Method and system for flexible incentive programs in sales organizations

• US 20070288311A1
• Filed: 02/26/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yourewards Com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Yourewards Com Incorporated
• Inventors: Underhill, Jeremy P.
• Application Number:
  US11/710,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288311A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.110
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

A computer automated sales incentive program that allows companies of any size to easily create an account, invite participants to join the sales incentive program and then allow the companies to reward participants for sales.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of suppliers providing sales incentives to participants, comprising the steps of:

receiving information from a supplier during a supplier sign-up session at a terminal of a computer-controlled online sales incentive program in a computer network, said supplier information including a specified reward value for a participant following a sale of the supplier'"'"'s goods/services by the participant;

maintaining the supplier information in a supplier account in a database of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program;

receiving information from a participant during a participant sign-up session at a terminal of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program, said information including selection of a supplier in the database;

maintaining the participant in a participant account in said database;

the computer-controlled online sales incentive program receiving indication of sale of goods/services of a selected supplier by the participant; and

the computer-controlled online sales incentive program providing said specified reward value from the selected supplier account to the participant account.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving information from a participant further includes the step of a supplier inviting a participant to select the supplier by sending an electronic notification to the participant utilizing an online notification module of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein steps of receiving information from a participant further includes the steps of:

the participant receiving the notification from the supplier at a terminal of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program; and

the participant selecting the supplier at a terminal of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program, based on the notification from the supplier.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving indication of sale of goods/services further includes the steps of:

upon sales of good/services of a selected supplier by the participant, the participant sending notification to the computer-controlled online sales incentive program of the sale of goods/services of the selected supplier by the participant.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of the participant sending notification further includes the step of:

upon selling good/services of a selected supplier by the participant, the participant sending a report of such sale to the selected supplier via a terminal of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program providing said specified reward value from the selected supplier account to the participant account, further includes the steps of:

the selected supplier receiving said sales report from the participant via the computer-controlled online sales incentive program;

the selected supplier reviewing the sales report, and if acceptable approving the sales; and

the computer-controlled online sales incentive program calculating the funds to transfer to the account of the participant based on the corresponding specified reward for the sale in the supplier account.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program sending notification to the participant of the approval.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of the selected supplier funding its account further includes the steps of:

the computer-controlled online sales incentive program determining if the selected supplier account balance is sufficient to transfer the specified reward funds to the participant;

if insufficient funds, the supplier adding sufficient funds to its account online; and

the computer-controlled online sales incentive program transferring calculated funds to the participant account.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

the computer-controlled online sales incentive program receiving purchase information indicating an online purchase by a participant from an online shopping partner using accumulated reward values from that participant'"'"'s account; and

an operator of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program receiving a sales commission from the online shopping partner based on the purchase by the participant from the online shopping partner.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

the participant making a purchase from an online shopping partner utilizing a terminal of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program, using accumulated reward values from that participant'"'"'s account for online payment to the shopping partner; and

the online shopping partner providing a sales commission to an operator of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program based on the purchase by the participant from the online shopping partner.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer-controlled online sales incentive program comprises a Web based computer-controlled online sales incentive program.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer-controlled online sales incentive program comprises a Web based computer-controlled online sales incentive program software system implemented on a web server connected to a web browser-capable client terminal via the Internet.

13. A computer-controlled online sales incentive program system comprising:

a server module operating on a server computer connected to one or more client modules via the Internet, each client module including a web browser operating on a client computer,

wherein the system allows suppliers to provides sales incentives to participants, by;

the server module receiving information from a supplier during a supplier sign-up session at a web browser of a client module, said supplier information including a specified reward value for a participant following a sale of the supplier'"'"'s goods/services by the participant;

the server module maintaining the supplier information in a supplier account in a database;

the server module receiving information from a participant during a participant sign-up session at a web browser of a client module, said information including selection of a supplier in the database;

the server module maintaining the participant in a participant account in said database;

the server module receiving indication of sale of goods/services of a selected supplier by the participant; and

the server module providing said specified reward value from the selected supplier account to the participant account.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the server module comprises:

a database server service module that stores said database;

an application server service module that allows suppliers to provides sales incentives to participants;

a notification server service module for sending notifications to participants and suppliers; and

a web server service module that communicates with a web browser.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the application server service module further allows a supplier to invite a participant to select the supplier by sending an electronic notification via the notification server service module to the participant.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the web browser provides the participant said supplier invitation notification from the notification server service module; and

under control of the application server service module the web browser allows the participant to select a supplier, based on the notification from the supplier.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein:

upon sales of good/services of a selected supplier by the participant, the participant sends notification to the application server service module via the notification server service module, of the sale of goods/services of the selected supplier by the participant.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein:

the notification server service module allows a participant to send a report of the sale to the selected supplier account via a client module; and

upon selling good/services of a selected supplier by the participant, the participant sending a report of such sale to the application server service module via the notification server service module, to provide to the supplier.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein:

the application server service module provides the sales report to the selected supplier via client module, for reviewing the sales report, and if acceptable approving the sales;

the application server service module calculates the funds to transfer to the account of the participant based on the corresponding specified reward for the sale in the supplier account; and

the application server service module provides said specified reward value from the selected supplier account to the participant account.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the application server service module sends notification to the participant of the approval via the notification server service module.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein:

the application server service module determines if the selected supplier account balance is sufficient to transfer the specified reward funds to the participant;

if insufficient funds, the application server service module requires the supplier to add sufficient funds to its account online; and

the application server service module transfers calculated funds to the participant account.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein:

the server module allows a participant to make a purchase from an online shopping partner using accumulated reward values from that participant'"'"'s account for online payment to the shopping partner, such that the online shopping partner provides a sales commission to an operator of the system based on the purchase by the participant from the online shopping partner.

23. A web implemented business method of suppliers providing sales incentives to participants, comprising the steps of:

receiving information from a supplier during a supplier sign-up session at a terminal of a computer-controlled web based online sales incentive program over the Internet, said supplier information including a specified reward value for a participant following a sale of the supplier'"'"'s goods/services by the participant;

maintaining the supplier information in a supplier account in a database of the web based online sales incentive program;

receiving information from a participant during a participant sign-up session at a terminal of the web based online sales incentive program, said information including selection of a supplier in the database;

maintaining the participant in a participant account in said database;

the web based online sales incentive program receiving indication of sale of goods/services of a selected supplier by the participant;

the web based online sales incentive program providing said specified reward value from the selected supplier account to the participant account;

the web based online sales incentive program receiving purchase information indicating an online purchase by a participant from an online shopping partner using accumulated reward values from that participant'"'"'s account; and

an operator of the web based online sales incentive program receiving a sales commission from the online shopping partner based on the purchase by the participant from the online shopping partner.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of:

the participant making a purchase from an online shopping partner utilizing a terminal of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program, using accumulated reward values from that participant'"'"'s account for online payment to the shopping partner; and

the online shopping partner providing a sales commission to an operator of the computer-controlled online sales incentive program based on the purchase by the participant from the online shopping partner.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the web based online sales incentive program comprises a Web based online sales incentive program software system implemented on a web server connected to a web browser-capable client terminal via the Internet.