METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CUSTOMIZED COUPON GENERATION

• US 20090006183A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Paintin, Scott R., Robertson, Diane, Canning, Dan, Miles-Boykin, Wendi, Rendo, Michelle, Hafer, Mike
• Application Number:
  US11/963,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006183A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

The invention provides various systems and methods for determining if a coupon should be offered and/or for determining the terms of such coupons based on information provided by a party to a transaction. In one exemplary embodiment, a method is provided for electronically generating coupons when performing money transfer transactions. According to the method, money transfer transaction information used to perform a money transfer transaction is provided. The money transfer transaction information is processed through a rules engine to determine a coupon offer based on the money transfer transaction information. The coupon offer is electronically generated so that it may be provided to a party to the transaction.

Claims

1. A method for electronically generating rebates when performing financial service transactions, the method comprising:

providing financial service transaction information used to perform a financial service transaction;

processing the financial service transaction information through a rules engine to determine a rebate offer based on the financial service transaction information; and

electronically generating a rebate based on the rebate offer, wherein the rebate is configured to allow a customer to receive at least a portion of a transaction fee back after paying the transaction fee.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the financial service transaction comprises a money transfer and the financial service transaction information includes information on a send location and a receive location of the financial service transaction, and wherein the rules engine determines the rebate offer based, at least in part, on the send location and the receive location.

3. A method for electronically generating coupons when performing financial service transactions, the method comprising:

providing financial service transaction information used to perform a financial service transaction, wherein the financial service transaction information includes information on a transaction corridor comprising a send location and a receive location associated with the financial services transaction;

processing the transaction corridor through a rules engine to determine a coupon offer based, at least in part, on the transaction corridor; and

electronically generating a coupon based on the coupon offer.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the rules engine determines the coupon offer based on both the send location and the receive location.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the financial service transaction comprises a money transfer transaction.

6. A method as in claim 3, further comprising at least one of displaying the coupon on a display screen, printing a document having the coupon, generating an audible message containing the coupon, sending an e-mail of the coupon, sending a text message of the coupon, writing the coupon to a card, writing the coupon to a fob, creating a virtual coupon, and providing the coupon through a website.

7. A method as in claim 3, wherein the coupon includes at least one of a dollar deduction, a percentage deduction and a flat fee amount.

8. A method as in claim 6, wherein the coupon is redeemable with a current money transfer transaction or a subsequent money transfer transaction.

9. A method as in claim 3, wherein the coupon is limited to at least one of a qualifying money transfer service, a geographic band of money transfer locations, a specific money transfer location, a chain of money transfer locations, a geographic corridor of money transfer locations, an expiration date, for one time use, and for multiple uses.

10. A method as in claim 3, wherein the rules engine determines the coupon offer based on at least one of whether a sender or a recipient is a loyalty participant, a transaction channel, a send amount, a send fee, a payment vehicle, a specific money transfer location, a chain of money transfer locations, a service type, whether the sender is a first time sender, historical transaction information, and a time of the money transfer transaction.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein the transaction channel includes at least one of a money transfer physical location, a money transfer web site location, a telephone money transfer, a kiosk, an automated teller machine (ATM), and a mobile device money transfer.

12. A method as in claim 10, wherein the payment vehicle includes at least one of cash, a credit card, a debit card, a stored value card, a prepaid card, an account, a check, a money order, a traveler'"'"'s check, and an ACH transaction.

13. A method as in claim 10, wherein the historical transaction information includes at least one of transaction channel(s), amount(s) sent, send fee(s), payment vehicles, a specific money transfer location, a chain of money transfer locations, sending frequency, and how recently the sending occurred.

14. A method as in claim 10, wherein the time of the money transfer transaction includes at least one of whether the money transfer transaction was sent during a promotion period, and during a specific time period.

15. A method as in claim 3, further comprising providing the coupon in a format comprising at least one of an email coupon, a text message coupon, a direct mail coupon, a bar code coupon, a virtual coupon, a coupon loaded to a card, a coupon loaded to a fob, a coupon loaded to and redeemable from a mobile device, coupon loaded to and printable from a mobile device, and a receipt coupon.

16. A method as in claim 3, wherein the coupon is an offer for at least one of, a rebate offer, a premium item offer, and a third-party offer.

17. A method as in claim 12, wherein the coupon is at least one of a sweepstakes entry or a sweepstakes award.

18. A system for electronically generating coupons when performing financial service transactions, the system comprising:

a host computer that is configured to receive financial service transaction information used to perform a financial service transaction, wherein the financial service transaction information includes information on a transaction corridor comprising a send location and a receive location associated with the financial services transaction, to process the transaction corridor through a rules engine to determine a coupon offer based on the transaction corridor, and to electronically generate a coupon based on the coupon offer.

19. A system as in claim 18, further comprising:

a printing device coupled with the host computer, that is configured to print the coupon.

20. A system as in claim 19, further comprising:

a display device coupled with the host computer, that is configured to display the coupon.

21. A system as in claim 18, wherein the host computer further comprises a money transfer discounting system that is configured to calculate a discounted money transfer fee for the money transfer based on the coupon.

22. A method for electronically generating coupons when performing financial service transactions, the method comprising:

providing financial service transaction information used to perform a financial service transaction, wherein the financial service transaction includes a transaction amount, and wherein the financial service transaction information includes information on a send location and a receive location associated with the financial services transaction;

determining that the transaction amount exceeds a transaction amount threshold;

processing the send location or the receive location through a rules engine to determine a coupon offer based on the send location or the receive location and the determination that the transaction amount exceeds the transaction amount threshold; and

electronically generating a coupon based on the coupon offer.

23. A method as in claim 22, wherein the financial service transaction information includes the send location and the receive location associated with the financial service transaction, and wherein the coupon offer is determined based on the send location, the receive location, and the determination that the transaction amount exceeds the transaction amount threshold.

24. A method as in claim 22, wherein the transaction amount threshold is a fixed dollar amount.

25. A machine readable medium having a set of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

provide financial service transaction information used to perform a financial service transaction, wherein the financial service transaction information includes information on a transaction corridor comprising a send location and a receive location associated with the financial services transaction;

process the transaction corridor through a rules engine to determine a coupon offer based on the transaction corridor; and

electronically generate a coupon based on the coupon offer.