Point-of-sale-based market tracking and reporting

A method for market reporting according to point-of-sale (POS) data, the method comprising:

• aggregating POS datasets from a plurality of POS terminals in a POS network, each POS terminal being disposed at a merchant associated with terminal data indicating at least one of a plurality of merchant identifiers and at least one of a plurality of merchant classifiers, and each POS terminal being configured to collect transaction data as a function of transactions effectuated via the POS terminal, the POS dataset for each of the POS terminals comprising the terminal data and the transaction data;
• storing in a database of a computer system the aggregated POS data from the POS terminals produced during a first and a second timeframe, wherein the first and second timeframes are one year apart in time;
• receiving a reporting request for a market trend report corresponding to a designated market based on the timeframes;
• using a processor of the computer system, identifying a market dataset from the aggregated POS data for the first and second timeframes, each market dataset comprising the POS datasets corresponding to the timeframe and to POS terminals having terminal data comprising a designated merchant classifier that is the same as one of the plurality of merchant classifiers that corresponds to the designated market for which the trend is sought;
• identifying same store data from the POS datasets, wherein the same store data comprises data aggregated from an identical set of POS terminals or from a statistically insignificant change in a sample set;
• calculating a reliable portion of the market dataset as a function of the POS datasets in the market datasets, wherein the reliable portion comprises the same store data for the first and second timeframes;
• and
• generating the market trend as a function of the reliable portion of the market datasets, wherein the market trend comprises a comparison between the reliable portion of the market datasets for the first and second timeframes, and wherein the market trend is calculated in terms of a dollar volume trend and at least two of:
• a geographic location of the respective merchant, an outlet identifier corresponding to an outlet of the respective merchant at which the respective POS terminal is disposed, payment types corresponding to at least some of the transactions effectuated via the respective POS terminal, transaction types corresponding to at least some of the transactions effectuated via the respective POS terminal and good-or-service classifications corresponding to at least some of the transactions effectuated via the respective POS terminal;
• and
• outputting graphical report data as a function of the market trend data in response to the reporting request, wherein a reporting subsystem is further configured to output report data that illustrates a correlation between the market trend and at least two of:
• macroeconomic data, seasonality data, social data and a market driver.

A machine-readable medium for market reporting according to point-of-sale (POS) data, the machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform steps comprising:

• receiving a reporting request for a market trend report corresponding to a designated market based on the timeframes;
• identifying a market dataset from POS datasets, for a first and second timeframe, aggregated from a plurality of POS terminals in a POS network, each POS terminal being disposed at a merchant associated with terminal data indicating at least one of a plurality of merchant identifiers and at least one of a plurality of merchant classifiers, and each POS terminal being configured to collect transaction data as a function of transactions effectuated via the POS terminal, the POS dataset for each of the POS terminals comprising the terminal data and the transaction data, each market dataset comprising the POS datasets corresponding to the respective timeframe and to POS terminals having terminal data comprising a designated merchant classifier that is the same as one of the plurality of merchant classifiers that corresponds to the designated market for which the market trend is sought;
• identifying same store data from the POS datasets, wherein the same store data comprises data aggregated from an identical set of POS terminals or from a statistically insignificant change in a sample set;
• calculating a reliable portion of the market dataset as a function of the POS datasets in the market datasets, wherein the reliable portion comprises the same store data for the first and second timeframes;
• and
• generating the market trend as a function of the reliable portion of the market datasets, wherein the market trend comprises a comparison between the reliable portion of the market datasets for the first and second timeframes, and wherein the market trend is calculated in terms of a dollar volume trend and at least two of:
• a geographic location of the respective merchant, an outlet identifier corresponding to an outlet of the respective merchant at which the respective POS terminal is disposed, payment types corresponding to at least some of the transactions effectuated via the respective POS terminal, transaction types corresponding to at least some of the transactions effectuated via the respective POS terminal and good-or-service classifications corresponding to at least some of the transactions effectuated via the respective POS terminal;
• and
• outputting graphical report data as a function of the market trend data in response to the reporting request, wherein a reporting subsystem is further configured to output report data that illustrates a correlation between the market trend and at least two of:
• macroeconomic data, seasonality data, social data and a market driver.