Geographic loyalty system and method

Abstract

The invention facilitates a loyalty system which is associated with pre-determined geographic locations and/or services and goods offered in a specific geographic area. The system is configured with one product platform with a modularized approach to facilitate the development of market specific rewards and communication materials. The loyalty points may be earned within a specific geographic location, then redeemed in one geographic location, a subset of locations or without restrictions. Similarly, the loyalty points may be earned in one geographic location, a subset of locations or without restrictions, then redeemed only in a specific geographic location. The geographic features of the system may be implemented using existing data that is associated with geographic areas such as, for example, zip codes, retailer identification codes, service establishment codes and/or the like. The geographic area information may be associated with the consumer, merchant, processing system and/or any other part of the overall system.

1 . A method, comprising:
 determining, by a computer-based system for facilitating earning loyalty points, an amount of geographic area loyalty points based on purchase data, wherein said purchase data includes a retailer item identifier and geographical area information;   updating, by said computer-based system, a loyalty account with said geographic area loyalty points by adding the determined amount of geographic area loyalty points to a preexisting amount of geographic loyalty points in said loyalty account;   developing, by said computer-based system, standardized information by associating a retailer item identifier, said geographical area information, and a manufacturer identifier; and   performing, by said computer-based system, data analysis using said standardized information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a database for storing said geographic area loyalty points in said loyalty account corresponding to a participant. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving said purchase data in a transaction file from a point-of-sale terminal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said determining an amount of geographic area loyalty points based on said purchase data includes calculating said geographic area loyalty points using at least one of a formula, ratio, percentage, consumer level, cellular phone caller location, global positioning system information, point level, retailer level, manufacturer level, and reward level. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising informing a consumer of said geographic area loyalty points in real-time at said point-of-sale terminal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said computer-based system is an interactive, online computer system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a suggestive sale in a geographic area. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of pooling, gifting and transferring said geographic area loyalty points. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving consumer data from a dual use transaction card. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising facilitating earning said geographic area loyalty points in a pre-determined geographic area. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing an award to said participant, wherein said award includes at least one of a coupon, certificate, gift card, code, good, and service. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining that a geographic redemption area is associated with said geographic area loyalty points. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining that a geographic redemption area is associated with said geographic area loyalty points using at least one of: zip codes, retailer identification codes, retailer item identifier, store identifier, warranty data, service establishment codes, SKU codes, UPC manufacturer codes, consumer ID, retailer ID, manufacturer ID, purchaser profile, consumer enrollment data, retailer loyalty identifier, consumer account, aggregate consumer account, consumer profile, supplementary member profile, and third party provider information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising facilitating redeeming said geographic area loyalty points. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising facilitating redeeming said geographic area loyalty points in a geographic area. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request related to a geographic redemption area to redeem an amount of said geographic area loyalty points. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request related to a geographic redemption area to redeem an amount of said geographic area loyalty points based upon a rewards catalog, wherein said rewards catalog includes at least one of: paper catalog, online catalog, customized catalog, customized catalog based upon geographic area information and customized catalog based upon levels of participants. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating an exchange rate between geographic areas. 
     
     
         19 . An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system for facilitating earning loyalty points, cause said computer-based system to perform operations comprising:
 determining, by said computer-based system, an amount of geographic area loyalty points based on purchase data, wherein said purchase data includes a retailer item identifier and geographical area information;   updating, by said computer-based system, a loyalty account with said geographic area loyalty points by adding the determined amount of geographic area loyalty points to a preexisting amount of geographic loyalty points in said loyalty account;   developing, by said computer-based system, standardized information by associating a retailer item identifier, said geographical area information, and a manufacturer identifier; and   performing, by said computer-based system, data analysis using said standardized information.   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 a tangible, non-transitory memory communicating with a processor for facilitating earning loyalty points,   the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining, by said processor, an amount of geographic area loyalty points based on purchase data, wherein said purchase data includes a retailer item identifier and geographical area information; 
 updating, by said processor, a loyalty account with said geographic area loyalty points by adding the determined amount of geographic area loyalty points to a preexisting amount of geographic loyalty points in said loyalty account; 
 developing, by said processor, standardized information by associating a retailer item identifier, said geographical area information, and a manufacturer identifier; and 
 performing, by said processor, data analysis using said standardized information.