US 8,712,855 B1 · Transaction cost recovery queue management

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for determining a transaction cost recovery amount are provided. The transaction cost recovery amount may be determined for each of a plurality of locations. The locations may include point-of-sale terminals and/or checkout lanes. The transaction cost recovery amount may be determined based on Merchant Category Code (“MCC”) information. When a customer leaves a first location associated with a first MCC, the customer may be informed of a transaction cost recovery amount at a second location. The second location may be associated with a second MCC. The transaction cost recovery amount may be determined based on a product inventory. The transaction cost recovery amount may be imposed to maintain an inventory level above a critical level. The transaction cost recovery amount may be based on a decrease and/or increase in an inventory level.

Claims17

Dependent claims

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor on a computer system, perform a method for managing a queue at a merchant location, the method comprising:

imposing a first surcharge at a first checkout lane;
monitoring a transaction activity at the first checkout lane;
imposing a second surcharge at a second checkout lane when the transaction activity at the first checkout lane exceeds a pre-determined threshold;
wherein monitoring the transaction activity comprising monitoring a number of transactions processed by a point-of-sale device during a pre-determined period of time;
and
wherein the second surcharge is determined based on attaining a target level of transaction activity at the first checkout lane.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Transaction cost recovery queue management

Life of this patent

Transaction cost recovery queue management

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17