as) United States
`a2) Patent Application Publication co) Pub. No.: US 2011/0320246 Al
`
`(43) Pub. Date: Dec. 29, 2011
`Tietzen et al.
`
`US 20110320246A1
`
`(54)
`
`PROGRAM, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`LINKING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND
`MERCHANTSIN A MARKETING PROGRAM
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors:
`
`Terry Tietzen, Edmonton (CA);
`Matthew Bates, Edmonton (CA);
`William Gordon Robertson,
`Edmonton (CA)
`
`(73)
`
`Assignee:
`
`EDATANETWORKSINC,
`Edmonton (CA)
`
`(21)
`
`Appl. No.:
`
`13/168,488
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Jun. 24, 2011
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63)
`
`Continuation of application No. PCT/CA2009/
`001605, filed on Nov. 6, 2009.
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`G060 30/00
`(52) US. CMe coecccccssscssssssssssssssnserseesessessssssssnsseeenes 705/14.4
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`
`The present invention is a system, data access management
`utility and a method of generating links between local mer-
`chants and a marketing system. For example, the marketing
`system maybethat disclosed in PCT Patent Application No.
`PCT/CA2009/001605. The present invention may be oper-
`able to register members, merchants, community programs,
`intermediaries and other entities with the marketing system.
`Embodiments of the present invention may be operable to
`quickly andefficiently register multiple members and/or mul-
`tiple merchant store types virtually simultaneously to the
`marketing system. An automatedregistration and/or boarding
`process may be operatedbythe present invention to undertake
`such registration and/or boarding of members, merchants,
`community programs, intermediaries and other entities with
`the marketing system, including automated boarding of mer-
`chants.
`
` Begin Boarding
`
`
`
`
` Enter MerchantDetails
`
`& Store Details
`
`
`
`Perform Enrolment
`Transactions
`
`
`194
`
`196
`
`198
`
`202
`
`Receive Enrolment
`Transaction data
`
`Post Boarding
`
`Activities 200
`
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 1 of 18
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`
`
`CWMember1(Merchant
`Member ID
`Merchant ID
`Fp|ene
`
`16
`
`
`
`
`12
`
`FIG. 1
`
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`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 2 of 18
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`22
`
`» OFF THIS
`
`a Snook’s Books
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 2
`
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 3 of 18
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`a
`
`Local Media
`
`Community Program
`
`a= Social Media _
`
`FIG. 3
`
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`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 4 of 18
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`
`
`42
`
`At
`
`40
`
`Emergency Relief
`
`48
`
`od
`
`FIG. 4
`
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 5 of 18
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 6 of 18
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`
`
`FIG. 6
`
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 7 of 18
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`
`
`FIG. 7
`
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`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 8 of 18
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`
`
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`Patent Application Publication
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`102
`
`100
`
`104
`
`106
`
`108
`
`110
`
`FIG, 9
`
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`
`
`132
`
`120
`
`128
`
`434
`7
`
`
`FIG, 10
`
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`
`
`
`
`
`
`
` 169
`
`
`
`172
`
`164
`
`168
`
`FIG. 11
`
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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 12 of 18
`
`Begin Boarding
`
`Merchant Detail Entry
`
`Search Merchant Profile
`Details
`
`Transactions
`
`Search Associ
`Store(s)
`
`ated
`
`Perform Enrolment
`
`Validate MIDs
`
`Post Boarding
`
`Activities
`
`FIG, 12
`
`US 2011/0320246 Al
`
`180
`
`182
`
`184
`
`186
`
`188
`
`190
`
`192
`
`PROVI-1012 - Page 13
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 13 of 18
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`Begin Boardi
`egin Boarding
`
`
`Enter MerchantDetails
`& Store Details
`
`Perform Enrolment
`Transactions
`
`
`
`
`194
`
`196
`
`198
`
`200
`
`Receive Enrolment
`Transaction data
`
`Post Boarding
`Activities
`
`
`202
`
`FIG. 13
`
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`Dec. 29, 2011 Sheet 14 of 18
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`
`
`
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`PROVI-1012 - Page 15
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`Dec. 29,2011 Sheet 15 of 18
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
`
`252
`4
`Merchantprovides
`all required
`information
`
`;
`
`254
`
`256
`
`
`
`—_
`.
`.
`Locate and provide |
`remainder of
`required
`information
`
`|
`
`>
`
`|
`
`264
`
`L
`
`;
`
`Cancel boarding
`process
`
`248
`|
`250
`a S258
`260
`262
`.
`.
`UY
`SL
`;
`-
`;
`|
`
`
`Merchant can
`provide only some
`of the required
`information
`
`
`
`
`268
`
`
`
`|
`I
`244
`
`/
`KN
`DS
`246
`
`-
`
`v
`
`Provide
`suggestions to
`locate required
`___ information
`
`oS
`
`\ A
`\
`266
`
`FIG. 15
`
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Dec. 29, 2011 Sheet 16 of 18
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
`
`Q1z
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`PROVI-1012 - Page 17
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`PROVI-1012 - Page 17
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`Patent Application Publication
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`
`
`
`
`
`352.
`
`
`
`334
`
`336
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`360
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`
`PROVI-1012 - Page 18
`
` 340
`
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`356
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`
`a|
`
`358
`
`-
`
`=
`
`
`
`PROVI-1012 - Page 18
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`
`
`384
`
`
`
`14
`
`416
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`418
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`388
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`400
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`
`PROVI-1012 - Page 19
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`US 2011/0320246 Al
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`Dec. 29, 2011
`
`PROGRAM, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`LINKING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND
`MERCHANTSIN A MARKETING PROGRAM
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`[0001] This application is a continuation of International
`Application PCT/CA2009/001605 filed Nov. 6, 2009, the
`contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002] The present invention relates to registration of mul-
`tiple entities or persons to a marketing system.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Several systems presently exist that provide reward
`[0003]
`points or discounts to member customers. Most of these are
`set-up as loyalty systems wherebya loyalty card or numberis
`provided to a customer. A customer may gain reward points
`whena transaction occurs and the loyalty card or numberis
`providedat the point of the transaction. Generally, the use of
`the loyalty card or number is recorded at the point of sale
`device. Accumulated reward points can be redeemed for
`products, discounts, or other rewards. Such loyalty systems
`are provided directly by a merchant or by an organization
`representing one or more merchants.
`[0004] Additionally, systems have been created whereby
`reward points accumulated by a user may be donated to an
`organization, such as a charitable organization. For example,
`USS. patent application Ser. No. 11/746,502 discloses an
`invention wherein a percentage of a transaction cost may be
`donated directly to a charitable organization. The choice to
`donate reward points, or a percentage (or other portion) of a
`transaction, to a charitable organization maybe at the discre-
`tion of a customer. For example, the choice may be made at
`the time of registering with a loyalty program, so that speci-
`fied future transactions will automatically generate a dona-
`tion. Alternatively, the choice may be madeat the point of
`redeeming reward points, whereby the customer can direct
`particular points to a charitable organization. Yet another
`option is for the choice to be madeatthe timeofthe transac-
`tion.
`
`[0005] Generally the prior art systems function so that a
`memberor a merchant will register with a marketing system
`individually, so that registration takes place for each member
`or merchant on a one-at-a-time basis. In particular, for mer-
`chants, this means that each merchantlocation is registered
`individually.
`
`SUMMARYOF INVENTION
`
`In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a
`[0006]
`marketing system operable to promote one or more mer-
`chants and the products and services of the one or more
`merchants in a inter-connected environment, comprising: a
`data collection server operable by one or more computer
`processors to receive or access data including data pertaining
`to one or more members and the one or more merchants that
`
`are participants of the marketing program; a transaction
`details processor operable to collect and transfer details of
`one or more transactionsto the data collection server, said one
`or more transactions occurring between the one or more mer-
`chants and the one or more members; a transaction linking
`utility operable to process and analyze search history details,
`
`the transaction details, and the data of the data collection
`server to determinethe likelihoodthat one of the one or more
`
`transactions is the result of the search results provided to a
`user or one of the one or more members; and a data mining
`tool operable to analyze by operation of the one or more
`computer processors of the of the data collection server, the
`transaction details and the data regarding the one or members
`and the one or more merchants, said data mining tool further
`being operable to generate one or more incentives to increase
`the transactions occurring between the one or more mer-
`chants and the one or more members.
`
`In another aspect, the present disclosurerelates to a
`[0007]
`marketing program method comprising the following steps:
`one or more members providing information to the marketing
`program during a sign-up process and based upon subsequent
`activities; one or merchants providing information to the mar-
`keting program during a sign-up process and based upon
`subsequent activities; one or more intermediaries providing
`information to the marketing program during a sign-up pro-
`cess and based upon subsequentactivities; generating one or
`more incentives to be offered by one or more of the one or
`more merchantsto the one or more members by wayofone of
`the following: off-line media; an online search or browsing
`session undertaken by one of the one or more members; or
`direct communication to the communication device of one of
`
`the one or more members; applying the one or more incen-
`tives to provide one or more benefits to at least an intermedi-
`ary; providing details of the transaction to the marketing
`program;utilizing a transaction linking utility to determine
`the likelihood that a match exists between the transaction
`
`details and activity by one of the one or more members; and
`utilizing a data mining tool to generate future incentive sug-
`gestions.
`least one
`In this respect, before explaining at
`[0008]
`embodimentof the invention in detail, it is to be understood
`that the inventionis not limited in its applicationto the details
`ofconstruction andto the arrangements ofthe components set
`forth in the following description or illustrated in the draw-
`ings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of
`being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to
`be understood that
`the phraseology and terminology
`employed herein are for the purposeofdescription and should
`not be regardedas limiting.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0009] The invention will be better understood and objects
`ofthe invention will become apparent when consideration is
`given to the following detailed description thereof. Such
`description makes
`reference to the annexed drawings
`wherein:
`
`FIG. 11s a systems view of the marketing program.
`[0010]
`FIG. 2 is a view of a merchant incentive communi-
`[0011]
`cated to a smart phone.
`[0012]
`FIG. 3 is a systems view ofa data transfer between
`a merchant, a member, the marketing system and a data stor-
`age area.
`FIG. 4isasystemsview ofa transfer ofdonations by
`[0013]
`the marketing system.
`[0014]
`FIG. 5 is a screen view of a merchant information
`webpage.
`[0015]
`FIG. 6is asystems view ofa search request process.
`[0016]
`FIG. 7isa view ofthe flow ofone embodimentofthe
`marketing program generating members through a boarding
`process.
`
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`FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the steps in one
`[0017]
`embodimentofthe invention for a user to query a merchant
`and redeem an incentive at a merchant’s bricks and mortar
`store location.
`
`FIG. 9 is a system diagram showing the marketing
`[0018]
`system outputs that may be generated by the data miningtool,
`and sometimes the analytic mode, in embodiments of the
`present invention.
`[0019]
`FIG. 101s a flowchart showingthe options for mem-
`ber interaction with the marketing program in one embodi-
`mentof the present invention.
`[0020]
`FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the options for an
`embodimentofthe present invention involving cross-selling.
`[0021]
`FIG. 12 illustrates a method of automated merchant
`boarding to automatically populate merchantandstore details
`in accordance with the present invention.
`[0022]
`FIG.13 illustrates a method of automated merchant
`boarding utilizing enrolment transaction data to populate
`merchant and store details in accordance with the present
`invention.
`
`FIG. 14illustrates a method of automated merchant
`[0023]
`boarding operating on an automated merchant boarding mod-
`ule, a merchant system, and the marketing system that may be
`incorporated in one embodimentof the present invention.
`[0024]
`FIG. 15 illustrates a method of collecting merchant
`information and other data in the course of automated mer-
`chant boarding that may be incorporated in one embodiment
`of the present invention.
`[0025]
`FIG.16 illustrates a method of collecting merchant
`information and other data that is not provided by the mer-
`chant in the course of automated merchant boarding that may
`be incorporated in one embodimentof the present invention.
`[0026]
`FIG. 17 illustrates a method of adding merchant
`store locationsin the course of automated merchant boarding
`that may be incorporated in one embodiment of the present
`invention.
`
`FIG. 18 illustrates a method of obtaining merchant
`[0027]
`information in the course of automated merchant boarding
`that may be incorporated in one embodiment of the present
`invention.
`
`In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are
`[0028]
`illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood
`that the description and drawingsare only for the purpose of
`illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not
`intendedas a definition of the limits of the invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`
`[0029] The present invention is a system, data access man-
`agement utility and a method of generating links between
`local merchants and a marketing system. For example, the
`marketing system maybethat disclosed in PCT Patent Appli-
`cation No. PCT/CA2009/001605. The present invention may
`be operable to register members, merchants, community pro-
`grams, intermediaries and other entities with the marketing
`system. Embodiments of the present invention may be oper-
`able to quickly and efficiently register multiple members
`and/or multiple merchant store types virtually simulta-
`neously to the marketing system. An automatedregistration
`and/or boarding process may be operated by the present
`invention to undertake such registration and/or boarding of
`members, merchants, community programs, intermediaries
`and other entities with the marketing system.
`
`For the purpose ofthis patent application, the term
`[0030]
`“community programs” may be understood to define an
`ongoing community program (suchasa shelter in a commu-
`nity), a term community program (such as a charity funding
`drive), or a community event (such as a festival). The term
`“community programs” may further be understood to define
`a community program serving a specific area (such as a fes-
`tival held in a local park), a community program serving a
`neighbourhood (such as a neighbourhoodclothing drive), a
`community program serving a larger area (such as a city-wide
`hosting ofa sporting event), or acommunity program serving
`a still wider area (such as a national literacy program, or an
`international development program).
`[0031] The term “merchant” mayrefer to businesses, while
`customers are referred to as “members”. An entity granted
`limited participation in a marketing program, such as for a
`specific term, or only granted the ability to participate in
`specific activities, such as an advertising associate, may be
`referred to as an “intermediary”. The term “participants” may
`reference any entity participating in a marketing program,
`including merchants, members,
`intermediaries,
`system
`administrator(s) and any other participant in the marketing
`system.
`[0032] The present invention may involve an Internet, intra-
`net or other networked environment. Therefore, any reference
`to any of Internet, intranet or other networked environment
`should be understood broadly to encompass not only the
`referenced term, but all of Internet, intranet or other net-
`worked environment. In the same manner terms indicating
`aspects ofthe Internet, an intranet or another networkedenvi-
`ronment, such as a webpage in an Internet environment,
`should be understood broadly to include the equivalent avail-
`able in the Internet, intranet or other networked environment.
`[0033] The present invention may offer several benefits
`over the knownprior art. For example, the knownpriorart
`mayrequire that a merchant having several store types, such
`as a chain ofstores, either register each store location indi-
`vidually, or register the entire chain of stores without the
`ability to pick and choose the desired stores to be boarded.
`This can bea time consumingprocess. Alternatively, the prior
`art may allow for a first store location of a merchant to be
`registered and for some information pertaining to the initial
`merchantentry to be repeated forother store types ofthe same
`merchantthat are subsequently registered with the marketing
`system. However, the repeated information is required to be
`selected andverified for each store location registration. This
`creates a time-consuming andlaboriousregistration process.
`The present invention may provide a moreefficient and less
`time-consuming option, in that the present invention may
`register multiple store types virtually simultaneously by
`retrieving registration information pertaining to the merchant
`and each ofits store types.
`[0034] The present invention mayincludeseveral elements
`in the processof registering one or more merchants/merchant
`types or members. The present invention may therefore have
`several embodiments. The description provided herein repre-
`sents some of the possible embodimentsofthe present inven-
`tion. A skilled reader will recognize that other embodiments
`ofthe present invention may be possible.
`[0035] The data in the storage area may be minedbya data
`mining tool. The data mining tool may be utilized by any
`participant of the marketing system. For example, the data
`mining tool may be used to match a community program to a
`participant merchant in the area where the community pro-
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`Dec. 29, 2011
`
`gram is to occur, or is occurring. The result maybethata local
`participant merchant may be made aware of an upcoming
`local festival. The participant merchant may devise a mer-
`chant incentive in relation to the community program, such as
`a discount, a donation to the community program, a give
`away, a sweepstakes entry, rewards (such as reward points) or
`any other incentive.
`[0036] The data mining tool mayalsobeutilized to identify
`membersof the marketing system whoare identified as exist-
`ing near the participant merchantstore location. For example,
`the data mining tool may identify participant membersliving
`and/or working in the area of the merchant store location
`and/or one or more community programs, in accordance with
`memberprofile information and other data stored in the data
`storage area and anylinked data sources. The data mining tool
`mayalso be utilized to identify participant members who may
`be likely to visit the merchant store and/or make use of the
`incentive, in accordance with demographic information or
`preferences derived from data stored in the data storage area
`and any linked data sources. A skilled reader will recognize
`that other information regarding a member, for example, such
`as transactional behaviour, may also be utilized to identify
`participant members who maybelikely to visit the merchant
`store and makeuseofthe incentive.
`
`[0037] As an example, the merchant boarding interface,
`data mining tool and analytic modeof the present invention
`mayundertake a process to identify membersthat are likely to
`engage in transactions with a merchant. The present invention
`may even identify one or more membersaslikely to engage in
`a transaction at a specific store, branch or subsidiary location
`of the merchant. For example, Bob’s Bikes may utilize the
`merchant boarding interface of the present
`invention to
`becomean activated merchant. John may be a memberof the
`marketing system and his memberprofile may includeinfor-
`mationthat indicates his history of engaging in transaction at
`cycling stores. The memberprofile of John may include infor-
`mation that his home address is in close proximity to a store
`of the Bob’s Bikes. The data mining tool maybe utilized to
`collect information from the Bob’s Bikes merchantprofile
`and John’s memberprofile. Information mayalso be collected
`from sites linked to the merchantprofile and/or the member
`profile, for example, such as one or more social networks
`linked to the memberprofile wherein content and interactions
`with others within the network may be reviewed, or any
`Internet search toolhistories linked to the memberprofile that
`include search data for searches for particular types of
`bicycles undertaken by the member. Other data sources may
`also be accessed by the data mining tool as described herein,
`including intermediaries.
`[0038] The analytic mode may determine basedonthe col-
`lected information thatthat John maybe likely to be engage in
`a transaction at a bicycle store near his home. The analytic
`mode mayfurther determine, based on the collected informa-
`tion, that John maybelikely to engagein a transaction with a
`bicycle store that he has not transacted with previously, and
`that a particular form of incentive may encourage John to
`engage in a transaction with Bob’s Bikes.
`[0039] The merchant, or another market system participant
`working with the merchant, may advertise the merchant’s one
`or more incentives and/or the community program to atleast
`the membersidentified by the data mining tool. Such adver-
`tisements may be communicated to an identified member
`and/or other potential customers by a variety of online and
`
`offline means, including a webpage, an email, a communica-
`tion sent to a mobile device, a print advertisement, a radio
`advertisement,etc.
`[0040]
`In an embodiment of the present invention that
`involves cross-selling or cross-loyalty, as described in more
`detail below, the invention may facilitate consecutive, or
`simultaneous, communication of related incentives. For
`example, incentives of two merchants involved in a cross-
`selling program may be communicated either immediately
`one after the other, or together. The communication may
`further indicate a link or other connection between the incen-
`
`tives based uponthe cross-selling program. A skilled reader
`will recognize thata variety of waysto indicate cross-selling
`or cross-loyalty incentives may be provided.
`[0041]
`Inone embodimentofthe present invention, amem-
`ber may view a display of incentives on a webpage whenthe
`memberlogs onto the marketing system website. The display
`may be immediately presented after login, or may bepre-
`sented upon a selection by the member, such as the selection
`of a particular webpage,a link, or an incentive display option.
`[0042]
`In another embodimentof the present invention, a
`merchant may have an option regarding setting the promi-
`nence of the communication of an incentive to a member or
`other participant. For example, a merchant may make a
`request, and maypaya fee, for a particular prominence of an
`incentive in a communication to a member,otherparticipant
`or any third parties. A merchant mayalso be given the oppor-
`tunity to bid for a more prominent communication or display
`of an incentive to a member, participant of the marketing
`system, or third party. A skilled reader will recognize that
`prominent communication or displays of an incentive may
`involve a variety ofcriteria, such as, for example: the time of
`day when a communication occurs via radio; the positioning
`of an incentive on a webpage, printed page, or list showing
`one or more incentives; the typeface or graphics (e.g., bold,
`coloured, etc.) of an incentive on a webpageorprinted page;
`etc.
`
`[0043] A participant and/or third party may redeem an
`incentive, through an online of offline transaction. Transac-
`tion details oftransactions occurring between a merchantand
`a participant or third party, may be stored in the data storage
`area. At the time of the transaction a member, or other par-
`ticipant, may provide a marketing system participant identi-
`fier to a merchant.
`
`[0044] Transaction details may be transferred to the mar-
`keting system for storage and mining by a variety of means
`and ata variety oftimes. For example, transaction details may
`be transferred to the marketing system in real-time(e.g., as a
`transaction occurs and concludes), near real-time (e.g.,
`almost immediately after a transaction concludes), and/or
`after a time lapse (e.g., at the end ofa time period, such as a set
`time(s) during a day,at the end ofthe day,at the end ofa week,
`at month-end, or at any other time after a transaction is fin-
`ished, information regarding one or more transactions may be
`providedto the marketing system). The data mining tool may
`be utilized collect data from the storage area, and possibly
`other data sources,
`to generate specific information, for
`example, such as information regarding consumerbehaviour
`data that may provide: one or more reports pertaining to a
`particular incentive (e.g., success of an incentive); informa-
`tion to be utilized to create a new incentive; suggestions of
`new incentives; or other information.
`[0045]
`In particular, the data mining tool maybeutilized to
`determineif a transaction occurred as a result of an incentive.
`
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`Dec. 29, 2011
`
`For example, the data mining tool may be engaged (and
`optionally the analytic mode may also be engaged) to recog-
`nize particular pre-transaction behaviourbya participant, for
`example, such as the search for a merchant or a product by a
`participant, communication ofan incentiveto a participant, or
`other information. The pre-transaction behaviour if followed
`by a transaction with a particular period of time may be
`assumed by the marketing system to indicate that the trans-
`action occurred based uponthe incentive (orthatthe transac-
`tion occurred based uponthe search). It is also possible for a
`post-transaction survey to be providedto the participant who
`engagedin the transaction, and data collected from the survey
`mayestablish that the transaction occurred due to the search
`and/or the incentive. Such data may be utilized by the mar-
`keting system, merchant, and/or other participants to make
`determinations about future incentives, success ofpast incen-
`tives, marketing strategies, and other decisions.
`[0046] Embodiments of the present invention may include
`a transaction linking utility to access the data in the data
`storage area or data extracted or analyzed by the data mining
`tool and the analytic mode, andto utilize this data to identify
`links between a transaction and a member. For example, the
`transaction linking utility may analyze the data to recognize
`the existence of links or matches between transactions and
`other behaviour or activities ofmembersor users. As such, the
`transaction linking utility may be operable to identify a match
`between a search by a memberanda later transaction when
`the member purchase a product or service at a merchant’s
`store that the member had earlier searched. The transaction
`linking utility may further determinea likelihoodor level of
`certainty that a transaction resulted from an earlier search by
`amember. This operability ofthe transaction linking utility is
`described in more detail below. A skilled reader will recog-
`nize that the transaction linking utility may utilize a wide
`variety of data to undertake its function and maylink a trans-
`action to a wide variety of behavioursoractivities by a mem-
`ber, and may determinethe link to be of varying degrees of
`likelihood or certainty. The transaction linking facility may
`also involve data such as memberprofile data, including a
`member’s financial card information, or a member’sidentifi-
`cation, to determine a link between a memberand a transac-
`tion.
`
`Participants of the marketing system, other than the
`[0047]
`administrator, may not be provided with direct access to the
`data stored in the data storage area. Thus, any personal infor-
`mation regarding a participant stored in the data storage area
`will not be accessible by participants. Additional security
`measures may be included in the marketing system to ensure
`that personal information regarding a participant stored in the
`data storage area will not be disseminated to participants.
`Such security measure may further include means whereby
`the data mining tool, transaction linking utility and analytic
`mode may generate information in a manner so that such
`information is devoid of personal information regarding spe-
`cific participants. In this manner, privacy of information,
`including personal information, may be maintained by the
`marketing system. Privacy of information of the marketing
`system may meetor exceed any regulations regarding private
`information in a specific location or widerarea.
`
`Benefits of the Present Invention Over the Prior Art
`
`[0048] The present invention may offer many benefits over
`the knownprior art. For example, many local merchants lack
`the ability to access information sourcesthat offer both: infor-
`
`mation regarding community programs local to a merchant
`store location; and customer participant information. The
`data and other information either stored in the data storage
`area of the marketing system of the present invention, or in
`other data sources that are accessible by the marketing sys-
`tem, may be queried to identify memberslikely to make use of
`a merchant incentive. The present invention permits local
`merchants to become participants of the marketing system
`and to access this information. The present invention also
`offers a greater level of control to the merchant to create
`specific incentives related to community programs and to
`track the use participant members make of the incentives.
`Merchantstore locations can beeasily linked into community
`programsin the samelocality.
`[0049] The present invention provides an additional ben-
`efit, in that the tracking of participant customer transactions
`that makeuse of an incentive does not require a point of sale
`system. Theprior art generally utilizes a point of sale device
`to track transactions made by a customer having a rewards
`numberor cardat a store. Pointof sales systems are expensive
`and may lack compatibilities with other point of sale systems
`utilized by other merchants. In the present invention,as track-
`ing of transactions between merchants and membersdoes not
`occur by way ofthe point of sales system, it is not necessary
`for a merchant to install an expensive point of sale system
`having tracking capabilities required by the prior art. Thus,
`the present invention may provide a cost-effective means of
`tracking transactions as compared to expensivepriorart sys-
`tems. Additionally, the present invention allows for transac-
`tion tracking to occur whetherthe transaction occurs online or
`offline. For example, a participant customer making a trans-
`action in a bricks and mortar location of a participant mer-
`chant may betrackable in accordance with the present inven-
`tion. Moreover, any participant merchant incentive may be
`applied to a participant customer transaction that occurs
`either onlineoroffline.
`
`Still other benefits of the p