System and method for gathering and standardizing customer purchase information for target marketing

Abstract

The present invention relates to storing and manipulating customer purchasing information, particularly purchasing information by credit cards, debit cards, checks, and the like. A hierarchical organizational structure is created comprising a plurality of categories and sub-categories. The customer purchase information may then be retrieved according to user created links to generate customer preference information. The customer preference information may be stored in a customer account, thereby allowing targeted offers to be made to customers.

1 - 58 . (canceled)  
     
     
         59 . A method for making targeted offers, the method implemented in a computer system for storing and manipulating customer purchase information received from a plurality of sources, the computer system comprising a storage device for storing the customer purchase information and a processor for placing the customer purchase information, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving the customer purchase information, the receiving performed by the processor;    organizing the customer purchase information within a predetermined organizational structure, the organizing performed by the processor;    creating a customer preference based at least in part on the customer purchase information in the organizational structure;    forming an offer for a customer based on at least one of the customer preference and the customer purchase information;    generating a customer score based on customer accounts prior to creating the customer preference; and    wherein the step of generating a customer score, includes generating multiple customer scores for a single customer, the multiple customer scores for the single customer each being respectively associated with a different merchant.    
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising the step of extending the offer electronically through at least one of e-mail contact and a web page.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising the step of extending the offer through a medium comprising at least one of telephone calls and direct mail.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the predetermined organizational structure comprises a plurality of categories, each category comprising a plurality of sub-categories arranged in a hierarchy.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the step of forming an offer comprises forming an offer for goods and services.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the purchase information comprises at least an amount of purchase, a location of purchase, a merchant name, and a merchant category code.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the customer purchase information comprises merchant text strings including a purchase amount and the step of creating a customer preference comprises reviewing merchant text strings.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising updating the organizational structure when customer purchase information reaches a threshold level.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , further comprising setting the threshold level to reflect at least one of a date range and a dollar range.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the step of forming an offer comprises matching selected words or characters with words or characters contained within the customer purchase information.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the customer purchase information comprises at least one of previous credit card transactions, customer profiles, customer applications, debit card purchases, and check purchases.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the customer purchase information comprises stored value purchase information.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the plurality of sources are different merchants.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the predetermined organizational structure comprises a plurality of categories, each category comprising a plurality of sub-categories, and wherein at least a plurality of the categories or sub-categories are associated with respective different merchants.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein the categories and sub-categories relate to the volume of purchases made at a particular merchant and not to any particular item purchased at a particular merchant.  
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 59 , the customer purchase information including at least one selected from the group consisting of information about responses to surveys, background information regarding a customer, responses to previous offers, and responses to previous solicitations.  
     
     
         75 . A system for storing and manipulating customer purchase information received from a plurality of sources, the system comprising: 
 means for receiving the customer purchase information, wherein the customer purchase information includes text strings;    means for organizing the customer purchase information within a predetermined organizational structure; and    means for forming an offer for a customer based on a character search or word search of the text strings in the customer purchase information in the organizational structure;    score generating means for generating a customer score based on customer accounts prior to creating the customer preference; and    wherein the score generating means generates multiple customer scores for a single customer, the multiple customer scores for the single customer each being respectively associated with a different merchant.    
     
     
         76 . The system of  claim 75 , further comprising processing means for placing the customer purchase information into at least one of the plurality of categories and plurality of sub-categories.  
     
     
         77 . The system of  claim 75 , wherein the purchase information comprises at least an amount of purchase, a location of purchase, a merchant name, and a merchant category code; and 
 wherein the customer purchase information comprises merchant text strings including a purchase amount and the means for creating a customer preference comprises searching means for reviewing merchant text strings.    
     
     
         78 . The system of  claim 75 , further comprising updating means for updating the organizational structure when customer purchase information reaches a threshold level.  
     
     
         79 . The system of  claim 75 , wherein the means for forming an offer comprises matching means for matching selected words or characters with words or characters contained within the customer purchase information.  
     
     
         80 . The system of  claim 75 , wherein the customer purchase information comprises at least one of previous credit card transactions, customer profiles, customer applications, debit card purchases, and check purchases.  
     
     
         81 . A method for making targeted offers, the method implemented in a computer system for storing and manipulating customer purchase information received from a plurality of sources, the computer system comprising a storage device for storing the customer purchase information and a processor for placing the customer purchase information, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving the customer purchase information, the receiving performed by the processor;    organizing the customer purchase information within a predetermined organizational structure, wherein the predetermined organizational structure comprises a plurality of categories, each category comprising a plurality of sub-categories, the organizing performed by the processor;    creating a customer preference based at least in part on the customer purchase information in the organizational structure;    forming an offer for a customer based on at least one of the customer preference and the customer purchase information;    wherein at least a plurality of the categories or sub-categories are associated with a respective count value, each count value indicating the number of customers that have had activity within the particular category or sub-category.    
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 81 , wherein at least a plurality of the categories or sub-categories are associated with a respective percentage value, each percentage value indicating the percentage of customers that have had activity within the particular category or sub-category.  
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein at least a plurality of the categories or sub-categories are associated with respective different merchants.  
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 81 , wherein at least a plurality of the categories or sub-categories are associated with respective different merchants.  
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 81 , further comprising updating the organizational structure when customer purchase information reaches a threshold level, and comprising setting the threshold level to reflect at least one of a date range and a dollar range.  
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the categories and sub-categories relate to the volume of purchases made at a particular merchant and not to any particular item purchased at a particular merchant.  
     
     
         87 . A method for making targeted offers, the method implemented in a computer system for storing and manipulating customer purchase information received from a plurality of sources, the computer system comprising a storage device for storing the customer purchase information and a processor for placing the customer purchase information, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving the customer purchase information, the receiving performed by the processor;    organizing the customer purchase information within a predetermined organizational structure, wherein the predetermined organizational structure comprises a plurality of categories, each category comprising a plurality of subcategories, the organizing performed by the processor;    creating a customer preference based at least in part on the customer purchase information in the organizational structure;    forming an offer for a customer based on at least one of the customer preference and the customer purchase information; and    associating the categories and sub-categories with a score, wherein the score is based on customer purchase information that is associated with a particular category or sub-category; and    wherein the score associated with a particular category or sub-category is based on at least one of: 
 the total dollar amount of purchases by a customer in a particular category or sub-category; and  
 the number of purchases in a particular category or sub-category.  
   
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein the sub-categories comprise respective merchants.  
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein the score includes at least one selected from the group of a count value and a percentage value.  
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the score is a count value, and the count value represents a count of the number of customers who have had some activity within a particular category or subcategory in a particular period of time.  
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the score is a percentage value, and the percentage value represents a percentage of customers who have had some activity within a particular category or sub-category in a particular period of time.