System, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for providing a customer with a substitute coupon

A method being implemented via execution of computing instructions configured to run at one or more processors and stored at one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, the method comprising:

• storing, with a computer system using one or more processors, in a memory unit, customer data associated with a first customer of a plurality of customers stored in an account of the first customer with a retailer, wherein the account of the first customer of the plurality of customers includes at least a customer identifier and at least one digital coupon associated with at least one product sold by the retailer, wherein one or more digital coupons are provided by the retailer or the first customer, by using an application (“app”) downloaded to an electronic device of the first customer, wherein the app is configured to electronically clip the one or more digital coupons from a webpage to be uploaded to the account of the first customer, and wherein the one or more digital coupons comprising the at least one digital coupon;
• receiving, by a coupon redemption unit coupled to the memory unit, data associated with a potential purchase by the first customer, wherein the one or more digital coupons stored in the account of the first customer are accessed by a point of sale (POS) terminal of the retailer, wherein the one or more digital coupons stored in the account of the first customer are valid;
• receiving, by the coupon redemption unit, a list of products scanned by the POS terminal of the potential purchase by the first customer;
• comparing, by the coupon redemption unit, a subject product of the list of products with the one or more digital coupons stored in the account of the first customer;
• determining, by the coupon redemption unit, when the subject product matches a product type required by the at least one digital coupon;
• when determining a match exists, approving, by the coupon redemption unit, a utilization of the at least one digital coupon for the potential purchase of the subject product wherein the coupon redemption unit transmits the at least one digital coupon and an approval to use the at least one digital coupon to the POS terminal for application of the at least one digital coupon to the potential purchase of the subject product by the first customer;
• storing, by the coupon redemption unit, the approval of the utilization of the at least one digital coupon, wherein the coupon redemption unit transmits an approval of at least one other digital coupon to the POS terminal for application of the at least one other digital coupon to a potential purchase of an other customer of the plurality of customers;
• determining when the subject product does not match the product type required by the at least one digital coupon;
• when determining a match does not exist, transmitting, by the coupon redemption unit, a denial of the at least one digital coupon as not valid for the subject product of the at least one digital coupon for the potential purchase such that the at least one digital coupon is not applied to the potential purchase of the subject product of the first customer, wherein the at least one digital coupon was mistakenly denied;
• responsive to the denial of the utilization of the at least one digital coupon, the coupon redemption unit is further configured to transmit an electronic message to the electronic device of the first customer comprising one or more explanations why the at least one digital coupon was denied as invalid based on a product type of the subject product being different from the product type required by the at least one digital coupon;
• receiving, by the coupon redemption unit, from the first customer, a request for reconsideration of the denial based on one or more reasons why the at least one digital coupon was mistakenly denied as invalid, wherein the request for reconsideration initiates a review process to review a validity of the at least one digital coupon from the account of the first customer;
• generating, by the coupon redemption unit, a support ticket stored in the account of the first customer when the review process determines that a valid digital coupon was improperly denied during the potential purchase by the first customer;
• generating, by a coupon substitution unit coupled to the memory unit, the support ticket stored in the account of the first customer when the review process determines that a valid digital coupon was improperly denied during the potential purchase by the first customer;
• and
• storing a substitute digital coupon for the at least one digital coupon that was mistakenly denied to be transmitted to the account of the first customer of the plurality of customers as a function of the support ticket, the substitute digital coupon for utilization during a subsequent purchase of the first customer;
• informing a third party that supplied the at least one digital coupon of an issue corresponding to the at least one digital coupon that was mistakenly denied;
• and
• after the at least one digital coupon was mistakenly denied, adding the subject product of the at least one digital coupon that was mistakenly denied to a list of approved subject products to which the at least one digital coupon can be applied for redemption for other potential purchases by the plurality of customers.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media, having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to operate as a:

• a memory unit configured to store customer data associated with a first customer of a plurality of customers stored in an account of the first customer with a retailer, wherein the account of the first customer of the plurality of customers includes at least a customer identifier and at least one digital coupon associated with at least one product sold by the retailer, one or more digital coupons are provided by the retailer or the first customer, by using an application (“app”) downloaded to an electronic device of the first customer, wherein the app is configured to electronically clip the one or more digital coupons from a webpage to be uploaded to the account of the first customer, and wherein the one or more digital coupons comprises the at least one digital coupon;
• a coupon redemption unit coupled to the memory unit and configured to receive data associated with a potential purchase by the first customer, wherein the one or more digital coupons stored in the account of the first customer are accessed by a point of sale (POS) terminal of the retailer, wherein the one or more digital coupons stored in the account of the first customer are valid;
• and
• a coupon substitution unit coupled to the memory unit,
• wherein:
• the coupon redemption unit is further configured to receive a list of products scanned by the POS terminal for the potential purchase by the first customer;
• the coupon redemption unit is further configured to compare a subject product of the list of products with the one or more digital coupons stored in the account of the first customer;
• the coupon redemption unit is further configured to determine when the subject product matches a product type required by the at least one digital coupon and, after determining a match exists, to approve utilization of the at least one digital coupon for the potential purchase of the subject product, wherein the coupon redemption unit transmits an approval and the at least one digital coupon to the POS terminal for application of the at least one digital coupon to the potential purchase of the subject product by the first customer;
• the coupon redemption unit is further configured to store the approval of the utilization of the at least one digital coupon, wherein the coupon redemption unit transmits an approval of at least one other digital coupon to the POS terminal for application of the at least one other digital coupon to a potential purchase of an other customer of the plurality of customers;
• the coupon redemption unit is further configured to determine when the subject product does not match the product type required by the at least one digital coupon and, after determining a match does not exist, to transmit a denial of the at least one digital coupon as not valid for the subject product of the at least one digital coupon for the potential purchase such that the at least one digital coupon is not applied to the potential purchase of the subject product of the first customer, wherein the at least one digital coupon was mistakenly denied;
• responsive to the denial of the utilization of the at least one digital coupon, the coupon redemption unit is further configured to transmit an electronic message to the electronic device of the first customer comprising one or more explanations why the at least one digital coupon was denied as invalid based on a product type of the subject product being different from the product type required by the at least one digital coupon;
• the coupon redemption unit is further configured to receive, from the first customer, a request for reconsideration of the denial based on one or more reasons why the at least one digital coupon was mistakenly denied as invalid, wherein the request for reconsideration initiates a review process to review a validity of the at least one digital coupon from the account of the first customer;
• the coupon redemption unit is further configured to generate a support ticket stored in the account of the first customer when the review process determines that a valid digital coupon was improperly denied during the potential purchase by the first customer;
• the coupon substitution unit is configured to (i) store a substitute digital coupon for the at least one digital coupon that was mistakenly denied to be transmitted to the account of the first customer of the plurality of customers as a function of the support ticket, the substitute digital coupon for utilization during a subsequent purchase of the first customer and (ii) inform a third party that supplied the at least one digital coupon of an issue corresponding to the at least one digital coupon that was mistakenly denied;
• and
• after the at least one digital coupon was mistakenly denied, the coupon redemption unit is further configured to add the subject product to a list of approved products to which the at least one digital coupon can be applied for redemption for other potential purchases by the plurality of customers.