Abstract:
A method of receiving discounts in exchange for social media advertising for items in a store, including, finding an item of interest at a store by a customer with a mobile device that is configured to execute a discount application; wherein an item code is displayed on or near the item; entering the item code into the mobile device; communicating the item code to a remote server computer to retrieve information about the item; retrieving the information about the item from the server, wherein the information includes one or more discount options that are provided responsive to publication of the item in a social network in which the customer participates; storing the information about the item and the discount options in a list that is accessible by the mobile device.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to a system and method of providing discounts to customers in exchange for social media advertising and more specifically using mobile devices at the premise of a business to receive the discount and publicize the item. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Generally in modern stores many potential customers browse available products but only a small percent of the browsing actually results in sales. It is estimated that in some businesses 90% of the people browse products and leave without purchasing. Some of the reasons for unrealized sales are lack of information about the product when standing in front of it, or dissatisfaction with the price. In contrast when purchasing online you can search for information about the product but you lack the experience of seeing the product live. 
         [0003]    In stores the retailer needs to invest in sales people to provide information to the customers; however many customers are intimidated by salespeople that ask them if they need help, especially when they are only beginning to look. Additionally, most modern stores have fixed prices and it is not accepted for customers to haggle over the price at the check out especially when other customers are waiting on line. 
         [0004]    As a result retailers generally receive little feedback regarding unfulfilled consumer interest in their products. Most potential customers simply leave without notifying the retailer that they are interested in a product but need more information, would like a reduction or would purchase the item at a specific price. Accordingly, the retailer has no way of knowing if a specific price for a product might be translated into enhanced sales, or if the potential customers might be interested in similar products in a different price range. Likewise, the retailer generally has no way to contact potential customers after they walk away. 
         [0005]    Many businesses also offer discount coupons as an incentive to attract customers to purchase at the premise of their business or to purchase their products at other stores. Generally the coupons are distributed with other products or in newspapers and magazines. The coupons serve as publicity for the business, their products and provide an incentive for customers to arrive at the premise of the business and purchase specific products. 
         [0006]    Consumers may visit businesses, view their products and refrain from purchasing them due to the price or since they expect that they can acquire a coupon and purchase the item later with a discount. 
         [0007]    In recent years the use of electronic coupons has been introduced. Some coupons can be obtained by accessing a web site and registering to receive a reduction at a store or by printing out a coupon. This method generally requires that the user search for coupons and plan purchases before arriving at the store. This method will prevent spontaneous purchases with a discount at a store. Also the retailer only benefits from the initial publication and not from the actual transaction. 
         [0008]    In other methods the retailer sends emails or text messages to potential customers regarding various products. This method requires that the retailer obtain large lists of potential customers and is generally referred to as spam, since most of the recipients are not interested in receiving the emails or purchasing the products offered. Typically the response rate is low and a potential customer in a store may be unaware of such offers and not purchase an item, which the customer would have purchased if they had been aware of the offer. On the other hand just reducing the price for all customers in the store does not generally increase consumer awareness and draw in more potential customers. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    An aspect of an embodiment of the disclosure relates to a system and method for a customer to receive discounts for an item at a store by publicizing the item in a social network of which the customer is a member. The method is performed by entering an item code that appears on or near the item to the mobile device. The item is then added to a wish list of the customer, so that the customer may view the details of the item and available discounts offered for the item with social network publicity requirements to obtain the discount. The customer may perform the social network publicity action and receive a discount code that can be redeemed upon checking out with the item. Optionally, the customer may order the item at a later date based on the details in the wish list. 
         [0010]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the item code is scanned into the mobile device using a scanning device such as a digital camera that is part of the device. Optionally, the item code is provided as a quick response (QR) code that appears on the package of the item or on a sign near the item. Alternatively or additionally, the item code can be entered manually by the customer (e.g. typing in an alphanumeric code). In some embodiments of the invention, the code may be provided by other means, for example using Bluetooth, RFID or NFC. 
         [0011]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the social network publicity requirements are per item, for example performing “like” to the item in the customer&#39;s Facebook account. Another example is posting the item on the wall of the customer&#39;s Facebook account so that the customer&#39;s friends will see the item or receive notification that the customer is interacting with the item (e.g. retrieving information about it or purchasing it). Alternatively or additionally, social network publicity requirements are per retailer, for example that the customer signs up to receive emails and/or other notifications from the retailer, or that the customer notifies friends linked to his/her social network that he/she is currently located at the retailer&#39;s store and interacting with items there. Optionally, different social network publicity requirements provide different discounts, for example dependent on the exposure size of the method or dependent on the number of links the customer has in his/her social network that are exposed to the publication action. 
         [0012]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the method also supports second tier customer interaction wherein friends of the customer may also add the item to their wish list and publicize it in their social network, for example performing “like” or posting it on their wall. Optionally, second tier customers may order the item and have it delivered without actually visiting the store. 
         [0013]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the device used by the customer in the store is a Smartphone or mobile telephone that communicates over a cellular network. Alternatively, the mobile device is a tablet computer, net-book computer laptop computer or similar device and it communicates over a wireless network with Internet access at the premise of the retailer or by having independent access to the Internet (e.g. over a cellular network). 
         [0014]    There is thus provided according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, a method of receiving a discount in exchange for social media advertising for items in a store, comprising: 
         [0015]    Finding an item of interest at a store by a customer with a mobile device that is configured to execute a discount application; wherein an item code is displayed on or near the item; 
         [0016]    Entering the item code into the mobile device; 
         [0017]    Communicating the item code to a server computer to retrieve information about the item; 
         [0018]    Retrieving the information about the item from the server, wherein the information includes one or more discount options that are provided responsive to publication of the item in a social network in which the customer participates; 
         [0019]    Storing the information about the item and the discount options in a list that is accessible by the mobile device. 
         [0020]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises: 
         [0021]    Selecting a desired discount option; 
         [0022]    Publicizing the item in the social network in which the customer participates; 
         [0023]    Receiving a discount code from the server. 
         [0024]    Optionally, the method further comprises: 
         [0025]    Revealing the discount code when checking out at the store to receive a discount for the item. 
         [0026]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises: 
         [0027]    Offering customers at the checkout to generate a donation, where a specific sum or percent of the sale will be donated to a charitable cause by the retailer, responsive to publicizing the donation in the social network account of the customer; 
         [0028]    Entering a donation code to initiate the donation. 
         [0029]    Optionally, the method further comprises: 
         [0030]    Ordering the item at any location or time based on the information in the list and providing the discount code. 
         [0031]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises: 
         [0032]    Viewing the publication of the item in the social network in which the customer participates by a friend of the customer using a computing device; and 
         [0033]    Adding the item to a list at the friends computing device. 
         [0034]    Optionally, the method further comprises: 
         [0035]    Ordering the item by the friend from the list at the friends computing device. 
         [0036]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises: 
         [0037]    Notifying a store manager that one or more customers entered the item code of a specific item into their mobile device; 
         [0038]    Updating the server to notify the one or more customers of a notification related to the item. 
         [0039]    Optionally, entering the item code is performed by scanning the code with a digital camera of the device. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the item code is a quick response code. Optionally, the mobile device is a mobile telephone. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the mobile device is a Smartphone. Alternatively, the mobile device is a not a mobile telephone. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the list is stored at the server. Alternatively, the list is stored on the mobile device. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, different types of publication provide discount options with different size discounts. Optionally, a publication with a larger exposure receives a larger discount. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the size of the discount is a function of the size of the customer&#39;s social network. Optionally, the mobile device communicates with the server over a wireless Internet network. Alternatively, the mobile device communicates with the server over a cellular wireless network. 
         [0040]    There is further provided according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, a system for receiving discounts for an item in a store, comprising: 
         [0041]    A server computer for executing a discount application having a server handling component, a retailer handling component and a customer handling component; 
         [0042]    Wherein the retailer component is configured to accept details of a retailer and details of items sold by the retailer at the store; 
         [0043]    Wherein the customer handling component is configured to communicate with a mobile device used by the customer at the store and receive from the mobile device an item code that is displayed on or near the item in the store; 
         [0044]    Wherein the server handling component is configured to provide the mobile device with information related to the item and one or more discount options that are provided responsive to publication of the item in a social network in which the customer participates. 
         [0045]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the customer handling component is configured to accept the selection of a discount option by the mobile device and generates or verifies publication of the item or the retailer in a social network in which the customer participates; and 
         [0046]    Responsive to the verification, provide the mobile device with a discount code for the customer to receive a discount for the item when checking out at the store. 
         [0047]    Optionally, the retailer handling component is configured to notify a retailer that one or more customers entered the item code of a specific item and receive from the retailer notifications related to the specific item; and transfer the notifications to one or more customers. 
         [0048]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the details of the items sold in the store include a description of the item, an item code, and one or more discount options that are provided responsive to publication of the item or the retailer in a social network in which the customer participates. Optionally, different types of publications provide the customer with different size discounts. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0049]    The present disclosure will be understood and better appreciated from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings. Identical structures, elements or parts, which appear in more than one figure, are generally labeled with the same or similar number in all the figures in which they appear, wherein: 
           [0050]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a system for purchasing with a discount in exchange for social media advertising, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0051]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a method of purchasing with a discount in exchange for social media advertising, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0052]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of a mobile device with a mobile discount application displaying a selected scanned item, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0053]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of a mobile device with a discount application after receiving a discount message, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0054]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of a mobile device with a discount application showing a customer wish list, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; and 
           [0055]      FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of a discount application, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0056]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a system  100  for purchasing with a discount in exchange for social media advertising, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Nowadays mobile devices such as mobile telephones have become commonplace personal appliances that are carried around by customers as they are shopping in stores.  FIG. 1  shows a customer  130  carrying a mobile device  140  in a store  115 . Optionally, the mobile device  140  includes an imaging device  145  such as a built-in digital camera. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the store offers various items  122  for sale. Optionally, each item is displayed with an item code  123  that identifies the item and wherein the code  123  can be scanned into the mobile device  140  by the imaging device  145 . In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the code  123  is a quick response (QR) code. Alternatively, code  123  may be a standard barcode or any type of alphanumeric code that can be scanned into the mobile device or typed in by the customer. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure customer  130  is offered a discount in purchasing the item in exchange for publicizing the item in a social network in which the customer  130  participates. 
         [0057]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure mobile device  140  is a mobile telephone, for example an iPhone or other type of Smartphone. Alternatively, the mobile device may be a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet, a standard cellular telephone or other type of mobile device with a memory and processor capable of performing the application disclosed herein. 
         [0058]    Optionally, mobile device  140  may use other input means such as an RFID reader, Bluetooth, a barcode reader, or other input devices to accept the item code  123  from item  122 . 
         [0059]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, mobile device  140  communicates over a network  150  with an application server  160 . Network  150  may be a wireless cellular mobile network or a local wireless internet network. Optionally, Server  160  can be a general purpose computer with a memory and processor that executes a discount application  180 . In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure server  160  includes a database  162 . Database  162  stores the lists and details of participating items, retailers, available discounts, transactions and other information needed for discount application  180  according to the disclosure below. 
         [0060]    In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a retailer uses a general purpose workstation  170  to access server  160  and provide item information, discount details and any other information required from the retailer. Optionally, retailer workstation  170  may be connected to server  160  over a wired or wireless connection (e.g. over the Internet), since retailer workstation  170  does not need to be mobile. 
         [0061]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a method  200  of purchasing with a discount in exchange for social media advertising, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the customer activates ( 210 ) discount application  180  on mobile device  140 . Optionally, mobile device  140  receives discount application  180  by downloading it from server  160  or some other server. Alternatively, discount application  180  functions as a web application and is accessed from a web browser (e.g. Safari, Android browser) on mobile device  140  while interacting with server  160 . 
         [0062]    Optionally, discount application  180  allows the customer  130  to scan ( 220 ) the item code  123  that identifies items  122  and provides the customer  130  with the ability to act on the item  122 . In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the item details will be displayed on a display of mobile device  140 . Optionally the details may include: 
         [0063]    1. Retailer name/logo; 
         [0064]    2. Item pictures (e.g. 0-9 pictures); 
         [0065]    3. Item name; 
         [0066]    4. Brand name; 
         [0067]    5. Item price; 
         [0068]    6. Item SKU (stock keeping unit); 
         [0069]    7. Item variations (e.g. sizes, colors); 
         [0070]    8. Item description; 
         [0071]    9. General information about the item; 
         [0072]    10. Comparison to similar items; 
         [0073]    11. Links to additional information. 
         [0074]    In some embodiments of the disclosure, mobile device  140  does not have an imaging device  145  and the customer  130  types in the item code  123 . Alternatively, or additionally, the mobile device may use other inputs, such as Bluetooth, or an RFID reader. Once the item code  123  is entered the item is added ( 230 ) to a customer wish list  360  (shown in  FIG. 5 ), which keeps track of items of interest to the customer. 
         [0075]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, customer  130  can view ( 240 ) the details of any item in the wish list  360  and discounts that are available for the items. Optionally, customer  130  is provided with one or more discount options from which he/she may select ( 250 ). The discount options require that the customer publicize the item or the retailer (e.g. the name of the store/manufacturer) in a social network account of customer  130 , for example in the customer&#39;s face book account or Tweeter account. Optionally, the discount is per item, for example by performing “like” for the item, or posting the item on the user&#39;s Face-book wall. Alternatively, or additionally, the discount is applied per store, for example by joining a retailer mailing list or by performing “check in” to the store, an action which notifies the customer&#39;s friends and followers that the customer  130  is located at the store  115 . In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure the discount application  180  automatically generates the publication for the customer  130  once the customer  130  selects a discount. 
         [0076]    Activation of the discount process optionally requires that the customer  130  first login to his/her social network account and/or to discount application  180 , select ( 250 ) the desired type of discount and perform ( 260 ) the required publication action to receive the discount or have it performed by the discount application  180 . Alternatively, discount application  180  may automatically load the login screen for the customer&#39;s social network account so that the customer can login before continuing with the discount process. 
         [0077]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of mobile device  140  displaying a mobile discount application  300  displaying a selected scanned item  122 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, discount application  300  shows one or more pictures  310  of the item (e.g. 0-9 pictures and/or videos). Optionally, all the pictures may be shown simultaneously or the customer  130  may scroll through the pictures sequentially. Discount application  300  may also show a description  320  of the item including some or all of the details mentioned above. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, discount application  300  displays an area  330  that lets the customer select the type of publication and a corresponding discount, for example if the customer performs a “like” for the item the customer  130  will receive a 5% discount, while if the customer shares the item on the wall of the customer&#39;s Facebook page, the customer  130  is awarded a 7% discount. Optionally, the discount may be higher if the publication is greater and lower if the publication is considered less exposing. In some embodiments of the disclosure the size of the discount may be a function of the number of links (e.g. friends/followers) the customer has in his/her social network. Alternatively or additionally, the discount may be increased if the customer has more than a pre-selected number of links. 
         [0078]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, application  300  may include selection buttons ( 342  (scan),  344  (my stuff)) in a selection area  340  that allows the customer  130  to activate the scan process for an item  122  or to review the wish list  360  of the items that the customer  130  dealt with. 
         [0079]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, after performing a publication the customer  130  receives ( 270 ) a message with the discount details. The message may include details such as a discount code value, a discount amount, a start date, expiry date and the item details. Optionally, the discount code will be added to the details of the item in the customer&#39;s wish list  360 . The customer can then redeem the code by providing its value at the store check out or at a later date as explained below. 
         [0080]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of mobile device  140  with discount application  300  after receiving a discount message  350 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the discount message  350  and any other message or notification from server  160  or retailer workstation  170  to mobile device  140  may be in the form of an email, an SMS or as an internal application notification provided directly to discount application  300 . Optionally, discount application  300  incorporates the message in the application and can then provide an alert so that customer  130  will be notified to review the message or notification. 
         [0081]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of mobile device  140  with discount application  300  showing the customer wish list  360 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Optionally, every scan is initially recorded in wish list  360 . If customer  130  requests a discount, the discount message  350  is recorded in wish list  360 . Optionally, even if customer  130  does not request a discount the scanned items details are recorded as a line  370  in wish list  360 . Optionally, an item  122  in the wish list  360  indicates that the customer has an interest in the item, either by immediately downloading a discount code and purchasing the item, or by initiating the discount process and purchase at a later date using the mobile device. Alternatively, the customer can wait for a price mark-down to purchase the item  122  at a lower price. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, retailer workstation  170  receives notification of customers interested in a specific item  122 . Optionally, the retailer may provide various notifications, for example notification of a price markdown, a special discount or a group sale to the customers  130  that placed the item  122  in their wish list. A customer that receives ( 280 ) such a notification from retailer workstation  170  can come to store  115  and perform the discount process described above by publicizing ( 250 ) the item in his/her social network account. Optionally, the customer may order the item online although additional shipping charges may be applied. 
         [0082]    In some embodiments of the disclosure, the notification from retailer workstation  170  might automatically provide the discount without requiring additional publication. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure customer  130  may delete items from wish list  360  so that he/she will not receive notifications related to the item  122 . 
         [0083]    In some embodiments of the invention, upon receiving notification from a retailer customer  130  can respond by ordering the item so that it will be reserved for the customer at the store  115 , for example for a limited time. Optionally, the customer  130  may collect the item  122  at a later date and then pay for the item. In some embodiments of the disclosure application  300  may enable customer  130  to pay for item  122  using mobile device  140 . Optionally, the retailer may ship the item to customer  130  so that customer  130  does not need to visit/return to store  115  to purchase the item  122 . 
         [0084]    In some embodiments of the disclosure, friends or followers of the customer may respond to the customer&#39;s publication from their computing device and add the item  122  to their wish list  360  without physically seeing the item  122  and scanning the item code  123 . Optionally, such customers are referred to as second tier customers and they may be allowed to perform the same processes with application  300  as the first tier customers that actually scanned the item  122 . Optionally, second tier customers may order items from their wish list  360  publicize them in their social network and receive discounts like first tier customers. It should be noted that second tier customers may act from a general purpose desktop computer or any other type of computing device, since they do not need to visit the store with the computing device. 
         [0085]    In some embodiments of the disclosure the retailer can benefit from having a list of costumers  130  interested in an item to acquire a price reduction, to trigger a group sale or to get rid of a specific item  122  at a discount, for example an out of season item or overstocked item. 
         [0086]    In some embodiments of the disclosure, a customer is limited to a single discount per item or per store/retailer. Alternatively, the customer may be allowed a specific number of discounts, per day or other time period, per store, or per item. 
         [0087]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, a retailer may have a general donation item code that can be offered to customers at the check out. Optionally, a customer purchasing over a minimum amount may be offered to scan the general donation code and the retailer will donate a specific sum or percent of the sale to a specific charitable cause or one selected by the customer. Optionally, in exchange the user will be required to publicize the donation in the social network as described above for receiving a discount. For example, the customer may publicize on his/her Facebook wall that he/she initiated a donation to the charitable cause by the retailer. 
         [0088]      FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of discount application  180 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Discount application  180  is executed on server  160  and communicates with retailer workstations  170  and mobile devices  140 . In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, discount application  180  includes three components: 
         [0089]    1. a server handling component  610  that stores and extracts retailer information, customer information, item information and transaction information, and coordinates between the other components; 
         [0090]    2. a retailer handling component  620  that interacts with retailers to allow them to upload information (e.g. item details, pictures, prices, possible discounts), update information and retrieve information (e.g. the number of customers interested in an item); and 
         [0091]    3. a customer handling component  630  that interacts with mobile devices  140  providing for example item information, discount information, discount codes, and recording transactions performed by the mobile device. 
         [0092]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, server handling component  610  may keep a database of registered customers, registered retailers, an item list for each retailer. 
         [0093]    Registered customer information may include: 
         [0094]    1. Name; 
         [0095]    2. Email; 
         [0096]    3. Mobile number; 
         [0097]    4. Mailing address; 
         [0098]    5. Login name and password; 
         [0099]    6. Items in customer&#39;s wish list; 
         [0100]    7. Items purchased; 
         [0101]    8. Enrollment date; 
         [0102]    And other related information. 
         [0103]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, a customer&#39;s mobile device  140  may use imaging device  145  to scan item code  123 . Optionally, the mobile device  140  may access server  160  using a standard web browser (e.g. iPhone Safari or Android Browser) or may download a dedicated application that serves as an agent for accessing server  160 . Optionally, customer interaction details may be recorded on server  160  or may be recorded on the customer mobile device  140  or at both locations. In some embodiments of the disclosure server application  180  provides customer  140  with the item details, pictures, discounts and other related information. Optionally, server  160  keeps track of the items scanned by the customer and provides the information to the customer when queried by the mobile device  140 . 
         [0104]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, retailer information may include: 
         [0105]    1. Retailer name; 
         [0106]    2. Store address/GPS location; 
         [0107]    3. Enrollment date; 
         [0108]    4. Billing/contact details; 
         [0109]    5. Item codes provided by the retailer; 
         [0110]    6. Retailer logo; 
         [0111]    And other related information. 
         [0112]    Optionally, a retailer uses a dedicated application or a standard web browser (e.g. Explore, Chrome or Firefox) to access server  160 . The retailer logs on to the server application  180  and then can add items, remove items or update details from the retailer&#39;s item list. Optionally, the retailer is provided with the ability to access details of customers that scanned the retailer&#39;s items, so that the retailer may offer price updates or other sale options to customers that added an item to their wish list  360 . In some embodiments of the disclosure, the retailer can only provide notifications to customers through server application  180  and is not provided directly with customer details, to protect the customers  130  from misuse of the information. 
         [0113]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, item information may include: 
         [0114]    1. Name; 
         [0115]    2. Category; 
         [0116]    3. Sub-category; 
         [0117]    4. Brand name; 
         [0118]    5. Price; 
         [0119]    6. Discount options; 
         [0120]    7. Number of times scanned by customers; 
         [0121]    8. Number of times discounts were requested for the item; 
         [0122]    9. Number of customers with item currently on their wish list; 
         [0123]    10. Pictures; 
         [0124]    11. SKU (stock keeping unit); 
         [0125]    12. Variations (e.g. sizes, colors); 
         [0126]    13. Description; 
         [0127]    Optionally, when a user is located at a retailer&#39;s store the user will scan item codes  123  and receive item details from discount application  180  on server  160 . 
         [0128]    It should be appreciated that the above described methods and apparatus may be varied in many ways, including omitting or adding steps, changing the order of steps and the type of devices used. It should be appreciated that different features may be combined in different ways. In particular, not all the features shown above in a particular embodiment are necessary in every embodiment of the disclosure. Further combinations of the above features are also considered to be within the scope of some embodiments of the disclosure. It will also be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove.