Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

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.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim