Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: MERCHANDISING APPARATUS
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to d~dlus for use in merch~n~i~ing and for promoting
the sale of goods and services.
s BACKGROllND ART
Sales promotion schemes are well-known in which purchasers are awarded
points. coupons or the like with each purchase and become entitled to a prize after a
pre~let~rmin~rl number of coupons have been ~ccllm~ te-l So called "Thrift" coupons
and "Frequent Flyer" schemes exemplify this kind of promotion. In general, each
0 coupon corresponds to a small discount on the purchase price of goods purchased.
Such systems are advantageous for the vendor, since customers are thereby
encouraged to return to the same store over a long period of time to gain sufficient
coupons for a prize and customer loyalty is encouraged. However, cnstomer~ readily
assess the value of prizes and the amount of expenditure re~uired to attain a prize and
5 so such schemes tend to be perceived as a reward for fidelity and do not motivate
purchasers either to advance a future purchase or to buy on impulse.
It is also well-known to promote the sale of individual goods by having the
purchaser return a label which acts as a lottery ticket giving the purchaser a very small
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chance of winning a very valuable prize, for example the purchaser of a jar of coffee
might have a very small chance of winning an automobile. This form of promotion
has proven to be effective but suffers from the disadvantage that there is a long delay
between the date of purchase and the date upon which the outcome of the lottery is
5 known, which reduces its effectiveness as a motivating force in a consumer society
increasingly oriented towards instant gratification. Moreover, such promotions are
usually product specific, involve long lead times through the distribution chain and,
once in place, are inflexible.
It has also been practiced to give away a scratch lotto card to persons who
10 purchase goods above a predetermined value. By this method the purchaser gains a
predetermined probability of winning a prize which may correspond to a very large
discount or which may greatly exceed the value of goods purchased. Although the
probability of winning a major prize may be low, the possibility of winning a very
valuable prize by making a small purchase has proven to be more successful than are
15 coupon schemes in motivating buyers to buy immediately. That is to say, some
people are more highly motivated by a small probability of winning a large prize than
by a high probability (or c~l LaillLy) of winning a lesser prize.
A disadvantage of lltili.~ing scratch lotto systems for sales promotion is that it
involves risks for the promoter. For example all the major prizes may be won early in
20 the promotion in which case shoppers are not motivated and in an extreme case the
shopkeeper may not cover the cost of the promotion.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of, and means
for, sales promotion which overcomes or at least ameliorates the above discussed25 disadvantages of prior art.
According to a first aspect the invention consists in app~lus comprising:-
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a register for recording data indicative of sales of goods and/or services to
buyers;
means for displaying a prize value indicative of a prize available to be won by
a buyer;
means for increasing the prize value in response to the number or value of
selected sales recorded at said register; and
means for providing a buyer with at least one finite chance of winning the
prize.
According to a second aspect the present invention consists in a~p~aLus for
10 motivating potential buyers to purchase goods and/or services, said a~p~aLus
comprising:-
a plurality of registers for issuing respective first signals indicative of sales of
goods and/or services to buyers;
means for displaying a prize value indicative of a prize available to be won by
a buyer;
means responsive to the first signal for selectively increasing the prize value;and
means for providing a buyer with at least one finite chance of winning the
prize.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of salespromotion including the steps of:
recording on a register data indicative of sales of goods and/or services to
buyers;
displaying a prize value indicative of a prize available to be won by a buyer;
2s increasing the prize value in response to the number or value of selected sales
recorded of said register; and
providing a buyer with at least one finite chance for winning the prize.
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According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for
motivating potential buyers to purchase goods and/or services, said method including
the steps of:
providing a plurality of registers for issuing respective first signals indicative
5 of sales of goods and/or services to buyers;
displaying a prize value indicative of a prize available to be won by a buyer;
selectively increasing the prize value in response to said first signals;
providing a buyer with at least one finite chance of winning the prize.
Preferably, the prize value is increased in proportion to the number or value oflo selected sales. In alternative embodiments, however, the proportion is varied either on
a time or random basis.
In pref~ d embodiments of the invention the prize value increments for every
sale recorded but the proportion of the increment may optionally vary from one
product sold to another or may be limited to occur only for selected goods and/or
S services. Also in pl~f~ d embo-1iment~, the number of opportunities accorded to a
buyer to win the prize increases with the value of goods and/or services purchased.
In highly ~l~r~lled embodiments of the invention the registers are cash
registers and may be located in one or more locations within a store and in one or
more particir~ting stores. The prize value ma,v be indicated in a display associated
20 with each cash register and/or may be displayed at one or more other locations in the
store or participating stores. The prize value may increase as a fixed proportion of the
sales recorded at the various registers or may be incremente~l by a greater increment
for precletermined products the sale of which it is desired to promote more heavily.
In a pl~r~ d embodiment of the invention, buyers are provided with a finite
25 chance for winning the prize by being given one or more tokens or encoded cards at
the cash register where a sale to them is recorded, and which gives them one or more
opportunities to "play" an electronic gaming m~l hine or other "game m~chine", which
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provides a finite but random or pseudo random chance for becoming a "winner" of the
prize. However, other means for ~l~L~ ",i~,i"g prize winners among buyers may beemployed.
The number of opportunities to "play" accorded to buyers is generally
s determined by the amount spent and the opportunities may be required to be exercised
within a precletermined time.
Preferred embotliment~ of the invention differ from game m~hine systems in
which players at each of a number of game machines cause a prize to increment by a
predetermined constant amount each time one of the m~chines is played. In contrast,
in the present invention, the prize value increments by a variable amount which
depends uporl the val-ue of goods andlor services purchased and which in some cases
may vary depending upon which goods and/or services are purchased or may vary
from one store to another. A second difference is that with linked gaming m~rhin~c,
the action of actuating one m~hine simultaneously results in both a player having the
oppo~Lu~PiLy to win a prize and, if the player loses, the prize being incremented. In
e~l,ed embodiments of the present invention, the prize is incremented immediately
a buyer makes a purchase but the buyer's opportunity to win the prize may occur
separately and subsequently.
A further difference is that in plel~ d embo(l;mentc the present invention
~ 20 provides for a prize to be decremented if a credit is issued at one of the participating
cash registers.
It will be appreciated that the term "prize" can be used to mean, without
limitation, a cash reward. discount or other inducement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE D~AWINGS
2s The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example
only, with reference to the accolllpallyillg drawings, in which:
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- Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus according to the
invention, and
Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the
apparatus of Figure 1.
5 MODES FOR CARRYING O~JT THE~NVENTION
In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, a prize acc-lm~ tor 1
stores a number indicative of a prize. The prize accumulation register is associated
with one or more displays 2, which may for example be large ~ h~nllmeric displayinside and/or outside one or more stores which shows the current value of the prize or
10 a close approximation to it, for example a number of dollars rounded off to the nearest
hundred or nearest thousand.
Within the store, or participating stores, are cash registers 3 which are adapted
to tr~n~mit to a central co~ ulel 4 data signals 5 indicative of the volume of sales
tr~n~cte~l at the respective registers. A proportion of each sale amount is calculated
15 and added to the total in the prize acc~lmlll~tor by means of a prize increment signal 6.
Altern~tively this calculation can be performed by circuitry associated with each
register, a prize increment signal being transmitted from each register to accllmlll~t-)r
1.
Potential buyers entering a particir~tinf store may be made aware of the
20 current value of the prize by virtue of the display and are informed by apl,lu~uliate
means that purchasing goods and/or services will increase the prize and will give them
an opportunity to win it. In a simple form of the invention, a buyer of goods in the
store will be given one or more tokens (depending upon the amount spent by that
buyer), the tokens being adapted for use in one or more m~3chines 7 accessible either in
25 the store or at another address. The m~chin~c 7 may, on actuation. display a randomly
or pseudo randomly selected combination of symbols of which certain combinationsare "prize-winning". Alternatively m~hines 7 may be of the kind which selects a
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number "n" at random within a predetermined numerical range (e.g. 6 digits) and
stores it in a memory but does not display the selected number, and then counts
successive "plays" declaring the nth player as the winner. Whatever means is used to
provide a finite chance of the prize to be won by a buyer, a "prize-winner" is thereby
s identified and becomes entitled to the prize displayed at the instant of wirming. The
prize accllm~ tor is then reset (and if required a new random number is selected) and
a new prize commences to accllmlll~t~.
Other means may be employed by which the prize may be won. For example a
scratch-card may be issued which is required to be scratched at the sales register at the
0 time of purchase and which in a predetermined proportion of cases declares a winner.
Another method would involve players pressing a button at the cash register, or even
the registration of a sale itself at the register could be used to count purchasers and to
declare an "nth" purchaser as a winner. However, use of suitably adapted electronic
game m~rhines such as those used in some fun parlours are p-~r~led means for
15 selecting "winners".
A ~ f~ d method of cletermining whether a purchaser wins the prize is to
provide at or adjacent the register a touch-sensitive video screen which selectively
displays an image of a scratch-card or the like. That is, the purchaser can move their
finger across the screen surface to electronically scratch the image and reveal a symbol
20 combination which may allow them to win the prize. The image is then updated to
allow the next purchaser to perform a similar operation.
In a highly pl~fe~.~d embodiment of the invention each cash register is
electronically connected with a read/write device 8 by means of which data may be
read from or written to a magnetic stripe card 9. In one mode the device writes data to
25 a paper card bearing a magnetic stripe, the data being indicative of the number of
"plays" to which the buyer has become entitled by virtue of a purchase. Each "play"
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provides an oppolLulliLy to win the prize. The card may also be encoded with the date
and/or time of the purchase and if desired with other data.
In a second mode the read/write device reads data from an account customer
card or the like (for example a magnetic stripe plastic card) which identifies the
cll~tomer and which writes to the card data representing an entitlement to a number of
"plays", depending upon the value of goods purchased. Either type of card may beinserted in a suitably adapted game m~ hine with provision to read the cards and to
allow the cardholder a number of "plays" in accordance with the data recorded on the
cards.
o A further alternative involves issuing the purchaser with a coded card, whereby
that code is subsequently entered in one of machines 7 to allow actuation of that
m~chine. The code can be entered by swiping the card across an a~p.~liate reading
device. Alternatively, the purchaser can enter the code via a keypad.
If a player using m~ ine 7 "WillS", the m~e.lline may be provided with means
S 10 for displaying information to that effect, and/or means 11 for printing out
information to that effect, and/or means 12 for crediting an account of a customer
electronically with the amount corresponding to a prize won or a combination of the
foregoing. The customer account data may be held in computer 4 or a dirr~l~nt
co~ uLel.
If desired, certain buyers may be required to use accllmlll,~tecl "play"
entitlements within a predetermined period. Thus, for example, buyers issued with a
first mode type card may be required to use their "play" entitlements on the same day
as they were accumulated. while account customers for example, may have pre-agreed
rights to ~ccl-m~ te points over a period of months or years.
If desired the opportunity to win the prize may be confined to pre-identified
account customers. In that case, cash registers need only have a reading device such
as an Eftpos t~min~l A central computer may then be used to store data indicative of
-
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entitlement to plays acquired by each account holder, and to deduct "plays" utili~ed
The m~ ine 7 may also have a read only device which iclentifies the purchaser and
permits that account holder to play the game a number of times det~rminrd in
accordance with the entitlement balance held by the central computer. The m~rhine 7
5 is adapted to send a signal to the central computer indicative of each play and rerlllcing
the re",~ entitlement ofthat account holder to further "plays" in accordance with
"plays" used.
In a yl~relled embodiment of the means for providing a finite chance for
winning there is provided apparatus which may be actuated for example by a lever or
o button or by insertion of a token or of a data card or by other means and which has a
display screen. Upon actuation the a~dlus' screen displays at random a
combination of symbols. These symbols may for example be symbols such as
"anchors", "cherries" or the like. However, in pl~rellcd embodiments the symbolsdisplayed may be changeable remotely under control of a colll~ulel program and may
r~l~selll trade marks or brand names or may illustrate goods available in the store, for
example white goods, soft drinks or the like. These symbols may represent goods
which are to be won or to be promoted. That is, the invention can be used to provide a
chance of winning both the accumulating prize and one or more fixed prizes.
Likewise, if desired, the nature of the game played on various game m~rhines
on a network may be changed under remote control of a collll,uL~,l program.
Any suitable means may be used for networking the cash registers with the
prize accllm~ tor. Any desired number of m~r.hin~s 7 may be conn~cte~l to the
network. The m~c.hint?s 7 can be modified to include any one or more of the above
discussed features and are considered to be further aspects of the present invention.
If desired, encoded cards may contain additional information e.g. identifying a
store or cash register. Certain buyers about whom demographic information is known
may be provided with club membership cards which identify them as participants and
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which may give them special privileges in a manner similar to account holders. For
example club members or account holders may be entitled to more "play"
opportunities than non-members to win the prize for each purchase that they make, or ,;
their oppollullily to win the prize may be not time restricted. This enables statistical
5 data to be obtained and recorded showing a demographic breakdown of sales, and the
purchasing pl~relellces of identified customers may be studied.
The invention may also be utilised with purchases made remotely e.g. via
home colll~ulel~, modems, Infonet or via cable TV systems and the like within the
scope of the invention herein described. In that case the purchasers' termin~l may act
o as both the register and the m~c.hine 7.
The number of opportunities to "play" (i.e. to win a prize) may vary from one
class of customer to another and from one class of goods to another or from one time
to another. The number of plays awarded may be calculated directly at the point of
sale by the cash register t~rmin~l or the value (or type) of sales may be recorded and
15 tr~n~mit~ed to a remote c~ ul, l the number of "plays" to be awarded being
calculated at the m~hine 7 at time of "play". The m~chines 7 need not be located at
the same site as the cash registers. For example, the m~chines may be located in a
casino. Preferred embotliment~ of the system provide for the prize to either decrease
-w-hen credits or rei-u~s are recorded ai a participating cash register, or to not increase
20 until a corresponding volume of sales has occurred. If desired, the system may
provide for both major and minor prizes of dirrelGll~ value.
If desired the system may provide for the prize to be paid to a "winner" in kindrather than in cash.
The number of opportunities to "play" awarded to buyers at the point of sale
25 may be based on a formula taking account of various factors such as the mix of
purchases, the total sales accllmlll~ted at various cash registers and other factors.
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Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 2 where a local
network 21 is used in a single location, at for example, a retail outlet. The network 21,
along with a plurality of like networks 22 and 23 located at other respective retail
outlets, communicates with a cenkal computer 24 for allowing a single prize to be
effectively simultaneously used at all the outlets. Accordingly, the prize can be larger
and/or grow faster due to the larger number of sales from which the prize is generated.
Network 21 includes a site controller in the form of a personal co~ ul~l 26.
Colll~uLel 26 communicates with the registers or other point of sales devices 27 to
extract data indicative of the volume and timing of sales~ along with data indicative of
0 number of opportunities to win the prize that have been allocated to a buyer.
For example, the receipt given to the buyer may include a code such as a string
of characters or a bar code which can be subsequently used to generate credits on one
of the tçrmin~l~ 28 provided. For a large purchase the code may allow the generation
of a number of credits and, accordingly, increase the number of finite chances the
buyer obtains to win the prize.
Tertninzll~ 28 also comrnunicate with computer 26 for validating the code
entered by the buyer and to provide computer 26 with data indicative of whether or
not the purchaser with that code, after using the terrnin~ , is entitled to the prize
and/or any other fixed prize.
Network 21 also includes a redemption t~.trnin~l 29 where a winning receipt
can be processed. Again, terminal 29 communicates with colllpuL~l 26 to validate the
code on the receipt and to confirm whether the holder is entitled to a prize and if so, to
award the prize.
Colll~uLel 26 also communicates with a video controller 30 which in turn
drives both a display 31 and a plurality of video screens 32. Display 31 is prominently
mounted to allow both buyers and prospective buyers to view the size of the available
prize. If required more than one display is used.
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Screens 32 are used to actively promote the prize as well as advertise other
goods and/or services provided at the outlet.
Although the use of only three int~rlinked networks 21, 22 and 23 has been
described, it is possible to link a greater number. For example, a retail chain can link
5 all its separate stores throughout a particular region, state or country.
Preferably, termin~l~ 28 in addition to providing a site for the purchaser to
determine whether they have won the prize, provide advertisements about productsand/or services available from the outlet. Moreover, once the purchaser enters the
code they have been allocated the advertising can be chosen in response to the goods
o that were purchased. For example, the advertising can leillfoLce the advantages of the
purchase or, alternatively, canvass the relative merits of competing products.
Such advertising can also be used to inform the purchaser of other outlets
where such products and/or services can be obtained within a greater chance of
winning the prize. This is used to promote sales from a particular outlet.
As will be a~pal~-ll to those skilled in the art from the te~chin~; hereof, the
invention may be embodied in other forms and features of one embodiment may be
combined with those of another within the scope of the concept disclosed.
