E-commerce website

• US 20090287570A1
• Filed: 05/14/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Glenn D. Adamousky, Gordon T. Graves
• Original Assignee: Glenn D. Adamousky, Gordon T. Graves
• Inventors: Adamousky, Glenn D., Graves, Gordon T.
• Application Number:
  US12/153,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20090287570A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.540
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

An Internet e-commerce website provides online content having incentives that motivate consumers to select affiliated vendors. After purchasing goods or services from the affiliated vendors, consumers view a purchase history and receive credit based on purchase amounts. Credits may be used to enter a sweepstakes. Consumers are also provided access to local vendors via website links to the local vendors'"'"' web pages. After completing their purchases, consumers receive scratch cards from the vendor. A consumer logs back onto the e-commerce website, and enters a promotion identifying number from the scratch card. A consumer'"'"'s account is credited based on purchases made. The consumer uses the credits to enter a sweepstakes or other games offered through the website. The sweepstakes is a lottery-style play wherein the consumer picks a desired set of digits using a lottery play slip. The available numbers may correspond to a scheduled state drawing to ensure integrity.

Claims

1. An e-commerce website method, comprising the steps of:

allowing a consumer to access the website;

providing links from the website to a plurality of merchant websites, the links being activated by consumer selection thereof;

receiving information associated with a merchant selected by the consumer, the information relating to purchases by the consumer to determine whether the consumer has made a purchase from the merchant; and

, if this is the case,

issuing at least one electronic credit to the consumer for use in a prize/bonus game configured as a game having an element of chance;

conducting the game based on predetermined rules of the game; and

in the case of a win, issuing a notification to the customer entitling the consumer to a bonuses and prizes.

2. The e-commerce website method according to claim 1, wherein the credit issuing step further comprises issuing credit based on the consumer'"'"'s use of a debit or credit card affiliated with the e-commerce website.

3. The e-commerce website method according to claim 1, wherein the game conducting step further comprises conducting a lottery.

4. The e-commerce website method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

enforcing a predetermined game rule that the consumer must match, in exact order, numbers drawn during a drawing phase of the lottery game;

issuing to the consumer a lottery play slip having play numbers.

5. The e-commerce website method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring the drawing phase of a separate, independently run lottery; and

using, in the same order, at least a subset of the resulting numbers from the independently run lottery drawing as the winning numbers in the e-commerce website lottery game.

6. The e-commerce website method according to claim 3, wherein the lottery further comprises the steps of;

allowing the consumer to select a first pattern of merchant logos within a matrix;

determining a second pattern of merchant logos within the matrix;

awarding the bonuses and prizes to the consumer when the first pattern matches the second pattern.

7. The e-commerce website method according to claim 6, wherein the second pattern-determining step further comprises using randomly generated numbers in formulating the second pattern.

8. The e-commerce website method according to claim 7, further comprising generating the random numbers in a pseudo-random manner.

9. The e-commerce website method according to claim 6, wherein the matrix represents a 2-dimensional game board.

10. The e-commerce website method according to claim 1, wherein the game=conducting step further comprises conducting a skills tournament.

11. The e-commerce website method according to claim 10, wherein the skills tournament comprises conducting a card game tournament.

12. The e-commerce website method according to claim 11, wherein the card game tournament is a blackjack tournament.

13. The e-commerce website method according to claim 11, wherein the card game tournament is a poker tournament.

14. The e-commerce website method according to claim 11, wherein the card game tournament is a pai gow tournament.

15. The e-commerce website method according to claim 1, wherein the information-receiving step further comprises accepting a scratch ticket the consumer has obtained from the merchant as proof of purchase of goods/services from the merchant.

16. The e-commerce website method according to claim 1, wherein the access-allowing step further comprises:

allowing the consumer to register into the website;

confirming the consumer registration;

informing the consumer that a predetermined electronic credit value has been earned by registering; and

welcoming the consumer to login to use the initial electronic credit and earn additional electronic credits.

17. An e-commerce website system, comprising:

means for allowing a consumer to access the e-commerce website;

means for providing links from the e-commerce website to a plurality of merchant websites, the links being activated by consumer selection thereof;

means for receiving information associated with a merchant selected by the consumer, the information relating to purchases by the consumer to determine whether the consumer has made a purchase from the merchant; and

, if this is the case,

means for issuing at least one electronic credit to the consumer for use in a prize/bonus game configured as a game having an element of chance;

means for conducting the game based on predetermined rules of the game; and

, in the case of a win,

means for issuing to the consumer a notification, the notification entitling the consumer to a bonus or prize.

18. The e-commerce website system according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for conducting a lottery;

means for monitoring the drawing phase of a separate, independently run lottery; and

means for using in the same order at least a subset of the resulting numbers from the independently run lottery drawing as the winning numbers in the e-commerce website lottery game.

19. A computer product comprising a medium readable by a computer, the medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon implementing an e-commerce website, the plurality of instructions performing the steps of:

allowing a consumer to access the e-commerce website;

providing links from the e-commerce website to a plurality of merchant websites, the links being activated by consumer selection thereof;

receiving information associated with a merchant selected by the consumer, the information relating to purchases by the consumer to determine whether the consumer has made a purchase from the merchant; and

, if this is the case,

issuing at least one electronic credit to the consumer for use in a prize/bonus game configured as a game having an element of chance;

conducting the game based on predetermined rules of the game; and

, in the case of a win,

issuing to the consumer a notification, the notification entitling the consumer to a bonus or prize.

20. The computer product according to claim 19, the plurality of instructions further performing the steps of:

conducting a lottery game from the e-commerce website;

monitoring the drawing phase of a separate, independently run lottery; and

using in the same order at least a subset of the resulting numbers from the independently run lottery drawing as the winning numbers in the e-commerce website lottery game.