Product couponing and sampling method

Abstract

A targeted method for providing coupons and samples to consumers, that provides extensive feedback to manufacturers, identifies consumers that represent a desired demographic profile, enables a convenient consumer couponing experience, controls and contains fraud through the use of expiration methods and location data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of delivering product advertisements, coupons or samples to a customer via the customer's wireless cellular mobile device, comprising
 storing subscription information for a customer possessing a wireless cellular mobile device, the wireless cellular mobile device at least including location circuitry, cellular mobile circuitry for establishing a data connection via a wireless service provider, and an operating system capable of receiving and installing software applets for operating the wireless cellular mobile device,   delivering a software applet to the customer's wireless cellular mobile device, the applet including software enabling location circuitry within the mobile device and enabling communication with the mobile device,   communicating with the customer's wireless cellular mobile device via the applet and a wireless cellular service provider to which the wireless cellular mobile device is subscribed, to receive a location of the mobile device generated by the location circuitry in the customer's wireless cellular mobile device, the location having been obtained by the software applet and transmitted via the wireless cellular service provider,   at a remote server, comparing a location of the mobile device to a predefined radius of a location,   originating at the remote server a notification regarding a particular product or server based upon the location of the mobile device being within the predefined radius of a location, and   delivering the notification to the mobile device via the wireless cellular service provider, so that the customer may request further information,   responding to the customer's request for further information by delivering from the remote server to the wireless cellular mobile device via the cellular service provider an advertisement, coupon or sample regarding the particular product or service.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving an indication delivered by the customer via the software applet that a particular product was not found at the retail location. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising receiving a location at which the consumer indicated the particular product was not found, the location generated by the location circuitry in the customer's wireless cellular mobile device and obtained by the software applet and transmitted via the wireless cellular service provider. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising providing a reward to a consumer for accurate identification of the product that could not be found. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the reward comprises delivering information to the wireless cellular mobile device enabling the consumer to obtain a coupon for or sample of a product using the software applet. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising enabling the user to enter a checkout process via the software applet, the checkout process including presentation of a coupon or sample voucher on a display of the customer's cellular mobile device for redemption to a point of sale. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after a period of time, expiring the coupon or sample voucher and preventing its presentation to a point of sale by the consumer via the customer's cellular mobile device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the remote server records locations at which the mobile device remains stationary during use of the mobile device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising reconciling the locations recorded for the mobile device, with locations of retail merchants, to enable the accurate delivery of coupons, advertisements or sample vouchers. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the location of the mobile device when performing a checkout process with the applet is recorded for later audit of the redemption of a coupon or sample voucher by a retail merchant. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the software applet provides a menus of coupons or sample vouchers and enables the consumer to select a desired coupon or sample voucher, the menu of coupons or sample vouchers generated at least partially in response to the current location identified by location circuitry in the consumer's mobile device.