Method and system for electronic distribution of product redemption coupons

A system for issuing, distributing, remotely generating and redeeming product redemption coupons comprising:

• (a) a centrally located repository of electronically stored product redemption coupon data, wherein said coupon data is provided by a coupon issuing center;
• (b) transmission means operatively associated with said centrally located repository for providing data communication between said repository and a plurality of remote user computers;
• (c) a remote user computer operatively associated with said transmission means, said remote user computer comprising
• interface means for providing user interaction with said centrally located repository,
• a memory,
• a coupon data management program for requesting coupon data from said centrally located repository, for storing in said memory coupon data transmitted from said centrally located repository, and for generating printable coupon data from said stored coupon data, and
• a coupon output buffer operatively associated with said data management program for storing said printable coupon data generated by said coupon data management program;
• (d) a printer operatively associated with said coupon output buffer for printing product redemption coupons from said printable coupon data stored in said coupon output buffer;
• (e) product checkout means located at a consumer store for providing discount amounts correlated to said printed product redemption coupons when said coupons are presented by a consumer in association with a product purchase;
• (f) redemption information collection means for reading from said coupons redemption information and for storing redemption information regarding coupons presented by a consumer in association with a product purchase and for providing said redemption information to a coupon issuing center for subsequent analysis;
• and
• (g) a coupon issuing center for issuing additional product redemption coupon data to said centrally located repository, said coupon issuing center comprising marketing data analysis means for issuing said additional product redemption coupon data based upon said redemption information provided by said redemption information collection means;
• whereby a user of the remote computer is able to request coupon data to be transmitted from said centrally located repository, instruct said computer to print product redemption coupons generated from said transmitted coupon data, present said printed coupons at a consumer store and receive a discount amount, and whereby information related to the consumers' redemptions is supplied to the coupon issuing center and used as a basis to determine effective subsequent coupon distribution.

A method for printing product redemption coupons at a remote user computer site comprising the steps of:

• (a) requesting a centrally located repository of electronically stored product redemption coupon data to transmit said coupon data to said remote user computer;
• (b) storing in a memory associated with said remote user computer coupon data transmitted from said centrally located repository,
• (c) generating printable coupon data from said stored coupon data, and
• (d) printing product redemption coupons from said printable coupon data.

A method of issuing, distributing, remotely generating and redeeming product redemption coupons comprising the steps of:

• (a) requesting a centrally located repository of electronically stored product redemption coupon data to transmit sets of said coupon data to a remote user computer;
• (b) storing in a memory associated with said remote user computer the coupon data transmitted from said centrally located repository;
• (c) generating printable coupon data from said stored coupon data;
• (d) printing a product redemption coupon from said printable coupon data;
• (e) redeeming said coupon at a consumer store;
• (f) obtaining from said coupon data indicative of the redeeming consumer and the product redeemed;
• (g) determining from said obtained data subsequent sets of coupon data to be stored in said centrally located repository.