Rebate card system

• US 20100299196A1
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Inventors: Graves, Phillip C., Young, Dustin, Chakiris, Phil M., Denzer, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 8,407,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0229 Multi-merchant loyalty card systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

A method and system for using a rebate card are disclosed. The method may comprise initiating a purchase transaction for one or more products at a point of sale, determining whether the purchase transaction qualifies for a rebate, determining a rebate value based on the purchase transaction and the rebate, activating a rebate value in a rebate card account associated with a rebate card based on the determining action, and delivering the rebate card to a customer of the one or more products during the purchase transaction.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for using a stored value rebate card, wherein the process of using the stored value rebate card is facilitated by at least a central processor and a provider of goods or services, the central processor being in selective communication with the POS terminal, comprising:

receiving stored value rebate card activation request at the central processor to activate the stored value rebate card in response to a purchase of goods or services eligible for a rebate from the provider;

associating a rebate value in a rebate card account associated with the stored value rebate card based on the determining, the rebate card account having an identifying account number, the identifier associated with the account number at the central processor, and the rebate value comprised of a total of rebate values from each goods or service eligible for a rebate;

delivering the stored value rebate card to a customer;

determining if one or more of the goods or services eligible for a rebate have been returned or cancelled;

responsive to a determination that one or more of the goods or services eligible for a rebate have not been returned or cancelled, activating the rebate value associated with the stored value rebate card at the central processor by accessing a database record thereby making the rebate value in the rebate card account available for use;

responsive to a determination that one or more of the goods or services eligible for a rebate have been returned or cancelled, preventing activation of the rebate value associated with the one or more returned products or cancelled services.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

delivering the stored value rebate card to the customer as part of the purchase transaction by physically delivering the stored value rebate card to the customer at the location of the purchase transaction.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

delivering the stored value rebate card to the customer as part of the purchase transaction by shipping the stored value rebate card to the customer.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining whether the purchase transaction qualifies for a rebate at a location where the purchase transaction takes place.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining whether the purchase transaction qualifies for a rebate at a central processor.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining whether the purchase transaction qualifies for a rebate at the location of the purchase transaction by determining a rebate eligibility, wherein the rebate eligibility is verified by the central processor.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining the rebate value based on one or more rebate amounts associated in a database with one or more goods or services purchased.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining the rebate value based on a total value of a plurality of goods or services purchased in the purchase transaction.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

associating purchase transaction information with the rebate account.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

transmitting the associated purchase transaction information to a manufacturer of the one or more products.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a request to apply funds from the rebate account to a second purchase transaction of goods or services; and

reducing a balance of the rebate card account by an amount applied to the second purchase transaction.

32. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

initiating a second purchase transaction for one or more goods or services;

determining whether the second purchase transaction qualifies for a second purchase transaction rebate;

determining a second purchase transaction rebate value based on the second purchase transaction and the second purchase transaction rebate; and

adding the second purchase transaction rebate value into the rebate card account.

33. A system for using a stored value rebate card, wherein the system facilitates the process of using the stored value rebate card among at least a central processor and a retailer location, the central processor being in selective communication with the retailer location, comprising:

a retailer location configured to;

process a purchase transaction of a customer purchasing one or more goods or services;

determine rebate eligibility of each of the one or more goods or services;

determine a rebate value comprised of a total of rebate values from each goods or service eligible for a rebate;

send a stored value rebate card activation request to the central processor, the activation request comprising an identifier associated with a stored value rebate card;

a central processor configured to;

verify that the stored value rebate card activation request is received from an authorized location, and that at least one of the goods or service are eligible for rebate;

uniquely identify the stored value rebate card;

associate an account with the stored value rebate card, the account having an identifying account number, the identifier associated with the account number at the central processor;

associate the rebate value with the account that is associated with the stored value rebate card;

determine if one or more of the goods or services eligible for a rebate have been returned or cancelled;

responsive to a determination that one or more of the goods or services eligible for a rebate have not been returned or cancelled, activating the rebate value associated with the stored value rebate card thereby making the rebate value in the rebate card account available for use;

responsive to a determination that one or more of the goods or services eligible for a rebate have been returned or cancelled, prevent activation of the rebate value associated with the one or more returned goods or cancelled services.

34. A method for using a stored value rebate card, wherein the process of using the stored value rebate card is facilitated by at least a central processor and a provider of goods or services, the central processor being in selective communication with the POS terminal, comprising:

receiving stored value rebate card activation request at the central processor to activate the stored value rebate card in response to a purchase of goods or services eligible for a rebate from the provider;

associating a rebate value in a rebate card account associated with the stored value rebate card based on the determining, the rebate card account having an identifying account number, the identifier associated with the account number at the central processor, and the rebate value comprised of a total of rebate values from each goods or service eligible for a rebate;

delivering the stored value rebate card to a customer;

determining rebate redemption criteria other than the purchase transaction;

determining if rebate redemption criteria is met for each of the one or more of the goods or services eligible for a rebate;

responsive to a determination that the rebate redemption criteria is met for each of the one or more of the goods or services eligible for a rebate, activating the rebate value associated with the stored value rebate card at the central processor by accessing a database record thereby making the rebate value in the rebate card account available for use;

responsive to a determination that the rebate redemption criteria is not met for each of the one or more of the goods or services eligible for a rebate, preventing activation of the rebate value associated with the one or more products or services for which the rebate redemption criteria was not met.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the rebate redemption criteria comprises a minimum ownership or service time of the one or more rebate eligible goods or services.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the rebate redemption criteria comprises the purchase of an additional goods or service.