Abstract: A method for determining relevance to customers of an advertisement for retail grocery items offered by a retailer. The method includes the steps of, for each item contained in the advertisement, creating an item promo group including non-ad items related to the advertised item. All items of the promo groups are then compared to a customer's purchase history data. The relevance of the advertised items is then quantified based on prior purchases by the customer of items contained in the corresponding promo groups.

Abstract: A business method for influencing consumer purchase of retail sales items. An electronic consumer database is created for a plurality of retail stores. The database indicates a purchase history of items purchased by consumers at the retail stores. It is then determined when a common item is offered for sale by each of the retail stores at a reduced retail sales price. The reduced retail sales price is effective for a promotion period determined by the individual retail store. Based on the promotion periods for the common item at respective retail stores and the purchase history of the consumers, the common item or a complementary item is offered to a predetermined select group of consumers with a price discount established by a manufacturer of the common item. The manufacturer price discount results in a target sales price adapted to influence purchase by the consumer.