Service plan product and associated system and method

Abstract

A service plan product providing a tangible representation of a service plan includes a support backer and a tag removably coupled with the backer. The tag includes service plan account identification means corresponding to a service plan account stored in a database and plan administrator contact indicia. The tag is configured to be removed from the backer and applied to a primary product for which the service plan is provided, and wherein only the service plan account identification means is required for the service plan administrator to access the database to identify details regarding the service plan account. Related systems and methods are also disclosed and provide additional advantages.

1 . A method of enrolling a primary product in a service plan, the method comprising:
 processing a primary product for purchase at a first point-of-sale (POS) terminal;   processing a separate, tangible service plan product for purchase at one of the first POS terminal and a second POS terminal, wherein the service plan product includes a tag having account identification means, wherein the one of the first POS terminal and the second POS terminal automatically stores primary product information linked to the account identification means in a database and automatically activates a service plan account corresponding to the account identification means for a predefined term; and   displaying the service plan product as one of a plurality of service plan products as part of a retail display readily accessible by consumers and spaced from the first POS terminal and the second POS terminal, each of the plurality of service plan products is associated with one of a first service plan price tier and a second service plan price tier, each service plan product associated with the first service plan price tier being at least partially a first color and each service plan product associated with the second service plan price tier being at least partially a second color to visually differentiate the service plan products associated with the first and second service plan price tiers, wherein displaying the service plan product occurs prior to processing the primary product and processing the separate service plan product.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , including displaying the service plan product near a retail display supporting the primary product prior to processing the primary product and processing the service plan product, wherein the service plan product and the primary product are displayed as separate items. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising discarding any receipts regarding the purchase of the primary product and the service plan product. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method is substantially paperless. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein processing the primary product and processing the service plan occur during a single purchase transaction at the first POS terminal. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 associating the primary product with the service plan account based on data received from one of the first POS terminal and the second POS terminal;   remotely receiving communication from an owner of the primary product including receiving an account identification means from the owner, wherein the account identification means is determined from the tag coupled with the primary product, and collecting information regarding an issue of the primary product from the owner;   accessing the service plan account based on the account identification means;   determining a remedy based on the information regarding the issue; and   providing the remedy to the consumer.   
     
     
         7 . A method of administering a warranty plan system, the method comprising:
 offering a primary product for retail sale, wherein the primary product is tangible and includes a product bar code with data representing an identification of the primary product;   separately providing a warranty plan product and displaying the warranty plan product for retail sale in a physical retail store, the warranty plan product providing for or facilitating repair, replacement and other servicing of the primary product as needed during a predefined term of the warranty plan product, wherein the step of separately providing the warranty plan product comprises:
 indicating a level of warranty with a first bar code that is based on a purchase price of the primary product, wherein the level of warranty is one of a plurality of levels of warranty, and 
 indicating an individual account with a second bar code with the level of warranty indicated by the first bar code, 
   wherein the individual account provides for the repair or replacement of the primary product, and the first bar code, the second bar code and the product bar code are all separate from one another; and   processing the primary product and the warranty plan product at a point-of-sale terminal positioned within the physical retail store, the point-of-sale terminal machine reading the first bar code, the second bar code and the product bar code to automatically associate the individual account with the primary product, wherein the first bar code and the second bar code exist prior to processing the primary product and the warranty plan product at the point-of-sale terminal.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , comprising providing the warranty plan product with a card supporting the first bar code and the second bar code. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the card includes an aperture, and the aperture is received by a peg hook in the physical retail store, the method further comprising hanging the card from the peg hook in the physical retail store. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising coloring the card to visually indicate the level of warranty indicated by the first bar code, wherein different warranty plan products include cards with different colors, and wherein the different warranty plan products are associated with different levels of warranty. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 7 , in combination with a physical retail display within the physical retail store, the method comprising spacing the physical retail display from the point-of-sale terminal and separately supporting both the primary product and the warranty plan product. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the first bar code and the second bar code each exist before the warranty plan product is displayed for retail sale in the physical retail store. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 7 , further comprising providing the warranty plan product with a sticker that includes an account identifier indicating the individual account linked to the warranty plan product, configuring the sticker to be readily removed from the warranty plan product and secured to the primary product, and separately providing the account identifier from the first bar code and the second bar code. 
     
     
         14 . A method of administering a warranty plan, the method comprising:
 processing a primary product for purchase at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal at a retail store;   physically displaying a plurality of tangible warranty plan products as part of a retail display, wherein each of the plurality of warranty plan products is associated with one of a first warranty plan price tier and a second warranty plan price tier depending on a price of the primary product, wherein the physically displaying the warranty plan product occurs prior to processing the primary product;   processing a selected one of the plurality of tangible warranty plan products with the or another POS terminal at the retail store; and   linking the selected warranty plan product with the primary product by automatically storing information identifying the primary product, associating the selecting warranty plan product with the primary product, and activating a warranty plan account for the primary product for a predefined term.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising providing the selected warranty plan product with a removable tag including a warranty plan account identifier and redemption indicia, wherein the removable tag contains all information required to make a claim to the warranty plan account. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising providing the warranty plan products with tier indicia that distinguish the warranty plan products of the first warranty plan price tier form the warranty plan products of the second warranty plan price tier. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the POS terminal is in communication with a database, the method comprising the POS terminal storing account information, product information and consumer information in the database, the storing step comprising storing the warranty plan account in association with the selected warranty plan product and the primary product. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the physically displaying step comprises displaying the plurality of tangible warranty plan products in view of the primary product in the retail store. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein if the step of processing a selected one of the plurality of tangible warranty plan products occurs after the step of processing the primary product for purchase, the linking step is practiced by processing a technical return and repurchase of the primary product when the selected warranty plan product is processed. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising providing the warranty plan product with a sticker that includes an account identifier indicating the warranty plan account linked to the warranty plan product, and configuring the sticker to be readily removed from the warranty plan product and secured to the primary product.