LOYALTY PRESENTATION, METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20110295675A1
• Filed: 03/16/2011
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reodica, Robin
• Application Number:
  US13/049,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20110295675A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

Methods and systems are presented for sending an update to a customer'"'"'s loyalty program account through a credit card authorization response message as well as sending the update by SMS, MMS, or other electronic message to the customer'"'"'s mobile phone or device. The electronic message can allow the user to switch between the type of loyalty points to be accrued as well as offer coupons and other incentives for further purchase. Store returns can update loyalty points and result in update messages as well.

Claims

1. A method of providing real-time loyalty balances to customers, the method comprising:

receiving an authorization request message for a transaction with a customer;

updating, using a processor operatively coupled with a memory, a loyalty program account to which the customer belongs based on the transaction;

inserting an account balance of the customer'"'"'s loyalty program account in an authorization response message for the transaction;

sending, in response to the authorization request message, the authorization response message; and

sending, in response to the authorization request message, to a mobile device of the customer an electronic message with the customer'"'"'s loyalty program account balance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic message includes an active element to initiate a change of a type of customer loyalty points to be credited in a next transaction.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the active element comprises a hyperlink or button.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the type of customer loyalty points is selected from the group consisting of airline miles, reward points, a cash-back bonus, and non-governmental-issued currency.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

changing a type of customer loyalty points to be credited in a next transaction; and

then

receiving a second authorization request message for a second transaction with the customer;

updating a second account balance of the loyalty program account based on the second transaction;

inserting the second account balance of the customer'"'"'s loyalty program account in a second authorization response message for the second transaction;

sending the second authorization response message; and

sending to the mobile device of the customer a second electronic message with the customer'"'"'s loyalty program account second balance.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending to a mobile device of the customer the electronic message is based upon the account balance of the customer'"'"'s loyalty program account.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization request message is for credit for returned merchandise and the updating of the loyalty program account includes deducting benefits from the customer'"'"'s loyalty program account.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic message includes an advertisement, the advertisement indicating how many more customer loyalty points are required to redeem the points for a product or service.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic message comprises an amount of the update.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is in a format selected from the group consisting of a short message service (SMS) text message, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message, email, and instant message.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the operations are performed in the order shown.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein each operation is performed by the processor operatively coupled with the memory.

13. A machine-readable tangible storage medium embodying information indicative of instructions for causing one or more machines to perform the operations of claim 1.

14. A computer system executing instructions in a computer program, the computer program instructions comprising program code for performing the operations of claim 1.

15. A method of providing real-time loyalty balances to customers, the method comprising:

determining a customer loyalty program account for a customer;

sending an authorization request message for a customer transaction, the authorization request message including an identifier of the customer loyalty program account;

receiving an authorization response message, the authorization response message indicating an updated account balance of the customer loyalty program account;

printing on a receipt the customer loyalty program account balance; and

sending, in response to receiving the authorization response message, to a mobile device of the customer an electronic message with the customer'"'"'s loyalty program account balance.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the electronic message includes an active element to initiate a change of a type of customer loyalty points to be credited in a next transaction.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

sending to the mobile device of the customer an electronic message with an advertisement, the advertisement indicating how many more customer loyalty points are required to redeem the points for a product or service.

18. A method of changing a type of consumer loyalty points, the method comprising:

initiating a transaction with a merchant, the transaction updating a balance of a customer loyalty program account;

receiving on a mobile device an electronic message indicating the balance of the customer loyalty program account; and

selecting an active element in the electronic message to initiate a change in a type of customer loyalty points to be acquired in a next transaction.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

initiating a second transaction with a merchant, the second transaction updating a second balance of the customer loyalty program account.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

comparing a balance of the customer loyalty program account printed on the receipt with a balance of the customer loyalty program account in the electronic message; and

performing further action based on the comparison.