MONITORING FOR OFFLINE TRANSACTIONS

• US 20120209672A1
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardspring LLC
• Original Assignee: Cardspring LLC
• Inventors: Kumar, Amit, Walther, Eckart, WINNER, Jeffrey, Boyer, Geraud
• Granted Patent: US 10,817,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising

Abstract

A technique for tracking conversion of an online offer includes tracking online and/or offline transactions. A customer accepts an offer provided by a merchant and submits his or her account information so that he or she may receive a reward for satisfying criteria associated with the offer. Transactions of the merchant are then monitored at the payment processor level to determine whether the customer satisfies the purchase criteria. Therefore, online and offline conversion can both be tracked. Further, the merchant is able to determine the overall effectiveness of advertising campaigns by analyzing the number of offers that are both accepted and satisfied.

Claims

1. A method for tracking conversion of an online offer, the method comprising:

identifying an online offer accepted by a customer;

receiving a set of transactions executed at a merchant;

parsing the set of transactions to determine that a set of criteria associated with the online offer has been satisfied by the customer via one or more transactions at the merchant; and

notifying the merchant that the online offer has been satisfied by the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer accepts the online offer by submitting an account number associated with an account to which the customer has access.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the account number associated with the account is stored as a hash value and is compared against a hash value of an account number included in each transaction in the set of transactions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of criteria specifies a minimum amount and/or a particular time of day for the one or more transactions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of criteria specifies that both the customer and one or more different customers are required to accept and satisfy the offer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of criteria specifies that the customer is required to get one or more different customers to both accept and satisfy an offer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of criteria specifies that the customer is required to execute at least two or more transactions at the merchant.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of criteria specifies that the customer is required to purchase one or more of a particular product and/or service offered by the merchant.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

parsing point-of-sale (POS) transaction information provided by the merchant to determine whether the customer has purchased the one or more of the particular product and/or service offered by the merchant.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer receives for satisfying the offer a cash back reward from the merchant, store credit from the merchant, and/or virtual currency from the merchant.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more transactions at the merchant are made at a brick-and-mortar location of the merchant.

12. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to track conversion of an online offer, comprising:

identifying an online offer accepted by a customer;

receiving a set of transactions executed at a merchant;

parsing the set of transactions to determine that a set of criteria associated with the online offer has been satisfied by the customer via one or more transactions at the merchant; and

notifying the merchant that the online offer has been satisfied by the customer.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the customer accepts the online offer by submitting an account number associated with an account to which the customer has access.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the account number associated with the account is stored as a hash value and is compared against a hash value of an account number included in each transaction in the set of transactions.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the set of criteria specifies a minimum amount and/or a particular time of day for the one or more transactions.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the set of criteria specifies that both the customer and one or more different customers are required to accept and satisfy the offer.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the set of criteria specifies that the customer is required to get one or more different customers to both accept and satisfy an offer.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the set of criteria specifies that the customer is required to execute at least two or more transactions at the merchant.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the set of criteria specifies that the customer is required to purchase one or more of a particular product and/or service offered by the merchant.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising:

parsing point-of-sale (POS) transaction information provided by the merchant to determine whether the customer has purchased the one or more of the particular product and/or service offered by the merchant.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the customer receives for satisfying the offer a cash back reward from the merchant, store credit from the merchant, and/or virtual currency from the merchant.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more transactions at the merchant are made at a brick-and-mortar location of the merchant.

23. A system for tracking conversion of an online offer, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

identify an online offer accepted by a customer;

receive a set of transactions executed at a merchant;

parse the set of transactions to determine that a set of criteria associated with the online offer has been satisfied by the customer via one or more transactions at the merchant; and

notify the merchant that the online offer has been satisfied by the customer.