Method and apparatus for defining routing of customers between merchants
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A server or Internet service provider computer selects a soliciting merchant and an outputting merchant based on various factors. In one embodiment, the soliciting merchant is selected is its activity rate (e.g. sales rate) is low. The outputting merchant provides offers for bonuses to customers on behalf of the soliciting merchant. The bonus is provided to the customer in exchange for consummating a transaction with the soliciting merchant. Thus, the soliciting merchant benefits from the increased patronage such offers encourage.
78 Citations
98 Claims
-
1-77. -77. (canceled)
-
78. A method for facilitating an offer for a bonus, comprising:
-
determining a soliciting merchant, the soliciting merchant comprising a merchant participating in a system for providing an offer for a bonus;
determining an outputting merchant, the outputting merchant also comprising a merchant participating in a system for providing an offer for a bonus;
determining that the soliciting merchant is experiencing a period of low activity; and
creating an entry upon determining that the soliciting merchant is experiencing a period of low activity, the entry usable for outputting an offer to a customer of the outputting merchant and including an indication of the soliciting merchant and the outputting merchant. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
-
Specification