Method and apparatus for selling subscriptions to periodicals in a retail environment

Abstract

A system comprises a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, a POS controller, a retail subscription system. The POS terminal allows a cashier to enter subscription sales data into the POS controller. The POS controller maintains databases on available subscriptions and produces databases containing data relating to subscriptions sold to customers. The retail subscription system verifies the subscriptions by reference to its own databases and transmits the subscriptions to a fulfillment house for distribution.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving at an electronic terminal a request by a customer to purchase a single periodical;   presenting an offer to sell a subscription to the periodical at a subscription rate;   receiving an acceptance of the offer to sell the subscription; and   recording the distribution of the single periodical as a first issue of the subscription.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving information indicating that a subscription is available for the periodical. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving at the electronic terminal subscription information about the customer. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 transmitting to a point-of-sale controller data indicating a sale of the subscription and an authentication code. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 generating a receipt for the subscription that includes the authentication code. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 recording payment of the subscription, the payment including a cost of the single periodical. 
 
     
     
         7 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform steps comprising:
 receiving at an electronic terminal a request by a customer to purchase a single periodical;   offering to sell a subscription to the periodical at a subscription rate;   receiving an acceptance of the offer to sell the subscription; and   recording the distribution of the single periodical as a first issue of the subscription.   
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 7  further comprising:
 receiving information indicating that a subscription is available for the periodical. 
 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 7  further comprising:
 receiving at the electronic terminal subscription information about the customer. 
 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 7  further comprising:
 transmitting to a point-of-sale controller data indicating a sale of the subscription and an authentication code. 
 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 10  further comprising:
 generating a receipt for the subscription that includes the authentication code. 
 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 receiving at an electronic terminal a request by a customer to purchase a single periodical at a give cost for a single issue;   offering to sell a subscription to the periodical at a subscription price that is higher than a wholesale subscription cost;   receiving an acceptance of the offer to sell the subscription at the subscription price; and   recording the distribution of the single periodical as a first issue of the subscription.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 recording payment of the subscription price, wherein the payment is shared between a wholesaler and a point-of-sale location. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 receiving information indicating that a subscription is available for the periodical. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 receiving at the electronic terminal subscription information about the customer. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 transmitting to a fulfillment house data indicating a sale of the subscription.