Patent Issued for Online Consumer Promotions Patent Issued for Online Consumer Promotions Paul Jones
Catalina Marketing Corp. said that its online operation, SuperMarkets Online Inc., has been issued a U.S. patent for a system and method for providing shopping aids and incentives to consumers through a computer network.
"We have a very unique method of providing consumers with incentive offers and shopping aids such as coupons, rebates, samples and recipes," said Mike Scroggie, co-founder of SuperMarkets Online and initiator of the patent.
"ValuPage and its associated products, ValuPagE-mail, ValuPage Sample, ValuBanner and ValuPlanner provide the most secure and effortless online promotional programs for the consumer packaged goods industry."
The ValuPage service uses a bar code that, when printed out and presented along with promoted items at the checkout counter of more than 11,000 participating stores, issues Web Bucks to the customer. Web Bucks are cash rewards that may be used for nearly any purchase during the customer's next visit to the store.
