Method and system for accumulating marginal discounts and applying an associated incentive upon achieving threshold

Abstract

A method for customer promotion includes sequentially processing each of a plurality of items in a customer order. The price of each item is accumulated after processing. A marginal discount associated with each item processed is generated. This marginal discount is generated in response to a signal that indicates the accumulated price exceeds a predetermined threshold. Unapplied marginal discounts are accumulated for application to the customer order. A discount is applied to the customer order in response to a signal that is generated that indicates the accumulated discounts exceeds a predetermined minimum.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for customer promotion of a store providing an incentive to a customer, the method comprising:
 sequentially processing each, by a computing device, one or more of a plurality of items in a customer order; 
 after processing each item, accumulating the price prices of each item the items; 
 in response to the accumulated price exceeding a predetermined threshold, generating a first signal indicating that the accumulated price exceeds a predetermined threshold:;  
 in response to the first signal,: 
 determining a, by the computing device, one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items processed subsequent to the generation of the first signal; and 
 accumulating all unapplied marginal discounts, the marginal discounts for application to the customer order subsequent to the generation of the first signal; 
 
 in response to the accumulated unapplied marginal discounts exceeding a predetermined minimum, generating a second signal indicating that the accumulated discount exceeds a predetermined minimum; and 
 in response to the second signal, applying a discount to the customer order. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein sequentially processing each one or more of a plurality of items in a customer order comprises sequentially processing each one or more of a plurality of items in a customer order received over the Internet. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying a discount to the customer order comprises applying a discount in response to the second signal indicating that the accumulated discount unapplied marginal discounts exceeds a predetermined minimum and upon processing an item in the customer order having a price that is no less than the discount. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying a discount to the customer order comprises applying the minimum discount. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying a discount to the customer order comprises applying the accumulated discount unapplied marginal discounts. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items comprises applying a constant percentage discount on each item the one or more items. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items comprises applying a variable percentage discount on each item the one or more items. 
     
     
       8. A system for customer promotion over the Internet tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:
 a computer-readable medium; and 
 a computer program encoded on the computer-readable medium, the computer program operable, when executed on a computer, to
 instructions to sequentially receive signals indicative of the respective prices of a plurality of items in a received customer order received over the Internet and accumulate the price prices of each item the items; 
 instructions to determine thatwhether the accumulated price exceeds a predetermined threshold and in response,;  
 instructions to determine aone or more marginal discountdiscounts associated with each itemone or more items subsequently processed and accumulate all unapplied marginal discounts in response to determining that the accumulated price exceeds a predetermined threshold; and 
 instructions to determine thatwhether the accumulated discountunapplied marginal discounts exceeds a predetermined minimum; and in response 
 instructions to apply a discount to the customer order in response to determining that the accumulated unapplied marginal discounts exceeds a predetermined minimum. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The system computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program is instructions further operable to comprise: 
 instructions to initiate application of a discount in response to determining that the accumulated discountunapplied marginal discounts exceeds a predetermined minimum and upon receiving a signal indicative of the price an item in the customer order having a price that is no less than the discount. 
 
     
     
       10. The system computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program is instructions further comprise: 
 operableinstructions to initiate application of a discount having a value equal to the minimum discount. 
 
     
     
       11. The system computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program is instructions further comprise: 
 operableinstructions to initiate application of a discount having a value equal to the accumulated discountunapplied marginal discounts. 
 
     
     
       12. The system computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program is instructions further comprise: 
 operableinstructions to determine aone or more marginal discountdiscounts associated with each itemone or more items by applying a constant percentage discount on each itemthe one or more items. 
 
     
     
       13. The system computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program is instructions further comprise: 
 operableinstructions to determine aone or more marginal discountdiscounts associated with each itemone or more items by applying a variable percentage discount on each itemthe one or more items. 
 
     
     
       14. A computerized system for customer promotion, the system comprising:
 a storage medium; 
 a processor coupled to the storage medium; and 
 a computer program encoded on the computer-readable storage medium, the computer program operable, when executed on that in response to execution by the processor, causes the processor to: 
 sequentially receive signals indicative of the respective prices of a plurality of items in a received customer order received over the Internet and accumulate the price prices of each item the items; 
 determine that whether the accumulated price exceeds a predetermined threshold and in response,; 
 in response to the accumulated price exceeding a predetermined threshold, determine a one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items subsequently processed and accumulate all unapplied marginal discounts; and 
 determine that whether the accumulated discount exceeds a predetermined minimum; and 
 in response to the accumulated unapplied marginal discounts exceeding a predetermined minimum, apply a discount to the customer order. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the computer program is further operable to cause the processor to: 
 initiate application of a discount in response to determining that the accumulated discount unapplied marginal discounts exceeds a predetermined minimum and upon receiving a signal indicative of the price an item in the customer order having a price that is no less than the discount. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the computer program is further operable to cause the processor to: 
 initiate application of a discount having a value equal to the minimum discount. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the computer program is further operable to cause the processor to: 
 initiate application of a discount having a value equal to the accumulated discount unapplied marginal discounts. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the computer program is further operable to cause the processor to: 
 determine a one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items by applying a constant percentage discount on each item the one or more items. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the computer program is further operable to cause the processor to: 
 determine a one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items by applying a variable percentage discount on each item the one or more items. 
 
     
     
       20. A method for providing an incentive to a customer promotion of a store, the method comprising:
 sequentially processing, at a remote computer at a location remote from the store on a substantially real-time basis computing device, each one or more of a plurality of items in a customer order on a substantially real-time basis; 
 after processing each item, accumulating, by at the remote computer computing device, the price prices of each item the processed items; 
 in response to the accumulated price exceeding a predetermined threshold, generating, byat the remote computercomputing device, a first signal indicating that the accumulated price exceeds a predetermined threshold; 
 in response to the first signal, determining, by the remote computer, computing device: 
 aone or more marginal discountdiscounts associated with each itemone or more items processed subsequent to the generation of the first signal; and 
 accumulating all unapplied marginal discounts, the marginal discounts for application to the customer order; 
 
 in response to the accumulated unapplied marginal discounts exceeding a predetermined minimum, generating, byat the remote computercomputing device, a second signal indicating that the accumulated discount exceeds a predetermined minimum; and 
 in response to the second signal, applying a discount to the customer order. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein sequentially processing each one or more of a plurality of items in a customer order comprises sequentially processing each one or more of a plurality of items in a customer order received over the Internet. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 20 , wherein further comprising applying a discount to the customer order comprises applying a discount in response to the second signal indicating that the accumulated discount exceeds a predetermined minimum and upon scanning an item in the customer order having a price that is no less than the discount. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim  20  22, wherein applying a discount to the customer order comprises applying the minimum discount. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim  20  22, wherein applying a discount to the customer order comprises applying the accumulated discount unapplied marginal discounts. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 20 , wherein determining a one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items comprises applying the same percentage discount on each item the one or more items. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 20 , wherein determining a one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items comprises applying a variable percentage discount on each item the one or more items. 
     
     
       27. A method for providing an incentive to a customer promotion of a store, the method comprising:
 sequentially processing each, by a computing device, one or more of a plurality of items in a customer order; 
 after processing each item, accumulating the price prices of each item the processed items; 
 in response to the accumulated price exceeding a predetermined threshold, generating a first signal indicating that the accumulated price exceeds a predetermined threshold::  
 in response to the first signal, determining a by the computing device one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items processed subsequent to the generation of the first signal and accumulating all unapplied marginal discounts, the marginal discounts for application to the customer order, the value of the marginal discount being dependent on the price of the item and otherwise independent of the identity of the item; 
 in response to the accumulated unapplied marginal discounts exceeding a predetermined minimum, generating a second signal indicating that the accumulated discount exceeds a predetermined minimum; and 
 in response to the second signal, applying a discount to the customer order. 
 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27 , wherein sequentially processing each one or more of a plurality of items in a customer order comprises sequentially processing each one or more of a plurality of items in a customer order received over the Internet. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 27 , wherein applying a discount to the customer order comprises applying a discount in response to the second signal indicating that the accumulated discount unapplied marginal discounts exceeds a predetermined minimum and upon processing an item in the customer order having a price that is no less than the discount. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 27 , wherein applying a discount to the customer order comprises applying the minimum discount. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 27 , wherein applying a discount to the customer order comprises applying the accumulated discount unapplied marginal discounts. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 27 , wherein determining a one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items comprises applying a constant percentage discount on each item the one or more items. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 27 , wherein determining a one or more marginal discount discounts associated with each item one or more items comprises applying a variable percentage discount on each item the one or more items. 
     
     
       34. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium having instructions for providing a customer incentive stored thereon, the instructions comprising:
 instructions to accumulate prices for a plurality of items in a customer order;   instructions to accumulate one or more marginal discounts associated with the plurality of items;   instructions to compare the accumulated price and the accumulated marginal discount with respective thresholds; and   instructions to apply a price reduction to the customer order in response to the accumulated price and the accumulated marginal discount exceeding the respective thresholds.    
     
     
       35. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 accumulating prices for a plurality of items in a customer order;   accumulating one or more marginal discounts associated with the plurality of items;   comparing the accumulated price and the accumulated marginal discount with respective thresholds; and   applying a price reduction to the customer order in response to the accumulated price and the accumulated marginal discount exceeding the respective thresholds.