SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING TRANSFERABLE ITEM PRICES

• US 20080065565A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Sammon, Russell, Mayfield, Terry, Kim, Peter, Palmer, Timothy, Walker, Jay, Packes, John, Golden, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to associate a transferable item price with a first consumer and to determine that a second consumer is entitled to purchase an item in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price. In one embodiment, the first consumer arranges to purchase an item at a first price. The merchant transmits a transferable item price code to the first consumer. The first consumer sends the transferable item price code to the second consumer, such as by including the transferable item price code in an e-mail message. The second consumer transmits the transferable item price code to the merchant to establish that he or she is entitled to purchase the item at the first price.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating a transaction, comprising:

associating, in a memory of a computing device, a transferable item price between a first consumer and a first merchant; and

determining that a second consumer is entitled to purchase an item from a second merchant in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the transferable item price associated with the first consumer.

3. The method of claim 2, in which determining the transferable item price comprises basing the transferable item price on an offer received from the first consumer to purchase the item in exchange for payment of an offer price.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the offer received from the first consumer comprises a binding offer and the offer price is defined by the first consumer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first consumer defines the offer price by at least one of entering the offer price, or selecting the offer price from a list of suggested prices.

6. The method of claim 2, in which determining the transferable item price comprises basing the transferable item price a purchase price paid by the first consumer for the item.

7. The method of claim 2, in which determining the transferable item price comprises basing the transferable item price on an auction bid received from the first consumer.

8. The method of claim 2, in which determining the transferable item price comprises basing the transferable item price on a price at which a third party offers to sell a similar item.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the transferable item price varies over time.

10. The method of claim 10, in which determining the transferable item price comprises basing the transferable item price on a time that the first consumer at least one of provides an offer, or purchases the item.

11. A computer readable medium storing instructions for facilitating a transaction configured to direct a processor to:

associate, in a memory of a computing device, a transferable item price between a first consumer and a first merchant; and

determine that a second consumer is entitled to purchase an item from a second merchant in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for configured to direct the processor to determine the transferable item price associated with the first consumer.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, in which the instructions for determining the transferable item price comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to base the transferable item price on an offer received from the first consumer to purchase the item in exchange for payment of an offer price.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, in which the instructions for determining the transferable item price comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to base the transferable item price on a purchase price paid by the first consumer for the item.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, in which the instructions for determining the transferable item price comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to base the transferable item price on an auction bid received from the first consumer.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, in which the instructions for determining the transferable item price comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to base the transferable item price on a price at which a third party offers to sell a similar item.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for configured to direct the processor to vary the transferable item price over time.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, in which the instructions for varying the transferable item price comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to base the transferable item price on a time that the first consumer at least one of provides an offer, or purchases the item.

19. An apparatus for facilitating a transaction, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

associate, in a memory of a computing device, a transferable item price between a first consumer and a first merchant; and

determine that a second consumer is entitled to purchase an item from a second merchant in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price.

20. A method of facilitating a transaction, comprising:

associating a transferable item price with a first consumer; and

determining that the first consumer is entitled to transfer a benefit to a second consumer specified by the first consumer, wherein the benefit is based on the transferable item price.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining that the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item in exchange for payment of an amount.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the amount is based on at least one of the transferable item price, or on information received from the first consumer.

23. The method of claim 21, in which determining comprises receiving a consumer identifier from the first consumer, the consumer identifier being associated with the second consumer.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the received consumer identifier comprises at least one of an e-mail address, a name, a postal address, a telephone number, a user name, or a payment identifier.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising transmitting a transferable item price code to the second consumer based on the consumer identifier received from the first consumer.

26. The method of claim 21, in which determining that the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item in exchange for payment of the amount is based on information received from the second consumer.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting a transferable item price code to the first consumer.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising receiving the transferable item price code from the second consumer.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the transferable item price code indicates at least one of the transferable item price, the first consumer, the second consumer, or a transaction time.

30. The method of claim 21, in which determining that the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item comprises receiving a consumer identifier from the second consumer, the consumer identifier being associated with the first consumer.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the consumer identifier of the second consumer comprises at least one of an e-mail address, a name, a postal address, a telephone number, a user name, or a payment identifier.

32. The method of claim 21, in which determining that the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item in exchange for payment of the amount is based on a restriction associated with the transferable item price.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the restriction is based on at least one of information associated with the second consumer, information associated with the first consumer, a predetermined date, or a predetermined period of time.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the restriction is based on at least one of a predetermined number of consumers who use the transferable item price, a predetermined number of items sold at the transferable item price, and a predetermined monetary amount.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the restriction is based on a task to be performed by at least one of the first consumer, or the second consumer.

36. A computer readable medium storing instructions for facilitating a transaction configured to direct a processor to:

associate a transferable item price with a first consumer; and

determine that the first consumer is entitled to transfer a benefit to a second consumer specified by the first consumer, wherein the benefit is based on the transferable item price.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, further comprising instructions for configured to direct the processor to determine that the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item in exchange for payment of an amount.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 36, in which the instructions for determining that the first consumer is entitled to transfer a benefit comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to receive a consumer identifier from the first consumer, the consumer identifier being associated with the second consumer.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 38, further comprising instructions for configured to direct the processor to transmit a transferable item price code to the second consumer based on the consumer identifier received from the first consumer.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 37, in which the instructions for determining that the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to base the determination on information received from the second consumer.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, further comprising instructions for configured to direct the processor to transmit a transferable item price code to the first consumer.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, further comprising instructions for configured to direct the processor to receive the transferable item price code from the second consumer.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 41, further comprising instructions for configured to direct the processor to transmit the transferable item price code that indicates at least one of the transferable item price, the first consumer, the second consumer, or a transaction time.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 37, in which the instructions for determining that the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to receive a consumer identifier from the second consumer, the consumer identifier being associated with the first consumer.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 37, in which the instructions for determining that the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to base a determination on a restriction associated with the transferable item price.

46. An apparatus for facilitating a transaction, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

associate a transferable item price with a first consumer; and

determine that the first consumer is entitled to transfer a benefit to a second consumer specified by the first consumer, wherein the benefit is based on the transferable item price.

47. A method for facilitating a transaction, comprising:

associating a transferable item price with a first consumer; and

determining that a second consumer is entitled to purchase an item in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price,

wherein the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item in exchange for payment of the amount because the first consumer transferred an entitlement to the transferable item price to the second consumer and irrespective of whether the second consumer would otherwise be entitled to purchase the item in exchange for payment of the amount.

48. An apparatus for facilitating a transaction, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

associate a transferable item price with a first consumer; and

determine that a second consumer is entitled to purchase an item in exchange for payment of an amount based on the transferable item price, wherein the second consumer is entitled to purchase the item in exchange for payment of the amount because the first consumer transferred an entitlement to the transferable item price to the second consumer and irrespective of whether the second consumer would otherwise be entitled to purchase the item in exchange for payment of the amount.