System and method for electronically auditing point-of-sale transactions

摘要

An automated system and method for electronically auditing point- of- sale transactions is provided. Each retail store outfitted with the present invention has at least partially automated point-of-sale system for processing a retail sales transaction in the normal operation of the retail store. A non-invasive automated electronic auditing system is disposed in each store for monitoring the point-of-sale system in a substantially totally passive manner and for collecting a copy of each retail sales transactions on the point-of-sale system. The electronic auditing system preferably includes a sensor assembly for detecting the processed retail sales transactions and a computer processor coupled to the sensor assembly for processing the detected retail sales transactions. The point-of-sale system operates independently of the electronic auditing system; the electronic auditing system operating responds to the point-of-sale system without requiring any responsive operation by the point-of-sale system and without requiring any modificaiton of the point- of-sale system. An audit system processor is also provided which is remotely located from the retail store for receiving the processed retail sales transaction data for subsequent use by manufacturers.