Currently, manufactures and/or online retailers have several avenues to present rebates or discounts to online shoppers. For example, manufacture rebates or discounts may be communicated to online retailers and passed on to the user through the retailer's site. Online retailers may offer their own discounts through their web sites. Cash-back applications may provide cash back to users that purchase an item after clicking through a link to a participating retailer's web site. Advertisements that explain sales or discounted items may be presented to users based on keywords in the content of a website.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a method of presenting discount offers to a user. The discount offers may be presented to the user through an online retailer's web site. The discount, which may be in the form of a cash-back rebate, may be a combination of a rebate offered by the online retailer and a rebate offered by a supplier of products or services sold by the online retailer. In one embodiment, a centralized discount server sends a participating online retailer a discount offer optimized for a particular user visiting the online retailer's website. The centralized discount server may track the user's browsing history and purchases made through the discount program. This information may be leveraged by the discount server to combine the online retailer's agreed upon discount with a supplier discount that is likely to interest the user. In addition, the discount offers may be based on supplier-discount offers to purchase a second item that is complementary to a first item previously purchased by a user through a different online retailer.
Embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
The subject matter of embodiments of the invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different steps or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Moreover, although the terms “step” and/or “block” may be used herein to connote different elements of methods employed, the terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described.
Embodiments of the invention are generally related to a system and method that combines supplier discounts with online retailer discounts to offer a single discount to a user visiting a participating online retailer's web site. The discount offer may be for goods or services of any kind. In one embodiment, a centralized discount server sends a discount offer to an online retailer for a particular user. The discount server may combine the discounts of the online retailer and a supplier of products and/or services offered by the online retailer based on browsing behavior and past purchases made by the particular user. The discount may be in the form of a cash-back rebate that is paid out by an entity running the discount program through the discount server. The discount server may have numerous supplier-discount offers and retailer-discount offers to select from when generating the targeted-discount offer.
As used throughout this disclosure, an online retailer's web site may contain several web pages. Thus, a web page is a single page and a web site is a collection of related web pages.
Accordingly, in one embodiment, one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of presenting a targeted-discount offer to a user viewing a web page associated with an online retailer are provided. The method includes retrieving user information for a user of a computing device that has navigated to the web page associated with the online retailer. The online retailer is an entity offering products or services for sale through a web page and the user information includes a unique user identification that identifies the user. The method further includes determining that the user qualifies for a discount on one or more products or services offered by the online retailer through the web page. The method further includes communicating a request for a discount offer to display to the user, wherein the request includes the unique user identification, and a unique merchant identification that identifies the online retailer. The method also includes in response to the request, receiving the discount offer that includes a discount for one or more products or services offered for sale by the online retailer. The discount combines a retail discount agreed to by the online retailer and a supplier discount offered by a supplier of the one or more products or services. The method also includes displaying the discount offer to the user through the web page.
In another embodiment, one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of presenting a targeted-discount offer to a user viewing a web page associated with an online retailer are provided. The method includes receiving a request from a computing device for a discount offer to display to the user that navigated to the web page. The discount request includes a unique user identification that identifies the user and a unique retailer identification that identifies the online retailer. The method also includes selecting the discount offer for one or more products or services offered by the online retailer. The discount offer includes a discount that is calculated based on a discount provided by the online retailer and a discount provided by a supplier of the one or more products and services. The method also includes communicating the discount offer to the computing device.
In yet another embodiment, a method for presenting online discount offers to members of a discount program through retailer web pages associated with retailers that are participating in the discount program is provided. The method includes receiving one or more supplier-discount offers for a plurality of products and services provided by one or more suppliers that are participating in the discount program. The method also includes receiving one or more retailer-discount offers from a plurality of online retailers that are participating in the discount program. The method further includes storing the one or more supplier-discount offers and the one or more retailer-discount offers in a discount-offer data store, comprising one or more computer-storage media. The method further includes receiving a request for a discount offer. The request includes a unique identifier describing the user and a unique identifier describing the one of the plurality of online retailers. The method also includes generating a targeted-discount offer that offers a discount to the user for one or more products or services offered for sale by the one of the plurality of online retailers. The percentage discount is a combination of percentage discounts offered in one of the one or more supplier-discount offers and one of the one or more retailer-discount offers. The method also includes communicating the targeted-discount offer to the requesting computing device. The targeted-discount offer is displayed to the user through a web page of the one of the plurality of retailers.
Having briefly described an overview of embodiments of the invention, an exemplary operating environment suitable for use in implementing embodiments of the invention is described below.
Referring to the drawings in general, and initially to
Embodiments of the invention may be described in the general context of computer code or machine-useable instructions, including computer-executable instructions such as program components, being executed by a computer or other machine, such as a personal data assistant or other handheld device. Generally, program components including routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like, refer to code that performs particular tasks, or implements particular abstract data types. Embodiments of the invention may be practiced in a variety of system configurations, including handheld devices, consumer electronics, general-purpose computers, specialty computing devices, etc. Embodiments of the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote-processing devices that are linked through a communications network.
With continued reference to
Computing device 100 typically includes a variety of computer-storage media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise Random Access Memory (RAM); Read Only Memory (ROM); Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM); flash memory or other memory technologies; Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CDROM), digital versatile disks (DVDs) or other optical or holographic media; magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices; or any other medium that can be used to encode desired information and be accessed by computing device 100.
Memory 112 includes computer-storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. The memory 112 may be removable, nonremovable, or a combination thereof. Exemplary memory includes solid-state memory, hard drives, optical-disc drives, etc. Computing device 100 includes one or more processors 114 that read data from various entities such as bus 110, memory 112 or I/O components 120. Presentation component(s) 116 present data indications to a user or other device. Exemplary presentation components 116 include a display device, speaker, printing component, vibrating component, etc. I/O ports 118 allow computing device 100 to be logically coupled to other devices including I/O components 120, some of which may be built in. Illustrative I/O components 120 include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, printer, wireless device, etc.
Client device 220 may be similar to the computing device 100 explained with reference to
Turning now to
Computing system architecture 300 includes a membership component 310, a user-information data store 320, a discount-information component 330, a discount-request component 340, a discount-selection component 350, a discount-collection component 360, and a discount data store 370. Computing system architecture 300 may reside on a single computing device, such as computing device 100 shown in
The membership component 310 provides an interface through which users can enter information and view information related to a discount program. In one embodiment, the interface is presented to the user through a web page hosted by a discount server. Using the web page provided by the membership component 310, users can join the discount program by entering information about the user. In one embodiment, user information required to join the discount program includes an e-mail address, mailing address, name, a username, and a password. The username and password may be used in the future to grant a user access to discount program information such as rebate statuses. In embodiments where rebates are sent to the user, bank or credit card information may also be requested.
In addition to allowing the user to join or cancel the discount program, the interface provided by the membership component 310 may allow the user to check rebate information. Rebate information may include the total amount of rebates earned and individual transactions that contributed to the user's rebate amount. The amount of their rebate earned that is currently redeemable may be shown where there is a time delay before the rebate becomes payable. A time delay may be desirable to avoid fraud or mistakes that would result from the user returning the product for which the rebate was earned.
Another possible function of the web page generated by the membership component 310 is to provide a portal for users to find retailers and suppliers that are participating in the discount program. For example, the portal may include a list of participating retailers. A search interface may be provided that allows the user to quickly locate a desired retailer, or check whether a particular retailer is participating. A list of products or services for which discounts are provided by suppliers may also be listed on the portal web page. In addition to products where specific discounts are available, general products offered by one or more participating retailers may be listed. The listing may include pricing combined with discounts or rebates available from the individual participating online retailers. In one embodiment, in order to qualify for a rebate, the user must click through one of the links on the portal web page provided by the membership component 310 to be qualified for the discount.
Information gathered by the membership component 310 may be stored in the user info data store 320. Membership information may be stored in a table or other format within the user info data store 320. The user info data store 320 also stores information related to a user's purchases, browsing history, and other online or offline activities. As shown in the user ID column 412 of
Returning now to
Suppliers of goods and services may also submit discount offers through the discount-information component 330. Suppliers may offer blanket discounts for goods or services they provide. In addition, they may provide individualized discounts for certain goods or services they provide. In other words, an individual supplier may provide a 5% discount for a first good or service and a 10% discount for a second good or service. In addition, the suppliers may provide combination offers. For example, a supplier could offer a 5% discount on a first item and a 5% discount offer on a second item, or a 10% offer when both items are purchased by the same user. In one embodiment, the combination discount offer may be presented when one of the two products or services that are part of the combination offer have been purchased previously as recorded in the user info data store 320. The item may have been purchased from a first retailer and a discount could be offered through a second retailer that is participating in the discount program.
Continuing with
Returning now to
The discount requests may include a unique identifier for the user, a unique identifier for the online retailer submitting the request, a URL associated with a specific web page that the user has navigated to, product information, as well as additional information. In one embodiment, the online retailer or widget retrieves the user identification information from a cookie that is loaded onto the user's computing device when they subscribed to the discount program through the membership component 310.
The discount-request component 340 forwards the discount request to the discount-selection component 350, which evaluates the various discount offers and selects one to be submitted to the web server hosting the requesting online retailer's web site. The discount-request component 340 may also store the discount requests in association with the individual users in user info data store 320.
The discount-selection component 350 provides a discount offer in response to a request for a discount offer from an online retailer. In order to select an appropriate discount offer, the discount-selection component evaluates the discount offer(s) submitted by the online retailer that submitted the request and supplier discounts for products and services offered by the online retailer. The discount-selection component 350 may consider discounts for products and services on the specific web page associated with the URL in the online discount request. The discount-selection component 350 may combine discounts from the online retailer and discount offers from a supplier to generate a single discount offer that is transmitted to the online retailer and displayed to the online user. The discount offer may be for a particular product, a class of products, a combination of products, and/or a complimentary product to a product previously purchased by the user. In one embodiment, the product previously purchased was purchased through a second online retailer. The discount offer may be in the form of a graphical image that is submitted to the online retailer. In another embodiment, the discount offer is in the form of a data file that is then translated into a discount percentage that is displayed through the user interface provided by the online retailer. For example, the discount offer could be incorporated into a line item on a checkout summary in a shopping cart. The online retailer could adjust the total price based on the discount provided.
In an embodiment of the present invention, when a user purchases an item through a participating online retailer, the online retailer sends a discount confirmation to the discount-collection component 360. The discount-collection component 360 receives discount confirmation and stores it in association with the user within the user info data store 320. This information may be used to generate a rebate for the user. The user may be required to wait a certain time period before the rebate may be redeemed.
The discount request 424 for user 1 is associated with retailer “A” and URL “ABC.” The discount request 426 for user 3 is associated with URL “ABC” and online retailer “A.” The discount confirmation 428 for user 2 is associated with retailer “D” and URL “DEF.” The discount confirmation 428 includes rebate due in the amount of $5. The discount request 430 is for user 1 and associated with retailer “G,” which is associated with URL “GFH.” The discount confirmation 432 is for user 5. The discount confirmation 432 is associated with retailer “D,” which is associated with URL “DEF.” The discount confirmation 432 is in the amount of $63.75. The discount request 434 is associated with retailer “C,” which is associated with URL “CCD.” The discount request 434 is associated with user 7. Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the information shown with reference to
Initially, a user on the client device 710 navigates to a web page associated with the retail server 720. Upon navigating to the URL associated with the retail server 720 the retail server 720 is sent a page request 732 from the client device 710. The page request 732 may be in the form of an HTTP GET request. While a single page request is shown in
Upon receiving the page request 732, the retail server 720 communicates the web page 733 to the client device 710. The browser associated with the 710 the client device may then display the page and execute various code (e.g., Java widgets) associated with the webpage. In one embodiment, a widget is executed 734 that determines the client device 710 is a participant in a discount program that the online retailer associated with the retail server 720 is also participating in. The determination 734 may be made by evaluating a cookie on the client device 710 that is affiliated with the discount program. In one embodiment, a cookie is uploaded to the client device 710 when the user associated with the client device 710 joins the discount program. Upon determining 734 that the client device 710 is a member of the discount program, the widget may cause a discount request 736 to be sent to the discount server 730. The discount request 736 includes information describing the user associated with the client device 710. In one embodiment, this information is in the form of an unique user identification. The discount request 736 will also include a unique identifier to identify the retailer associated with the retail server 720. A URL for the specific web page to which the client device 710 navigated may also be included in the discount request 736. In one embodiment, the discount request 736 includes product information for one or more products offered by the online retailer. The product information may be stored in the widget associated with the web page. Each web page hosted by the retailer server 720 may be associated with a different widget that describes products on the page with which it is associated.
Upon receiving the discount request 736, the discount server 730 selects 738 a discount offer to send to the client device 710. The discount offer may be a combination of a discount offered by the online retailer and a discount offered by a supplier of a product or service offered by the online retailer associated with the retail server 720. In one embodiment, the discount offer 740 is transmitted to the client device 710. The discount offer 740 may be a graphic including a total percentage discount offered or include various discount percentages for different products or services offered by the online retailer.
At step 744 the user of the client device 710 purchases a product eligible for the discount offer. A purchase request 746 is sent from the client device 710 to the retail server 720. The retail server 720 may then process the purchase request by collecting payment information, shipping information, and other information that is needed to complete the transaction. These communications are not shown in
Turning now to
At step 830, a request for a discount offer is communicated to a discount server that provides discount offers targeted to the user. The request may be communicated by a browser displaying the online retailer's web page. In another embodiment, the request is generated by the server hosting the online retailer's web page. The request may include a unique user identification for the user that navigated to the web page, a unique merchant identification that identifies the online retailer, product information for products displayed on the web page, and a URL for the particular web page within the online retailer's website to which the user navigated. The URL may be used by the discount server to analyze the web page to which the user navigated to tailor a discount offer to a specific product or service provided by the online retailer on the particular web page associated with the URL.
At step 840, in response to the request for a discount offer, the discount offer is received from the discount server. The discount offer may include a percentage discount for one or more products or services offered for sale by the online retailer. The percentage discount within the discount offer may be a combination of a discount offered by the online retailer and a discount offered by a supplier of the one or more products or services offered by the online retailer. For example, the online retailer may offer a discount of 2.5% on all products and services sold through its web page. In addition, a supplier of a TV may offer a 10% discount for a class of televisions or a particular model of televisions sold by the online retailer. The discount offer may then offer a 12.5% discount for TVs made by the supplier or even a particular model of TV made by the supplier. Other types of discount offers are also possible. In one embodiment, the discount offer is based on a previous purchase made by the user at a separate online retailer. For example, the user may have purchased a DVD player at an electronics online retailer previously. A targeted-discount offer for DVD's published by the same supplier of the previously purchased DVD player may be made through a second online retailer that sells books and media. The discount offer could also be in the form of a two for one offer or a dollar amount off the purchase price. Other types of discount offers may also be possible.
At step 850, the discount offer is displayed to the user through the web page. The discount offer may include a discount to be offered on one or more products or services. If the user purchases a good or service that qualifies for a percentage discount in the discount offer, then the web server may calculate a rebate due to the user by multiplying the price of the product purchased by the percentage of the discount offered. The calculated rebate amount may be transmitted with a purchase confirmation to the discount server that is coordinating the discount program. In another embodiment, the discount offer may be a fixed dollar amount off of a group of goods or services. The fixed dollar amount may then be transmitted with the purchase confirmation to the discount server.
Turning now to
At step 920, the discount offer is selected for one or more products or services offered by the online retailer. The discount offer includes a discount that is calculated based on a discount provided by the online retailer and a discount provided by a supplier of the one or more products and services. The various discounts offered by online retailers and suppliers of products and services may be stored in a data store by a discount server that coordinates a discount program. In one embodiment, the discount server selects the discount offer to be presented to a particular user on a particular online retailer's website. At step 930, the discount offer is communicated to a computing device hosting the web page that requested the discount server.
Turning now to
At step 1020, one or more retailer-discount offers are received from a plurality of online retailers that are participating in the discount program. The one or more retailer-discount offers may be for a particular type of product, a particular product or service, a particular class of product or service, or generally apply to all products and services offered by the online retailer.
At step 1030, the one or more supplier-discount offers and the one or more retailer-discount offers are stored in a discount-offered data store that includes one or more computer-storage media.
At step 1040, a request for a discount offer is received from one of the plurality of online retailers participating in the discount program. The request includes a unique identifier describing the user and a unique identifier describing the one or more of the plurality of online retailers. At step 1050, a targeted-discount offer that offers a discount to the user for one or more products or services offered for sale by the one of the plurality of online retailers is generated. The discount is a combination of the discounts offered by the one or more supplier-discount offers and the one or more retailer-discount offers. At step 1060, the targeted-discount offer is communicated to the one of the plurality of online retailers. The targeted-discount offer is displayed to the user through a web page of the one or more plurality of retailers.
Embodiments of the invention have been described to be illustrative rather than restrictive. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.