System and method for distributing information through cooperative communication network sites

Abstract

Information pertaining to products made by manufacturers and sold to consumers through retailers, is distributed to consumers through a communication network that connects consumer communication nodes to a cooperative network site having an accumulation of information about manufacturer product offers and retailer special deals. A consumer can obtain selected items of this information without knowledge of how to reach the cooperative network site, by simply logging in to a manufacturer network site or to a retailer network site. At a manufacturer site, the consumer can obtain a list of local retailers carrying the manufacturer offers and can then select from among the offers and receive complete details of the selected offers. At a retailer site, the consumer can obtain a list of manufacturer offers available at the retailer stores in the consumer's area, and can then select from among the available offers and receive their complete details.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method of providing offers through user-selected banner advertisements, the method being implemented on a computer having one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions, which, when executed, cause the computer to perform the method, the method comprising:
 identifying, by the computer, at least a first offer from among a plurality of offers to be distributed to a user via one or more third party sites;   generating, by the computer, a banner advertisement that is associated with the first offer;   providing, by the computer, the banner advertisement to the one or more third party sites, wherein the banner advertisement is selectable at the one or more third party sites;   receiving, by the computer, an indication that the banner advertisement has been selected by the user;   determining, by the computer, whether the user is eligible to receive the first offer responsive to the indication; and   responsive to a determination that the user is eligible to receive the first offer, providing, by the computer, the first offer to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 generating a token that provides evidence that the user is eligible to receive the first offer and has requested the first offer via the selected banner advertisement; and   causing, by the computer, the token to be displayed to the user responsive to the indication.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying at least the first offer comprises:
 obtaining an identity of the user such that the first offer is identified based on the identity of the user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the user is eligible comprises determining whether the user has registered to receive offers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining whether the user has registered to receive offers comprises:
 identifying an email address of the user.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining whether the user has registered to receive offers comprises:
 obtaining a cookie associated with the user, wherein the cookie is stored at a user device associated with the user and stores information used to determine whether the user has registered to receive offers.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein, responsive to a determination that the user has not registered to receive offers, prompting the user to register to receive the offers. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 receiving information from the user used to register to receive the offers; and   creating or updating a user profile based on the received information.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first offer is identified based on the user profile. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 receiving a frequent shopping card identification associated with the user, wherein the user profile is created or updated based on the frequent shopping card identification.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 receiving demographic information associated with the user, wherein the user profile is created or updated based on the demographic information.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the first offer comprises:
 providing the first offer to the user via a site remote from the one or more third party sites; and   redirecting the user back to the one or more third party sites when the first offer has been provided.   
     
     
         13 . A system of providing offers through user-selected banner advertisements, the system comprising:
 a computer having one or more physical processors programmed with computer program instructions, which, when executed, cause the computer to:   identify at least a first offer from among a plurality of offers to be distributed to a user via one or more third party sites;   generate a banner advertisement that is associated with the first offer;   provide the banner advertisement to the one or more third party sites, wherein the banner advertisement is selectable at the one or more third party sites;   receive an indication that the banner advertisement has been selected by the user;   determine whether the user is eligible to receive the first offer responsive to the indication; and   responsive to a determination that the user is eligible to receive the first offer, provide the first offer to the user.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:
 generate a token that provides evidence that the user is eligible to receive the first offer and has requested the first offer via the selected banner advertisement; and   cause the token to be displayed to the user responsive to the indication.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein to identify at least the first offer, the computer is further programmed to:
 obtain an identity of the user such that the first offer is identified based on the identity of the user.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein to determine whether the user is eligible, the computer is further programmed to:
 determine whether the user has registered to receive offers.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein to determine whether the user has registered to receive offers, the computer is further programmed to:
 identify an email address of the user.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein to determine whether the user has registered to receive offers, the computer is further programmed to:
 obtain a cookie associated with the user, wherein the cookie is stored at a user device associated with the user and stores information used to determine whether the user has registered to receive offers.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:
 responsive to a determination that the user has not registered to receive offers, prompt the user to register to receive the offers.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:
 receive information from the user used to register to receive the offers; and   create or update a user profile based on the received information.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the first offer is identified based on the user profile. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:
 receive a frequent shopping card identification associated with the user, wherein the user profile is created or updated based on the frequent shopping card identification.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the computer is further programmed to:
 receive demographic information associated with the user, wherein the user profile is created or updated based on the demographic information.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein to provide the first offer, the computer is further programmed to:
 provide the first offer to the user via a site remote from the one or more third party sites; and   redirect the user back to the one or more third party sites when the first offer has been provided.