Enhanced shopping & merchandising methodology

Abstract

An enhanced shopping system for facilitating grocery shopping and in-store advertising is disclosed. The system utilizes uniquely changes (1) the way grocery retail industry captures and retains customers, (2) how customers organize their shopping efforts in grocery stores, (3) the approach to advertising and reaching customers, and (4) the information available to retailers and merchandisers related to customer (a) shopping patterns, (b) responses to merchandising and advertising, and (c) specific impact of discounting/coupons.

1 . A method for generating a shopping list for use in a retail store, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) generating a basic electronic shopping list of retail items to be purchased by a consumer;   (b) providing one or more virtual merchandising options associated with said list;. and   (c) modifying said basic electronic shopping list to be modified as a function of said one or more virtual merchandising options.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein step (c) includes the step of associating brand display with one or more items on said electronic shopping list. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein step (c) includes the step of associating one or more items on said electronic shopping list with associated items and listing said associated items on said electronic shopping list. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein step (c) includes the step of displaying incentives on said electronic shopping list. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein step (c) includes the step of displaying sales of selected items on said electronic shopping list. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein step (c) includes the step of displaying coupons for selected items on said electronic shopping list. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein step (c) includes the step of associating brand logos with selected items displayed on said electronic shopping list. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein step (c) includes the step of associating brand logos with selected generic items displayed on said electronic shopping list. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein step (c) includes the step of associating brand logos with selected items identified on said electronic shopping list with different brands. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein step (a) includes the step of scanning UPC codes of items previously purchased defining scanned items. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein step (a) includes the step of storing said scanned UPC codes of items previously purchased on a portable memory device. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein step (a) includes the step of storing said scanned UPC codes of items previously purchased on a remote memory device. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further including the steps of determining consumption patterns of said consumer and adding at least one item to said electronic shopping list as a function of said consumption patterns. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further including the steps of determining the location of said items in said retail store and associating the location with said item on said electronic shopping list. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further including the step of arranging said electronic shopping list as a function of said locations. 
     
     
         16 . A system for generating an electronic shopping list, the system comprising:
 a memory for receiving data relating to items intended for retail purchase by a consumer;   a generating system for generating an electronic shopping list of said items stored in memory; and   a modifying system for automatically modifying said electronic shopping list as a function of predetermined criteria.   
     
     
         17 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said predetermined criteria includes at least one virtual merchandising option. 
     
     
         18 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said at least one virtual merchandising option comprises product protection. 
     
     
         19 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said at least one virtual merchandising option comprises brand display. 
     
     
         20 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said at least one virtual merchandising option comprises switching incentives. 
     
     
         21 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said at least one virtual merchandising option comprises product linkage. 
     
     
         22 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said predetermined criteria is based upon consumer consumption patterns. 
     
     
         23 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said predetermined criteria is the location of said items in said retail store. 
     
     
         24 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said memory is portable. 
     
     
         25 . The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said system is web based.