppers wanting to receive coupons from TARGET register at TARGET's on-line or mobile websites or by sending a text message to a designated TARGET number. Once registered, TARGET shoppers receive mobile offers or coupons only from TARGET in the form of text messages sent to their mobile communication device. A mobile coupon displayed on a screen of the mobile communication device may be redeemed to receive a discount or other benefit by entering mobile coupon data or scanning the mobile coupon at a TARGET store.
While these types of systems somewhat improve upon coupon distribution by targeting interested consumers who register with a merchant, such systems are limited in that they are merchant specific. Further, they require consumers to disclose personal and sensitive contact information, which many consumers would rather not disclose in view of risks of identity theft, fraud and spam. Additionally, if consumers want to receive offers from multiple merchants, they must register with multiple merchants such that their information is in multiple merchant systems, thus compounding these concerns and risks.
Other known systems involve a website hosted by a server that aggregates mobile coupons from various merchants. Customers can review the mobile coupons using a browser on their mobile communication devices. For example, mobilecoupon.com provides a website that provides access to mobile coupons of multiple merchants. Mobilecoupon.com and YOWZA!! also provide a mobile application that can be downloaded to a mobile communication device to search for and view mobile coupons of merchants. During use of such systems, the consumer can enter search criteria such as a zip code or the consumer's location is determined such that mobile coupons of merchants within the consumer's area are displayed. A displayed mobile coupon can be scanned or data of the displayed coupon can be entered at checkout of a merchant store to redeem the coupon and receive a discount or benefit.
While mobile coupon systems provide consumers with the ability to search for various coupons from various merchants, they may nevertheless require consumers to disclose personal and sensitive contact information to merchants. Further, since consumers have access to many electronic advertisements from various merchants and may view many coupons from many merchants at a given time, it can be difficult for merchants to capitalize on the few seconds during which a consumer views a mobile coupon and has an interest in a merchant and to maintain or re-establish connections with consumers who utilize mobile coupons.
For example, after a transaction involving a mobile coupon redeemed by a consumer at a merchant store, the merchant does not have a connection with the consumer who may make subsequent purchases from the same or other merchants. Subsequent consumer purchase decisions may depend in part upon availability of mobile coupons for subsequent purchases. While mobile coupons enhance consumer convenience and merchant exposure, as electronic advertisements become even more popular, consumers may be driven to consider merchants and make purchases based in part upon mobile coupon availability rather than merchant loyalty. This further complicates abilities of merchants to establish and maintain connections with consumers.
One embodiment is directed to a computer-implemented method for distributing electronic advertisements such as a mobile coupon or sales announcement. The method comprises receiving a request of a consumer or user to receive additional electronic advertisements from a particular or selected merchant who promotes a current electronic advertisement displayed on a screen of a mobile communication device. The request is generated by the user executing a mobile application or other program on or with the mobile communication device. Additional electronic advertisements of the particular merchant are determined and transmitted to the mobile communication device in response to the request.
A further embodiment is directed to a computer-implemented method for distributing electronic advertisements and comprises receiving a request to receive additional electronic advertisements from a merchant promoting a current electronic advertisement displayed on a screen of a mobile communication device. The request is transmitted from the mobile communication device through a first network and received at a first computer configured to process the request. The first computer is also in communication with a second computer of the merchant through a second network. The method further comprises determining, identifying or requesting additional electronic advertisements of the merchant with the first computer and transmitting additional electronic advertisements to the mobile communication device in response to the request without requiring the user to register with the merchant.
Yet another embodiment is directed to a computer-implemented method for distributing advertisements and comprises receiving a request to receive additional advertisements from a merchant promoting a current electronic advertisement displayed on a screen of a mobile communication device. The request is transmitted from the mobile communication device through a first network and received at a first computer configured to process the request. The first computer is also in communication with a second computer of the merchant through a second network. The method further comprises determining additional advertisements of the merchant with the first computer and sending the determined additional advertisements to the user in response to the request without requiring the user to register with the merchant.
In accordance with another embodiment is a method for requesting electronic advertisements using a mobile communication device. The method comprises viewing an electronic advertisement of a merchant displayed within a screen of the mobile communication device and executing a program such as a native application on the mobile communication device to generate a request to receive additional electronic advertisements from the merchant. The program transmits the request from the mobile communication device through a first network to a computer configured to process the request such that the user receives additional electronic advertisements without having to register with a merchant and provide personal or sensitive information to the merchant.
A further embodiment is directed to methods for distributing electronic advertisements and involves an intermediate computer that is in communication between a mobile communication device and a computer comprising requested electronic advertisements of a selected merchant. In such embodiments, a request for electronic advertisements of the selected merchant is received from the intermediate computer at the second computer of the selected merchant. The selected merchant was selected based at least in part upon a user request generated using a mobile communication device. The request was generated while an electronic advertisement of the selected merchant was displayed on a screen of the mobile communication device, and a program, such as a native application on the mobile communication device, was executed to allow the user to opt in to receiving additional electronic advertisements from that merchant. The method further comprises transmitting additional electronic advertisements from the second computer to the intermediate computer in response to the request.
Thus, with certain embodiments, electronic advertisements, are provided to the user (directly from a merchant or indirectly through the first, intermediate computer), and while the merchant is providing the advertisements to an interested user, the merchant may or may not know the name or contact information of the user depending on, for example, whether the merchant distributes the additional electronic advertisements directly or indirectly to the user.
Other embodiments are directed to systems and computer program products for requesting and/or distributing electronic advertisements. One system embodiment comprises a mobile communication device, a computer in communication with the mobile communication device and a program, such as a native application, executable by the mobile communication device. According to certain embodiments, the mobile communication device is configured to display a current electronic advertisement of a merchant on a screen of the mobile communication device. The program can be launched by the user such that when executed, the program generates a request for additional electronic advertisements of the merchant. The computer is configured to receive the request from the mobile communication device, determine, identify or request additional electronic advertisements of the merchant such that the additional electronic advertisements can be transmitted to the mobile communication device in response to the request. In certain embodiments, systems are operable to generate requests, search for or determine requested additional electronic advertisements, and transmit additional electronic advertisements without requiring the user to disclose personal or sensitive information such as name, address and contact information to the selected merchant.
Another embodiment is directed to a system for distributing electronic advertisements and comprises a mobile communication device, a program such as a native application that is executable by the mobile communication device, a first computer in communication with the mobile communication device through a first network and with a second computer of a merchant through a second network. Electronic advertisements of the merchant at the second computer can be received at or accessed by the first, intermediate computer. The mobile communication device is configured to display a current electronic advertisement of a merchant to a user of the mobile communication device. The program or application is executable to generate a request for additional electronic advertisements of the merchant, and the first, intermediate computer is configured to receive the request and determine which, if any, additional electronic advertisements of the same merchant are available for distribution. Any additional electronic advertisements can be transmitted to the mobile communication device in response to the request while the user is not required to register with the merchant.
Yet another embodiment is directed to a system for distributing advertisements and comprises a mobile communication device, a program or application executable by the mobile communication device, a first, intermediate computer in communication with the mobile communication device and a second computer of a merchant. The first, intermediate computer is configured to receive or access electronic advertisements of the second computer. The mobile communication device can be utilized by the user to display a current electronic advertisement on a screen of the mobile communication device. A program, such as an application downloaded to the mobile communication device, is configured to generate a request for additional advertisements of the merchant, and transmit the request. The first, intermediate computer is configured to receive the request and determine additional advertisements of the merchant such that the determined additional advertisements are sent to the user in response to the request without requiring the user to register with the merchant.
A further embodiment is directed to a system for requesting electronic advertisements and comprises a mobile communication device and a program such as an application downloaded to the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device is operable by a user to view an electronic advertisement of a merchant on a screen of the mobile communication device. The user may launch the program, which is executable by a processing element of the mobile communication device. The program is configured or operable to generate a request to receive additional electronic advertisements of the merchant and transmit the request from the mobile communication device through a first network to a computer configured to process the request.
Further embodiments are directed to computer programs or computer program products such as a mobile application, which may be downloaded to and/or accessed by the mobile communication device. When executed by a processing element of the mobile communication device, one or more instructions of the application cause the processing element to perform a process for requesting electronic advertisements. According to one embodiment the process comprises generating a request for additional electronic advertisements of a merchant promoting a current electronic advertisement displayed on a screen of the mobile communication device, and transmitting the request from the mobile communication device through a first network to a computer configured to process the request.
In a single or multiple embodiments, the current electronic advertisement that is viewed by a consumer when the request for other advertisements is generated is an electronic coupon that can be redeemed by user or a sales advertisement of the merchant.
In a single or multiple embodiments, the program or application is executed to display a visual input element, which may be selected, e.g., by a single click of the visual input element, e.g. by a single finger or stylus tap by the user, to generate the request.
In a single or multiple embodiments, additional electronic advertisements of the merchant are stored in a database of the intermediate or host computer or in a database of the second computer and accessible by the intermediate computer. Further, determined additional electronic advertisements can be transmitted indirectly from the second computer to the mobile communication device through the first computer without providing contact information of the user to the merchant, e.g., in cases in which the user does not want to register with the merchant or disclose personal or sensitive information to the merchant such that a trusted host of the intermediate computer can receive electronic advertisements from a merchant and forward them to the requesting user while the user remains anonymous with respect to the providing merchant. In another embodiments, the merchant is provide with contact information of the user such that the additional electronic advertisements can be transmitted directly from the second computer of the merchant (or another source hosting merchant advertisements) to the mobile communication device using the user's contact information.
With embodiments, interested consumers are anonymized to merchants, merchants can push offers or messages out to consumers via a single medium or combination of mediums such as SMS, e-mail, in-application, etc. Merchants are also able to segment the population of their consumers such that specific messages can be pushed to specific groups (e.g., by sending a certain message or coupon to a particular area, neighborhood or zip code). Further, merchants can receive metrics, results and analytics of the performance of their mobile coupon campaigns (e.g., how many consumers received the offer, clicked the offer, the general are where consumers are located, etc.). Merchants can also provide their own customer lists to a host of the managing or intermediate computer such that mobile coupons are sent to the anonymous consumers and those consumed identified in the list provided by merchants. These benefits are realized without requiring the user to register with the merchant such that the consumers are not required to provide sensitive or personal information such as name, address, home phone number, cellular telephone number, etc. to merchants.
The foregoing and other aspects of embodiments are described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Certain embodiments relate to systems, methods and computer program products such as downloadable mobile applications utilized to request electronic advertisements on behalf of consumers and/or distribute electronic advertisements to consumers. With embodiments, a consumer utilizes a mobile communication device to view an electronic advertisement such as a coupon or sales announcement of a particular merchant and opt in to receive additional electronic advertisements from that merchant. Additional electronic advertisements of the merchant are transmitted to the mobile communication device in response to the request without requiring the consumer to register with the merchant or disclose personal or contact information to the merchant. Thus, embodiments are mutually beneficial to consumers and merchants since consumers are able to receive electronic advertisements that are of interest to the consumer and merchants increase their electronic coupon distribution to interested consumers. These mutual benefits are achieved while allowing consumers to retain their anonymity with respect to merchants by not registering with merchants or providing personal information to merchants.
Referring to
An electronic advertisement 132 is defined herein as including an electronic or mobile coupon and an electronic sales advertisement. For ease of explanation, reference is made generally to an electronic coupon 132, but embodiments may be utilized to allow consumers 115 to request to receive various types of electronic advertising materials.
Mobile communication device 110 is defined to include cellular telephones, Smartphones such as an IPHONE, IPOD TOUCH, ANDROID, BLACKBERRY and other mobile communication devices 110 such as a laptop computer, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a computing tablet such as an IPAD and other mobile communication device 110 capable of wireless or cellular communications with intermediate computer 120 and displaying an electronic coupon 132(dis). For ease of explanation, reference is made generally to mobile communication device 110.
In certain embodiments, intermediate computer 120 may store electronic coupons 132 of various merchants 135 or access, retrieve or receive electronic coupons 132 stored at merchant computer 130 as shown in
Computer 130 may, in certain embodiments, be a computer of merchant 135. In other embodiments, computer 130 may be a computer of a source, aggregator or distributor of electronic coupons 132 such as mobilecoupons.com.
Examples of networks 140a,b (generally network 140) and other networks 140 discussed herein for communications between system components include but are not limited to a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), a wireless network, other suitable networks 140 capable of transmitting data, and a combination of such networks 140. For ease of explanation, reference is made to a network 140 generally, but it should be understood that various networks 140, combinations of networks 140 and communication systems, methods and protocols may be utilized.
Referring to
Thus, consumers 115 benefit from embodiments by having control over electronic coupons 132 and express their merchant 135 preferences through their mobile communication device 110 rather than being mailed or spammed with offers that are of no interest. Merchant 135(s) benefits from embodiments by being able to capture consumer 115 interest in selected merchant 135(s) while consumer 115 is utilizing mobile communication device 110. This interest is captured as a result of a consumer-initiated link or connection between consumer 115 and selected merchant 135(s) that did not previously exist.
Embodiments thus provide a mutually beneficial consumer-merchant relationship even during the potentially very short period of time, e.g., a few seconds, during which consumer 115 views displayed electronic coupon 132(dis) of merchant 135(s). More particularly, embodiments are able to capture consumer 115 interest during a stage of consumer interaction with displayed electronic coupon 132(dis) at which no such capabilities previously existed in order to establish, enhance, and maintain connections with interested and actual consumers 115, even before consumers 115 visit or make a purchase from selected merchant 135(s). Further, with certain embodiments, consumers 115 are not required to register or provide personal information to merchants 135 and instead a trusted intermediate host 125 can serve as an intermediary or conduit between consumer 115 and merchant 135 to protect personal and sensitive information that consumer 115 would rather not disclose to merchant 135. Various embodiments and aspects thereof are described in further detail with reference to
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In the embodiment illustrated in
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With further reference to
Electronic coupon 132(dis) that is displayed may be accessed or downloaded by consumer 115 from various known sources. For example, consumer 115 may have downloaded an electronic coupon application to mobile communication device 110 to search for mobile coupons, the result of which was the displayed electronic coupon 132. As another example, consumer 115 may have downloaded a location-based service application such as FOURSAWARE or GOWALLA and is presented with a relevant electronic coupon for the merchant 135 into which consumer 115 has checked-in electronically. As a further example, consumer 115 may utilize a news application and see a banner ad and clicks on the ad to display electronic coupon 132(dis). It will be understood that consumer 115 may download or access and view electronic coupon 132(dis) using various known sources, systems and methods, and that the above examples of systems and methods are provided as non-limiting examples of how electronic coupon 132(dis) may be displayed on mobile communication device 110.
Referring again to
According to one embodiment, opt-in application 114 executes in the background on mobile communication device 110 such that when electronic coupon 132(dis) is detected by opt-in application 114, at 510, a visual data input element 610 (e.g., in the form of an icon 610a representing application 114 as shown in
At 512, consumer 115 selects or clicks on data input element 610, resulting in generation of a request 116 to opt in to receive additional or other electronic coupons 132(o) from merchant 135(s) at 514. According to one embodiment, request 116 is generated in response to a single click of data input element 610a or 610b by consumer 115
According to another embodiment, with continuing reference to FIGS. 5 and 6A-B, opt-in application 114 does not execute in the background such that when consumer 115 decides to generate a request 116 to receive additional or other electronic coupons 132(o) from the same merchant 135(s), at 506, consumer 115 launches opt-in application 114 by selecting or clicking on icon 610a (e.g., as shown in
Referring again to
At 518-520, engine 324 of intermediate computer 120 receives request 116, reads data of request 116, determines information about consumer 115 who sent request 116, e.g., identity and contact information of consumer 115, and determines the identity of merchant 135(s) promoting electronic coupon 132(dis) that is the subject of request 116.
For these purposes, engine 324 may, for example, read data of the identity of merchant 135(s) (e.g., by reading merchant ID field, tag, metadata or other merchant identification data element 604 of electronic coupon 132(dis)) and the identity of consumer 115 (e.g., name, phone number, phone ID, e-mail address and/or other identifying or contact information) from request 116 if application 114 is so configured. Consumer identification data may be determined from data provided to host 125 when consumer 115 registered with host and by searching database 322. Further, such information may be retrieved from other computers (not shown) of other members of an electronic coupon network that provide electronic coupons 132 to intermediate computer 120 and with whom consumer 115 has already registered. Thus, in the even that engine 324 cannot determine consumer 115 identification data based on available resources, engine 324 may request other identification data from other sources.
At 522, having identified consumer 115 and merchant 135(s), engine 324 updates opt-in database 322 to reflect request 116, and that consumer 115 has opted in to receive additional or other electronic coupons 132(o) from selected merchant 135(s).
For example, referring to
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While embodiments are described above with respect to a particular consumer and merchant, embodiments may involve multiple consumers and/or multiple merchants. For example, in one embodiment, referring to
Embodiments may also be adapted to be location-based such that additional or other electronic coupons 132 from a selected merchant 135(s) provided to consumer 115 in response to an opt-in request 116 can be updated depending on the location of consumer 115. Thus, as consumer 115 moves to different locations, additional or other electronic coupons 132 of merchants 135 at respective different locations are displayed to consumer 115 such that as consumer 115 moves, electronic coupons 132 of selected merchants 135(s) that were the subject of prior opt-in requests 116 are displayed to consumer 115 at respective locations so that consumer does not have to browse through various other electronic coupons that are not desired and instead may view electronic coupons 132(o) of previously selected or approved merchants 135(s) at respective locations. For this purpose, application 114 may be configured to monitor location or GPS data of mobile communication device 110 such that when application 114 determines that consumer 115 is at a different location, application 114 may display electronic coupons 132(o) received in response to prior opt-in requests 116 of selected merchants 135(s) in the new location or retrieve or request any such other electronic coupons 132(o) from intermediate computer 120.
For example, referring to
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Thus, embodiments that combine consumers 115 opting in to receive electronic coupons 132 from merchants 135 and location-based restrictions and updates allow consumers 115 to be provided with electronic coupons 132 regardless of consumer location.
A computing device 1100 includes a memory 1110, program instructions 1112, a processor or controller 1120, a network or communications interface 1130, and connections or interconnect 1140 between such components. For example, the memory 1110 may be or include one or more of cache, RAM, ROM, SRAM, DRAM, RDRAM, EEPROM and other types of memory. Processor unit 1120 may be or include multiple processors, a single threaded processor, a multi-threaded processor, a multi-core processor, or other type of processor. Depending on the particular system component (e.g., whether the component is a computer or a hand held mobile communications device), the interconnect 1140 may include a system bus, LDT, PCI, ISA, or other types of buses, and the communications or network interface may, for example, be an Ethernet interface, a Frame Relay interface, or other interface. The network interface 1130 may be configured to enable a system component to communicate with other system components across a network 140 which, as explained above, may be a wireless or various other networks. Accordingly, the system configuration provided in
Method embodiments may also be embodied in, or readable from, a computer-readable medium or carrier, e.g., one or more of the fixed and/or removable data storage data devices and/or data communications devices connected to a computer. Carriers may be, for example, magnetic storage medium, optical storage medium and magnetooptical storage medium. Examples of carriers include, but are not limited to, a floppy diskette, a memory stick or a flash drive, CD-R, CD-RW, CD-ROM, DVD-R, and DVD-RW. Processor 1120 performs steps or executes program instructions 1112 within memory 1110 and/or embodied on the carrier to implement method embodiments.
It should also be understood that the various networks 140 and associated communications interfaces described in the specification may be the same or different and may be, for example, a LAN, a WAN, a wireless and/or a cellular network. Further, it should be understood that communications between system components, including communications involving mobile communication device, intermediate computer and merchant computer, may be implemented using various networks and communication protocols and associated programming languages and may involve or utilize, by way of example, mobile applications, web browsers, HTTP, WAP, SMTP, SOAP, XML, SMS, MMS, and Java.
Further, where methods are described with respect to certain events occurring in certain order, those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure would recognize that the ordering of certain steps may be modified and that such modifications are in accordance with the variations of the invention. Further, inclusion of flow diagram arrows does not imply or indicate a specific sequence.
Although particular embodiments have been shown and described, it should be understood that the above discussion is not intended to limit the scope of these embodiments. While embodiments and variations of the many aspects of the invention have been disclosed and described herein, such disclosure is provided for purposes of explanation and illustration only. Thus, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims.
For example, while reference is made to an electronic advertisement or coupon, embodiments may be configured to allow a user to opt in to receive additional or other electronic coupons, additional or other electronic sales announcements and other advertising and marketing materials displayable on a mobile communication device.
Moreover, while certain embodiments are described with reference to opting in to receive additional or other electronic coupons from a particular merchant based upon an electronic coupon displayed on a mobile communication device, other embodiments may involve identifying additional coupons (whether in electronic or other form such as print) from a particular merchant based upon an electronic coupon displayed on a mobile communication device, and then transmitting or sending (e.g., by mail or other electronic methods such as facsimile) electronic and/or paper coupons to the consumer in response to the request.
Additionally, it will be understood that while certain embodiments relate to transmitting electronic coupons to a mobile communication device in response to an opt-in request, electronic coupons may also be transmitted to another type of communication device, e.g., as an e-mail to another computer or to a facsimile machine.
Method embodiments may also be embodied in, or readable from, a downloadable mobile application or an executable user element such as a widget or other input or web element utilized in a browser-based system, which is executable to send a request from a mobile communication device to indicate that a user wants to opt in to receive additional or other electronic coupons from a merchant promoting a currently displayed coupon.
It will also be understood that electronic coupons that are displayed on a mobile communication device before opt-in application is executed may be accessed or downloaded from various sources including those mentioned in this specification.
Further, while certain embodiment are described with reference to a mobile communication device with a downloadable application and an intermediate computer hosting engine and database, the engine and/or database, for example, may also be downloaded to or reside on the mobile communication device. It will be understood that application, engine and database components may be downloaded to or reside on different computing or communication devices to implement embodiments.
Additionally, certain of the steps may be performed concurrently in a parallel process when possible, as well as performed sequentially. For example, it will be understood that a user may view an electronic advertisement of merchant displayed on screen of mobile communication device and while viewing the advertisement, the user may decide to receive additional or other electronic advertisements from same merchant. As another example, an engine of intermediate computer, upon receiving an opt-in request, may determine user contact information and the identity of the merchant promoting the displayed electronic advertisement that is subject of opt-in request/displayed on mobile communication device at different times or simultaneously. Further, opt-in database updates may occur as data is received or at pre-determined times (e.g., hourly, daily or weekly).
Accordingly, embodiments are intended to exemplify alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may fall within the scope of the claims.