Online commerce in buyer items with incidental free raffle tickets
First Claim
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1. An online commerce method performed by an online commerce entity which manages an online marketplace in which buyers purchase buyer items, the method comprising the steps of:
- giving buyers raffle tickets at no charge incidental to their purchase in the online marketplace of buyer items which are not raffle tickets;
listing online raffle items which are not raffle tickets;
accepting raffle tickets submitted by buyers for listed raffle items;
tracking which buyers submit raffle ticket(s) for each of a plurality of raffle items; and
randomly selecting a raffle winner from among buyers who are participating in a given raffle, the winner being selected only if the level of raffle tickets submitted for participation in that raffle reaches a positive qualifying threshold.
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Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed in which raffle tickets are given away with online purchases of other items. Ticket holders may use such a ticket in any one of several raffles. Raffles can be canceled for lack of interest. Charitable donations may be made by an online commerce entity which manages an online marketplace in which the raffle tickets are given away. Also disclosed are methods performed by raffle item suppliers, buyers or suppliers of non-raffle items, and charities, and related systems.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. An online commerce method performed by an online commerce entity which manages an online marketplace in which buyers purchase buyer items, the method comprising the steps of:
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giving buyers raffle tickets at no charge incidental to their purchase in the online marketplace of buyer items which are not raffle tickets;
listing online raffle items which are not raffle tickets;
accepting raffle tickets submitted by buyers for listed raffle items;
tracking which buyers submit raffle ticket(s) for each of a plurality of raffle items; and
randomly selecting a raffle winner from among buyers who are participating in a given raffle, the winner being selected only if the level of raffle tickets submitted for participation in that raffle reaches a positive qualifying threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An online commerce method performed by a raffle item supplier who has legal rights in a raffle item, the method comprising the steps of:
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authorizing an online commerce entity to offer the raffle item in an online raffle for which tickets are given away at no charge in response to buyer item purchases made in an online marketplace;
agreeing to transfer legal rights to a raffle winner if one is randomly selected from among parties who are given raffle tickets in the online marketplace; and
retaining the legal rights if the raffle is canceled due to a relative lack of interest from parties to whom raffle tickets are given in the online marketplace, the parties having a choice of raffles, with a corresponding choice of different raffle items, in any one of which raffles a particular raffle ticket may be used. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. An online commerce method performed by a buyer, the method comprising the steps of:
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purchasing a buyer item in an online marketplace;
receiving a raffle ticket which is given at no charge incidentally to the purchase of the buyer item and which is usable in any one of a plurality of raffles which offer different raffle items as their respective prizes; and
submitting the raffle ticket for use in one of the plurality of raffles to increase the buyer'"'"'s chance of being selected as a winner of that raffle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An online commerce method performed by a charity, the method comprising the steps of:
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entering an agreement with an online commerce entity which expressly permits the online commerce entity to publicize an arrangement between the charity and the online commerce entity by at least publicizing that the charity will receive donations from the online commerce entity in response to buyer participation in a raffle whose tickets are given at no charge to buyers in response to their purchase of buyer items in an online marketplace managed by the online commerce entity; and
receiving a donation from the online commerce entity pursuant to the arrangement between the charity and the online commerce entity. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An online commerce method performed by a buyer item supplier, the method comprising the steps of:
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entering an agreement with an online commerce entity which expressly permits the online commerce entity to advertise a buyer item for sale in an online marketplace that provides a buyer with at least one raffle ticket at no charge when the buyer buys the buyer item and allows the buyer to submit the ticket in any one of a plurality of raffles; and
supplying a description of the buyer item to the online commerce entity to assist in advertising the item in the online marketplace. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An online commerce system comprising:
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a purchasing module for buyers to purchase online buyer items that are not raffle tickets;
a ticket-providing module which gives buyers raffle tickets at no charge incidental to their online purchase of buyer items;
a ticket-accepting module which accepts raffle tickets submitted by buyers and tracks which buyers submit raffle ticket(s) for each of a plurality of raffle items; and
a winner-selecting module which randomly selects a raffle winner from among the buyers who are participating in a given raffle, the winner being selected only if the level of raffle tickets submitted for participation in that raffle reaches a positive qualifying threshold. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification