System and method for impulse purchase prompting

Abstract

A system and method of prompting impulse purchases includes detecting a customer, transmitting an impulse purchase prompt to the customer, and fulfilling, in near-real time, an impulse purchase request transmitted by the customer in response to the impulse purchase prompt.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of prompting impulse purchases, comprising:
 detecting a customer;   transmitting an impulse purchase prompt to the customer; and   fulfilling, in near-real time, an impulse purchase request transmitted by the customer in response.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detection of the customer comprises an interaction with a mobile device associated with the customer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the interaction with the mobile device comprises passive detection of a mobile device associated with the customer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the passive detection comprises at least one of: a Bluetooth connection, a geofence detection, a wireless connection, and a camera detection. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the impulse purchase prompt comprises a notification on the mobile device associated with the customer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the impulse purchase prompt suggests a specific product to the customer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the impulse purchase prompt opens a mobile application associated with an impulse purchase location in response to approval of the notification by the customer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the interaction comprises a user-initiated interaction with an information carrier present at an impulse purchase location. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the user-initiated interaction comprises scanning a QR code with the mobile device associated with the customer. 
     
     
         10 . A system for implementing impulse purchase fulfillment, comprising:
 at least one impulse purchase prompt transmitted to a customer within an impulse purchase location;   wherein activation of the at least one impulse purchase prompt by the customer is detectable by the system;   at least one fulfillment method of at least one product associated with the at least one impulse purchase prompt;   wherein access to the at least one product is facilitated by the at least one fulfillment method dependent upon features of the impulse purchase location and the at least one impulse purchase prompt.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the impulse purchase location comprises at least one of a store front parking lot, a loading zone, a drive-through window, and a fuel pump island. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the fulfillment method comprises at least one of drive through delivery, car hop delivery, walk-up window, and automated locker. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the impulse purchase prompt operates to receive a user impulse purchase request and select the fulfillment method. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the impulse purchase request activates the fulfillment method while the customer is within the impulse purchase location. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the impulse purchase request activates the fulfillment method before the customer completes an initial transaction that resulted in entry of the customer into the impulse purchase location. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the impulse purchase request activates the fulfillment method for simultaneous fulfillment with an initial transaction that resulted in entry of the customer into the impulse purchase location. 
     
     
         17 . A system of fulfilling on-site purchases, comprising:
 a mobile device;   an impulse purchase location;   an impulse purchase prompt initiator;   an impulse purchase prompt, wherein interaction between the mobile device and the impulse purchase prompt while the mobile device is proximal to the impulse purchase location generates the impulse purchase prompt, and;   a fulfillment configuration, wherein the fulfillment configuration fulfills an impulse purchase in response to a user response to the impulse purchase prompt.   
     
     
         18 . The system of fulfilling on-site purchases of  claim 17 , wherein the impulse purchase prompt presents at least one impulse purchase product based on the fulfillment configuration available. 
     
     
         19 . The system of fulfilling on-site purchases of  claim 18 , wherein the fulfillment configuration comprises at least one of drive through delivery, car hop delivery, walk-up window, and automated locker. 
     
     
         20 . The system of fulfilling on-site purchases of  claim 17 , wherein the impulse purchase prompt initiator comprises at least one of a Bluetooth connection, a geofence detection, a wireless connection, and camera detection, and scanning a QR code.