WO2014120664A1

WO2014120664A1 - A personalized, mobile application based shopping system

Info

Publication number: WO2014120664A1
Application number: PCT/US2014/013359
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ashish Singh; Rajashekar THOTA
Original assignee: Buyopic Inc.
Priority date: 2013-01-29
Filing date: 2014-01-28
Publication date: 2014-08-07

Abstract

A method includes: receiving signals in a server from a first electronic mobile device of a consumer while the consumer is located within a retail store, the signals indicating performance of a self-checkout process by the user using the first mobile device; transmitting signals from the server to at least one of: a second electronic device of an employee of the store, alerting the employee that the user has performed the self-checkout process; or a point of sale (POS) system of the retail store indicating that the consumer has purchased an item by the self-checkout process.

Description

A PERSONALIZED, MOBILE APPLICATION BASED SHOPPING SYSTEM

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/758,071, filed January 29, 2013, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to using mobile technology for retail store shopping.

BACKGROUND

[0002] At the present time, the typical consumer shopping experience in a brick and mortar retail store is limited when compared with an online retail shopping experience. As used herein, the term "retail," refers to sale of goods or services to a final customer, and encompasses both online and bricks- and-mortar stores, including discount outlets, and buyers' clubs (e.g., Costco, Sam's Club or the like). Bricks-and-mortar retail stores do not readily provide consumers access to information about which products are available in their store; consumers typically do not get a lot of detail about a product. Further, checkout/payment typically requires waiting in line at the store's point of sale (POS). Meanwhile, in an online shopping experience a consumer is shown product reviews, ratings, alternative product recommendations, feedback on what other consumers bought, and other relevant information related to the products in which they are interested.

[0003] For instance, if a person is shopping for a pair of jeans in a retail store and they are looking for a pair with a different finish, size, or fit than the one they have in hand, they have to either seek help from a store employee or keep searching for themselves. Such product information is readily available to a person who is shopping for jeans online. Also, when a person shops online, they see their order history with products/items they bought in the past, loyalty rewards earned, and other relevant account information, which may influence their decision on which products to buy and their shopping behavior. In an online

environment, consumers can also electronically and readily access special offers or discounts from a merchant who is giving consumers incentives to buy.

SUMMARY

[0004] In some embodiments, a method comprises receiving signals in a server from a first electronic mobile device of a consumer while the consumer is located within a retail store, the signals indicating performance of a self-checkout process by the user using the first mobile device; and transmitting signals from the server to at least one of: a second electronic device of an employee of the store, alerting the employee that the user has performed the self-checkout process; or a point of sale (POS) system of the retail store indicating that the consumer has purchased an item by the self-checkout process.

[0005] In some embodiments, a method comprises: receiving signals from an electronic mobile device of a consumer, the receiving performed by a system server in real time or near-realtime in response to scanning of an item or selection of an item by the consumer using the mobile device; and forwarding information from the system server in real time or near-real time to at least one point of sale (POS) system of a retail merchant. The information confirms at least one of location of the consumer in the retail store, consumer name, consumer picture, scanning of an item, selection of an item, payment or placement of the item in a shopping cart of the consumer, wherein the POS system displays the item.

[0006] In some embodiments, a method comprises: receiving signals in real time or near- real-time from a first electronic mobile device of a consumer in a retail store, the receiving performed by a system server in response to scanning of an item, selection of an item or addition of the item to a virtual shopping cart by the consumer using the mobile device and payment for the item by the consumer using the mobile device; and transmitting signals in real time or near-real-time to at least one second electronic device of a store employee, to cause the second electronic device to display the item.

[0007] In some embodiments, a method comprises: displaying an interactive screen (e.g., a graphical interface) on an electronic mobile device in a retail store, to permit a consumer in the retail store to select and purchase a product from inventory of the retail store; adding the item to a virtual shopping cart of the consumer using the mobile device; transmitting signals in real time or near-realtime from the mobile device to a system server to complete payment for the item by the consumer using the mobile device; and receiving an electronic receipt from the system server indicating payment for the product.

[0008] In some embodiments, a method comprises: receiving, in a server, an identification of a product from a first mobile device of a consumer in a retail store; transmitting, from the server to a second electronic device of an employee of the store, an alert including an identification of the consumer and an identification of the product.

[0009] In some embodiments, an electronic mobile device, comprises: a location device; a communications interface; an imager for scanning a product identification; an interface that permits a user to selectively operate in a first mode or a second mode while the mobile device is located in a store, wherein: if the imager scans a product identification or consumer selects a product identification on the device while the mobile device is in the first mode, the mobile device automatically transmits an identification of the product to a server for forwarding to a second electronic device of an employee in the store; and if the imager scans a product identification or consumer selects a product identification on the device while the mobile device is in the second mode, the mobile device permits the user to decide whether to transmit the identification of the product to the server for forwarding to the second electronic device.

[0010] In some embodiments, a method comprises: receiving data in a first mobile device of an employee of a retailer in a retail store of that retailer, the data transmitted from a system server in response to a query from a second electronic device of a consumer in the retail store; displaying on a display of the first mobile device at least one of: information identifying one or more items scanned by the consumer or selected by the consumer using the second electronic device, one or more items added to a virtual cart by the consumer using the second electronic device, one or more items paid for by the consumer using the second electronic device, one or more items being paid for using the second electronic device in another store of that retailer, or inventory levels of one or more items being paid for using the second electronic device.

[0011] In some embodiments, a method comprises: receiving signals from a first electronic mobile device of a consumer, the receiving performed by a system server in real time or near-realtime in response to change in location in the store by the consumer using the mobile device; and forwarding information from the system server in real time or near-real-time to at least one point of sale (POS) system of a retail merchant or to a second electronic device of a store employee, the information confirming the location of the consumer in the retail store.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 is a logical flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of the shopping process;

[0013] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of one method;

[0014] Figure 3 is a logical flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of the process on the consumer's electronic device;

[0015] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating in further detail software components of the consumer's electronic device; element 200 illustrated in Figure 2;

[0016] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating in further detail software components of the server; element 202 illustrated in Figure 2; [0017] Figure 6 is a logical flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of the process on the server;

[0018] Figure 7 is a logical flow diagram generally showing another embodiment of the process on the server;

[0019] Figure 8 is a logical flow diagram generally showing another embodiment of the process of the server;

[0020] Figure 9 is a logical flow diagram generally showing the handling of an error condition which may occur in the process of the server;

[0021] Figure 10 is a logical flow diagram generally showing the handling of another error condition which may occur in the process of the server;

[0022] Figure 11 is a logical flow diagram generally showing the handling of another error condition which may occur in the process of the server;

[0023] Figure 12 is a logical flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of the process on the server which occurs in response to a consumer performing a product scan or a product selection or a product add-to-cart shown in blocks 306 or 322 in Figure 3;

[0024] Figure 13 is a logical flow diagram detailing one embodiment of the process on the server which occurs in response to a consumer placing a self-checkout order shown in block 332 in Figure 3;

[0025] Figure 14 is a logical flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of the process on the server which occurs in response to a consumer requesting assistance on the consumer's electronic device shown in block 318 in Figure 3;

[0026] Figure 15 is a logical flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of the process on the server which occurs in response to a store employee requesting product cross-sells or up-sells or product recommendations or additional products on the store employee's device shown in block 1632 in Figure 16;

[0027] Figure 16 is a block diagram illustrating in further detail the software components of the store employee 's/associate device; 205 illustrated in Figure 2.

DESCRIPTION

[0028] When a consumer wants to checkout items, they typically have to wait at a store's POS checkout rather than a self-checkout mechanism such as those provided by online merchants. Self-checkout technology has evolved to become better and consumers are gravitating to self-service options. However there is a lot of scope to improve self-checkout. [0029] The above stated gaps in product information and shopping experience can be bridged by sending signals between a consumer's device and a store's systems. The technology to provide this enriched, personalized consumer experience exists. It can be provided by sending signals between a consumer's electronic device (such as a smartphone or a tablet) and the retail merchant's systems (such as at least one (1) item(s) of the retail store, item inventory, transaction history, item(s) payment, item(s) price, item(s) taxes, transaction reports, financial settlement, item(s) discount, item(s) coupon or item(s) promotion or Point of Sale (POS)) as well as sending signals between the consumer's device with a store employee's device (such as a smartphone or tablet). One-to-one and one -to-many signals can be provided between a consumer's device and corresponding devices carried by store employees and to store POS systems. Amongst other uses, a personalized experience can be built to show similar or related products to a product a consumer is interested in, offer a consumer a better deal or discounts, or to help a consumer to select other product(s). Also one of the key advantages of such signaling is the ability to enable consumers to use their electronic mobile devices to self-checkout, as well as to use the store employee's consumer device or a POS system to assist consumers in self-checkout of store products or items.

[0030] The system of this disclosure allows the use of a mobile application to look up detailed product information, product comparison and price comparison, show advertisements, suggest cross-sells, and support self checkout capability of product(s) or item(s) selected by the consumer. The system and application thereof allow for an innovative consumer experience in a retail store (such as a bricks-and-mortar store) by using the system described herein to alert a store employee's device or a store POS system in real-time or near-real-time; when item(s) are scanned or selected or manually keyed in using the consumer's electronic mobile device, when items/products are added to the virtual cart on the consumer's electronic device, and when items are paid for by the consumer using the consumer's electronic device. This method allows the store employee using an electronic device or an employee using the store POS system to assist the consumer while shopping, to verify the items the consumer paid for and is carrying and to assist the consumer in clearing store security.

[0031] The system and application thereof personalizes a consumer's shopping experience by looking up consumer preferences, as set in the consumer's account, or by using data analytics to show relevant suggestions, and by allowing a store employee to use a system-integrated, connected, consumer electronic device such as a tablet to provide shopping related services to the consumer. An example of a shopping related service is a store employee suggesting and showing an alternative product on the employee's device or suggesting an outfit by showing an image on the employee's device or by offering a discount to the consumer.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary system according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the consumer electronic mobile device 200 (FIG. 2) is a computing device used by the consumer. The mobile device has a programmed microprocessor, an interactive screen, such as a multi-touch display; a camera to scan product identifiers such as bar codes, Universal Product Code (UPC), Quick Response (QR) codes, RF (Radio Frequency), and Electronic Product Codes (EPC); network connectivity (e.g., broadband and/or IEEE 802.11 WiFi); personal area network (e.g., bluetooth) capability; Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) capability; an input mechanism to enter data; and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver to provide location information. In some embodiments, the consumer's mobile device further provides a voice input and voice recognition mechanism. The consumer's device is running an instance of the client application described herein. A smartphone running iOS (e.g., iPhone) or an Android phone would be an acceptable platform for the consumer's mobile application.

[0033] Another electronic device 205 (FIG. 2) is used by the store employee(s). This device

205 may have the same or similar capabilities as the consumer's electronic device, though it may be of a different form factor. That is, the consumer's device and store employee's device can differ in any of: size, shape, style, layout or position of the device's major components. The store employee's device 205 or the store POS system 206 (FIG. 2) runs an instance of a client application which is different than the consumer's application and is specifically used by the store employees.

[0034] As described above, the client applications in the system include the application running on the consumer's electronic mobile device 200, shown in Figure 2. This application running on the consumer's electronic device 200 signals a server application running on the system enterprise server(s) 202, shown in Figure 2. Another client application running on a store employee's consumer electronic device 205 or on the store POS systems 206, shown as part of the retail merchants enterprise system 201, also signals the system enterprise servers 202. .

[0035] When the mobile application running on the consumer's electronic device 200 is launched, the application detects the consumer's location by using the GPS location data from the consumer's device, or cellular towers of the network being used, or WiFi location capability of the consumer's device 200 or from a BLE beacon. In another embodiment the mobile device 200 is programmed to display an input screen; the location can be keyed in by the consumer or can be selected from a list of stores presented to the consumer by the application, or can be obtained from another in-store system. The mobile device 200 sends the location data to the system enterprise servers 202. The consumer's device location is used to detect which merchant store the consumer is in and can be used to provide the consumer with special offers, coupons, and relevant targeted advertisements.

[0036] When a consumer selects a product on the device display or scans the product identifier such as a bar code, QR code, UPC code, or EPC code or another mechanism to detect the product identifier with his or her device 200, the device 200 alerts the system enterprise server(s) 202, which in turn send a corresponding alert to the store employee's device 205 and/or to the store's POS system 206. The store employee uses the display of his/her device 205 to show the consumer details of the product scanned or selected by the consumer using the consumer's device 200. The consumer is presented with the choice to add the scanned or selected product to the virtual cart in the mobile client application of the consumer's device 200. The consumer can then carry the physical product with him or her. If the consumer is not logged-in to their account on their mobile device, the consumer is prompted to do so by the consumer's mobile device before adding a product or item to their virtual cart.

[0037] The consumer's mobile device 200 is also programmed to present the consumer with the option to self-checkout scanned or selected products using their consumer electronic device 200. In order to self-checkout products, the consumer is prompted to log in to his/her account. If the consumer is not already logged in the consumer's mobile device will display a screen where the consumer can log into his/her account. In an alternate embodiment the consumer may be given the option to self-checkout products as a guest account, which does not require a consumer to create an account or log in to an existing consumer account. At the time of self-checkout, the consumer's mobile device 200 displays a screen allowing the consumer to choose to pay for his/her scanned or selected products using a payment tender type set up in the consumer's system account or to enter a new payment tender type in their account using the client application.

[0038] Once a consumer has successfully paid for their products or item(s), the system enterprise server 202 sends an alert to the device 205 of store employee(s) in that retail store location. Additionally the system enterprise server 202 sends an electronic receipt of the product(s), which were paid for, to both the consumer's device 200 and one or more store employees' devices 205 and/or one or more store POS system 206. Either the same store employee or another employee can then assist the consumer in clearing any security checks. These checks may include review of the receipt of sale and removal of any security tags on the product(s), which have been bought. In some embodiments,all store employees are sent an alert and a receipt of the purchase; in other embodiments, a specific store employee is sent the alert and receipt of purchase. [0039] Figure 1 is a flow chart showing one method of using the system. Figure 1 is shown as a basic example of many variations of the flow, which can be implemented.

[0040] At step 101, in order to use the system, the user launches the application on their consumer electronic device 200. The consumer device client application, the system enterprise server, the store POS system, the payment system, the advertisement network and the store employee's application may be deployed in a form, which is customized for a particular merchant, or it may be in a generic and cross-merchant platform based form of deployment of the application and system.

[0041] When the consumer enters the store they can select to run the application either in anonymous mode or in logged-in mode. In the anonymous mode, the store employees in the store are not automatically alerted to the identity of the consumer who scanned or selected a product, but are alerted to the corresponding product id and as to the location of the consumer in the store. In logged-in mode the store employee's/associates are automatically alerted to the fact that the consumer has scanned or selected a product id, and are alerted as to the location or identity of the consumer.

[0042] At step 102, in some embodiments, by default, the consumer's electronic mobile device application may be launched in the anonymous mode. In this mode, the consumer has not logged into the consumer client application. This mode may be desirable to a consumer when they do not want to be identified by their account profile as they scan products using their consumer electronic device 200 or select products from a display on their device; and as they research products or items.

[0043] At step 104, the system detects the location of the consumer device by using a geo- location service such as a GPS receiver, which is built into the consumer's electronic device or by another method such as cellular towers or by using available WiFi networks. The consumer device's location may alternately also be detected by using a mechanism such as Blue Tooth Low Energy (BLE) 446 (Figure 4). This location is then transmitted to the system enterprise servers 202 (Figure 2). The system enterprise servers respond with any special offers, which the merchant is providing, and which are available to the consumer. Offers are obtained by signaling with the retail merchant's enterprise system 201, Figure 2. This signaling is also used to obtain coupons, promotions (block 5902 in Figure 5), from the retail merchant's systems.

[0044] Additionally the system enterprise servers can respond with advertisements relevant to the location of the consumer. These advertisements are obtained by signaling between the system enterprise servers 202 with the predictive marketing and advertisement network block 204 (FIG. 2) and 594 in Figure 5. The consumer can set a personal preference variable associated with their account specifying whether or not they want to receive special offers and relevant advertisements in their system account profile. The preferences are stored in the system enterprise server 202 database 5948 (FIG. 5) and are managed on the consumer device by account manager 460.

[0045] Referring again to FIG. 1, in step 106, in anonymous mode, the consumer can browse products without revealing the consumer's identity to the store systems or store employees. The consumer can select a product from the display or scan a product identifier by scanning a barcode, UPC, EPC or QR code or use near field communication (NFC) to read a tag or by detecting a passive, active or semi-passive RFID tag 456 (FIG. 4) or a bluetooth signal 446 (FIG. 4) from the product of interest.

[0046] Referring again to FIG. 1, in step 108, upon scanning or selecting the product 306

(FIG. 3), the consumer's mobile device 200 displays detailed product information by calling the Shopper API 402, for example, the API call 408 in Figure 4. The information returned can be, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: product details such as - the manufacturing background e.g. place of manufacture, kind of materials and labor used, product reviews, product comparison options, cross-sells, suggestions, feedback from analytics (e.g., people who bought this product also bought that product). Also any coupons or promotions for that product will be obtained by calling the Shopper API 402 (FIG. 4), for example, the API call 432 in Figure 4, related products or products which the system computes as relevant are shown, for example, the API call 474 in Figure 4.

[0047] In an alternative embodiment of the system application, the consumer may key in the product identifier or use a system such as voice input to enter the product identifier.

[0048] Referring again to FIG. 1, the consumer has the option to scan or select the product in either logged-in or anonymous modes (also discussed below with reference to step 314 in Figure 3). The detailed product information described above is available to the consumer in either mode. To add an item to the virtual cart step 322 in Figure 3 in their mobile application, to pay step 332 in Figure 3, and checkout the consumer has to be in logged-in mode. In some embodiments, store employees with appropriate knowledge about a product can be alerted based upon which product was scanned or selected step 318 in Figure 3 to provide consumers with assistance with that product. Once a consumer scans or selects a product identifier, an alert is sent to the mobile device 205 of a store employee informing the employee that a consumer is interested in a product or item step 320 in Figure 3. In anonymous mode a consumer can choose whether to alert a store employee or not and in logged-in mode a store employee is automatically alerted. [0049] If the consumer has logged into their account using their mobile device 200, the store employee can identify the consumer using a profile 1614 of the consumer (Figure 16), which is transmitted from system enterprise server 202 to store employee mobile device 205 and displayed on the device 205. In anonymous mode, the system enterprise server 202 sends the store employee mobile device 205 a redacted user profile in which identity elements of the user profile (such as the name, profile picture) are left blank 1624. However if the location of the anonymous consumer in the store is available it is shown on the store employee 's/associates' device using the Store

Employee/ Associate API 548 (Figure 5). The employee can locate the consumer, help the consumer find the product they are looking for, show them cross product comparison information, and by looking up information about the consumer in the consumer profile and the consumer's shopping history, provide a personalized, enhanced shopping experience.

[0050] Referring again to FIG. 1, in step 110, the consumer can choose to cart the product they scanned or selected in step 106 by performing an add-to-cart function step 322 (Figure 3) presented in the mobile application. At this point the system enterprise server 202 does a check to see if that product is eligible for self-checkout.

[0051 ] Referring again to FIG. 1 , in step 111 , if the product is not eligible, the consumer is shown an appropriate message and control is returned to step 106. If the product is eligible, the consumer is prompted to log in (step 306, Figure 3). If the consumer is already logged-in , the product is added to the consumer's virtual cart (step 328, Figure 3). This method of scanning or selecting items and adding to cart can be repeated for all products the consumer is interested in buying. Each item/product scanned or selected gets added to the list of products in the consumer's cart and a running total of cost, quantity and any applicable taxes and fees on the items is shown on the screen of the consumer's mobile application. The consumer's electronic device signals the server of items, which are added to or removed from the consumer cart (step 324, Figure 3). The server maintains a corresponding consumer cart (discussed below with reference to step 604 in Figure 6). This experience provides a consumer in a bricks-and-mortar store benefits previously associated with use of an online shopping cart. This list of items/products in the cart can be reviewed, the quantity of each item can be edited and the consumer can delete items from the list (step 1208, Figure 12). The consumer may choose to move some items to a shopping or a wish list and reference that list for future use. The consumer may also apply any coupons (step 330, Figure 3) or promotional offers to the products in their virtual cart. The system enterprise server 202 transmits the list of products, which were scanned or selected, the list of products, which were added to the consumer's virtual cart, and the list of products, which were paid for to the store employee's electronic device 205 and/or one or more store POS system 206 in real-time or near-real-time. This allows the store employee's device or store POS system to show consumer scan, add-to-cart, and order activity and a list of paid orders in real-time or near-real-time.

[0052] Referring again to FIG. 1, in step 115, when the list of items or products is finalized, the consumer can pay for their items by using the consumer's electronic device 200 to signal the system enterprise server 202 (step 332, Figure 3) to use a payment method set up in their account 522 (Figure 5) or by using a payment method the consumer chooses to enter at the time of checkout. The consumer can also use a physical or electronic gift card to pay for the products. The consumer can apply any loyalty rewards or loyalty points towards the purchase of the selected product items. The Account Manager 460 (FIG. 4) manages this function. Any errors, which occur in payment processing, are sent to the consumer's mobile device 200 (step 1328, Figure 13) and a payment retry is processed. The information regarding a loyalty or rewards card may be scanned or entered at the time of checkout (steps 406 and 460, Figure 4) or may be read from the account set up by the consumer.

[0053] Referring again to FIG. 1, in step 117, the system enterprise server 202 sends an alert to a store employee's mobile device 205 or to a store POS 206 (FIG. 2) when the payment is successfully processed. In some embodiments, the system enterprise server 202 initiates an adjustment to a database of the inventory of product items to reflect the items purchased.

[0054] In step 121 of Figure 1, once the item(s) are paid for, a receipt of the purchase is emailed to the consumer. A copy of that receipt is also sent to the device 205 of the store employee helping the consumer and/or to the store POS system. This way all the items, which were paid for are clearly identified to the store employee. The details of the transaction are stored in the system enterprise server database 5948 (FIG. 5).

[0055] While the consumer is in the retail store and has scanned or selected and added products to their virtual cart, the consumer's mobile application provides location updates

(identifying where the consumer is within the store) to the system enterprise server 202, which relays the location updates to the mobile device 205 of a store employee. These updates are sent through signals between the system enterprise servers (system 202 in Figure 2) to the store employee's device 205, Figure 2, and/or to the store POS 206. These updates are provided so that employees can know when a user has paid for items and is heading to the exit. The application on the store employee's device 205 or the store POS system 206 shows in real-time (or near-real-time) the location of the user, the user's profile info and the list of products the user has selected/scanned, the list of items added to the cart on the consumer's electronic device and items the consumer has paid for.

[0056] At step 119, in some embodiments, the mobile device 205 and/or the store POS system 206 displays an alert to the store employee, instructing him/her to help the consumer clear security by removing any anti-theft devices or tags on the items purchased, help bag their items, and to exit the store. A store employee can verify the products, which the consumer bought by looking up the items paid for on the store employee's electronic device 205 in Figure 2 or on the store POS system 206 (Figure 2), and comparing those items to the ones the consumer is carrying. This ensures that the consumer bought all their products, as well as expedites the consumer's checkout by eliminating the need to wait in line to checkout. The POS Integration layer 562 (in Figure 5) on the server 202 is used to signal with one or more POS systems of retailers via signals between server 202 and the retail merchant's enterprise system 201 as shown in Figures 5 and 2.

[0057] Figure 2 shows one exemplary implementation of the flow of information and the different components. There is an exchange of information between the consumer's device 200 and the system enterprise servers 202 in Figure 2. This information includes product related detail 316 (Figure 3), merchant catalog information, data analytics exchange, coupons 326 (Figure 3), promotions amongst other information. This exchange is shown between mobile device 200 and system 202 in Figure 2. System 202 (Figure 2) also signals with the retail merchant's enterprise system 596 (Figure 5). This is also shown as an exchange between system 202 and 201 in Figure 2. In order to process payment transactions, system 202 signals with a payment processing system 203 (FIG. 2) (also shown as system 582, FIG. 5. System 202 also signals with an advertising network 590. This exchange is also shown between system 202 and system 204 in Figure 2.

[0058] A personalized shopping experience is created based on the consumer's scans or selection of products (block 408 in Figure 4). Products which were scanned or selected before but were not bought, coupons based on consumer account block 432 in Figure 4 and loyalty block 460 in Figure 4 as well as cross-sells, up-sells, recommendations, additional products block 474 in Figure 4, offers and recommendations block 558 in Figure 5 can be presented to the consumer. Since loyalty points, account info and preferences block 504 in Figure 5 of these transactions can be saved in the system enterprise server database 5948 (FIG. 5), the consumer's experience is personalized.

[0059] The system enterprise server signaling with the retail merchant's enterprise systems allows for the exchange of customer account information therebetween. This includes transaction information, transaction history, loyalty points and other account information block 5950 in Figure 5. The system enterprise server is integrated via data feeds and/or real-time or near real-time messaging and/or push or pull technology and/or event driven messaging with retail merchant's systems such as the store POS systems, merchandise management system, a system of catalog, loyalty account information, an enterprise resource planning system, an inventory management function, consumer patterns and behavior data system, and a transaction settlement system.

[0060] Another feature is the ability to create a shopping list (step 318, Figure 3). The consumer may assemble such a list while shopping at the retail merchant store or while at another location. In an alternative form, the system can present suggestions of relevant products based on the consumer's shopping history 424 (Figure 4). In other embodiments a consumer may add a product item they scanned or selected to a wish list of items 436 (Figure 4). In another embodiment a consumer may do a search 410 (Figure 4) to find a product 5928 (Figure 5), and add to shopping list or wish list. The system may show nearby locations where those products are available for the consumer to purchase by cross-referencing store inventory 598 and store information 5904 (Figure 5).

[0061] In another embodiment of the consumer device application and the system enterprise server a consumer who may be unable to find the variation of the product they want (e.g., color, size, quantity), can buy it online using the system application and have it shipped to an address. In other embodiments of the system application the consumer may choose to reserve an item online and then pick up in a retail store.

[0062] While several embodiments have been discussed above, there may be variations in the actual implementation without deviating from the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

[0063]

[0064] Figure 3 shows one embodiment of the process flow on the consumer electronic device 200. At step 304, when a consumer starts using the self-checkout system on the device, the device signals the location of the consumer and gets a list of products. The consumer can either login if they are an existing user of the system, or they can sign-up if they are a new user.

[0065] At step 306, the consumer can also choose to scan or select a product instead. If the consumer chooses to login, then at step 308, a signal is sent to the server to authenticate the consumer. At step 310, if the consumer chooses to sign up, then at step 312, a signal is sent to the server to sign up a new consumer account. At step 314, when a consumer scans or selects a product the server is signaled with the identifier of the product. This signal is sent whether the consumer is logged in or in anonymous mode. At step 316, the consumer's electronic device receives details of the products from the server. [0066] At step 318, if the consumer chooses to get help from a store employee or update their shopping list,then at step 320, a signal is sent to the server to handle those actions.

[0067] At step 322, if a consumer chooses to add the product to the cart on their consumer's electronic device, then at step 324, a signal is sent to the server. At step 326, any coupons and/or price matching information which need to be applied to the consumer cart is captured from the server and a cart or preview order is shown to the consumer.

[0068] At step 330, if consumer chooses to apply the coupons or price match, then at step

334 the device 200 signals the server 202 to apply the coupons or matched price.

[0069] At step 332, if the consumer chooses to place a self-checkout order, then at step 336, the server is signaled. At step 338, upon completion of the self-checkout process the consumer's electronic device receives a payment confirmation and a receipt is emailed to the consumer.

[0070] Figure 4 shows one embodiment of the software components on the consumer's electronic device 200. In some embodiments, the software components comprise a Shopper API 402, which is used to interface with the server 202. The Shopper API 402 can comprise modules to perform consumer electronic device functions such as, but not limited to, creating or updating an account (block 404), adding a consumer or updating an existing consumer's account information (block 406), processing a consumer's product scan or selection (block 408), processing a

consumer's search query (block 410), processing an update to the consumer's location in the store (block 412), processing an order prepared for the consumer for self-checkout (block 414), processing the consumer's order (block 416), processing a consumer's request for assistance from a store employee using the store employee's device (block 418), creation of a consumer's shopping list or update of an existing shopping list (block 420), creation of a consumer's wish list or update of an existing wish list (block 422), retrieval of the consumer's order history (block 424), confirming the current store the consumer is in (block 426), retrieval of the consumer's profile information (block 428), retrieval of a price matched on the server (block 430), retrieval of coupons and promotions from the server (block 432), sending a signal to the server requesting assistance from a store employee (block 434), retrieval of cross-sells, up-sells, recommendations and additional products from the server (block 474).

[0071] In some embodiments, other components of the consumer's electronic device 200 include consumer session manager 458, which is used to manage a consumers session with the server, account manager 460, which is used to serve signup, login, preferences, login and account update functions, client-server communication module 462, which facilitates the communication between the client and server, location manager 464, which updates the server on the location of the consumer in the store, display manager 466, which is used to render the display for the consumer, logging utility 468, which is used to log messages on the consumer's device, cart handler 470, which is used to manage the consumer cart by communicating with the server, and order manager 472, which is used to manage the prepared and placed consumer orders.

[0072] In some embodiments, the consumer shopping list / wish list module 436 is used to create, update, share or delete the consumer's shopping lists and wish lists. In some embodiments, the store push notification module 438 is used by stores to push notifications to consumers. In some embodiments, the store price match module 440 alerts the consumer when a price is matched by the store. In some embodiments, the set consumer current store 442 module allows the consumer to pick a store from a list or choose a preferred store by performing a related search.

[0073] In some embodiments, the in- store consumer location integration 444 is a component which enables the consumer's device to interface with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices (block 446) in the store to detect the consumer's electronic device location and to capture consumer activity information, utilize mobile carrier networks (block 448) to detect the consumer's device location, NFC (block 450) to interact with store systems to detect the consumer's electronic device location, utilize in-store Wi-Fi networks 452 to detect the consumer's electronic device location, utilize the consumer's electronic device GPS 454 to detect the consumer's device location, and store RFID 456 systems to detect the consumer's electronic device location.

[0074] Figure 5 shows one embodiment of the software components on the server 202. In some embodiments, the server software components include, but are not limited to, the Shopper API 502, which is used to interface with the consumer's electronic device; the store employee/associate API 536 which is used to interface with the store employee 's/associate's electronic device; the POS integration layer 562, which is used to interface with the store and retailer POS (point of sale systems); the tax service integration layer 576, which is used to calculate taxes and fees for products, which the consumer is paying for; the payment service integration layer 582, which is used to interface with payment processing services; the default payment processing integration 584 which the server uses as well as retailer specific integrations 588; the advertisements, third party service layer 590, which is used to integrate with third party advertising networks, product marketing services 594, recommendation engine 592; the retailer in-bound data API 596, which is used to interface with retailers to capture item 598, product catalog 598, inventory 598, coupons, promotions 5902, store information 5904, loyalty, account, rewards information 5950; the retailer out-bound data API 5906, which is used to send POS information 5908, transaction reports module 5910, which is used to send transaction reports to retailers; the settlement reports module 5912, which is used to send settlement reports to retailers; the server security module 5014, which is used to manage security on the server; the email module 5026, which is used to send emails from the server; the search module 5928, which is used to provide search capability to consumers and store employees; the consumer session tracking module 5934, which is used to manage consumer and store employee sessions; the PDF generator module 5936, which is used to generate PDF receipts for consumers and PDF reports for retailers and store employees; the consumer token generator module 5942, which is used to create and manage consumer and store employee security tokens; the database 5948, which is used to persist data including but not limited to consumer, product, employee, retailer, store data; the consumer authorization module 5016, which is used to authorize consumer access to server functions; the store employee authorization module 5918, which is used to authorize store employee access to server functions; the consumer authentication module 5920, which is used to authenticate consumers; the store employee authentication module 5922, which is used to authenticate store employees; and the validation module 5924, which is used to validate signals and alerts on the server.

[0075] Figure 5 shows the Shopper API modules 502 on the server include but are not limited to the create/update consumer account module 504, which is used to create or update a consumer account; the process consumer scan module 506, which is used to process consumer product scans or product selections; the process location update module 508, which is used to process location updates after an item has been scanned or product has been selected; the process consumer location update module 510, which is used when an item has been scanned or product has been selected; process consumer prepare order module 512, which is used to prepare an order when the consumer has added products to the consumer cart; the process consumer order module 514, which is used to process an order which the consumer placed from the consumer's electronic device; the process consumer request for assistance module 516, which is used to process a consumer request for assistance from a store employee; the create/update shopping list module 518, which is used to create or update a consumer's shopping list; the get consumer shopping/wish list module 520, which is used to retrieve a consumer's shopping/wish list from the server; the add/update consumer payment info module 522, which is used to add or update consumer payment information into the consumer account on the server; the store push notification to consumer module 524, which is used to push notifications from the server to the consumer's electronic device; the set consumer current store module 526, which is used to set the store the consumer is currently in; the store price match module 528, which is used to respond with price match signals from the server to the consumer's electronic device; the consumer current store confirmation module 530, which is used by a consumer to confirm that they are still in the store; the get consumer order history 532 module, which is used to respond to a query for the consumer's order history; the create/update wish list module 534, which is used to create or update a consumer's wish list.

[0076] Figure 5 shows the store employee/ Associate API 536 on the server includes but are not limited to the get consumer profile data module 538, which is used to respond to a query from the store employee's device to get consumer profile data; the get placed orders module 540, which is used to respond to a query from the store employee's device to get placed orders; the get carted items module 542, which is used to respond to a query from the store employee's device to get carted items; the get scanned items module 544, which is used to respond to a query from the store employee's device to get items scanned in a store; the get consumer location module 546, which is used to respond to a query from the store employee's device and return with the consumer's location; the get anonymous consumer activity module 548, which is used to respond to a query from the store employee's device and return with activity for anonymous consumers; the get cross- sell/up-sell suggestions module 550, which is used to respond to a query from the store employee's device and return with suggestions for cross-selling and up-selling to the consumer; the get consumer activity details module 552, which is used to respond to a query from the store employee's device and return with details of consumer activity; the get store scan/carted transaction module 554, which is used to respond to a query from the store employee's device and return with product scans or selections done in a store as well as items add to the cart in a store; the get store sales order transactions module 556, which is used to respond to a query from the store employee's device and return with details of sales order transactions for a store; the get recommendations for consumers module 558, which is used to respond to a query from a store employee's device and return with product recommendations for consumers; the get consumer needs assistance alerts module 560, which is used to respond to a query from a store employee's device and return with a notification that a certain consumer has requested for assistance.

[0077] Figure 6 is a flow diagram, which shows one embodiment of the generalized process performed by the server 202. The process begins at block 602 with the server waiting for signals.

[0078] At step 604, when the consumer's electronic device signals a scan or selection or add-to-cart of a product on the consumer's electronic device 200 the server 202 performs a validation of the signal from the consumer's electronic device at step 614. If validation succeeds, step 624 is performed next. If validation fails Error A 612 is returned in the message to the consumer's electronic device 200.

[0079] At step 624, when validation succeeds the server persists the signal, and sends a signal to at least one of the store employee's device 205, and the store POS 206. The server responds to the consumer's electronic device by sending a success signal.

[0080] At step 606, when a consumer's electronic device signals a self-checkout is being performed on the consumer's electronic device 200, the server performs a validation 616 of the self- checkout signal from the consumer's electronic device. If validation succeeds, step 626 is performed next. If validation fails , Error A 612 is returned in the message to the consumer's electronic device 200.

[0081] At step 626, when the validation succeeds the server transmits payment confirmation and the list of items/products, which were paid for to the consumer's electronic device 200, and at least one of the store employee's device 205 or the store POS 206. The server 202 persists the signal from the consumer's electronic device 200 and sends a signal to at least one of the store employee's device 205 or the store POS system 206 alerting them of a self-checkout. The server 202 responds to the consumer's electronic device 200 with a success signal. The server 202 sends a list of the purchased items to at least one of the store POS 206 or store employee's device 205 to enable store employees to verify the items and the payment received.

[0082] At step 608, when a signal is received by the server 202 from the retailer system 201 indicating the receiving of at least one of information, item(s) of the retail store, item inventory, transaction history, item(s) payment, item(s) price, item(s) taxes, transaction reports, financial settlement, item(s) discount, item(s) coupon or item(s) promotion, the server performs a check to see if the information received was uploaded successfully to the server. If the data upload is successful, step 628 is performed next. If the data upload is not successful Error B 618 is returned to the retail merchant' s enterprise system 201.

[0083] At step 628, if the data upload is successful, the server persists the signal, and returns a signal of successful data load in the form of an electronic file to the retail merchant's enterprise system 201.

[0084] At step 610, when the consumer signals the server 202 with a request for help with a product scanned or selected on the consumer's device 200, the server validates the signal and checks if the server request was successful at step 622. If the validation is successful, step 630 is performed next. If the validation fails, then at step 612, Error A is returned to the consumer's electronic device. [0085] At step 630, if the validation is successful the server 202 persists the request signal and sends a signal to at least one of the store employee's device 205; the store POS system 206 and additionally sends a success signal to the consumer's electronic device 200.

[0086] Figure 7 is a flow diagram, which shows another embodiment of the generalized process on the server 202. The process begins at block 602 with the server waiting for signals.

[0087] At step 704, the server 202 will send signals to transmit at least one of transactions, inventory updates, payments, reporting or settlement to the retail merchant's system 201. The server validates the signal and checks if the request was successful 712. If the validation is successful, step 722 is performed next.

[0088] At step 712, if the validation fails, then at step 618, Error B is returned to the server.

[0089] At step 722, if the validation is successful, the server 202 persists the signal, and provides signal of successful transmission in an electronic file 722.

[0090] At step 706, when a store employee sends signals for price matching or coupons to a consumer from a store employee's device 205, the server validates the signal and checks if the request was successful at step 714. If the validation is successful, step 724 is performed next.

[0091] At step 714, If the validation fails, then at step 720 Error C is returned to the store employee's device.

[0092] At step 724, if the validation is successful, the server 202 persists the signal and sends a success signal to at least one of the store employee's electronic device; the store POS system. Additionally the server sends a price matching or coupon signal to the consumer's electronic device.

[0093] At step 708, when a store employee sends signals for alternate products or additional products to a consumer from a store employee's device 205 then at step 716, the server 202 validates the signal and checks if the request was successful. If the validation is successful, step 726 is performed next.

[0094] At step 716, if the validation fails, at step 612 Error A is returned to the store employee's device 205.

[0095] At step 726, if the validation is successful, the server 202 persists the signal and sends a success signal to at least one of the store employee's electronic device 205 or the store POS system 206. Additionally the server sends information about alternate products or additional products signal to the consumer's electronic device 200.

[0096] At step 710, when the server 202 detects that an order has been placed with a product, which has an anti-theft tag on it, and which needs to be removed from the purchased product, then at step 718, the server validates the signal and checks if the request was successful. If the validation is successful, step 728 is performed next.

[0097] At step 718, if the validation fails, then at step 612, Error A is returned to the server

202.

[0098] At step 728, if the validation is successful, the server 202 persists the signal and sends a tag to be removed signal to at least one of the store employee's electronic device 205 or the store POS system 206.

[0099] Figure 8 is a flow diagram, which shows another embodiment of the generalized process on the server 202. The process begins at block 602 with the server waiting for signals.

[0100] At step 804, when the server 202 receives a request signal from the consumer's electronic device 200 that a consumer in anonymous mode has scanned or selected a product, then at step 814, the server validates the signal and checks if the request was successful 814. If the validation is successful, step 824 is performed next.

[0101] At step 814, if the validation fails, then at step 612, Error A is returned to the consumer electronic device.

[0102] At step 824, if the validation is successful, the server 202 persists the request signal and sends a success signal to at least one of the store employee's electronic device; the store POS system. Additionally the server 202 sends a success signal to the consumer's electronic device 200.

[0103] At step 806, when the server 202 receives a request signal from the consumer electronic device 200 that a consumer has completed the purchase of a product, then at step 816, the server checks if that product was on the consumer's shopping list. If the product was not on the consumer's shopping list, step 612 is performed.

[0104] At step 816, if the purchased product was in the consumer's shopping list, the server signals to remove that product from the consumer's shopping list. The server validates the signal and checks if the request was successful. If the validation fails, Error A 612 is returned to server.

[0105] At step 826, if the validation is successful, the server persists the request signal and sends a success signal to the consumer's electronic device 200.

[0106] At step 808, when the server receives a request signal from the store employee's electronic device 205 or from a store POS system 206 for a listing of products, which were scanned or selected, added to cart and paid for by the consumer, then at step 818, the server validates the signal and checks if the request was successful. If the validation is not successful, step 618 is performed next.

[0107] At step 818, if the validation fails, then at step 618 Error B is returned to server. [0108] At step 828, if the validation is successful, the server 202 persists the request signal and sends a success signal to at least one of the store employee's electronic device 205 or the store POS system 206.

[0109] At step 810, when the server 202 receives a request signal from the consumer electronic device 200 to update the location of a consumer, then at step 820, the server 202 validates the signal and checks if the request was successful 820. If the validation is successful, step 830 is performed next.

[0110] At step 820, if the validation fails , then at step 612, Error A is returned to the consumer electronic device.

[0111] At step 830, if the validation is successful, the server 202 persists the request signal and sends a success signal to at least one of the store employee's electronic device 205, or the store POS system block 206. Additionally the server sends a success signal 830 to the consumer's electronic device 200.

[0112] At step 812, when the server 202 receives a request signal from the store employee's electronic device 205 or from a store POS system 206 to approve an order 812, then at step 822, the server validates the signal and checks if the request was successful 822. If the validation is successful, step 832 is performed next.

[0113] At step 822, if the validation fails, then at step 720 Error C is returned to the store employee's electronic device 205 or to the store POS system 206.

[0114] At step 832, if the validation is successful, the server 202 persists the request signal and sends a success signal to at least one of the store employee's electronic device 205 or the store POS system 206. Additionally the server sends a success signal 832 to the consumer's electronic device 200.

[0115] Figure 9 is a flow diagram, which shows one embodiment of the generalized process for step 612 (for handling Error A) on the server 202. The process begins at block 612 with the error signal being received.

[0116] At step 902, Once the error signal has been received the server 202 compiles the failure messages.

[0117] At step 904, the server 202 logs the failure messages to server log

[0118] At step 906, the server 202 sends the failure signals to the consumer's electronic device 906 and returns at step 908. [0119] Figure 10 is a flow diagram, which shows one embodiment of the generalized process for handling Error B 618 on the server 202. The process begins at block 618 with the error signal being received.

[0120] At step 1002, once the error signal has been received the server compiles the failure messages.

[0121] At step 1004, the server 202 logs the failure messages to server log.

[0122] At step 1006, the server 202 sends the failure signals to the retailer by electronic files and returns at step 1008.

[0123] Figure 11 is a flow diagram, which shows one embodiment of the generalized process for handling Error C on the server 202. The process begins at block 720 with the error signal being received.

[0124] At step 1102, once the error signal has been received the server compiles the failure messages.

[0125] At step 1104, server 202 logs the failure messages to server log.

[0126] At step 1106, server 202 sends the failure signals to the store employee's electronic device and returns at step 1108.

[0127] Figure 12 is a flow diagram, which shows one embodiment of the generalized process, which occurs on the server 202 when a consumer using consumer's electronic device 200 performs a product scan or a product selection or a product add-to-cart. The process begins at block 306 or block 322 described in Figure 3 (Consumer electronic device flow).

[0128] At step 306, when the server receives a signal indicating a product scan or product selection or a product add-to-cart from the consumer's electronic device 200, then at step 1204, the server validates that the consumer's electronic device sent the required fields, validates the values sent in the request and validates that the consumer is authorized to perform the scan, selection or add-to-cart action.

[0129] At step 1206, if the validation (of step 1204) is successful, step 1208 is performed next. Otherwise, step 1216 is performed next.

[0130] At step 1216, if the validation fails, then at step 1216 failure messages are added to the response signal. Then step 1218 is performed next.

[0131] At step 1208, if the validation of step 1206 succeeds, the consumer scan or selection or consumer cart is updated on the server. [0132] At step 1210, the consumer scan or selection or consumer cart update is checked for success or failure. If the update is successful, step 1212 is performed next. If the update is not successful, step 1214 is performed next.

[0133] At step 1212, if the update is successful the server adds success messages to the response signal.

[0134] At step 1214, if the update is unsuccessful, the server 202 adds failure messages to the response signal. Then step 1218 is performed next.

[0135] At step 1218, the flow ends when the server 202 sends a response signal to the consumer's electronic device 200.

[0136] Figure 13 is a flow diagram, which shows one embodiment of the generalized process, which occurs on the server 202 when a consumer using consumer's electronic device 200 places a self-checkout order. The process begins at block 332 described in Figure 3 (Consumer electronic device flow).

[0137] At step 332, when the server receives a signal from the consumer's electronic device 200 indicating the consumer has placed a self-checkout order block, then at step 1304, the server

202 validates that the consumer's electronic device sent the required fields, validates the values sent in the request and validates that the consumer is authorized to perform self-checkout step.

[0138] At step 1306, if the validation fails, then at step 1308, failure messages are added to the response signal, and then the block 1310 is executed.. If the validation 1306 succeeds, then at step 1312, the prepared order for the consumer is retrieved from the database on the server step.

[0139] At step 1314, the retrieval of the prepared order is checked for success or failure. If the retrieval is unsuccessful, then at step 1316, the server adds failure messages to the response signal, and then the block 1310 is executed. If the retrieval is successful, then at step 1318, the server 202 signals a tax calculation by the tax service step applicable to the store where the consumer placing the self-checkout order is physically located.

[0140] At step 1320, the server checks if the tax calculation succeeded or failed. At step

1322, if the tax calculation 1320 fails, failure messages are added to the response signal, and then the block 1310 is executed.

[0141] At step 1324, if the validation step 1320 succeeds, the process payment step is executed on the server by calling the applicable payment service for the merchant.

[0142] At step 1326, the payment received is checked for success or failure. At step 1328, if the payment processing is unsuccessful, the server adds failure messages to the response signal. Then the block 1310 is executed. [0143] At step 1330, if the payment process is successful, the server signals a send order confirmation email to be sent to the consumer. At step 1332, the server 202 persists the processed order to the server database and then at step 1334, the server sends the processed order to the retailer/merchant system as well as signals at least one of the store POS 206 or the store employee's device 205 and returns at step 1336. At step 1310, the flow ends when the server 202 sends a response signal to the consumer's electronic device 200.

[0144] Figure 14 is a flow diagram, which shows one embodiment of the generalized process, which occurs on the server 202 when a consumer using consumer's electronic device 200 requests assistance from a store employee. The process begins at step 318 described in Figure 3 Consumer electronic device flow.

[0145] At step 318, when the server 202 receives a signal from the consumer's electronic device 200 indicating that the consumer is requesting help with a scanned or selected product, then at step 1404, the server 202 validates that the consumer's electronic device sent the required fields, validates the values sent in the request and validates that the consumer is authorized to perform the request for assistance.

[0146] At step 1406, if the validation step fails, then at step 1408, failure messages are added to the response signal, and step 1410 is performed next. The flow ends when the server sends a response signal 1410 to the consumer's electronic device 200

[0147] If the validation at step 1406 succeeds, then at step 1412, the request to provide the consumer assistance is processed on the server.

[0148] At step 1414, the process for assistance is checked for success or failure. If the process for assistance is unsuccessful, then at step 1416, the server adds failure messages to the response signal and step 1410 is performed next.

[0149] If the process for assistance is successful, then at step 1418, the server routes an alert to the appropriate store employee's device with the consumer profile and the in-store location of the consumer. The flow ends with the return block 1420.

[0150] Figure 15 is a flow diagram, which shows one embodiment of the generalized process, which occurs on the server 202 when a store employee's device 205 retrieves consumer specific cross-sells or up-sells or recommendations or additional products. The process begins at step 1632 described below with reference to Figure 16 Store employee's device: Software components.

[0151] At step 1632, when the server 202 receives a signal from the store employee's electronic device 205 indicating that the store employee's device is requesting at least one of consumer specific cross-sells or up-sells or recommendations or additional products, then at step 1504, the server validates that the store employee's electronic device sent the required fields, validates the values sent in the request and validates that the consumer is authorized to perform the request as shown.

[0152] At step 1506, if the validation fails, then at step 1508, failure messages are added to the response signal, and step 1510 is performed next.

[0153] If the validation succeeds, then at step 1512, the request to retrieve at least one of consumer specific cross-sells or up-sells or recommendations or additional products is processed on the server .

[0154] At step 1514, the process for retrieving consumer specific cross-sells or up-sells or recommendations or additional products is checked for success or failure. If the process is unsuccessful, then at step 1516, the server adds failure messages to the response signal, and step 1510 is performed next.

[0155] If the process is successful, then at step 1518, the server adds the retrieved consumer specific cross-sells or up-sells or recommendations or additional products to the response.

[0156] At step 1510, the flow ends when the server sends a response signal to the store employee's electronic device 205.

[0157] Figure 16 shows one embodiment of the software components on the store employee's electronic device 205. The software components comprise a store employee

authentication module 1602, which is used to authenticate store employees. The access validation module 1608 is used to validate and manage authorization and access to resources for store employee's device users. The employee management module 1604 enables store managers using the store employee's device to create, update and access store employee's device user profiles. The role and access management database 1610 is used to persist store employee's device user role, credentials, authorization level, and consumer activity. The order appro ve/disapprove module 1612 is used to retrieve and display orders, capture store employee's approvals and disapprovals of orders and to flag them accordingly. The consumer activity module 1606 is used to show consumer activity on the store employee's device. The module 1606 shows consumer account profile data for logged in consumers 1614, orders which can be approved by store employee's device users 1616, order information for logged in consumers 1618, item/product information for the products in the consumer cart 1620, item/product information for logged in consumer of the products which are scanned or selected but not added to cart 1622, item/product which are scanned or selected by anonymous consumers 1624, real-time location of the consumers in the store 1626, consumer assistance alerts with consumer location and consumer profile information 1628, information about a store in which the store employee's device is used 1630. The store employee transactions module 1642 is used by the store employee's device users to assist consumers with their shopping. The module 1632 is used to retrieve from the server 202 and display recommendations, cross-sells, up- sells, additional products for the consumer. The module 1636 is used to retrieve store order transactions and details of orders. The module 1640 is used to retrieve store items scanned or selected by consumers and the details of those scans. The module 1634 is used to retrieve items carted in the store and details of consumer carts. The module 1638 is used to retrieve and display consumer activity in the store and to provide details of the store.

[0158] This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description.

[0159] The methods and system described herein may be at least partially embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatus for practicing those processes. The disclosed methods may also be at least partially embodied in the form of tangible, non-transitory machine readable storage media encoded with computer program code. The media may include, for example, RAMs, ROMs, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, BD-ROMs, hard disk drives, flash memories, or any other non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the method. The methods may also be at least partially embodied in the form of a computer into which computer program code is loaded and/or executed, such that, the computer becomes a special purpose computer for practicing the methods. When implemented on a general-purpose processor, the computer program code segments configure the processor to create specific logic circuits. The methods may alternatively be at least partially embodied in a digital signal processor formed of application specific integrated circuits for performing the methods.

[0160] Although the subject matter has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments, which may be made by those skilled in the art.

Claims

What is claimed is: 1. A method comprising:

receiving signals in a server from a first electronic mobile device of a consumer while the consumer is located within a retail store, the signals indicating performance of a self-checkout process by the user using the first mobile device;

transmitting signals from the server to at least one of:

a second electronic device of an employee of the store, alerting the employee that the user has performed the self-checkout process; or

a point of sale (POS) system of the retail store indicating that the consumer has purchased an item by the self-checkout process.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the server, signals from a computer of the retail store, the signals representing at least one of information, item(s) of the retail store, item inventory, transaction history, item(s) payment, item(s) price, item(s) taxes, transaction reports, financial settlement, item(s) discount, item(s) coupon or item(s) promotion.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending, by the server, signals to a computer of the retail store, the signals representing at least one of, transactions, inventory updates, payments, reporting, or settlement.

4. A method comprising:

receiving signals from an electronic mobile device of a consumer, the receiving performed by a system server in response to scanning of an item or selection of an item by the consumer using the mobile device; and

forwarding information from the system server to at least one point of sale (POS) system of a retail merchant, the information confirming at least one of location of the consumer in the retail store, consumer name, consumer picture, scanning of an item, selection of an item, processing of payment for the item, or placement of the item in a shopping cart of the consumer, wherein the POS system displays the item.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: transmitting signals from the system server to the mobile device confirming a self- checkout of the item by the consumer using the mobile device; and

transmitting signals from the system server to at least one POS system confirming a self- checkout of the item by the consumer using the mobile device.

6. A method comprising:

receiving signals from a first electronic mobile device of a consumer in a retail store, the receiving performed by a system server in response to scanning of an item, selection of an item or addition of the item to a virtual shopping cart by the consumer using the mobile device and payment for the item by the consumer using the mobile device; and

transmitting signals to at least one second electronic device of a store employee, to cause the second electronic device to display the item.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmitting is performed by the system server; and the transmitted signals alert the employee of a self-checkout of the item in the retail store by the consumer using the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the second device includes at least one point of sale (POS) system.

9. The method of claim 6 the at least one second electronic device includes a plurality of second electronic devices.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising a merchant point of sale (POS) system, wherein at least one of the merchant POS system or the second electronic device is configured to display payment information to assist the employee in verifying for which items the consumer has paid.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting signals to at least one second electronic device of a store employee, to cause the second electronic device to display the item for verifying payment for the item by the consumer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting information from the system server to the mobile device, the information confirming payment for the item by the consumer using the mobile device, wherein the mobile device displays a list identifying the item;

receiving a query from the second electronic device; and

transmitting a list to the second electronic device, the list identifying the item paid for by the consumer.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying on the POS system at least one anti-theft tag attached to the item.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying on the second electronic device at least one anti-theft tag attached to the item, wherein the employee aids a consumer to clear security station by removing the anti-theft tag.

15. A method comprising:

displaying an interactive screen on an electronic mobile device in a retail store, to permit a consumer in the retail store to select and purchase a product from inventory of the retail store; adding the item to a virtual shopping cart of the consumer using the mobile device;

transmitting signals from the mobile device to a system server to complete payment for the item by the consumer using the mobile device; and

receiving an electronic receipt from the system server indicating payment for the product.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the displaying step includes displaying one or more products on the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting a signal from the mobile device to the system server for initiating a self-checkout process, in which the system server transmits a list of purchased items to a point of sale (POS) system of the retail store or a second electronic device of an employee in the store for verifying the purchase and self-checkout.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, in a server, an identification of a product from a first mobile device of a consumer in a retail store;

transmitting, from the server to a second electronic device of an employee of the store, an alert including an identification of the consumer and an identification of the product.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a request from the second electronic device; and

transmitting coupons from the server to the first mobile device in response to the request.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a request from the second electronic device identifying the product; and transmitting, from the server to the first mobile device, an electronic offer in response to the request.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting, from the server to a second electronic device of an employee of the store, information concerning one or more alternative products, for the employee to identify to the consumer.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting, from the server to a second electronic device of an employee of the store, information concerning one or more additional products, for the employee to identify to the consumer.

23. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving data from the mobile device representing a shopping list including the item; and removing the item from the shopping list when payment for that item is processed by a self-checkout transaction using the mobile device.

24. A method comprising:

receiving data in a first mobile device of an employee of a retailer in a retail store of that retailer, the data transmitted from a system server in response to a query from a second electronic device of a consumer in the retail store;

displaying on a display of the first mobile device at least one of: information identifying one or more items scanned by the consumer or selected by the consumer using the second electronic device, one or more items added to a virtual cart by the consumer using the second electronic device, one or more items paid for by the consumer using the second electronic device, one or more items being paid for using the second electronic device, or inventory levels of one or more items being paid for using the second electronic device.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the server is configured to receive the data from the first mobile device in an anonymous mode wherein the data does not contain information identifying the consumer using the first mobile device; and the server is configured to receive the data from the first mobile device in a second mode in which the contains information identifying the consumer using the first mobile device.

26. The mobile device of claim 22 wherein:

the mobile device is configured to transmit data to the server, to request that the server issue an alert to the second electronic device based on the product identification which was scanned using first electronic mobile device or selected on first mobile device; and

the server determines which employee to alert depending on which product was identified.

27. A method comprising:

receiving signals from a first electronic mobile device of a consumer, the receiving performed by a system server in response to change in location in the store by the consumer using the mobile device; and

forwarding information from the system server to at least one point of sale (POS) system of a retail merchant or to a second electronic device of a store employee, the information confirming the location of the consumer in the retail store.

28. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium encoded with computer program code, such that when the computer program code is executed by a processor, the processor performs the method of any preceding claim.

29. A system for performing the method of any one of claims 1 to 27.

30. An electronic mobile device, comprising:

a location device;

a communications interface;

an imager for scanning a product identification;

an interface that permits a user to selectively operate in a first mode or a second mode while the mobile device is located in a store, wherein:

if the imager scans a product identification or consumer selects a product identification on the device while the mobile device is in the first mode, the mobile device automatically transmits an identification of the product to a server for forwarding to a second electronic device of an employee in the store; and

if the imager scans a product identification or consumer selects a product identification on the device while the mobile device is in the second mode, the mobile device permits the user to decide whether to transmit the identification of the product to the server for forwarding to the second electronic device.