JP5000348B2 - Sales promotion system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain an efficient sales promotion needing little purchaser's special action. <P>SOLUTION: The system comprises a server (115) communicating with one or more registers (103) provided in each store. The server receives a user ID, specifies purchase state information corresponding to the received user ID from a plurality of pieces of purchase state information, and prepares user sales promotion plan information corresponding to the user ID based on the purchase state information and a plurality of pieces of sales promotion plan information preliminarily prepared. The register reads the user ID of a user from a medium carried by the suer, and performs transaction with a transaction content in which the user sales promotion plan information corresponding to the read user ID is applied to one or more read commodity information elements. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to computer technology for supporting sales promotion.

  As a sales promotion method, generally, a target period (a so-called campaign period) is set for a product to be promoted (hereinafter referred to as a target product), and during that target period, a prize is given to a specific activity, for example, the target product. Attached to the target product, a sticker that records the serial number is attached to the target product, and the purchase is made by allowing the purchaser of the target product to access a site on a specific URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and entering the serial number. Give a certain benefit to the person (for example, accumulation of points), have a predetermined number of stickers affixed to the target product on a predetermined sheet, mail that predetermined sheet to a predetermined destination, or commercial A method such as advertising a target product with a message or a flyer is used. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a sales promotion system for making such a seal unnecessary (for example, Patent Literature 1).

JP 2006-113974 A

  Depending on the sales promotion method, the customer requires special actions in addition to the normal action of purchasing a desired product. Special actions include, for example, accessing a site using a communication terminal and inputting a serial number recorded on a sticker, collecting stickers and mailing them to a predetermined destination.

  Also, depending on the sales promotion method, it is not always efficient for the target product supplier (for example, a manufacturer or a store). This is because, for example, even consumers who are not interested in the target product can prepare and sell premiums and stickers to be provided free of charge separately from the target product, or advertise the target product. Because it will be.

  In any sales promotion method, sales of the target product will increase during the target period, but the increase in sales is due to purchases made by cherry pickers (consumers who purchase the target product only during the target period). There will be a lot of influence. Promotions can be costly, and suppliers want to make their purchasers loyal customers as much as possible if they do so.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a sales promotion system that makes a purchaser unnecessary as much as possible.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a sales promotion system that realizes efficient sales promotion for a supplier.

  Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sales promotion system that contributes to making consumers a loyal customer.

  A server is provided that communicates with one or more registers provided in each store. The server receives the user ID, specifies purchase status information corresponding to the received user ID from the plurality of purchase status information, and based on the purchase status information and a plurality of sales promotion plan information prepared in advance, User promotion plan information corresponding to the user ID is prepared. The register reads the user ID of the user from the medium possessed by the user, and trades with the transaction content in which the user promotion plan information corresponding to the read user ID is applied to one or more read product information elements .

  In one embodiment, one or more registers at each store and a server in communication with one or more registers at each store are provided.

  The register is read by a user ID reading unit that reads a user ID of the user from a user medium that is a medium possessed by the user, and a product reading unit that reads one or more product information elements respectively corresponding to one or more products. A transaction means for transacting with the transaction content in which the one or more product information elements are applied with the user promotion plan information corresponding to the read user ID. The application of the user promotion plan information may be performed by a register or a server as described later.

  The server stores purchase status storage means for indicating the purchase status of the user and storing purchase status information corresponding to the user ID of the user for each user, and stores a plurality of sales promotion plan information respectively corresponding to a plurality of sales promotion plans. A plan storage means, a user ID receiving means for receiving a user ID, and purchase status information corresponding to the received user ID are specified from the purchase status storage means, and the purchase status information and a plurality of promotional plan information in the plan storage means And user plan preparation means for preparing user promotion plan information corresponding to the user ID. As will be described later, the received user ID may be a user ID read by a register, or may be a user ID read by a device installed at a location different from the register.

  In one embodiment, the register further comprises user ID transmission means for transmitting a first user ID that is the read user ID. In this case, the user ID receiving means of the server receives the first user ID transmitted from the register. The server further includes user plan transmission means for transmitting the user sales promotion plan information corresponding to the received first user ID. The register includes a user plan receiving means for receiving user promotion plan information corresponding to the first user ID transmitted from the server in response to the transmission of the first user ID, and one or more product information elements And user plan application means for applying the user promotion plan information corresponding to the first user ID.

  In one embodiment, a user ID reader that reads and transmits a user ID from a user medium is installed in a place other than a register in a store. The server user ID receiving means receives the second user ID which is the user ID transmitted from the user ID reader. The server user plan preparation means prepares the user promotion plan information including the second user ID, and the server user plan transmission means transmits the user promotion plan information including the second user ID. To do. The user plan receiving means of the register receives the user promotion plan information including the second user ID. User plan storage means for storing user promotion plan information including the second user ID in the register, and user promotion plan information including the second user ID that matches the read first user ID Search means for searching the user plan storage means. If user search plan information is found by the search means, the user plan application means of the register uses the user promotion plan information of the register without sending the first user ID by the user ID transmission means of the register. Applies to one or more product information elements. If user search plan information is not found by the retrieval means, the first user ID is transmitted by the register user ID transmission means, and the register user plan application means responds to the transmission of the first user ID. The user promotion plan information corresponding to the first user ID received is applied to one or more product information elements.

  In one embodiment, a user ID reader that reads and transmits a user ID from a user medium is installed at a place other than the register in the store. The user ID receiving means of the server receives the user ID transmitted from the user ID reader. The server user plan preparation means identifies user promotion plan information including the received user ID. The server further includes user plan transmission means for transmitting the user promotion plan information including the received user ID. The register includes a user plan receiving unit that receives the user promotion plan information including the user ID transmitted from the server, a user plan storage unit that stores the user promotion plan information including the user ID, and a register. Search means for searching for user promotion plan information including a user ID matching the user ID read by the user ID reading means from the user plan storage means, and user promotion plan information found by the search means And a user plan applying means for applying the above to one or more product information elements.

  In one embodiment, the register further comprises deletion means. The deletion means deletes the user sales promotion plan information found by the search means from the user plan storage means when the transaction by the transaction means is completed.

  In one embodiment, the user promotion plan information corresponding to the user ID includes a post-plan application amount corresponding to each user target product that is a product targeted for sales promotion for the user corresponding to the user ID. Each time a predetermined number of product information elements are read, the register user plan application means searches the user promotion plan information corresponding to the read product information element from the user promotion plan information, and if found, applies the plan. A product information element after application of a plan, which is a product information element including a later price, is stored in the storage area. If the product information element is not found, the read product information element itself is stored in the storage area. The transaction means trades with the transaction content indicated by the product information element group including at least one post-plan application product information element stored in the storage area.

  In one embodiment, the register further comprises product information element transmitting means for transmitting the read one or more product information elements. The server applies product information element receiving means for receiving one or more product information elements transmitted from the register, and applies the user promotion plan information corresponding to the received user ID to the received one or more product information elements. Thus, it further comprises a user plan applying means for creating post-plan application information, and a post-plan application information transmitting means for transmitting the created post-plan application information. The register further includes post-plan application information receiving means for receiving post-plan application information transmitted from the server. A transaction means trades with the transaction content which the received post-plan application information shows.

  In one embodiment, the register further comprises transaction information transmitting means for transmitting transaction information indicating transaction details and including a user ID. A transaction information receiving means for receiving transaction information transmitted from each of one or more registers of each store; a transaction information storing means for storing the received transaction information; and a plurality of stored transaction information Purchase status creation means for creating purchase status information corresponding to the arbitrary user ID using one or more transaction information including any user ID, and storing the purchase status information in the purchase status storage means; Is further provided.

  In one embodiment, the register further comprises determination means for determining whether the plan is applied or not applied. When the transaction means is determined not to apply the plan, the transaction is represented by the transaction content represented by the one or more read product information elements themselves, to which the user promotion plan information corresponding to the read user ID is not applied. . The transaction information transmitting means transmits transaction information further including plan non-applicable information meaning that the plan is not applied. Based on the transaction information including the plan non-applicable information, the purchase status creating means shows the information indicating which transaction is non-applicable for the purchase status corresponding to the user ID matching the user ID in the transaction information. Include in information. If the user's plan preparation means includes information indicating in which transaction the plan was not applied in the specified purchase status information, the user is determined based on the transaction details that the plan was not applied. Prepare sales promotion plan information.

  Two or more of the plurality of embodiments described above can be realized in combination. Each means described above can also be realized by hardware (for example, a circuit), a computer program, or a combination thereof (for example, a part is executed by a computer program and the rest is executed by hardware). Each computer program can be read from a storage resource (for example, memory) provided in the computer machine. The storage resource can be installed via a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), or can be downloaded via a communication network such as the Internet or a LAN.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the sales promotion system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  There are a plurality of stores 101 and a center 114 that manages the plurality of stores 101. The center 114 is provided with a center server 115 that manages information on a plurality of stores 101 and information on a large number of customers.

  Each store 101 is provided with a communication network 109 (for example, a LAN (Local Area Network)) 109, and a server (hereinafter, store server) 105 is connected to the communication network 109. Each of one or a plurality of registers (money computer, hereinafter referred to as store cash register) 103 in the store 101 is connected to the center server 115 via a communication network 109, a store server 105, and a communication network (for example, the Internet or a dedicated line) 111. It comes to communicate.

  Further, depending on the store 101, the customer ID reader 107 is installed at a specific position (for example, in the vicinity of the entrance) (that is, the customer ID reader 107 is not necessarily installed in the store 101). The customer ID reader 107 stores the customer ID and reads the customer ID from a storage medium owned by the customer (hereinafter referred to as a customer medium such as a mobile phone or an IC card). Specifically, for example, a customer who visits the store causes the customer medium to communicate with the customer ID reader 107, so that the customer ID reader 107 can read the customer ID from the customer medium. The customer ID reader 107 transmits the read customer ID to the store server 105 via the communication network 109, and the store server 105 transmits the received customer ID to the center server 115 via the communication network 111.

  Hereinafter, the store server 105, the store cash register 103, and the center server 115 will be described in detail. In the following, when a computer program is the subject, it is assumed that processing is actually performed by a CPU that executes the computer program.

  FIG. 2A shows a configuration example of the store server 105.

  The store server 105 includes an interface device (I / F) 123 for communicating via the communication network 109, an I / F 125 for communicating via the communication network 111, a CPU 121, and a storage resource 127. It is done.

  The storage resource 127 includes a storage device such as a memory and / or a hard disk. The storage resource 127 stores a communication control program 129 for controlling communication with the center server 115 and the store cash register 103 as a computer program executed by the CPU 121.

  In addition, the storage resource 127 stores a store register management table 131 in which information (for example, IP address, register number, etc.) regarding each store register 103 in the store 101 where the store server 105 is deployed is recorded.

  Further, when the customer ID reader 107 is installed in the store 101, the storage resource 127 stores a store customer management table 133 in which information related to customers who have visited the store 101 is recorded. Hereinafter, one piece of information (for example, information recorded in one record) stored in the in-store customer management table 133 is referred to as “in-store customer management information”. FIG. 4A shows a configuration example of customer visit management information. The customer visit management information 201 includes a customer ID 201A, a visit date / time 201B, and a transmitted flag 201C. The customer ID 201A is the customer ID read by the customer ID reader 107, and the visit date / time 201B is the read date / time. The transmitted flag 201C is information indicating whether or not the customer ID 201A or the like has been transmitted to the center server 115.

  FIG. 2B shows a configuration example of the store cash register 103.

  The store cash register 103 includes an I / F 153 for communicating via the communication network 109, a product information reader (for example, a barcode reader) 155 that is a device for reading product information from the product, and a customer medium possessed by the customer. There are a customer ID reader 156 that reads a customer ID from the user ID, a user interface 1156, a CPU 151, and a storage resource 157.

  The user interface 1156 can be configured by an input device (for example, a plurality of buttons) that receives an operation from the user, a display device that displays the contents of transaction schedule information, and the like. The input device may be a GUI (Graphical User Interface). The input device includes, for example, a transaction end instruction unit (for example, a settlement button) that is a device that receives a transaction end instruction. When the transaction end instruction unit is operated, the transaction ends.

  In the storage resource 157, as a computer program executed by the CPU 151, for example, a transaction control program 159 that controls the operation of the store cash register 3 in each transaction process (see FIG. 7), and a POS stored in the POS information storage area 163. A POS information notification program 161 for notifying the center server 115 of (Point Of Sale) information in periodic processing (see FIG. 8) is stored.

  In addition, a registration scan information storage area 169 is prepared in the storage resource 157. In the storage area 169, cashier scan information including product information read by the product information reader 155 is stored by the transaction control program 159. The cashier scan information is one for each transaction (one shopping for payment at the store cashier 101). A configuration example of the registration scan information is shown in FIG. 4B. The cash register scan information 203 includes a customer ID 203A, cash register scan date and time 203B, cash register scan location 203C, and cash register scan product 203D. The cashier scan date and time 203B is information indicating the date and time when the product information is read. The cash register scan location 203 </ b> C is information (for example, information indicating an identifier (for example, a cash register number) of the store 101 or the store cash register 103) regarding the location where the product information is read. The cashier scan product 203D is one or more product information elements (for example, JAN code, name, price, etc.) respectively corresponding to one or more products.

  Further, when the customer ID reader 107 is installed in the store 101, the storage resource 157 stores a plan DB 167 for visiting customers (this DB 167 is stored in the store server 105 instead of the storage resource 157, for example). It may be stored in the resource 127 and shared by a plurality of store cash registers 103). The DB 167 includes plan information for one or more visiting customers. The customer-facing plan information is information indicating a sales promotion plan corresponding to a customer who has visited the customer (a customer whose customer ID is read by the customer ID reader 107), and is prepared for each customer who visits the store. A configuration example of the plan information for the visiting customer is shown in FIG. 4C. The customer-facing customer plan information 205 includes a customer ID 205A, an applied plan ID 205B, an applied sales promotion pattern 205C, and applied sales promotion content 205D. The application plan ID 205B is a plan ID of the sales promotion plan information applied to the customer corresponding to the purchase status of the customer with the customer ID 205A (the sales promotion plan information will be described later). The applied sales promotion pattern 205C is information indicating the definition of a sales promotion pattern (for example, single item discount, set discount, coupon issue, etc.) to be applied to the customer. The applied sales promotion content 205D is information (for example, specific numerical values relating to the discount amount, the discount rate, the coupon content, etc.) indicating how the sales promotion pattern is specifically applied.

  In addition, a storage area 165 after applying the plan is prepared for the storage resource 157. The storage area 165 stores post-plan application information indicating information after the sales promotion plan corresponding to the customer is applied to the cash register scan information 203. Therefore, there is one post-plan application information for one registration scan information 203. A configuration example of the post-plan application information is shown in FIG. 4D. The post-plan application information 207 includes a customer ID 207A, a planned transaction date and time 207B, a planned transaction location 207C, and a planned transaction product 207D. The scheduled transaction date and time 207B is information indicating the date and time immediately before the transaction is performed, for example, a copy of the cash register scan date and time or information indicating the date and time when the sales promotion plan is applied. The planned transaction location 207C is information regarding a location immediately before the transaction is performed, and is, for example, a copy of the cash register scan information 203C. The transaction product 203D is one or more product information elements immediately before the transaction is performed. Specifically, for example, the transaction product 203D is one or more product information elements after the sales promotion plan is applied to the cash register scan product 203D.

  Further, a POS information storage area 163 is prepared for the storage resource 157. In the storage area 169, the POS information corresponding to the transaction for which settlement has been completed is stored by the transaction control program 159. There is one POS information per transaction. A configuration example of the POS information is shown in FIG. 4E. The POS information 209 includes a customer ID 209A, a transaction date and time 209B, a transaction place 209C, and a transaction product 209D. The transaction date and time 209 </ b> B is information indicating the date and time when the transaction was performed. Date and time). The transaction place 209C is information regarding the place where the transaction is performed, and is, for example, a copy of the planned transaction place 207C. The trade product 209D is a product information element of the traded product, and is, for example, a copy of the trade planned product 207D.

  FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of the center server 115.

  The center server 115 includes an I / F 173 for communicating via the communication network 111, a CPU 171 and a storage resource 175.

  The storage resource 175 includes, as computer programs executed by the CPU 171, for example, a plan creation program 177 for creating a sales promotion plan for the customer suitable for the purchase situation of the customer, and DBs 181, 183, 189 and 191 described later. A DB update program 179 to be updated is stored. Each of the DBs 181, 183, 189 and 191 to be described later may be stored in an external storage system connected to the center server 115, for example.

  The storage resource 175 stores a sales promotion plan DB 181. The sales promotion plan DB 181 includes one or a plurality of sales promotion plan information. A configuration example of the sales promotion plan information is shown in FIG. 5A. The sales promotion plan information 211 includes a plan ID 211A, a sales promotion pattern 211B, a sales promotion content 211C, and a target range 211D. The plan ID 211A is an identifier of the sales promotion plan. The sales promotion pattern 211B is information indicating the definition of a sales promotion pattern (for example, a pattern such as single item discount, set discount, coupon issuance). The sales promotion content 211C is information (for example, specific numerical values relating to the discount amount, the discount rate, the coupon content, etc.) indicating how the sales promotion pattern is specifically applied. The target range 211D is information indicating the definition of the range of customers to which the sales promotion plan information 211 is applied (that is, the target), for example, all customers, some customers, and the like. Some customers can be defined by customer ID, customer address, age, etc., for example.

  The storage resource 175 stores a customer information DB 189. The customer information DB 189 includes a plurality of customer information respectively corresponding to a plurality of customers. A configuration example of customer information is shown in FIG. 5B. The customer information 213 includes a customer ID 213A and personal information 213B. The personal information 213B is personal information such as a name, a telephone number, an address, a sex, an age, and an e-mail address.

  The storage resource 175 stores a POS information DB 191. The POS information DB 191 stores the POS information transmitted from the store cash register 103. The configuration of the POS information is as described with reference to FIG. 4E.

The storage resource 175 stores a customer purchase situation DB 183. The customer purchase information DB 183 includes a plurality of customer purchase status information respectively corresponding to a plurality of customers. That is, there is one customer purchase status information for each customer. A configuration example of customer purchase status information is shown in FIG. 5C. The customer purchase status information 215 includes a customer ID 215A, a transaction date / time 215B, a transaction place 215C, and a transaction product 215D. The customer purchase status information 215 corresponds to information obtained by classifying a plurality of POS information in the POS information DB 191 for each customer. In other words, for example, when a customer (hereinafter referred to as customer A) has a plurality of POS information 209, a plurality of transaction dates and times 209B respectively included in the plurality of POS information 209 are one corresponding to the customer A. Recorded as the transaction date and time 215B of the customer purchase status information 215. Similarly, a plurality of transaction locations 209C respectively included in the plurality of POS information 209 are recorded as transaction locations 215C of one customer purchase status information 215 corresponding to the customer A, and are included in the plurality of POS information 209, respectively. A plurality of transaction products 209D are recorded as the transaction products 215D of one customer purchase status information 215 corresponding to the customer A. The above is the description regarding the configuration of the sales promotion system. Hereinafter, processing performed in the sales promotion system will be described. In that case, when referring to a certain arbitrary customer among a plurality of customers, it is described as “customer A” as described above.

  The processing performed in this sales promotion system can be broadly divided into, for example, three processes: transaction pre-processing, transaction-based processing, and periodic processing. The pre-transaction processing is performed before the transaction at the store register 103 is started after the customer A visits the store 101 where the customer ID reader 107 is set and the customer ID reader 107 reads the customer ID from the customer medium. It is a process performed until. Each transaction process is a process related to a transaction at the store cash register 103. The periodic processing is processing that is periodically performed regardless of whether or not the customer visits the store. Hereinafter, each process is explained in full detail.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the flow of transaction pre-processing.

  The customer A visits the store 101 where the customer ID reader 107 is set, and causes the customer ID reader 107 to read the customer ID that is the identifier of the customer A from the customer medium possessed by the customer A. The customer ID reader 107 reads the customer ID of the customer A from the customer medium, and transmits the customer ID 201A and the store visit date and time 201B indicating the read date and time to the store server 105.

  In the store server 105, the communication control program 129 records the received customer ID 201A and the store visit date / time 201B, and the transmitted flag 201C meaning untransmitted in the store visit customer management table 133 (S3). Thereafter, the communication control program 129 transmits the customer ID 201A and the visit date / time 201B to the center server 115 (S4), and changes the transmitted flag 201C corresponding to the transmitted customer ID 201A and the like to a value meaning transmitted. To do.

  In the center server 115, the plan creation program 177 executes S5 in response to receiving the customer ID 201A or the like. That is, the plan creation program 177 obtains the purchase history status information 215 including the customer ID 215A that matches the customer ID 201A from the store server 105 from the customer purchase status DB 183. In addition, the plan creation program 177 acquires one or more sales promotion plan information 211 suitable for the customer A from the sales promotion plan DB 181. The sales promotion plan information 211 suitable for the customer A is, for example, sales promotion plan information 211 including a target range 211D suitable for the customer ID 201A (this may be determined based on the personal information 213B of the customer A). . The plan creation program 177 includes the sales promotion pattern 211B and the sales promotion contents 211C in the acquired sales promotion plan information 211 at least part of the transaction date and time 215B, the transaction place 215C and the transaction product 215D in the acquired customer purchase status information 215. The plan information 205 for the in-store customer corresponding to the customer A is created on the basis of which of the two matches. The customer ID 205A in the store customer plan information 205 is an identifier of the customer A, and the applied plan ID 205B is a copy of each plan ID 211A of the one or more acquired sales promotion plan information 211. In addition, the applied sales promotion pattern 205C and the applied sales promotion content 205D are information indicating a compatible portion of the sales promotion pattern 211B and the sales promotion content 211C of the one or more acquired sales promotion plan information 211. If there is no purchase history status information 215 that includes a customer ID 215A that matches the customer ID 201A, the plan creation program 177, for example, provides information that means that the customer ID 201A is an identifier of a new customer (hereinafter referred to as a new customer). Information).

  The plan creation program 177 transmits the plan information 205 (or new customer information) for the customer A's store customer generated in S5 to the store server 105 of the transmission source such as the customer ID 201A (S6).

  In the store server 105, the communication control program 129 sends the store customer plan information 205 (or new customer information) from the center server 115 to all store registers 103 in the store 101 (S7). Those store cash registers 103 are specified from the store cash register management table 131, for example.

  In each store cash register 103, the transaction control program 159 stores the store customer plan information 205 (or new customer information) from the store server 105 in the store customer plan DB 167 (S8).

  FIG. 7 shows an example of the process flow for each transaction.

  In S 10, first, in the store cash register 103, the customer ID is read from the customer medium of the customer A by the customer ID reader 156, and the customer ID 203 A is stored in the cash register scan information storage area 169 by the transaction control program 159.

  In S11, for each product that the customer A plans to purchase, the product information element is read by the product information reader 155, and each read product information element is controlled as a product information element included in the cash register scan product 203D. The program 159 accumulates it in the registration scan information storage area 169. Further, information indicating the date and time when any of the product information elements is read is stored in the cash register scan information storage area 169 by the transaction control program 159 as the cash register scan date and time 203B. Further, information relating to the store cash register 103 and the store 101 having the same is stored in the cash register scan information storage area 169 by the transaction control program 159 as a cash register scan location 203C. When S10 and S11 described above are completed, the cash register scan information 203 for the current transaction is stored in the cash register scan information storage area 169.

  The transaction control program 159 searches the store customer plan DB 167 for the store customer plan information 205 including the customer ID 205A that matches the customer ID 203A in the cash register scan information 203 (S13). If found (S13: YES), the process proceeds to S14. If not found (S13: NO), the process proceeds to S15.

  In S14, the transaction control program 159 generates the post-plan application information 207 by applying the found customer plan information 205 to the cash register scan information 203, and the generated post-plan application information 207 is applied to the post-plan application information 207. Store in the storage area 165. Specifically, for example, when the cash register scan information 203 of the customer A is the information 203 illustrated in FIG. 9A and the plan information 205 for the visiting customer found by the customer A is the information 205 illustrated in FIG. It can be seen that the product corresponding to the JAN code “AAAAAA” is one of the sales promotion target products for the customer A. This is because the JAN code “AAAAAA” is included in both the cash register scan information 203 and the plan information 205 for the visiting customers. According to FIG. 9A and FIG. 10, it can be seen that the product with the JAN code “AAAAAA” is discounted from 1000 yen to 980 yen. Therefore, the transaction control program 159 can generate the post-plan application information 207 illustrated in FIG. 9B by applying the store visitor plan information 205 in FIG. 10 to the cash register scan information 203 in FIG. 9A. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the applied sales promotion pattern 205 </ b> C and the applied sales promotion content 205 </ b> D related to the sales promotion target product for the customer A are recorded in the plan information 205 for the visiting customers as illustrated in FIG. 10. This is because it is not known at the stage of pre-transaction processing (see FIG. 6) what products are actually purchased by the customer A who has visited the store.

  After S14, in S19, the store cash register 103 makes a settlement with the contents of the post-plan application information 207 of the customer A, and the transaction control program 159 performs the POS information 209 about the customer A based on the post-plan application information 207. Is stored in the POS information storage area 163. Note that, for example, the transaction control program 159 receives the payment with the contents of the post-plan application information 207 of the customer A, and the customer A's customer-facing customer plan based on the post-plan application information 207 The information 205 may be deleted from the store customer plan DB 167. As a result, it is possible to prevent the plan information 205 for in-store customers that has become unnecessary after the transaction has been left unnecessarily in the plan DB 167 for in-store customers.

  As described above, in S13, the plan information 205 for the visiting customer is not found (in other words, for example, when the customer ID has not been read by the customer ID reader 107 even though the customer A has visited the store, Alternatively, when the customer visits the store 101 where the customer ID reader 107 is not installed), S15 is performed. In S <b> 15, the transaction control program 159 transmits an inquiry to the center server 115 through the store server 105 together with the customer ID 203 </ b> A of the customer A.

  In S16, in response to the inquiry, in the center server 115, the plan creation program 177 uses the received customer ID 203A and uses the received customer ID 203A in the same manner as in S5 described above to visit customer corresponding to the customer ID 203A (customer A). Plan information 205 is created.

  In S <b> 17, the plan creation program 177 sends the created customer-plan information 205 to the inquiry source store cash register 103 through the store server 105.

  In S <b> 18, the transaction control program 159 at the store cash register 103 applies the store customer plan information 205 received from the center server 115 and temporarily stored in the storage resource 157 to the cash register scan information 203 in the same manner as in S <b> 14. Thus, the post-plan application information 207 is generated, and the generated post-plan application information 207 is stored in the post-plan application storage area 165. In S 19, the contents of the post-plan application information 207 are settled, and the transaction control program 159 creates the POS information 209 for the customer A based on the post-plan application information 207 and stores it in the POS information storage area 163. accumulate.

  FIG. 8 shows an example of the flow of periodic processing.

  At each store cash register 103, the POS information notification program 161 is periodically activated. The POS information notification program 161 transmits one or more POS information 209 stored in the POS information storage area 163 to the center server 115 via the store server 105 (S21).

  In S22, in the center server 115, the DB update program 179 accumulates the received one or more POS information 209 in the POS information DB 191.

  In S23, the DB update program 179 acquires the customer information 213 from the customer information DB 189, and acquires from the POS information DB 191 one or more POS information 209 including the customer ID 209A that matches the customer ID 213A in the acquired customer information 213. To do. The DB update program 179 creates customer purchase status information 215 including the customer ID 213A as the customer ID 215A using the acquired one or more POS information 209. The customer purchase status information 215 includes the transaction date and time 209B, the transaction place 209C, and the transaction product 209D in the acquired one or more POS information 209 as the transaction date and time 215B, the transaction place 215C, and the transaction product 215D, respectively. ing. Note that there may be a limit (for example, a limit from the current date and time to the past three months) in the period indicated by the transaction date and time 215B in the customer purchase status information 215. Further, the customer purchase status information 215 of the customer A already stored may be used, and in this S23, the transaction date and time 209B in the POS information 209 may be added to the customer purchase status information 215.

  In S24, the DB update program 179 stores the created customer purchase status information 215 in the customer purchase status DB 183.

  The above is the description of the present embodiment.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the customer ID is read in the transaction at the store cash register 103, and the customer ID is finally included in the POS information 209. The POS information 209 in the plurality of stores 101 is collected in the center server 115, and the center server 115 generates customer purchase status information 215 for each customer using the customer ID 209A in the POS information 209. The center server 115 also prepares sales promotion plan information 211 corresponding to each of a plurality of sales promotion plans. The center server 115 identifies one or more promotion plan information 211 that matches the customer purchase status information 215 of the customer A out of the plurality of promotion plan information 211 (that is, the purchase status of the customer A (when and what product and how much Identify a promotion plan for customer A that matches the purchase history). For customer A, for each transaction at the store cash register 103, post-plan application information 207 in which the sales promotion plan corresponding to the current transaction is reflected in the cash register scan information 203 corresponding to the transaction is generated. At 207, settlement for the current transaction is performed.

  According to this embodiment, the customer simply performs a normal action such as selecting a desired product and carrying it to the store cash register 103. In other words, the customer can use a promotional plan such as a discount without special action. Can be applied.

  Further, according to this embodiment, the sales promotion plan is applied to customers who come to the store and trade at the store cash register 103. In other words, the promotion plan does not apply to customers who do not do business. This promotes efficient sales promotion for the supplier.

  Further, according to this embodiment, a sales promotion plan for a customer is created based on the purchase status of the customer. In other words, depending on the sales promotion plan prepared by the supplier, in this embodiment, for example, the purchase history of the same product is accumulated for the customer A (the number of purchases of the same product is accumulated). Customer A can receive a better service (e.g., a higher discount on the merchandise). For this reason, it can contribute to a customer becoming a royal customer.

  Further, according to this embodiment, the customer ID reader 107 is installed at a location different from the store cash register 103 in the store 101. If the customer A who visited the store causes the customer ID reader 107 to read the customer ID before the transaction at the store cash register 103, the plan information 205 for the customer corresponding to the customer A is at least the store cash register 103 used by the customer A. The plan information 205 for customers visiting the store is applied to the cash register scan information 203 in advance. That is, after the registration scan information 203 is generated, processing for issuing an inquiry to the center server 115 becomes unnecessary. As a result, it can be expected to shorten the time length from the generation of the cash register scan information 203 to the settlement (end of transaction).

  Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. At that time, the difference from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the description of the common points with the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified (this is the same for the later third embodiment). is there).

  In the second embodiment, the sales promotion plan is applied collectively later, not for each transaction. Specifically, for example, information for setting the promotion plan non-applicability (hereinafter referred to as plan non-applicable information) is set in the storage resource 127 of the store cash register 103. This is because, for example, the store cash register 103 is provided with a plan non-application setting unit (for example, a button) for setting the promotion plan non-application, and when the plan non-application setting unit is operated by the cashier person in charge, Plan non-applied information may be set by the transaction control program 159, or the storage resource 127 of each store cash register 103 when the store server 105 detects a predetermined event (for example, the current time has reached a predetermined time). Plan non-applicable information may be set in In each transaction process, the transaction control program 159 uses the contents of the cash register scan information 203 without performing S15 when plan non-applicable information is set and there is no plan information 205 for the customer A visiting customer. Payment may be made. In that case, the transaction control program 159 includes the plan non-application information in the POS information 209. In this case, the customer purchase status information 215 of the customer A records when the plan was not applied. The plan creation program 177 is a customer including a plan that can be applied in the case of a plan non-applicable transaction based on the product information included in the customer purchase status information 215 that was not applicable to the plan. A promotion plan for A can be created. The above-mentioned plan non-applied information is set, for example, when there are many customers waiting for the order of the store cash register 103, so that the number of waiting for the order can be alleviated.

  In the third embodiment, when plan information for visiting customers corresponding to the customer ID is stored in the store cash register 103 in advance, each time a predetermined number (for example, one) of product information elements are read by the product information reader 155. The read-out product information element, which is the read product information element, is compared with the plan information for the visiting customer.

  FIG. 11 shows a specific example of plan information for visiting customers in the third embodiment.

  The customer-facing customer plan information 205 ′ includes a customer ID, a JAN code, and a post-plan application amount. A JAN code and a post-plan application amount are prepared for each target product (a product targeted for sales promotion to a customer corresponding to the customer ID).

  In the third embodiment, the cashier scan product information element and the customer-facing customer plan information 205 'are read each time a predetermined number (for example, one) of cashier scan product information elements can be obtained (in other words, a predetermined number of product information elements are read). Each time the transaction control program 159 compares.

  For example, when the cashier scan product information element 1001 including the JAN code “AAAAAA” is compared with the plan information 205 ′ for the visiting customer, the transaction control program 159 displays the post-plan application amount “980” corresponding to the JAN code “AAAAAA”. “Yen” is acquired from the plan information 205 ′ for visiting customers, and the amount “1000 yen” in the cash register product information element 1001 is rewritten to the acquired amount “980 yen” after applying the plan, so that the product information element after applying the plan 1001 ′ can be generated and stored in the storage area 165 after the plan application. Similarly, for example, when the cashier scan product information element 1003 including the JAN code “CCCCCC” is compared with the plan information 205 ′ for the visiting customer, the transaction control program 159 may apply the plan corresponding to the JAN code “CCCCCC”. After the application of the plan, the amount “300 yen” is acquired from the plan information 205 ′ for the visiting customer, and the amount “350 yen” in the cash register product information element 1003 is rewritten to the acquired amount “300 yen” after applying the plan. The merchandise information element 1003 ′ can be generated and stored in the storage area 165 after applying the plan.

  However, for example, when the cashier scan product information element 1005 including the JAN code “DDDDDD” is compared with the plan information 205 ′ for visiting customers, the transaction control program 159 displays the post-plan application amount corresponding to the JAN code “DDDDDD”. Cannot be found from the plan information 205 ′ for visiting customers. In this case, the transaction control program 159 stores the cash register product information element 1005 as it is in the storage area 165 after applying the plan.

  The product information element group (a set of cash register product information elements and / or product information elements after plan application) stored in the post-plan application storage area 165 in this way becomes the transaction product 207 of the plan application information 207.

  In the above description, the post-plan-applied product information element is generated by rewriting the amount in the cashier-scan product information element to the post-plan-applied amount. Instead, for example, the plan information 205 for visiting customers If the product information element after applying the plan is included in ′, the product information element after applying the plan can be acquired from the plan information 205 ′ for the visiting customer and stored in the storage area 165 after applying the plan.

  As mentioned above, although several embodiment of this invention was described, these are the illustrations for description of this invention, Comprising: It is not the meaning which limits the scope of the present invention only to these embodiment. The present invention can be implemented in various other forms.

  For example, in S15 for each transaction, the store cash register 103 may issue an inquiry with the cash register scan information 20 including the customer ID 203A. In this case, in S <b> 16, the plan creation program 177 of the center server 115 acquires the purchase history status information 215 including the customer ID 215 </ b> A that matches the customer ID 203 </ b> A in the received cash register scan information 203 from the customer purchase status DB 183. In addition, the plan creation program 177 acquires one or more sales promotion plan information 211 suitable for the customer A from the sales promotion plan DB 181. The plan creation program 177 includes the sales promotion pattern 211B and the sales promotion contents 211C in the acquired sales promotion plan information 211 at least part of the transaction date and time 215B, the transaction place 215C and the transaction product 215D in the acquired customer purchase status information 215. The post-plan application information 207 corresponding to the registration scan product 203D is created based on which of the registration scan product 203D in the received registration scan information 203 is suitable. In S <b> 17, the plan creation program 177 transmits the created post-plan application information 207 to the inquiring store cash register 103 through the store server 105. In S <b> 18, the transaction control program 159 stores the received post-plan application information 207 in the post-plan application storage area 165 at the store cash register 103. The stored post-plan application information 207 is, in short, transaction schedule information after the sales promotion plan is applied to the cash register scan information 203. In S 19, the contents of the post-plan application information 207 are settled, and the transaction control program 159 creates the POS information 209 for the customer A based on the post-plan application information 207 and stores it in the POS information storage area 163. accumulate.

  Further, for example, the sales promotion plan information 211 may include information indicating the priority order. In this case, for example, the plan creation program 179 specifies a plurality of sales promotion plan information 211, and two or more sales promotion plans indicated by the two or more sales promotion plan information 211 among them have a specific relationship (for example, duplication or contradiction). If it is, the sales promotion plan information 211 having a higher priority can be adopted and the sales promotion plan information 211 having a lower priority can be rejected.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the sales promotion system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows a configuration example of the store server. FIG. 2B shows a configuration example of the store cash register. FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of the center server. FIG. 4A shows a configuration example of customer visit management information. FIG. 4B shows a configuration example of the registration scan information. FIG. 4C shows an example of the configuration of plan information for in-store customers. FIG. 4D shows a configuration example of post-plan application information. FIG. 4E shows a configuration example of POS information. FIG. 5A shows a configuration example of the sales promotion plan information. FIG. 5B shows a configuration example of customer information. FIG. 5C shows a configuration example of customer purchase status information. FIG. 6 shows an example of the flow of transaction pre-processing. FIG. 7 shows an example of the process flow for each transaction. FIG. 8 shows an example of the flow of periodic processing. FIG. 9A shows a specific example of registration scan information. FIG. 9B shows a specific example of post-plan application information. FIG. 10 shows a specific example of plan information for in-store customers in the first embodiment. FIG. 11 shows a specific example of plan information for visiting customers in the third embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

101 ... Store 103 ... Store cash register 105 ... Store server 107 ... Customer ID reader 115 ... Center server

Claims (8)

One or more registers at each store;
A server in communication with one or more registers of each store;
The register is
User ID reading means for reading the user ID of the user from a user medium that is a medium possessed by the user;
Product reading means for reading one or more product information elements respectively corresponding to one or more products;
A transaction means for transacting with the transaction content in which the user's promotional plan information corresponding to the read user ID is applied to the read one or more product information elements;
Transaction information transmitting means for indicating transaction details and transmitting transaction information including a user ID;
A plan non-applicable means for setting up a non-applicable promotion plan ,
The server is
Purchase status storage means for storing purchase status information corresponding to the user ID of the user and indicating the purchase status of the user for each user;
Plan storage means for storing a plurality of sales promotion plan information respectively corresponding to a plurality of sales promotion plans;
User ID receiving means for receiving a user ID;
Identifying purchase status information corresponding to the received user ID from the purchase status storage means;
User plan preparation means for generating user promotion plan information corresponding to the user ID based on the purchase status information and the plurality of promotional plan information in the plan storage means;
Transaction information receiving means for receiving transaction information transmitted from each of the one or more registers of each store;
Transaction information storage means for storing received transaction information;
Using one or more pieces of transaction information including an arbitrary user ID among a plurality of stored transaction information, purchase status information corresponding to the arbitrary user ID is created, and the purchase status information is converted to the purchase status. Purchasing status creation means stored in the storage means;
With
In the register, when the promotion plan non-applied is set by the plan non-applicable means,
In the register,
The transaction means is transacted with the transaction content represented by the read one or more product information elements itself, to which the user promotion plan information corresponding to the read user ID is not applied,
The transaction information transmitting means transmits transaction information further including plan non-applicable information meaning non-applicable promotion plan,
In the server,
Based on the transaction information including the plan non-applicable information, the purchase status creating means corresponds to the user ID corresponding to the user ID in the transaction information with information indicating which transaction is not applicable to the promotion plan. Included in the purchase status information,
When the user plan preparation means includes information indicating in which transaction the promotion plan is not applied in the identified purchase status information, the transaction plan is not applied. A sales promotion system that creates promotional plan information for users, including plans that could be applied to <br/>.
The register further comprises user ID transmission means for transmitting a first user ID that is the read user ID,
The user ID receiving means of the server receives the first user ID transmitted from the register,
The server further comprises a user plan transmission means for transmitting the user promotion plan information corresponding to the received first user ID,
The register is
In response to the transmission of the first user ID, user plan receiving means for receiving the user promotion plan information corresponding to the first user ID transmitted from the server;
User plan application means for applying user promotion plan information corresponding to the first user ID to the one or more product information elements;
The sales promotion system according to claim 1.
A user ID reader that reads and transmits a user ID from a user medium is installed in a place other than the register in the store,
The user ID receiving means of the server receives a second user ID that is a user ID transmitted from the user ID reader,
The user plan preparation means of the server generates user promotion plan information including the second user ID,
The user plan transmission means of the server transmits user promotion plan information including the second user ID,
The user plan receiving means of the register receives the user promotion plan information including the second user ID,
The register is
User plan storage means for storing user promotion plan information including the second user ID;
A second promotional plan information for the user including a user ID that matches the first user ID the a user ID read, and a retrieving means for retrieving from said user for plan storage means,
If user search plan information is found by the search means, the user plan application means of the register is found without sending the first user ID by the user ID transmission means of the register. Apply user promotional plan information to the one or more product information elements,
If user search plan information is not found by the search means, the first user ID is sent by the user ID sending means of the register, and the user plan applying means of the register is Applying the user promotion plan information corresponding to the first user ID received in response to the transmission of the user ID to the one or more product information elements;
The sales promotion system according to claim 2.
A user ID reader that reads and transmits a user ID from a user medium is installed in a place other than the register in the store,
The user ID receiving means of the server receives a user ID transmitted from the user ID reader,
The user plan preparation means of the server generates user promotion plan information including the received user ID,
The server further comprises a user plan transmission means for transmitting the user promotion plan information including the received user ID,
The register is
A user plan receiving means for receiving the user promotion plan information including the user ID transmitted from the server;
User plan storage means for storing user promotion plan information including the user ID;
Search means for searching user promotion plan information including a user ID that matches the user ID read by the user ID reading means of the register from the user plan storage means;
User plan application means for applying the user promotion plan information found by the search means to the one or more product information elements;
The sales promotion system according to claim 1.
Deletion means for deleting the user promotion plan information found by the search means from the user plan storage means, when the register has ended the transaction by the transaction means,
The sales promotion system according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising:
The user promotion plan information corresponding to the user ID includes a post-plan application amount corresponding to each user target product that is a product targeted for promotion for the user corresponding to the user ID,
Whenever a predetermined number of product information elements are read, the user plan application means of the register searches the post-plan application amount corresponding to the read product information element from the user promotion plan information, and if found, Store the product information element after the plan application that is the product information element including the amount after the plan application in the storage area, if not found, store the read product information element itself in the storage area,
The trading means trades with the transaction content indicated by the product information element group including the product information element after application of at least one plan stored in the storage area,
The sales promotion system according to any one of claims 2 to 4.
The user promotion plan information corresponding to the user ID includes a post-plan application amount corresponding to each user target product that is a product targeted for promotion for the user corresponding to the user ID,
The register further comprises a product information element transmitting means for transmitting the one or more product information elements read;
The server is
Product information element receiving means for receiving one or more product information elements transmitted from the register;
A plan applied amount corresponding to the received one or more product information elements is searched from the user promotion plan information corresponding to the received user ID, and if found, one or more including the amount after applying the plan is found. User plan application means for creating post-plan application information that is a product information element ;
Further comprising a post-plan application information transmitting means for transmitting the created post-plan application information,
The register further comprises post-plan application information receiving means for receiving post-plan application information transmitted from the server, and the transaction means trades with the transaction content indicated by the received post-plan application information.
The sales promotion system according to claim 1.
Purchase status storage means for storing purchase status information corresponding to the user ID of the user and indicating the purchase status of the user for each user;
Plan storage means for storing a plurality of sales promotion plan information respectively corresponding to a plurality of sales promotion plans;
User ID receiving means for receiving a user ID;
Identifying purchase status information corresponding to the received user ID from the purchase status storage means;
User plan preparation means for preparing user promotion plan information corresponding to the user ID based on the purchase status information and the plurality of promotion plan information in the plan storage means;
Transaction information receiving means for receiving transaction information transmitted from each of the one or more registers of each store;
Transaction information storage means for storing received transaction information;
Using one or more pieces of transaction information including an arbitrary user ID among a plurality of stored transaction information, purchase status information corresponding to the arbitrary user ID is created, and the purchase status information is converted to the purchase status. Purchasing status creation means stored in the storage means;
With
When you receive transaction information that includes plan non-applicable information, which means non-applicable promotional plans,
Based on the transaction information including the plan non-applicable information, the purchase status creating means corresponds to the user ID corresponding to the user ID in the transaction information with information indicating which transaction is not applicable to the promotion plan. Included in the purchase status information,
When the user plan preparation means includes information indicating in which transaction the promotion plan is not applied in the identified purchase status information, the transaction plan is not applied. A server for creating promotional plan information for users including plans that could be applied to <br/>.

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