Importance

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Abstract

A method and system for distributing promotional offers and other incentives to consumers over a communication network and for the consumers subsequently to redeem at least some of the offers is disclosed. The invention includes storing manufacturers offers and/or retail incentives in a database C associated with a co-operative communication network site 2 and providing information from the database to a consumer in a response to a request from a consumer to the database. The consumer may be connected directly to the database or may be given access to the database while logged into a retailer's or manufacturer's network site in such a way that the consumer is not aware that information is coming from the co-operative communication site. In addition, a transactional second database D is provided for recording transactions on the first database C so that when a consumer selects offers, step 27, from the database, an order is generated, step 28, on the transactional database. This order is passed to the retailer's on-line check out, step 30, and the transactional database is further updated, step 31, with any unfulfilled orders. Invoicing data is then produced from the transactional database for invoicing manufacturers and other suppliers for manufacturer's offers redeemed by retailers, and in addition, in an embodiment of the invention, marketing analysis reports are generated from the transactional database.

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First Claim