Patent ID: 8364520

Claim:
A method for measuring an effectiveness of a product sampling event, comprising: providing a product sample terminal including: i) an identification input unit accept a consumer identification parameter from a consumer that identifies the consumer, the identification input unit being operably coupled to a processor; ii) a product sample storage container receive a plurality of product samples; and iii) a product sample dispenser dispense at least one of the product samples to the consumer upon execution of a product sampling event; matching the consumer identification parameter to a consumer data set stored in a database operably coupled to the processor; retrieving a consumer characteristic from the consumer data set pertaining to the consumer, wherein the consumer characteristic provides instructions to the processor to execute the product sampling event; assigning a product sample attribute to the product sampling event; and causing the product sample attribute to be stored in the database corresponding to the consumer data set; determining whether the consumer purchased a product corresponding to the product sample at a purchase site; accepting purchase item data associated with the purchased item presented by the consumer at the purchase site; comparing purchase item data to the product sample attribute to determine whether the purchase item data matches the product sample attribute for the purchased item; aggregating the consumer identification parameter, product sample attribute, and purchase item data; assigning a promotional event value to the product sampling event.