Personalized gift cards for imaging products and services

• US 20050275870A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shutterfly, LLC
• Original Assignee: Shutterfly Incorporated (Shutterfly, LLC)
• Inventors: Wen, Xin, Muzzolini, Russ Ennio, Smith, Jeannine Marie, Teo, Patrick C., Elarde, Peter Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/045 Multi-part cards or sheets, i.e. combined with detachably mounted articles
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 5/04 Calendar blocks special apparatus for printing calendars B41F17/04 perpetual calendars G09D3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method for producing a gift card for a gift imaging product, comprises receiving an order of the gift imaging product from a user, producing the gift imaging product, producing the gift card by the user for the gift imaging product; and consolidating the gift card with the gift imaging product into one package.

Claims

1. A method for producing a gift card for a gift imaging product, comprising:

a) receiving an order of the gift imaging product from a user;

b) producing the gift imaging product;

c) producing the gift card by the user for the gift imaging product; and

d) consolidating the gift card with the gift imaging product into one package.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the gift card includes a personalized message selected or provided by the user for a recipient of the gift imaging product.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the gift card includes an image selected or provided by the user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the gift card includes an image that is related to the gift imaging product.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the gift card includes a machine-readable symbol or an alphanumerical symbol for matching with gift imaging product in the consolidation of the gift card and the gift imaging product.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the gift imaging product includes personalized image or text information provided by the user.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising

e) entering recipient information by the user.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising

e) providing a gift card comprising non-personalized information;

f) providing personalized information by the user; and

g) printing personalized information on the gift card comprising non-personalized information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the order of the gift imaging product is submitted by a user at a computer terminal and received by a server that is remote to the computer terminal.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the gift imaging product and the gift card are ordered at a retail location.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the production of the gift card includes:

i) printing personalized information by the user on a receiver; and

ii) folding the receiver to produce a folded gift card.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the production of the gift card includes printing personalized information by a user on a receiver comprising photosensitive materials.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the gift imaging product includes an imaging service.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

e) producing the gift imaging product.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

e) shipping the gift card and the gift imaging product.

16. A method for producing a gift card for a gift product, comprising:

a) receiving an order of the gift product from a user;

b) producing the gift card having personalized information provided by the user; and

c) consolidating the gift card with the gift product into one shipping package.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the gift card includes a personalized message selected or provided by the user for a recipient of the gift product.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the gift card includes an image selected or provided by the user.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the gift card includes an image that is related to the gift product.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the gift card includes a machine-readable symbol or an alphanumerical symbol for matching with imaging gift product in the consolidation of the gift card and the imaging gift product.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the ordering of the gift product includes entering recipient information by the user.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the order of the gift product is submitted by a user at a computer terminal and received by a server that is remote to the computer terminal.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the gift product and the gift card are ordered at a retail location.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising

e) providing a gift card comprising non-personalized information;

f) providing personalized information by the user; and

g) printing personalized information on the gift card comprising non-personalized information.

25. A method for producing a gift card for a gift service, comprising:

a) receiving an order of the gift service from a user for a recipient;

b) producing the gift card for the gift service, wherein the gift card includes personalized information provided by the user; and

c) sending the gift card and information about the gift service to the recipient.

26. A gift product, comprising:

a) a product ordered by a user for a recipient;

b) a gift card including personalized information provided by the user; and

c) a shipping package to be sent to the recipient, containing the imaging product and the gift card.

27. A system for producing a gift card for a gift order, comprising:

a) a server to receive the gift order and personalized information for the gift card associated with the gift;

b) a computer terminal in remote connection with the server for a user to send the gift order and personalized information to the server; and

c) a printing and finishing facility to produce the gift card and to ship the gift and the gift card to a user-specified recipient.