Abstract: A system and method for providing a sample of a product to shoppers is disclosed. A card reader (115) is provided for reading a shopper's card to identify the shopper and a targeted list (111) of promotions for that shopper can be generated by a printer (116). Sample products which are to be received by the customer, together with the promotional product list, is produced by a processor (P1). The processor (P1) also determines the retail outlets to which sample products should be provided based on the shoppers who are to receive the samples and the home retail outlet at which the shopper shops.

Abstract: A shopping system and method is disclosed for providing an inducement to a shopper to purchase products. The inducement may be by way of a shopping list or a coupon providing benefits when products are purchased. A card reader (105, 515) is provided for reading a customer's card to identify the customer, and processors (P1, P2) are provided for containing databases which include customer information so that targeted offers can be made specific to a particular customer by way of a printed shopping list or coupon. A printer (112) is provided for printing the list and a printer (516) is provided for printing the coupons. Information relating to redeemed coupons is also obtained so that organisations making offers by way of the coupons can be built for the promotional offers included on the coupons.

Abstract: A spontaneous delivery marketing system and method is disclosed. Customised offers for consumers are generated by an application server (106) which extracts targeted offers for particular consumers from database (104) by application software contained in processor (P2) associated with the server (104) and server (106). Particular offers for particular consumers are transmitted to a first database (107). Consumers are identified without interaction by the consumers carrying a RFID tag (111) which is detected by an RFID reader (110) at a retail outlet. Any offers for the particular consumers detected are forwarded to the user's mobile telephone (112) as a SMS message so the user is alerted to the offers applicable to that consumer.

Abstract: A payment transaction system and method is disclosed which has a central facility (100, 200) which has an approval payment processor and a transaction payment database for maintaining accounts relating to customers. The approval payment processor interrogates the database to determine whether a payment should be improved based on the status of the account. A retail processor (P1) receives input payment data from a consumer's mobile telephone relating to the purchase of products so that the payment data can be received by the central facility for approval or declining the payment. The retail processor (P1) has an EPOS checkout terminal and a store database and communicates with a retailer head office processor. The mobile phone is provided with a preset template for facilitating input of data.