Systems and methods for facilitating purchases

• US 10,032,193 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Mendivil, Marty Lee, Burks, Rickey Dale, Oakes, III, Charles Lee, Bueche, Jr., Michael Patrick, Jackson, Christopher A., Tuschinski, Margaret M., Kincaid, Craig, Gradeless, Luke James, Jackson, Elizabeth, Basilotto, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Masud, Rokib
• Application Number:
  US14/204,183
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 705 263, 705 2682, 705 37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Methods and systems for facilitating a program with participating merchants and consumers are described. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a wish list of a user. The wish list may include items or services sold by merchants participating in the program. The wish list may be published to the merchants participating in the program. A location of the user may be determined, and an offer from one of the participating merchants may be received, where the offer is based on the location of the user. A total cost of the offer may be calculated by analyzing the offer. The user may be notified of the offer and the total cost.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a reverse auction system, a wish list of a user, wherein the wish list includes items or services sold by merchants participating in a reverse auction program;

publishing the wish list to the merchants participating in the reverse auction program;

identifying a physical location of the user based on a location of a device associated with the user;

receiving one or more offers for one of the items or services, the one or more offers received from at least one of the merchants participating in the reverse auction program, the one or more offers based at least in part on the identified physical location of the user;

analyzing, by a processor of the reverse auction system, the one or more offers to calculate a total cost of each of the one or more offers to the user, wherein calculating the total cost of the one or more offers comprises determining shipping costs or driving costs for the user to obtain the item or service based on the user'"'"'s identified physical location; and

notifying the user of the one or more offers and the total cost of each of the one or more offers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving acceptance of one of the one or more offers, completing a purchase with the merchant whose offer was accepted.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more offers includes an offer for more than one item or service on the wish list.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

depositing, for the user, funds into an escrow account for the user, the funds in accordance with a price the user is willing to pay for each item listed on the wish list.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising publishing, by the processor of the reverse auction system, the total cost of the one or more offers so that each merchant can view the total cost of the one or more offers and provide a competing offer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aggregating the wish list associated with the user and a wish list associated with a second user to negotiate on behalf of the user and the second user.

7. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising non-transitory computer-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, direct the one or more processors to:

receive a wish list of a user, wherein the wish list includes items or services sold by merchants participating in a reverse auction program;

publish the wish list to the merchants participating in the reverse auction program;

identify a physical location of the user based on a location of a device associated with the user;

receive one or more offers for one of the items or services on the wish list, the one or more offers received from at least one of the merchants participating in the reverse auction program, the one or more offers based at least in part on the identified physical location of the user;

analyze the one or more offers to calculate a total cost of each of the one or more offers to the user, wherein calculating the total cost of the one or more offers comprises determining shipping costs or driving costs for the user to obtain the item or service based on the user'"'"'s identified physical location;

publish the total cost of the one or more offers so that each merchant can view the total cost of the one or more offers and provide a competing offer; and

notify the user of the one or more offers and the total cost of the each of the one or more offers to the user.

8. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, further direct the one or more processors to complete a purchase with the merchant whose offer was accepted upon receiving acceptance of one of the one or more offers.

9. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the one or more offers includes an offer for more than one item or service on the wish list.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, further direct the one or more processors to automatically accept one of the one or more offers for the user when the total cost is at or below an amount specified by the user.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein calculating the total cost of the one or more offers further includes a price of the item or service and a cost of time to the user.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, further direct the one or more processors to aggregate the wish list associated with the user and a wish list associated with a second user to negotiate on behalf of the user and the second user.

13. A system, comprising:

a database for storing a wish list of a user, wherein the wish list includes items or services sold by merchants participating in a reverse auction program;

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor operable to execute software modules, the software modules comprising;

a module configured to publish the wish list to the merchants participating in the reverse auction program;

a module configured to identify a physical location of the user based on a location of a device associated with the user;

a module configured to receive one or more offers for one of the items or services, the one or more offers received from at least one of the merchants participating in the reverse auction program, the one or more offers based at least in part on the identified physical location of the user;

a module configured to analyze the one or more offers to calculate a total cost of each of the one or more offers to the user, wherein calculating the total cost of the one or more offers comprises determining shipping costs or driving costs for the user to obtain the item or service based on the user'"'"'s identified physical location; and

a module configured to notify the user of the one or more offers and the total cost of each of the one or more offers.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the software modules further comprise a module configured to complete a purchase with the merchant whose offer was accepted upon receiving acceptance of one of the one or more offers.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more offers include an offer for more than one item or service on the wish list.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the software modules further comprise a module configured to publish the total cost of the one or more offers so that each merchant can view the total cost of the one or more offers and provide a competing offer.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the software modules further comprise a module configured to aggregate the wish list associated with the user and a wish list associated with a second user to negotiate on behalf of the user and the second user.