System and method providing customer incentive to purchase fuel at a store

Abstract

A system and computer-implemented method of providing an incentive for a customer to purchase fuel at a store that sells products or services and fuel. The system detects that the customer purchased a threshold quantity of fuel in a first visit to the store, and provides the customer with a first reward entitling the customer to a first amount of free fuel, a rebate of a portion of the total purchase price of the fuel, or a reduced price or free non-fuel product or service. The system then detects that the customer purchased additional fuel in a second visit to the store, and provides the customer with a second reward.

1 - 75 . (canceled) 
     
     
         76 . A computer-implemented method of providing an incentive for a customer to purchase fuel at a store, said method comprising the steps of:
 determining the quantity of fuel purchased during an initial fueling transaction by the customer; and   upon determining that the customer purchased a threshold quantity of fuel, issuing a reward to the customer entitling the customer to a rebate of a portion of the total purchase price of the fuel.   
     
     
         77 . The method as recited in  claim 76 , further comprising the steps of:
 upon determining that the customer did not purchase the threshold quantity of fuel:
 storing in a database, a record of the quantity of fuel purchased in the initial fueling transaction; 
 determining a subsequent quantity of fuel purchased during a subsequent fueling transaction by the customer; 
 adding the subsequent quantity to the quantity in the stored record to obtain a total quantity; and 
 issuing to the customer, a voucher or electronic coupon for the reward if the total quantity exceeds the threshold quantity. 
   
     
     
         78 . The method as recited in  claim 77 , further comprising the steps of:
 determining a time period over which the customer made the initial and subsequent fueling transactions; and   issuing the reward to the customer only if the total quantity exceeds the threshold quantity and the time period is shorter than a threshold time period.   
     
     
         79 . The method as recited in  claim 77 , further comprising the steps of:
 recording a customer identifier each time the customer purchases fuel, wherein the customer identifier is read from a source selected from a group consisting of:
 a magnetic stripe on a card; 
 a radio frequency identifier (RFID); 
 a bar code; 
 a personal identification number (PIN); and 
 biometrics; and 
   associating the customer identifier with the stored record of the quantity of fuel purchased.   
     
     
         80 . The method as recited in  claim 77 , wherein the initial fueling transaction is performed at a first store and the subsequent fueling transaction is performed at a second store affiliated with the first store, wherein the first and second stores are networked with the database. 
     
     
         81 . The method as recited in  claim 76 , wherein the step of issuing the reward to the customer includes the steps of:
 determining a grade of fuel purchased by the customer;   issuing a first reward entitling the customer to a first rebate for purchasing a first grade of fuel; and   issuing a second reward entitling the customer to a second, larger rebate for purchasing a second grade of fuel that is higher than the first grade of fuel.   
     
     
         82 . The method as recited in  claim 81 , further comprising the steps of:
 upon determining that the customer did not purchase the threshold quantity of fuel:   storing in a database, a record of the quantity of fuel purchased and the grade of fuel purchased in the initial fueling transaction;   determining a subsequent quantity and grade of fuel purchased during a subsequent fueling transaction by the customer;   if the grade of fuel purchased in the subsequent fueling transaction is the same as the grade purchased in the initial fueling transaction, adding the subsequent quantity to the quantity in the stored record to obtain a total quantity; and   if the total quantity exceeds the threshold quantity, issuing the reward to the customer.   
     
     
         83 . The method as recited in  claim 82 , further comprising the steps of:
 recording a customer identifier each time the customer purchases fuel, wherein the customer identifier is read from a source selected from a group consisting of:
 a magnetic stripe on a card; 
 a radio frequency identifier (RFID); 
 a bar code; 
 a personal identification number (PIN); and 
 biometrics; and 
   associating the customer identifier with the stored record of the quantity and grade of fuel purchased.   
     
     
         84 . A computer-implemented method of providing an incentive for a customer to purchase fuel at a store, said method comprising the steps of:
 determining the quantity of fuel purchased during an initial fueling transaction by the customer; and   upon determining that the customer purchased a threshold quantity of fuel, issuing a reward to the customer entitling the customer to a non-fuel product or service at a reduced price or free.   
     
     
         85 . The method as recited in  claim 84 , wherein the non-fuel product or service is a carwash, and the method further comprises the steps of:
 issuing a reward to the customer entitling the customer to a reduced price or free first level of carwash the first time the customer purchases the threshold quantity of fuel;   recording a customer identifier each time the customer purchases the threshold quantity of fuel; and   issuing a reward to the customer entitling the customer to a reduced price or free second, higher level of carwash when the customer has purchased the threshold quantity of fuel a threshold number of times.   
     
     
         86 . The method as recited in  claim 85 , further comprising the steps of:
 recording a customer identifier each time the customer purchases fuel, wherein the customer identifier is read from a source selected from a group consisting of:
 a magnetic stripe on a card; 
 a radio frequency identifier (RFID); 
 a bar code; 
 a personal identification number (PIN); and 
 biometrics; and 
   associating the customer identifier with the stored record of the quantity of fuel purchased.   
     
     
         87 . The method as recited in  claim 84 , wherein the non-fuel product or service is a non-fuel product in the store, and the method further comprises the steps of:
 issuing a reward to the customer entitling the customer to a free non-fuel product of a first value the first time the customer purchases the threshold quantity of fuel;   recording a customer identifier each time the customer purchases the threshold quantity of fuel; and   issuing a reward to the customer entitling the customer to a free non-fuel product of a second, higher value when the customer has purchased the threshold quantity of fuel a threshold number of times.   
     
     
         88 . The method as recited in  claim 84 , further comprising redeeming the reward at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal in the store. 
     
     
         89 . The method as recited in  claim 84 , wherein the non-fuel product or service is a product or service provided by a merchant associated with the store through a cross-marketing agreement, and the method further comprises issuing a voucher or electronic coupon to the customer entitling the customer to a reduced price or free product or service provided by the associated merchant. 
     
     
         90 . The method as recited in  claim 89 , wherein the step of issuing a voucher or electronic coupon includes issuing the voucher or electronic coupon when the fuel quantity purchased by the customer over a plurality of fueling transactions exceeds the threshold quantity of fuel. 
     
     
         91 . The method as recited in  claim 89 , further comprising redeeming the reward by the associated merchant. 
     
     
         92 . A computer-implemented method of providing an incentive for a customer to purchase fuel at any one of a plurality of affiliated stores, said method comprising the steps of:
 networking the plurality of affiliated stores with a central database;   recording in the database, a customer identifier each time a customer purchases fuel at one of the affiliated stores;   determining whether the customer has purchased a threshold quantity of fuel at the affiliated stores a threshold number of times; and   providing the customer with a reward upon determining that the customer has purchased the threshold quantity of fuel at the affiliated stores the threshold number of times.   
     
     
         93 . The method as recited in  claim 92 , wherein the step of recording a customer identifier includes:
 reading the customer identifier at a fuel dispenser from a source selected from a group consisting of:
 a magnetic stripe on a card; 
 a radio frequency identifier (RFID); 
 a bar code; 
 a personal identification number (PIN); and 
 biometrics; and 
   storing the customer identifier in the central database upon completion of a fuel purchase.   
     
     
         94 . The method as recited in  claim 92 , wherein the step of providing the customer with a reward includes providing the customer with a reward selected from a group consisting of:
 a reduced price or free carwash, wherein a level of carwash is awarded based upon the total quantity of fuel purchased by the customer in a plurality of fuel purchases;   an amount of free fuel, wherein the amount of free fuel is based upon the total quantity of fuel purchased by the customer in a plurality of fuel purchases; and   a rebate of a portion of the total purchase price of the fuel, wherein the amount of the rebate is based upon the total quantity of fuel purchased by the customer in a plurality of fuel purchases.   
     
     
         95 . A system for providing an incentive for a customer to purchase fuel at a store, said system comprising:
 means for determining that the customer purchased a threshold quantity of fuel during an initial fueling transaction; and   means for issuing a reward to the customer in response to determining that the customer purchased the threshold quantity of fuel, wherein the reward is selected from a group consisting of:
 a rebate of a portion of the total purchase price of the fuel; 
 a free or reduced price non-fuel product in the store; 
 a free or reduced price carwash; and 
 a free or reduced price product or service provided by a merchant associated with the store through a cross-marketing agreement.