Purchase and rebate method
First Claim
1. A purchase and rebate method comprising the steps of:
- facilitating the purchase by a purchaser of a good or service from a seller;
wherein the consideration for said purchase is a purchase price X;
allocating an amount Y that is a percentage of said purchase price X for refund to said purchaser;
establishing a minimum amount Z that a purchaser must accumulate through at least one said purchase in order to qualify for a refund of substantially all of said purchase price X;
establishing a maximum period of time in which a purchaser must accumulate said minimum amount Z;
allowing a purchaser to receive a refund of a portion of said amount Y where a request for said refund is received at a time when said minimum amount Z has not been achieved within said maximum period of time; and
allowing a purchaser to receive a refund of substantially all of said amount Z where a request for said refund is received at a time after said minimum amount has been achieved within said maximum period of time.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A purchase and rebate method comprises the steps of facilitating a purchase by a purchaser of a good or service from a seller and allocating a percentage of the purchase price for the benefit of the seller. The purchaser'"'"'s rights to the amounts so allocated will preferably depend on whether the purchaser is able to accumulate at least a minimum amount of allocated funds, and whether the purchaser may do so within a preferably pre-established period of time. Where the purchaser does not achieve the minimum allocation within the established period of time, the purchaser may preferably obtain a refund of at least a portion of the allocated amount. Where the purchaser achieves the minimum allocation within the established period of time, the allocated amount is preferably placed into a financial instrument. Thereafter, the purchaser may obtain a refund of substantially all of the allocated amount.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A purchase and rebate method comprising the steps of:
-
facilitating the purchase by a purchaser of a good or service from a seller;
wherein the consideration for said purchase is a purchase price X;
allocating an amount Y that is a percentage of said purchase price X for refund to said purchaser;
establishing a minimum amount Z that a purchaser must accumulate through at least one said purchase in order to qualify for a refund of substantially all of said purchase price X;
establishing a maximum period of time in which a purchaser must accumulate said minimum amount Z;
allowing a purchaser to receive a refund of a portion of said amount Y where a request for said refund is received at a time when said minimum amount Z has not been achieved within said maximum period of time; and
allowing a purchaser to receive a refund of substantially all of said amount Z where a request for said refund is received at a time after said minimum amount has been achieved within said maximum period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A purchase and rebate method comprising the steps of:
-
facilitating the purchase by a purchaser of a good or service from a seller;
wherein the consideration for said purchase is a purchase price X;
allocating an amount Y that is a percentage of said purchase price X for refund to said purchaser;
establishing a minimum amount Z that a purchaser must accumulate through at least one said purchase in order to qualify for a refund of substantially all of said purchase price X;
establishing a maximum period of time in which a purchaser must accumulate said minimum amount Z;
allowing a purchaser to receive a refund of a portion of said amount Y where a request for said refund is received at a time when said minimum amount Z has not been achieved within said maximum period of time;
wherein said portion is approximately 80%;
allowing a purchaser to receive a refund of substantially all of said amount Z where a request for said refund is received at a time after said minimum amount has been achieved within said maximum period of time;
where said minimum amount Z has been achieved within said maximum period of time, placing said minimum amount Z into a financial instrument;
wherein said financial instrument is a tax-deferred annuity;
wherein said financial instrument has a maturity period, at which time a value of said financial instrument will be at least substantially equal to said purchase price X; and
allowing a purchaser to receive a refund of substantially all of said purchase price X where a request for said refund is received at a time after said maturity period of said financial instrument has been achieved. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A purchase and rebate method comprising the steps of:
-
facilitating the purchase by a purchaser of a good or service from a seller;
wherein the consideration for said purchase is a purchase price X;
allocating an amount Y that is a percentage of said purchase price X for refund to said purchaser;
establishing a minimum amount Z that a purchaser must accumulate through at least one said purchase in order to qualify for a refund of substantially all of said purchase price X;
wherein said minimum amount Z is in the range of between approximately $3,000 and approximately $5,000;
establishing a maximum period of time in which a purchaser must accumulate said minimum amount Z;
wherein said maximum period of time is approximately five years;
allowing a purchaser to receive a refund of a portion of said amount Y where a request for said refund is received at a time when said minimum amount Z has not been achieved within said maximum period of time;
wherein said portion is approximately 80%;
allowing a purchaser to receive a refund of substantially all of said amount Z where a request for said refund is received at a time after said minimum amount has been achieved within said maximum period of time;
where said minimum amount Z has been achieved within said maximum period of time, placing said minimum amount Z into a financial instrument;
wherein said financial instrument is a tax-deferred annuity;
wherein said financial instrument has a maturity period, at which time a value of said financial instrument will be at least substantially equal to said purchase price X; and
allowing a purchaser to receive a refund of substantially all of said purchase price X where a request for said refund is received at a time after said maturity period of said financial instrument has been achieved.
-
Specification