Method and system for gathering and analyzing consumer purchasing information based on product and consumer clustering relationships

A method for electronically processing using electronic data processing circuitry transactional information involving plural consumer products and consumers, comprising:

• gathering and storing in electronic memory product and consumer information including an identification of a consumer, personal characteristics of the consumer including demographic information, and one or more products purchased by said consumer;
• grouping in said electronic memory by said electronic data processing circuitry said consumer information into M different consumer clusters, M being an integer greater than one, using different sets of consumer criteria, where consumers in each of the M consumer clusters have in common one of the sets of consumer criteria,
• grouping in said electronic memory by said electronic data processing circuitry said product information into N different product clusters, N being an integer greater than one, using different sets of characteristics, where products in each of the N product clusters have in common one of the sets of characteristics;
• maintaining a relational database for storing transactional, consumer cluster, and product cluster information;
• using the relational database, analyzing with the electronic data processing circuitry product transactions made by said consumers using said M consumer and N product clusters to determine one or more relationships between one of the M consumer clusters and a certain one of the N product clusters;
• generating customized informational materials for consumers in the one consumer cluster, where the content of the customized informational materials includes information that is only relevant to the one or more relationships determined for consumers in the one consumer cluster and to the personal characteristics of consumers in the one consumer cluster;
• and
• distributing the customized informational materials to consumers in the one consumer cluster.

A method for electronically monitoring promotional and advertising efforts using electronic storage and data processing circuitry, wherein the electronic processing circuitry performs the steps comprising:

• generating a product database associating each product of a plurality of related products into N different product clusters, N being an integer greater than one, using different sets of characteristics, where products in each of the N product clusters have in common one of the sets of characteristics;
• generating a consumer database associating each of plural consumers into M different consumer clusters, M being an integer greater than one, using different sets of consumer criteria, where consumers in each of the M consumer clusters have in common one of the sets of consumer criteria,
• monitoring sales of products in one of the N product clusters for a predetermined time period;
• initiating a promotional campaign for the specific products in the one product cluster during said time period;
• and
• analyzing said promotional campaign after said time period using said sales of products in the one product cluster to consumers in one or more of the M consumer clusters.

A method for electronically processing retail transactional information using a computer involving plural products and consumers, comprising the computer-implemented and automatically performed steps of:

• receiving product information uniquely identifying a specific product;
• grouping said product information into M different product categories, M being an integer greater than one, using different sets of product characteristics, where products in each of the M product categories have in common one of the sets of product characteristics;
• receiving consumer information describing consumer characteristics including demographic characteristics of said consumers;
• grouping said consumers into N different consumer categories, N being an integer greater than one, using different sets of consumer characteristics, where consumers in each of the N consumer categories have in common one of the sets of consumer characteristics,
• analyzing retail transactions using both the M product and N consumer categories to determine product preference relationships between consumers from one of the N consumer categories and products from one of the M product categories;
• printing promotional literature where the content of the promotional literature is adapted so as to be directed to the consumer characteristics of the consumers from the one consumer category and to the products in the one product category using said product preference relationships;
• and
• directly mailing said promotional literature to the consumers from the one consumer category.

A system for optimizing retail marketing operations based on purchase transactions of consumer products, comprising:

• a relational database;
• means for receiving consumer identifying data including consumer demographic data and product data;
• means for grouping said consumer identifying data into M different consumer clusters, M being an integer seater than one using different sets of consumer criteria, where consumers in each of the M consumer clusters have in common one of the sets of consumer criteria, and product data into N product clusters, N being an integer greater than one, using different sets of characteristics, where products in each of the N product clusters have in common one of the sets of characteristics;
• means for storing said consumer and product cluster information corresponding to the M consumer clusters and the N product clusters in said relational database;
• means for analyzing said M consumer clusters and N product clusters to determine buying behaviors of consumers and establishing a relationship between products from a specific one of the N product clusters and consumers from a specific one of the M consumer clusters;
• and
• printing means connected to said analyzing means for printing personalized promotional information including a personalized newsletter directed specifically to consumers from the one consumer cluster, wherein the content of the personalized promotional information is directed specifically to the products from the one product cluster and personal characteristics of the consumers from the one consumer cluster.

A system for processing information, comprising:

• an electronic device for receiving product information identifying specific products and consumer information identifying personal characteristics of consumers who purchase said products, and
• electronic data processing circuitry for performing the tasks of:
• grouping said consumer information into M different consumer clusters, M being an integer greater than one, using different sets of consumer criteria, where consumers in each of the M consumer clusters have in common one of the sets of consumer criteria;
• grouping said product information into N different product clusters, N being an integer greater than one, using different sets of characteristics, where products in each of the N product clusters have in common one of the sets of characteristics;
• analyzing transactions where products are purchased by said consumers using said N product clusters and said M consumer clusters to determine relationships between various ones of the M consumer clusters and N product clusters;
• determining product preferences of said consumers according to said relationships;
• and
• providing consumers in one of the M consumer clusters having similar product preferences with marketing or informational literature including a newsletter, the content of the newsletter specifically addressing said product preferences and personal characteristics of said consumers in the one consumer cluster.

A system for processing transactions involving plural products and consumers, comprising:

• a product database associating products in M different product clusters, M being an integer greater than one, using different sets of characteristics, where products in each of the M product clusters have in common one of the sets of characteristics;
• a consumer database associating into consumer clusters consumers in N different consumer clusters, N being an integer greater than one, using different sets of consumer criteria, where consumers in each of the N consumer clusters have in common one of the sets of consumer criteria including demographics or other variables that identify individual characteristics about specific consumers;
• an electronic data processor analyzing said transactions using the M product clusters and the N consumer clusters to determine a relationship between consumers in one of the N consumer clusters and particular products in one of the M product clusters to establish a product cluster preference for consumers in the one consumer cluster;
• a printer printing personalized promotional literature directed to consumers in said one consumer cluster, the content of said promotional literature describing features relevant to the relationship between said consumers in one consumer cluster and the particular products in the one product cluster;
• and
• means for directly mailing said promotional literature to said consumers in said one consumer cluster.