US-12626270-B2 - Targeted real-time offers leveraging serialized QR codes

Abstract

The subject matter of this disclosure relates to a method and a system for providing and managing post-purchase rebates and other commercial offers. An example method includes: receiving a notification indicating that a consumer has purchased a product at a store and is requesting a discount for the product, wherein the notification is received in response to a client device of the consumer scanning a QR code on the product; determining that the client device scanned the QR code when the client device was outside of a physical boundary for the store; confirming that the consumer has purchased the product; and providing the consumer with the discount.

Inventors

• Ernest J. Gallo
• Benjamin S. Bradbury

Assignees

• E. & J. GALLO WINERY

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20241030

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A computer-implemented method for providing post-purchase promotional offers, the method comprising: receiving, at a server system, a notification in response to a client device performing a scan of a QR code associated with a product, wherein the notification indicates that a consumer has purchased the product at a store and is requesting a promotional offer; and activating, at the server system, a redemption process in response to receiving the notification, the redemption process comprising: determining, by the server system, that the scan was performed when the client device was outside of a physical boundary associated with the store after a threshold period of time had passed since the purchase, wherein the client device comprises a satellite navigation receiver, wherein a location of the client device during the scan is determined using at least one of the satellite navigation receiver and a global positioning system, an IP address, or triangulation, and wherein determining that the client device was outside of the physical boundary comprises determining a distance between the client device and at least one of the physical boundary or a center of the store; determining, by the server system, that a number of redemption requests from the store is below a threshold value; and sending, from the server system to the client device, in response to (i) the determination that the scan was performed when the client device was outside of the physical boundary after the threshold period of time and (ii) the determination that the number of redemption requests from the store is below the threshold value, a notification indicating that the consumer received the promotional offer.
2. 2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the store comprises a liquor store, a grocery store, a warehouse, a convenience store, or other business where the product is available for purchase.
3. 3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the QR code is a serial QR code that uniquely identifies a product item from other product items.
4. 4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining, by the server system, that the scan was performed when the client device was outside of the physical boundary comprises receiving location data for the client device.
5. 5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: checking a QR registry associated with the QR code on the product; and confirming, by the server system and based on the QR registry, that the consumer has purchased the product, wherein the QR registry comprises a database that stores a listing and usage history of serial QR codes produced and applied to products.
6. 6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein use of the QR code and the QR registry prevents or reduces false claims of product purchases.
7. 7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising updating the QR registry to indicate that an offer associated with the QR code has been redeemed.
8. 8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving, by the server system, a digital copy of a receipt associated with the product and confirming, by the server system and based on the digital copy, that the consumer has purchased the product.
9. 9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving, by the server system, an image of a physical receipt associated with the product; and confirming, by the server system and based on the image, that the consumer has purchased the product.
10. 10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the promotional offer comprises at least one of a reward, a discount, a rebate, and a coupon.
11. 11 . A system for providing post-purchase promotional offers, the system comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor and configured to store executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive a notification in response to a client device performing a scan of a QR code associated with a product sold at a store, wherein the notification indicates that a consumer has purchased the product at the store and is requesting a promotional offer; and activate a redemption process in response to receiving the notification, the redemption process causing the at least one processor to: determine that the scan was performed when the client device was outside of a physical boundary associated with the store after a threshold period of time had passed since the purchase, wherein the client device comprises a satellite navigation receiver, wherein a location of the client device during the scan is determined using at least one of the satellite navigation receiver, a global positioning system, an IP address, or triangulation, and wherein determining that the client device was outside of the physical boundary comprises determining a distance between the client device and at least one of the physical boundary or a center of the store; determine that a number of redemption requests from the store is below a threshold value; and send, to the client device, in response to (i) the determination that the scan was performed when the client device was outside of the physical boundary after the threshold period of time and (ii) the determination that the number of redemption requests from the store is below the threshold value, a notification indicating that the consumer received the promotional offer.
12. 12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the store comprises a liquor store, a grocery store, a warehouse, a convenience store, or other business where the product is available for purchase.
13. 13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the QR code is a serial QR code that uniquely identifies a product item from other product items.
14. 14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to: check a QR registry associated with the QR code on the product, wherein the QR registry comprises a database that stores a listing and usage history of all serial QR codes produced and applied to products; and confirm, based on the QR registry, that the consumer has purchased the product.
15. 15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to update the QR registry to indicate that an offer associated with the QR code has been redeemed.
16. 16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to use the QR code and the QR registry to prevent or reduce false claims of product purchases.
17. 17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to: receive a digital copy of a receipt associated with the product; and confirm, based on the digital copy, that the consumer has purchased the product.
18. 18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to: receive an image of a physical receipt associated with the product; and confirm, based on the image, that the consumer has purchased the product.
19. 19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein, to determine that the scan was performed when the client device was outside of the physical boundary of the store, the instructions further cause the at least one processor to receive location data for the client device.
20. 20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the promotional offer comprises at least one of a reward, a discount, a rebate, and a coupon.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/570,171, filed Jan. 6, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Commercial promotions involving coupons, discounts, special offers, rebates, and the like are a common marketing strategy, particularly for consumer goods sold at groceries, drug stores, liquor stores, and discount stores. Product suppliers or producers can use commercial promotions to introduce new products, promote new and existing products, and increase sales. Commercial promotions can be utilized in a three-tier distribution system, which can involve or include the following three tiers: (i) suppliers (alternatively referred to as “producers” or “manufacturers”), (ii) distributors (alternatively referred to as “wholesalers,” “partners,” or “wholesale distributors”), and (iii) retailers (alternatively referred to as “merchants”). Online access to commercial communications/promotions from merchants, product sellers, and manufacturers has become commonplace and can allow consumers to receive promotional offers and make purchases from the convenience of their own homes. Many people receive commercial communications or other promotional materials on their mobile devices, in their email accounts, or through other electronic means. SUMMARY In general, the subject matter of this disclosure relates to a method and a system for providing and managing post-purchase rebates and other commercial promotions or offers. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method includes: receiving a notification (e.g., at a server computer for a promotion management engine) indicating that a consumer has purchased a product at a store and is requesting a discount for the product, wherein the notification is received in response to a client device of the consumer scanning a QR code (e.g., a serial QR code) on the product; determining that the client device scanned the QR code when the client device was outside of a physical boundary for the store; confirming that the consumer has purchased the product; and providing the consumer with the discount. The above and other preferred features, including various novel details of implementation and combination of elements, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular methods and apparatuses are shown by way of illustration only and not as limitations. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the principles and features explained herein may be employed in various and numerous embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying figures, which are included as part of the present specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiments and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below serve to explain and teach the principles described herein. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a promotion management system, according to some embodiments. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a hardware structure of a client device, according to some embodiments. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a promotion management engine, according to some embodiments. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of managing commercial promotions, according to some embodiments. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a workflow for managing a promotional offer, according to some embodiments. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a workflow for offer redemption, according to some embodiments. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a workflow for launching a website based on a QR code scan, according to some embodiments. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an example computer system that may be used in implementing the technology described herein, according to some embodiments. While the present disclosure is subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. The present disclosure should be understood to not be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In general, previous approaches for implementing commercial promotions received through electronic or other means are not responsive to a consumer's interests, not compelling to the consumer, too laborious to follow (e.g., a consumer needs to go through a long list to find a desired coupon and then download the coupon to a consumer account), limited to virtual stores and not physical brick-and-mortar stores, or not received by the consumer at a proper time (e.g., received too early or after a consumer is no longer interested in purchasing a product). For example, promotions implemented with pape