Abstract: A method for reward-based surrogate shopping may include receiving remote orders from remote shoppers, each including order parameters defining items for purchase and a desired date or time of day of fulfillment of the remote order, receiving assignment requests from surrogate shoppers, each including request parameters identifying a brick-and-mortar store and a desired date or time of day for fulfilling by the surrogate shopper of one or more remote orders, comparing the received remote orders with the received assignment requests and pairing together ones in which at least one order parameter matches at least one request parameter, and for each matched pair, receiving a completion indicator identifying fulfillment by the surrogate shopper of the remote order paired therewith, and providing a reward to the surrogate shopper for completion of surrogate shopping at the identified store for the paired remote order.

Abstract: In a system and method for processing and implementing product regulations at a retail enterprise, a list is received by a retail server of products offered for sale by the enterprise that are regulation eligible, the received list of products is compared with product data identifying products offered for sale to all customers of the enterprise, each product in a database of the enterprise that matches a product in the list and that is not already marked therein as regulation eligible is marked as regulation eligible, and for each product so marked at least one characteristic of the product upon which regulation eligibility is based is determined, the database is searched to identify similar products that include the at least one characteristic, and for each identified similar product a request is transmitted for a determination of regulation eligibility thereof.

Abstract: A shopper reward server includes a communication module to receive purchase transaction data from a plurality of purchase interfaces of a retail enterprise, a database having stored therein a plurality of shopper purchase histories each including purchase transaction data for item purchases made over time by a different one of a corresponding plurality of shoppers, a transaction module to store purchase transaction data for each shopper in a corresponding shopper purchase history, and a shopper reward module to selectively generate for any of the shoppers at least one earn requirement, based on that shopper's purchase history, that must be satisfied by the shopper via at least one purchase made via any of the purchase interfaces in order to earn a corresponding discount reward redeemable against at least one specified item via any of the purchase interfaces.

Abstract: In a system and method for obtaining out of stock inventory at a retail enterprise, stored product codes are associated with one or more store codes and each associated store code is associated with an inventory number. The product codes identify products for sale, the store codes identify stores that normally stock the identified products and each inventory number identifies the number of the products in inventory at each store. In response to a wirelessly received product code, store code and customer code, a processor determines the stored product code that matches the wirelessly received product code, the associated store code that matches the wirelessly received store code and its associated inventory number, and controls a communication circuit to wirelessly transmit a notification message to the mobile communication device that transmitted the codes. The notification message illustratively relates to the availability within the retail enterprise of the identified product.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for remotely activating electromechanically controlled fuel dispensers. Each fuel dispenser is associated in a database with a unique identification code, and a first code is associated with an electronic payment system pre-identified by a fuel purchasing customer for automatic payment processing during fuel purchase transactions. In response to a wirelessly received identification code, the fuel dispenser associated in the database with the identification code that matches the wirelessly received identification code is identified, the identified fuel dispenser is activated to an active state in which the identified fuel dispenser is enabled to dispense fuel if the first code in the database matches a wirelessly received second code, and payment for the purchase of fuel dispensed from the identified fuel dispenser is automatically processed following activation thereof using the pre-identified electronic payment system associated with the first code in the database.

Abstract: A system and method that links point-of-sale purchases to shopper membership accounts includes a database in which each of one or more electronic payment systems specified by a customer is associated with one of a plurality of enterprise membership service identification codes stored in the database that uniquely identifies the customer as one of a plurality of shopper members of an enterprise membership service program associated with a retail enterprise. In response to tender of an electronic payment system to the point-of-sale system as part of a transaction for the purchase of items, information about the items is stored in one of a plurality of purchase histories that is associated with the one of the plurality of enterprise membership service identification codes that is associated with one of at least two specified electronic payment systems that matches the tendered electronic payment system.

Abstract: A system and method for notifying customers of a retail enterprise of checkout queue activity includes a stored identification code identifying a location in or near a customer entry area to multiple point-of-sale systems grouped together in a brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise, and customer codes associated in a database with various customers of the retail enterprise, monitoring purchase transaction activity at each of the plurality of point-of-sale systems. An operating state of each of the point-of-sale systems is determined based on the monitored purchase transaction activity thereof. In response to a wirelessly received customer code and identification code, a notification message is wirelessly transmitted to a mobile communication device identified by a matching one of the customer codes in the database if the wirelessly received identification code matches the stored identification code.

Abstract: A system and method effecting payment for POS purchases includes a database in which a unique code is associated with one of one or more electronic payment systems specified by a customer having one of a plurality of enterprise membership service identification codes stored in the database that uniquely identifies the customer as one of a plurality of shopper members of an enterprise membership service program associated with a retail enterprise. In response to receipt by an input device of a point-of-sale system of the retail enterprise of a manually-supplied code as part of a transaction for the purchase of one or more items, a processor processes payment for the one or more items using the one of the one or more electronic payment systems if the manually-supplied code matches the unique code associated with the one of the one or more electronic payment systems in the database.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying customers with ordered items at a retail enterprise may associate in a database each of a plurality of departments within a brick-and-mortar outlet with a different identification code, and also one of a plurality of customer codes identifying a customer with an order code identifying an order placed by the customer for an item to be delivered thereto by one of the departments. In response to a wirelessly received identification code and customer code, a display monitor at one of the plurality of departments is controlled to display a notification message if the received identification code matches the identification code associated with the one of the departments and the received customer code matches the customer code associated in the database with the order code. The notification message may include information relating to at least one of the customer and the order.

Abstract: A print media coupon may be converted to a virtual print media coupon by a device which captures an image of information on the print media coupon and which creates the virtual print media coupon based on the captured image. The virtual print media coupon may be stored in a virtual coupon repository associated with a customer of a retail enterprise that controls the repository, and/or may be stored in another memory. Alternatively or additionally, a virtual print media coupon displayed on a mobile device may be stored in the virtual coupon repository after scanning during the purchase transaction.

Abstract: A system for providing virtual coupons to a customer illustratively includes a database having a plurality of virtual coupons stored therein, a virtual coupon repository associated with the customer, and a virtual coupon module to transfer a sequence of selected ones of the plurality of virtual coupons stored in the database to the virtual coupon repository, and to sequentially activate for redemption by the customer each successive virtual coupon in the sequence after a preceding virtual coupon in the sequence has been redeemed by the customer.

Abstract: A computer system (100) for use by a retailer with a restricted use consumer coupons (100) includes a point of sale (POS) computer (201) for providing information regarding redemption of restricted use coupons at the POS. A central promotion server (203) is used for communicating with the POS computer (201) for storing restricted use coupon data. A validation computer (205) is used for rendering restricted use coupon data from the retailer or customer and providing the data to the central promotion server (203). The retailer can then provide restricted use coupons containing traceable data to a server (211) for distribution to consumers through one or more of channels of trade.