System and method for providing discounts to members at participating merchants and commissions to referring entity
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving at least one discount card identifier, said identifier being associated with a customer making a purchase from a merchant;
verifying in a database that the identifier associates the customer with a discount program that entitles the customer to a discount on the purchase from the merchant;
receiving verification that a payment for a discounted purchase total was provided by the customer as payment for the purchase;
debiting a referral fee from a financial account associated with the merchant using an automated clearinghouse; and
crediting the referral fee to a fianancial account of a sponsor of the discount program using the automated clearinghouse.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system and method includes a discount program and a referral program. A sponsor, such as a credit union, enters into arrangements with merchants to offer a discount program to members. The member receives an instant discount off the purchase at a participating merchant. The sponsor receives a referral fee from the merchant. The referral fee is debited from the merchant account and credited to the sponsor account using an automated clearinghouse. The referral fee is paid to the sponsor in near real-time or later. The member benefits by receiving a discount, and in the case of a credit union being the sponsor, the member also benefits because the credit union received the referral fee. The sponsor benefits by receiving the referral fee and by improved member services. Although the merchant funds the discount amount and the referral fee, the merchant benefits from having new or repeat customers.
37 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving at least one discount card identifier, said identifier being associated with a customer making a purchase from a merchant;
verifying in a database that the identifier associates the customer with a discount program that entitles the customer to a discount on the purchase from the merchant;
receiving verification that a payment for a discounted purchase total was provided by the customer as payment for the purchase;
debiting a referral fee from a financial account associated with the merchant using an automated clearinghouse; and
crediting the referral fee to a fianancial account of a sponsor of the discount program using the automated clearinghouse. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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a first server, said first server being operable to;
verify that a discount card identifier is associated with a discount program and entitles a customer to a discount on a purchase at a participating merchant, and receive verification that a payment for a discounted purchase total was provided by the customer; and
a second server, said second server being coupled to the first server over a network, said second server being operable to use an automated clearinghouse to debit a referral fee from an account associated with the participating merchant and credit the referral fee to an account of a sponsor of the discount program. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus comprising:
a device encoded with logic executable by one or more processors to;
verify in a database that a discount card identifier provided by a customer associates the customer with a discount program that entitles the customer to a discount on a purchase from a merchant;
receive verification that a payment for a discounted purchase total was provided by the customer as payment for the purchase;
debit a referral fee from a financial account associated with the merchant using an automated clearinghouse; and
credit the referral fee to a financial account of a sponsor of the discount program using the automated clearinghouse. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
Specification