US 2002/0161641 A1 · Method and system for redeeming product marketing rebates

A method for processing a plurality of rebate claims submitted by a plurality of consumers in satisfaction of a plurality of rebate offers each having a value, each consumer having purchased one or more designated products in one or more qualified transactions, each qualified transaction having a transaction code assigned thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a designated site connected to a computer information network and accessible to the plurality of consumers;
(b) receiving a plurality of rebate claims on the designated site, each rebate claim comprising at least one said transaction code corresponding to one or more qualified transactions, and identifying information corresponding to the consumer, wherein each rebate claim is provided by one of:
(i) entry by a fulfillment administrator from information transcribed from a rebate claim submitted by the consumer in a paper format;
(ii) entry by the consumer via access to the designated site through a personal computer connected to the global computer information network;
(iii) entry by the consumer via access to the designated site through a computer located at a retail establishment and connected to the global computer information network;
(iv) entry by the consumer via access to the designated site through a touch-tone telephone;
or
(v) entry via purchase of the one or more designated products by a designated card consumer using a designated card having a card identifier, the designated card comprising one of:
a credit card having a corresponding credit account, a debit card having a corresponding bank or debit account, or a smart card having computerized data storage means;
(c) storing a plurality of stored data records, each stored data record comprising the identifying information corresponding to one consumer, and at least one said transaction code related to a rebate claim from that consumer, including for each designated card consumer, storing at least one designated card stored data record comprising personal information about the designated card consumer and retrievable by the designated card identifier;
(d) receiving an electronic data transfer comprising a plurality of purchase data records, each purchase data record comprising at least (i) a transaction code corresponding to a qualified transaction in which at least one designated product was purchased by a consumer, and (ii) an identification of each designated product purchased by the consumer in the qualified transaction, including for designated card consumers, receiving in the electronic data transfer at least one transaction data record comprising the designated card identifier and the corresponding transaction code;
(e) associating each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record having a matching transaction code, including for designated card consumers, associating the transaction data record with the corresponding designated card stored data record and updating the designated card stored data record to include the transaction code;
(f) processing each stored data record and the corresponding purchase data record associated therewith to validate the rebate claim;
and
(g) transferring to each of the plurality of consumers the value of the rebate offers claimed by the consumer, including for designated card consumers, transferring the cash value of the rebate claims to the designated card consumer by crediting one of:
the corresponding credit account, the corresponding bank or debit account, or the smart card computerized data storage means.

13 more elements

A system for processing a plurality of rebate claims submitted by a plurality of consumers in satisfaction of a plurality of rebate offers, each rebate offer comprising an offer to provide a value in return for a purchase of a designated product, each consumer having purchased one or more designated products from a participating member of a retail network in a qualified transaction, each qualified transaction assigned a transaction codes by the participating member, the system comprising:

a designated site accessible through a computer information network;
means for receiving a rebate claim data in an electronic format from the plurality of consumers, the rebate claim data for each consumer comprising at least one transaction code and a consumer identifier;
means for storing the rebate claim data as a stored data record and for receiving and storing an electronic file comprising a purchase data record for each qualified transaction, each purchase data record including the transaction code;
means for associating each stored data record with a corresponding purchase data record containing a matching transaction code, for processing each stored data record and corresponding purchase data record to validate each rebate claim, and optionally, for checking each validated rebate claim for fraud;
and
means for transferring the value of the rebate claim to each consumer.

3 more elements

A method for processing a rebate claim submitted by a consumer in satisfaction of a rebate offer having a value, the rebate offer requiring the consumer to purchase at least one designated product in a qualified transaction at a retailer, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a designated site connected to a computer information network, accessible by the consumer, and integrated with a processing system accessible by the retailer;
(b) receiving in the processing system a communication from the retailer comprising a purchase data record for the qualified transaction comprising (i) identifying information corresponding to the qualified transaction, the consumer, or both;
and (ii) information from which it can be determined if the qualified transaction at least partially satisfies the rebate offer;
(c) receiving on the designated site information from the consumer (i) sufficient to match the identifying information corresponding to the consumer to the purchase data record, (ii) sufficient to satisfy conditions for making a rebate claim, or (iii) both (i) and (ii);
(d) validating the rebate claim;
and
(e) transferring to the consumer the value of the rebate offer claimed.

4 more elements

A computer program product comprising at least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the method steps for processing a product marketing rebate claim submitted by a consumer in satisfaction of one or more rebate offers each having a value, the consumer having purchased one or more designated products in one or more qualified transactions, the method steps comprising:

(a) providing a designated site connected to a computer information network, accessible by the consumer, and integrated with a processing system accessible by the retailer;
(b) receiving in the processing system a communication from the retailer comprising a purchase data record for the qualified transaction comprising (i) identifying information corresponding to the qualified transaction, the consumer, or both;
and (ii) information from which it can be determined if the qualified transaction at least partially satisfies the rebate offer;
(c) receiving on the designated site information from the consumer (i) sufficient to match the identifying information corresponding to the consumer to the purchase data record, (ii) sufficient to satisfy conditions for making a rebate claim, or (iii) both (i) and (ii);
(d) validating the rebate claim;
and
(e) transferring to the consumer the value of the rebate offer claimed.

4 more elements

Method and system for redeeming product marketing rebates

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Method and system for redeeming product marketing rebates

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Abstract

Claims35