DE102005007928A1 - Cash-integrated system for checking precondition for issue of rebate coupon, has software module integrated in cash point to check coupon which is provided with impersonal/ personalized barcode containing relevant data for checking coupon - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has a software module integrated in a cash point for checking the issued coupon over a sales slip printer. The coupon is provided with impersonal barcode or personalized barcode that contains all relevant data for checking the coupon through a cashing system. All coupon printouts are saved in a file by the cashing system, and are conveyed everyday to a clearing house or trading enterprise.

Description

 starting position

With The abolition of the rebate law in 2001 may be consumer goods manufacturers and trade new marketing tools for customer loyalty and new customer acquisition use. One of them has been successful abroad for decades used couponing. Here are vouchers on various media or coupons distributed to consumers, with whom the consumer at redemption In the trade a discount gets, provided he the coupon before expiration of the validity date redeems and also the corresponding product of the consumer goods manufacturer buys.

Coupon campaigns are mostly by consumer goods manufacturers initiated. These distribute their coupons on various media such as Brochures, displays at the POS (point of sale, usually the cash register), direct mailing etc. When redeeming grant the coupon the trading companies give the consumer the corresponding discount and want this as soon as possible from the consumer goods manufacturer Reimbursed to get. So not every dealer for every Coupon reimbursement to contact each manufacturer individually reimbursement across intermediaries, so-called clearing houses. For this, the coupons from the supermarkets to the clearing house Posted. The clearing house takes over the settlement of the coupon actions and is for the calculation and refund the claims the trading company responsible for the manufacturers.

a) Coupon distribution

In Germany, the coupons are currently mainly through the weekly handbill of the trading companies as well as over Distributed mailings (mailings). The former distribution route leads to high Scatter losses, the second, however, at high cost. These factors induce high expenses for the companies to reach the intended customer group. The So far, discount coupons have been issued in retail outlets predominantly detached of the specific buying behavior of a customer (eg as a component a leaflet).

Industry and trade have an interest in individualizing the coupon distribution so a commitment of the customer to a distribution chain and / or a more targeted one Increase in sales too to reach.

to Time becomes separate systems for the analysis of buying behavior and commercially installed for coupon issue. This electronic System is installed parallel to the POS system. This is a separate server in each connected branch as well as a separate one Printer required at every checkout. The cash register system reports all purchase transactions to the server. This controls the qualification of a customer Issue over the additional Printer next to the cash register. The coupon is with a non-personalized Barcode (eg EAN 13) coded.

b) Coupon redemption / settlement

in the Following the issue of coupons must be ensured at the draw all redeeming (Validity of the coupon, purchase of a particular product, etc.). These conditions are basically Manually controlled by the cashier. Are the requirements Fulfills, granted the dealer the customer a certain discount on his purchase or on a specific product.

In The US has a rudimentary Procedure for testing the conditions of redemption the coupons through the cash register system. Here are in advance of the Manufacturer all own products in so-called Families divided. The So-called family lists become undefined to the trading companies time intervals to disposal posed. Based on the manufacturer's code and Family in the cash register system can check which product group (Family) the coupon barcode from which manufacturer for the coupon must be bought.

at the redemption of the coupon grant the Trading company give the consumer the corresponding discount and would like this as soon as possible from the consumer goods manufacturer Reimbursed to get. So that not every dealer for every coupon - refund has to come into contact with each manufacturer individually takes place the refund worldwide central instances, so-called clearing houses. This will be the coupons from the supermarkets sent to the clearing house. The clearing house takes over the settlement of the coupon actions and is for the calculation and refund the claims the trading company responsible for the manufacturers.

at collecting the world's most prevalent manual clearing procedure the individual supermarkets the coupons and send them regularly (eg monthly) by post to the clearing house. Here, the coupons are manually recorded and enabled with handheld scanners following the scan data the billing of the coupons.

The Distribution, the redemption and the billing of the coupons are currently carried out in separate Systems.

Problems of the Previous state of the art

a) Problems with coupon distribution

• – Es ist häufig in der Kassenzone nicht der notwendige Platz für zusätzliche Hardware vorhanden.
• – Die Wartung bzw. der Betrieb der zusätzlichen Geräte erfordert geschultes Personal.
• – Zusätzliche Hardware erzeugt weitere Störfälle in dem Markt.
• – Die notwendigen Hardwarekomponenten erfordernhohe Anfangsinvestitione für die einsetzenden Partner.
• – Die hohen Investitionskosten des Systems implizieren ebenfalls hohe Kosten für die Buchung des Mediums.
• - Zwei getrennte Drucker für Kassenbon-Druck und Coupon-Ausdruck induzieren unergonomische Arbeitsabläufe an der Kasse.

The previous system for issuing coupons at the cash register requires additional hardware in each market. This includes a server, extra receipt printer at each cash register and appropriate network cabling. In addition, the following disadvantages arise for the trading companies that start:

• - There is often not enough space in the checkout area for additional hardware.
• - The maintenance or operation of the additional equipment requires trained personnel.
• - Additional hardware creates more incidents in the market.
• - The necessary hardware components require high initial investment for the incumbent partners.
• - The high investment costs of the system also imply high costs for booking the medium.
• - Two separate printers for receipt printing and coupon printing induce unergonomic cash register operations.

b) Problems with coupon redemption

• – Die Prüfung an der Kasse durch das Kassierpersonal ist langsam und ungenau.
• – Das Kassierpersonal muss regelmäßig über neue Coupon-Aktionen unterrichtet werden, um diese an der Kasse verifizieren zu können.
• – Es besteht die Gefahr der Manipulation und Vervielfältigung der Coupons in der Weise, dass dies von den Mitarbeitern der Händler nicht erkannt wird.
• – Die manuelle Prüfung an der Kasse führt zu einer Fehlerhäufung, die finanzielle Verluste erheblichen Ausmaßes für Handel und Industrie hervorrufen.
• – Es entsteht erheblicher Verwaltungs- und Kostenaufwand durch Zählen, Sammeln und Versenden der Coupons in den Märkten sowie im Clearing House.
• – Die Rückvergütung des Handels kann erst erfolgen, wenn die Coupons an das Clearing House geschickt und verarbeitet wurden. Der Händler trägt hier einen Zinsverlust.
• – Kompliziertere Einlösebedingungen sind nicht praktikabel, da diese den Kassierbetrieb faktisch lähmen würden.
• – Prozentuale Rabatte auf den Coupons sind nicht praktikabel, da das Kassierpersonal bei der Berechnung der Rabatte überfordert wäre.

The redemption of a coupon is always subject to certain conditions, so must, for example, the designated product to be purchased and the expiration date. The check is currently being carried out mainly by the cashiers. The manual method described here has the following disadvantages:

• - The cashier check at the checkout is slow and inaccurate.
• - The cashiers must be informed regularly about new coupon promotions in order to verify them at the checkout.
• - There is a risk of manipulation and duplication of the coupons in such a way that this is not recognized by the employees of the dealer.
• - The manual check at the cash register leads to an accumulation of errors that cause significant financial losses for trade and industry.
• - Significant administrative and financial costs are incurred by counting, collecting and sending coupons in the markets and in the clearing house.
• - The trade reimbursement can only be made once the coupons have been sent to the Clearing House and processed. The trader carries an interest loss here.
• - More complicated redeeming conditions are impractical as they would effectively paralyze the cashier operation.
• - Percentage discounts on the coupons are impractical because the cashiers would be overwhelmed when calculating discounts.

• – Das Family-Code-System ist sehr unflexibel, da die Konsumgüterhersteller einmalig alle Produkte einer entsprechenden Kategorie zuordnen müssen und diese nicht mehr ändern können.
• – Es wird dabei kein Gültigkeitsdatum geprüft.
• – Manipulationen durch Konsumenten oder Handelsunternehmen können kaum erkannt werden.
• – Coupon-Aktionen beziehen sich häufig auf ganz konkrete Produkte. Die Einteilung in wenige Kategorien (Families) ist zu ungenau.
• – Warengruppen-Coupons sind mit Families nicht abzubilden.
• – Gebinde (Kaufe Produkt X und Produkt Y um Rabatt Z zu erhalten) sind nicht möglich.

In the US, there is a rudimentary procedure to check the redemption conditions of the coupons through the POS system. However, this has the following disadvantages:

• - The family code system is very inflexible, since the consumer goods manufacturers once have to assign all products in a corresponding category and can not change them.
• - No validity date is checked.
• - Manipulation by consumers or trading companies can hardly be detected.
• - Coupon promotions often refer to very specific products. The classification into a few categories (Families) is too inaccurate.
• - Merchandise coupons are not to be mapped with Families.
• - Packages (buy product X and product Y to get discount Z) are not possible.

approach

The Targeted issue of coupons at the POS system due to Buying behavior should be with the coupon redemption or settlement in an integrated system. This is already the case in the markets existing hardware (POS system including receipt printer) sufficient. An elaborate system consisting of store controller and terminal not necessary. The exam, whether a customer for A coupon is qualified due to its purchase existing POS system made.

The Issue of the coupons should be detached from manual entries The conditions for the issue A coupon should be flexible, changed and timely in the system can be integrated. This can be done simultaneously with the transfer of Einlösemeldedatei respectively. The coupon printing also takes place over the existing one Receipt printer.

When redeeming a coupon (various media), the POS system automatically checks the redemption conditions such as product purchase and expiry date and automatically deducts the discount shown in the receipt. The test parameters can be changed daily in all markets. The definition of valid products can also be made at EAN or department level. This method is thus much more flexible and precise as the family code system used in the US. In addition, percentage discounts can also be processed because the cashier now calculates the discount. Also, the definition of containers is possible.

To redemption the relevant coupon data are electronically cleared House transmitted and are therefore already one day later for evaluation or billing to disposal. A postal dispatch of the coupons is no longer necessary.

 invention

a) The requirements mentioned under 4.) are all fulfilled by the fact that over one in the POS system to be integrated software module testing the Coupon issue is made. This will be done in advance by data transfer a file from the Clearing House or trading company to the cash register system played. This file contains the necessary conditions and graphical elements for the output a coupon through the POS system. The actual exam will be from the software module based on this file and the over the cash register scanned products (cashier transaction) made. there can according to specification the currently individual or the past Buying behavior (in conjunction with a data warehouse for sales data), the customer number or a combination of several factors is crucial be. Are the conditions for the issue of a coupon before, this is directly over the POS system and its receipt printer issued. A special one Equipment for coupon printing is not required. The issued coupon is forgery-proof and electronically redeemable. He is using a non-personalized barcode (eg EAN 13) or personalized barcode (eg EAN 128) provided, all the relevant data for review through the cash register system when redeemed contains. About that In addition, the printed coupon may individual notes or advertising messages contain; Alternatively, it can also be totally discounted be dispensed so that the coupon in a pure advertising instrument exhausted. All (coupon) printouts are logged by the POS system in a file and daily transmitted to the Clearing House or trading company. Based on these Data are the evaluations made.

b) The issued coupons are issued by the customer, depending on the specification, at the issuing dealer or at a dealer redeemed a chain. At the redemption the coupon is checked, whether the previously agreed with the manufacturer and Clearing House submitted to the cash register system the specifications of the discount Fulfills were. This exam takes place fully automatically after scanning the coupon Barcodes. For this purpose, the cashier in advance over all necessary coupon actions informed in the market. This is done by clearing the house all necessary coupon actions prepared in the form of a file and transferred via data transfer to the POS systems the dealer transfers.

For this can the existing communication channels are used. The cash register systems can based on the data now the redemption conditions (such as product purchase and expiration date) automatically check. Every redemption is also logged in the POS system and regularly (eg. Every day) transmitted to the Clearing House for evaluation and settlement. Due to the automatic test needed by the POS system the coupon no further security features. At the trading company will not be additional Software components for the maintenance of the couponing relevant parameters needed in the cash register.

at this method can both the coupons described under 5.) and on conventional Way distributed coupons are scanned and processed.

c) This program-controlled technical procedure makes it possible So, besides the conditions for the issue of a coupon also the terms of the discount variable. The specifications can be thanks to the system structure in no time Time and independent from each other's needs the manufacturer and dealer be adjusted.

By the connection of point-of-sale couponing with the electronic Clearing creates a fully automated couponing unit, in which Manufacturer and dealer just set their framework for a coupon action have to. Of the however, the entire procedure is automated. The Combination of both methods leads So to that the coupon initiator himself or the staff the dealer do not have to provide any further cooperation. Only the handing over of the printed coupon to the customer and the scanning of the coupons to be redeemed Manually performed by the cashiers, however, provide a familiar Cashier process, if you use the coupons on the issue with the commercial Receipt and the coupons to be redeemed compared with goods to be scanned.

Process in detail (under with the help of the enclosed sequence diagram)

a) The manufacturer or dealer Determines which discounts (coupons) issued on what terms become. These terms are provided by a manufacturer-dealer agent, e.g. the applicant is caught in so-called output action files, by remote data transmission into the cash register system of the dealer.

• – Kauf eines bestimmten Artikels in bestimmter Anzahl
• – Kauf eines Artikels einer speziellen Dachmarke in bestimmter Anzahl
• – Kauf eines Artikels einer bestimmten Warengruppe in bestimmter Anzahl
• – Negation der vorgenannten Bedingungen
• – Summe des Kaufs oder einer Warengruppe oder einer Dachmarke Mindestanzahl von Artikeln
• – Geschlecht
• – Kundennummer
• – Kundenkartenhistorie
• – Kein Kriterium.

The following factors can be set as conditions for issuing a coupon:

• - Purchase a specific item in a certain number
• - purchase of an article of a specific umbrella brand in a certain number
• - Purchase an item of a certain category in a certain number
• - Negation of the above conditions
• - Sum of the purchase or a product group or an umbrella brand Minimum number of articles
• - Gender
• - Customer number
• - Customer card history
• - No criterion.

moreover can further restrictive Conditions are woven. For example, a multiple output avoided buying a variety of same products or a cap the coupon issue are determined.

At The cash register will be the goods desired by the customer through a scanner cash register logged in the cash register system. When the goods booking completed is, any existing customer data from a customer card read. Now possible Retrieve promotion data from the output action files and, if necessary, compared with the data of the specific purchase in the cash register system. If there is no current discount action, then the cashier process completed by printing the receipt as usual. Otherwise the bond data from the cash register system is transferred to the couponing system. It is also examined whether customer data was read in. If this is the case, then Setting a so-called flag marked that possibly also a later comparison with For this customer number stored data must be made Matching is then checked to see if a Coupon action for the use of a customer card is up to date. If yes, it will the action concerned to meet the conditions of issue checked out. It is possible to link the conditions to the customer number or to the previous one Buying behavior, possibly in conjunction with the current purchase.

Then be the read in goods data with the conditions of the coupon action (s) compared. If the conditions for a coupon are met, then marked the issue of a coupon. The goods data are with other possible Coupon actions are matched in the same way. Is the exam completed? and a coupon was not marked, so the checkout process finished by printing the receipt. If coupons are marked, the system checks whether more coupons are marked, thus by the output action files allowed are. In this case, in the output action file be defined, which coupon gets priority when printing or whether by chance a selection should be made. The coupon output parameters are not stored in the article master data compared to existing systems. this makes possible much more extensive and flexible delivery conditions.

Then be forwarded the specific coupon information to the cashier and the coupon expression is logged in the output message file. The checkout process is by transfer of the receipt to the customer as usual.

The Issue registration files are sent regularly, usually daily Remote data transmission to the trading company or the clearing house. There the data for a later one Reconciliation stored during the clearing process and for evaluation.

The used by the applicant point-of-sale couponing at the issue of the coupons a barcode. This can be personalized or unpersonalized. With both types the Barcode the cash register system, the automatic check of Einlösebedingungen.

The previously common unpersonalized coding (eg via EAN 13) offered only the Possibility, the factual content (redemption when buying a particular product, validity and value) of a coupon display. With the modified method, it is now possible, beyond special customer-related redemption conditions (Purchase amount of the customer individually or in connection with the customer history, Purchase a product or a specific minimum number of products in the history of the customer).

The personalized codes can also conclusions on give the output conditions by different codes depending on Customer number, Bonhöhe, Purchase of a product or a combination of products also in connection with a customer's historical data.

b) Electronic clearing is defined by the manufacturer or dealer Conditions for the redemption a coupon into a redemption file written. This file is transferred by remote data transfer to the POS system the dealer involved. If a coupon is submitted to a purchase, its Data entered in the barcode is read in by the cashier via the checkout scanner. The exam the Einlösebedingungen takes place fully automatic by matching with those in the redemption file contained conditions. The exam is based on the scanned inventory and / or the scanned Customer number. This electronic comparison is on the one hand guaranteed that the redemption conditions all coupons checked correctly on the other hand, that no discount is made by the manufacturer or Handler is not wanted. Manipulation is therefore excluded.

As soon as redeemed a coupon is, the discount underlying the coupon from the purchase price is deducted. At the same time the redemption becomes in a redemption message file cached and these depending on the agreement, usually daily, per Remote data transmission sent to the Clearing House. There are using the redemption message files generated a variety of evaluations. These allow a gapless Control of the dealer granted Discounts. About that In addition, the billing of discounts for the dealer is made to the manufacturer. The manufacturer has the security, only for the initiated by him coupon actions and to pay for any discounts he wants. The refund of the dealer The discount will be paid without delay.

Consequently is a proper billing guaranteed, which also draw conclusions the complex buying behavior of the customers can give. The collected Data from the output report files and the redemption reporting files are reported in reports and Analyzes manufacturers and / or traders for their operational and market economy Dispositions available posed.

variability

The Conditions for the issue and redemption the coupons can Every day changed and so the changing needs the manufacturer can be flexibly adapted.

moreover Is it possible, to include the modern communication media in the coupon campaigns. So far, the distribution of discount coupons over the Internet with many Problems. In practice, two main approaches can be observed.

In both cases a customer can on a web page those desired by him Select coupons from a fixed coupon quantity.

in the In the first case, the customer can choose the selected coupons themselves at home Print PC. The problem is that the print quality is not is always sufficient to read the coupon code at the cash register.

The second option is that a customer selected Coupons will be sent by mail. This creates relatively high Box for the Delivery of the coupons. Of course, some days pass until the Customer receives the coupons.

With the POS couponing proposed by the applicant is another solution possible, which does not bring any of the problems of the other solutions.

One Registered customer can, for example, with his customer number and Login password on a web page and the desired Select coupons. The award of coupons but can also be influenced by other factors (eg. For example, further actions on the web page) are made dependent. The data from the internet are sent to the mediator, e.g. transmitted by the applicant or the mediator operates the coupon web page and has directly over the Information.

The transmitted Data (customer number and coupon EAN code) will be put into the output action file added. At his next purchase is presented to the customer upon presentation of his customer card by means of POS couponing described conditional test automatically the coupon over the receipt printer printed and handed out. This system is called Web2POS called.

Of the Advantage is that no changes At the POS systems are necessary but all dealers Web2POS can participate, who also participate in POS couponing. This is the POS couponing a highly integrated solution, characterized by the fact that the trade no additional Hardware for purchase POS couponing and other applications. Furthermore, the trade and industry receive everything from one Hand. The mediator, for example the applicant, takes over both the clearing as well as the POS couponing as well as the Web2POS couponing. The complexity of the operations becomes by for Trade and industry much easier than in the past Approaches, at those for Clearing, POS couponing and Internet couponing were each the responsibility of other partners.

alternative can be dispensed with the expression of a coupon. The application works similarly like the Web2POS couponing described above.

Of the Coupon is then only virtually available. A customer logs in like at the top of a web page with his customer number and select the desired Coupons off. At the next Purchasing the customer is the POS system as if the customer has already submitted the coupons. This is the system of the Mittler transmitted survey with the for all coupon EAN codes to be redeemed in front. The cash register system checks whether the customer selected a coupon has (ie whether the customer number is in the overview) and whether he for the selected Coupons has bought all the necessary products (ie has met all coupon conditions) and granted if necessary, the discount.

These solution has the advantage that the customer does not carry a coupon with them must and can not forget him accordingly.

take part can all dealers who participate in electronic clearing. Participation in POS couponing is not necessary.

Also here the dealers profit that the solution is highly integrated and with the mediator or the applicant only one partner needed who delivers everything from one source.

Claims (23)

System for individual, cash-integrated, ie dependent on the buying behavior of the customer and fully automated examination of conditions for the issue of a discount coupons followed by printing the electronically redeemable coupons on a receipt printer of the cashier in the retail, characterized in that via a in the existing cashier of the dealer integrating module the conditions for the issue of coupons are changeable set and these are compared with the entered via the checkout goods and customer information, the processing is done completely through the cash register system and the fulfillment of the conditions the issue of coupons fully automatically via the printer of the cash register , System according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupon module as a software component in the existing POS system the dealer integrated and no additional Hardware needed becomes. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized that created by the manufacturer or dealer Conditions for the issue of coupons from the POS couponing provider into an output action file written and by remote data transmission to the dealer network and thus transmitted to the cash register systems where the coupon output parameters not stored in the article master data but in a separate file integrated into the system. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the output conditions can be, among others: - buy one certain article in certain number - buy an article one special umbrella brand in a certain number buy an article one certain category of goods in a certain number - negation the above conditions - sum of the purchase or one Product group or an umbrella brand Minimum number of articles - Gender - Customer number - Customer card history - no criterion however can be extended as desired. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized marked that the coupon module the necessary checks of the requirements for the Issue of the coupons takes over and the expression of the coupons, and thus a couponing-related Participation action is not required. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the output conditions are alternative or cumulative with the goods brought by the customer, his customer information and / or its historical buying behavior, whereby the Data about the current purchase by scanning the goods collected at the cashier and the data about the historical buying behavior taken from a special data server become. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the cashier process is completed when a coupon action at the time of purchase is not running. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that fulfilling of issue conditions the coupons are marked for issue until all exams completed, and all coupons collected become. System according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the pre-marked Coupons are then checked to ensure that the previously individually defined, maximum possible number of issued coupons by filtering out coupons for a certain, flexible to varying specification is not exceeded. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the module each coupon issued in a Output message file logged, all specified by the manufacturer or dealer as well as from the POS couponing provider for a later control in the billing required Contains data, these output message files are in predetermined periods of time collected by remote data transmission transmitted to the POS couponing provider become. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the printing of the receipt and the coupons after completion The examination automatically, whereby optionally the system can be connected by connection a second printer expands and the pressure of the receipt and the coupons can be accelerated. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the coupon to be issued with a personalized EAN 128 barcode is provided. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the implementation of the POS module by a Data exchange format with simple processing rules is enabled. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the functional safety after implementation guaranteed by certification is. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that instead of the coupon or in addition to Coupon an advertising message is issued, the coupon a Discount in height a certain amount or a certain percentage of the Purchase price can show. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that it with the optional accounting system to be connected according to at least one of the claims 19 to 23 combined and so to a uniform marketing system can be expanded. System for the allocation of discount and promotional coupons over the Internet, characterized in that the issue of a coupon on the receipt printer one at POS couponing participating dealer at the next Purchasing can be initiated by the customer on one Web page on the Internet enters his customer number and / or more Perform actions. System according to claim 17, characterized in that that initiates the discount without issuing a coupon can be by placing the customer on a web page on the Internet his customer number enters and / or performs further actions, the coupon then is only available in virtual form and charged automatically at the time of purchase becomes. System for fully electronic billing by redeem a coupon from the dealer granted Discounts, characterized in that specified by the manufacturer or dealer Conditions for redemption a coupon fully automatic with the scanned over the Cash register system scanned data of the coupon and the purchase be, the coupons from a point-of-sale action (claims 1 to 18) or a classic coupon action. System according to claim 19, characterized that the settlement company (clearing house) the conditions for redemption from coupons to a redemption file writes that by remote data transmission transmitted to the integrated into the POS system software module so that in this way the conditions are determined flexibly and promptly and changed can be. System according to claim 19 or 20, characterized that at redemption a coupon the discount will automatically go to the POS system takes place, so that another act of participation is not required is. System according to at least one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that when redeeming a coupon a redemption report file is generated, all Data for control and billing (clearing) contains, where these redemption reporting files at previously specified intervals by remote data transmission automatically to the Clearing House transmitted become. System according to one of claims 19 to 22, characterized that the discounting upper coupons fully automatically by adjustment the one in point-of-sale couponing generated output message files (claims 1 to 18) with the redemption message files controlled and at the same time created an analysis of buying behavior can be.