Patent ID: 8812370

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for providing a customer with enhanced shopping experience at a retail store, comprising: storing information of the customer in a central database coupled to a server computer; receiving, by an access terminal situated in the retail store, an RFID signal that is transmitted from a handheld device of the customer who is entering or in the retail store, the RFID signal carrying an identification that uniquely identifies the customer; responsive to receiving the RFID signal by the access terminal, linking, by the server computer, the customer to information of the customer stored in a central database based on the unique identification of the customer; analyzing, by the server computer, the customer's past shopping habit to predict a plurality of events that potentially interest the customer; displaying in an event notification interface on the access terminal the predicted plurality of events to the customer; displaying a transaction interface on the access terminal that allows the customer to transact at least one of the predicted plurality of events; providing, on the access terminal by the server computer, the stored information of the customer to the customer to allow the customer to: (a) checking on status of an order or a transaction between the customer and the retail store; (b) selecting a payment option for a transaction between the customer and the retail store, the payment option being pre-set and being stored in the central database as a part of the information of the customer; and (c) receiving notification on status of an order or transaction, or an upcoming order or transaction between the customer and the retail store; and based on the analysis of the information of the customer, providing the stored information of the customer to the customer to allow the customer to notifying a store of an entry into or exit from the store by the customer.