System and method for influencing customer behavior

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method of influencing customer behavior. The customer is offered a price-per-unit (PPU) discount for fuel as a reward for performing a predefined action. A point-of-sale (POS) system at a merchant determines that the customer performed the predefined action, and stores the PPU discount and a customer identifier in a Discounts-Earned database. When the customer initiates a subsequent purchase of fuel, at the merchant or a different retail fueling merchant, a fuel dispenser controller retrieves the PPU discount from the database, discounts the posted price of the fuel by the PPU discount, and causes the dispenser to dispense fuel to the customer at the reduced price. A redeemed discounts calculator multiplies the PPU discount by the number of units purchased in the fueling transaction, and a clearing mechanism allocates the redeemed discount between the merchant and the retail fueling merchant

1 . A computer-implemented method of influencing a customer's behavior, the computer implemented method comprising the steps of
 offering the customer a price-per-unit (PPU) discount for a purchase of fuel as a reward for using a prepaid or gift card;   determining, by using a computer to check records stored in a database, that the customer used the prepaid or gift card; and   awarding the PPU discount for the purchase of fuel to the customer based on said determining step.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of offering the customer a PPU discount includes increasing the PPU discount as a reward for using the prepaid or gift card a plurality of times over a period of time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising a fuel dispenser dispensing fuel to the customer, in a fueling transaction, at a PPU reduced from a posted price by an amount equal to the PPU discount. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the dispensing step is performed by a retail fueling merchant different from a merchant where the customer uses the prepaid or gift card. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 calculating a redeemed discount by multiplying the PPU discount by the number of units of fuel purchased in the fueling transaction; and   allocating the redeemed discount between the merchant and the retail fueling merchant.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 calculating a redeemed discount by multiplying the PPU discount by the number of units of fuel purchased in the fueling transaction; and   allocating the redeemed discount to the merchant.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 transferring, in a clearing, process, funds from an account of the merchant to an account of the retail fueling merchant. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 calculating a redeemed discount by multiplying the PPU discount by the number of units of fuel purchased in the fueling transaction; and   allocating the redeemed discount to an issuer of the prepaid or gift card.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 transferring, in a clearing process, funds from an account of the issuer to an account of the retail fueling merchant. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, after the step of determining that the customer used the prepaid or gift card, the steps of:
 storing the amount of the earned PPU discount in a database; 
 determining by a fuel dispenser controller that the customer has initiated a subsequent purchase of fuel; 
 retrieving b the fuel dispenser controller, the amount of the PPU discount from the database; and 
 discounting the price of the fuel posted on the fuel dispenser by the amount of the PPU discount. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the PPU discount is a percentage of the posted price of the fuel, and the method further comprises, prior to the discounting step, the step of calculating a current PPU discount based on the posted price of the fuel and the percentage PPU discount. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method of rewarding a customer and influencing the customer to use an issuer's prepaid or gift card, the method comprising the steps of:
 offering the customer a percentage price-per-unit (PPU) discount for a purchase of fuel based upon the customer using the issuer's prepaid or gift card;   determining by a fuel dispenser controller that the customer has initiated a purchase of fuel at a posted price-per-unit (PPU);   calculating a current PPU discount based on the posted price of the fuel and the percentage PPU discount;   discounting the price of the fuel posted on the fuel dispenser by the amount of the current PPU discount; and   dispensing the fuel at the discounted price.   
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method of rewarding a customer and influencing the customer to use an issuer's prepaid or gift card, the method comprising the steps of:
 offering the customer an instant price-per-unit (PPU) discount for a purchase of fuel based upon the customer using the issuer's prepaid or gift card when purchasing fuel;   determining by a fuel dispenser controller that the customer has initiated a purchase of fuel at a posted price-per-unit (PPU) using the prepaid or gift card; and   discounting the price of the fuel posted on the fuel dispenser by the amount of the instant PPU discount.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 dispensing, by the fuel dispenser, the fuel at the discounted price. 
 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 calculating a redeemed discount by multiplying the PPU discount by the number of units of fuel purchased in the fueling transaction; and 
 allocating the redeemed discount between the issuer and a retail fueling merchant. 
 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method of influencing a customer's behavior, the computer implemented method comprising the steps of:
 offering the customer a price-per-unit (PPU) discount for a purchase of fuel as a reward for using a prepaid or gift card and purchasing a cross-marketed product;   determining, by using a computer to check records stored in a database, that the customer used the prepaid or gift card and purchased a cross-marketed product; and   awarding the PPU discount for the purchase of fuel to the customer based on said determining step.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising a fuel dispenser dispensing fuel to the customer, in a fueling transaction, at a PPU reduced from a posted price by an amount equal to the PPU discount. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the dispensing step is performed by a retail fueling merchant different from a merchant where the customer uses the prepaid or gift card. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 calculating a redeemed discount by multiplying the PPU discount by the number of units of fuel purchased in the fueling transaction; and   allocating the redeemed discount between the merchant and the retail fueling merchant.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising, after the step of determining that the customer used the prepaid or gift card, the steps of:
 storing the amount of the earned PPU discount in a database; 
 determining by a fuel dispenser controller that the customer has initiated a subsequent purchase of fuel; 
 retrieving by the fuel dispenser controller, the amount of the PPU discount from the database; and 
 discounting the price of the fuel posted on the fuel dispenser by the amount of the PPU discount.