Reservation gift card

• US 20050246230A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Murray, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,510,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.360
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user

Abstract

A method of using a stored-value card to reserve an item includes providing a stored-value card to a customer prior to the release date of an item, adding value to the stored-value card prior to the release date of the item, and reserving the item with the stored-value card. Other method and product embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of using a stored-value card to reserve an item, comprising:

providing a stored-value card to a customer prior to the release date of an item;

adding value to the stored-value card prior to the release date of the item; and

reserving the item with the stored-value card.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing comprises displaying the stored-value card to multiple customers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the displaying includes supporting multiple stored-value cards simultaneously on a display in a retail store.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing comprises releasably affixing the stored-value card to a substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adding comprises presenting the stored-value card to an employee of a retail store.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adding comprises updating a record of a monetary balance for the card in an electronic database.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, on or after the release date, receiving the stored-value card from a bearer of the stored-value card.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing the reserved item to the bearer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving additional value from the bearer in connection with providing the reserved item to the bearer.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising applying the value added to the card for purchase of an item other than the reserved item.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying the value added to the card for purchase of an item other than the reserved item.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising holding the reserved item for the customer or customer'"'"'s designee for a predetermined period of time after the release date.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising ceasing to hold the reserved item after the predetermined period of time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the ceasing to hold comprises reducing the value loaded on the stored-value card.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding additional value to the stored-value card for purchase of one or more items other than the reserved item.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing comprises providing to a customer a stored-value card having zero initial value.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the adding comprises activating the stored-value card.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the adding comprises adding a deposit that is less than a full purchase price for the item.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a receipt to the customer for the added value.

20. A method of tracking pre-sales of a new release, comprising:

providing a reservation card to a customer prior to a release date of the new release;

having the customer load monetary value on the card toward purchase of the new release; and

tracking the number of reservation cards loaded with the monetary value, to track pre-sales of the new release.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the providing comprises providing a zero-initial-value reservation card to the customer.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the providing comprises displaying the reservation card in a retail store with unrestricted access to the card by multiple customers.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining order quantities from a vendor of the new release in view of the tracked pre-sales.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising tracking redemption of the reservation cards.

25. A reservation gift card assembly, comprising:

a substrate;

a reservation gift card supported by the substrate, the reservation gift card defining an activation area adapted for loading of the reservation gift card with monetary value; and

indicia on the reservation gift card and/or the substrate directing a purchaser of the reservation gift card to make a down payment to reserve a pre-release item and to present the reservation gift card to pick up the reserved item.

26. The reservation gift card assembly of claim 25, further comprising indicia on the reservation gift card and/or the substrate indicating that the reserved item will be held for a predetermined period of time after a release date for the item.

27. The reservation gift card assembly of claim 25, further comprising indicia on the reservation gift card and/or the substrate indicating that the reservation gift card can be used to purchase one or more items other than the reserved item.

28. The reservation gift card assembly of claim 25, further comprising indicia on the reservation gift card and/or the substrate indicating that the reservation gift card has no value until the down payment is made.

29. A method of making a reservation gift card assembly, comprising:

providing a substrate;

supporting a reservation gift card on the substrate, the reservation gift card defining an activation area adapted for loading of the reservation gift card with monetary value; and

providing indicia on the reservation gift card and/or the substrate directing a purchaser of the reservation gift card to make a down payment to reserve a pre-release item and to present the reservation gift card to pick up the reserved item.

30. A reservation stored-value card assembly, comprising:

a reservation stored-value card defining means for loading the reservation stored-value card with monetary value; and

means for directing a purchaser of the reservation stored-value card to make a down payment to reserve a pre-release item and to present the reservation stored-value card to pick up the reserved item.