Method For Personalized Marketing And Advertising Of Retail Products

What is this patent about?

’731 is related to the field of personalized marketing and advertising within retail environments. The patent addresses the problem that brick-and-mortar stores struggle to provide the same level of personalized shopping experiences as online retailers, leading to showrooming and lost sales. Traditional methods for understanding consumer behavior prior to a sale, such as focus groups and surveys, are insufficient for providing real-time, targeted messaging.

The underlying idea behind ’731 is to use a network of information monitoring devices within a retail store to track and analyze customer behavior in real-time. This data is then used to deliver personalized marketing messages, coupons, and purchase options to the customer via interactive displays or other communication devices, aiming to influence their purchasing decisions at the point of sale.

The claims of ’731 focus on a method for personalized marketing or advertising in retail stores. The method involves obtaining an information analysis of a person's shopping activities using first information monitoring devices, including gathered product interaction information. It also involves tracking the person's location using second information monitoring devices. Based on the location, the person is provided a communication via a first interactive device, including a retail store location where a related product can be purchased, and a product communication (marketing, coupon, purchase option) directed to the person based on the information analysis.

In practice, the system uses a combination of technologies like MAC address tracking , cameras for demographic intelligence (age, gender, sentiment), and object identification to understand what products a customer is interacting with. This information is fed into a rules engine that determines the most relevant message to display on interactive displays located throughout the store. The system can also send targeted communications to store employees to prompt them to assist customers who may need help.

The key differentiation from prior approaches lies in the real-time, personalized nature of the marketing. Unlike traditional advertising or loyalty programs, ’731 aims to capture and respond to customer behavior *during* the shopping experience. By combining location tracking, demographic analysis, and product interaction data, the system can deliver highly relevant and timely messages that are more likely to influence purchasing decisions and combat showrooming. The system also provides valuable business intelligence to retailers, allowing them to optimize store layout, product placement, and marketing strategies.