Method and system for redeeming product marketing rebates

Abstract

A system and method for processing product marketing rebate claims submitted by a consumer in satisfaction of a rebate offer, the consumer having purchased designated products in a qualified transaction recorded by a point-of-sale data processing and storage system that issues a receipt containing a corresponding transaction serial number. The method comprises providing a designated site of a computer information network and accessible by the consumer, and receiving a rebate claim on the designated site. The rebate claim comprises (i) the transaction serial number corresponding to the qualified transaction, and (ii) identifying information corresponding to the consumer. The transaction serial number and the identifying information is stored as a stored data record. An electronic file transfer is received from the point-of-sale data processing and storage system comprising purchase data records, each record comprising the list of products purchased and the transaction serial number for a qualified transaction in which at least one designated product was purchased. Each stored data record is associated with a purchase data record having an identical serial number, and the records are processed to validate the rebate claim. Finally, the value of the rebate offer is then transferred to the consumer. Consumer access by the designated site may be via the global computer information network or by telephone, and may also optionally integrate paper-based and smart/credit/debit-card-based rebate claims. A system for performing the above method is also claimed.

1 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method of using a rebate computer processing system to process a rebate claim associated with a purchaser of one or more promoted products in an identified purchase transaction processed by a point of sale processing system, the purchase transaction having a unique transaction identifier provided to the purchaser as part of a receipt for the transaction, the unique transaction identifier independent of any identification of the promoted products, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) receiving in the rebate computer processing system information relating to one or more promotional offers associated with the promoted products, including a value associated with each promotional offer;   (b) receiving in the rebate computer processing system information including at least the unique transaction identifier and a product code for at least each promoted product purchased in the identified transaction;   (c) after the purchase transaction, receiving in the rebate computer processing system a rebate claim submitted via a communications network, the rebate claim comprising a submission that includes at least the unique transaction identifier in association with information identifying the purchaser, wherein the unique transaction identifier is extracted electronically from the receipt or from a copy of the receipt;   (d) after receipt of the rebate claim, comparing with the rebate computer processing system the product code for each promoted product purchased in the identified transaction against the information relating to one or more promotional offers, and determining the collective value associated with any promotional offers applicable to the one or more promoted products purchased in the identified transaction; and   (e) providing the purchaser with the collective value.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the unique transaction identifier is extracted electronically from the receipt or the copy via scanning of an electronic code. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the electronic code comprises a bar code. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein at least the unique transaction identifier is extracted electronically from the receipt or the copy using alphanumeric recognition software to convert alphanumeric information on the receipt into stored electronic data. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the step of extracting the unique transaction identifier electronically from the copy of the receipt comprises extracting the information from a copy of the receipt submitted by the purchaser in satisfaction of the rebate claim. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the receipt is a paper receipt. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the copy of the receipt is a paper copy. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the extraction step is performed by a fulfillment administrator.