MONITORING FOR OFFLINE TRANSACTIONS

• US 20120209771A1
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cardspring LLC
• Original Assignee: Cardspring LLC
• Inventors: WINNER, Jeffrey, Boyer, Geraud, Kumar, Amit, Walther, Eckart
• Application Number:
  US13/211,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20120209771A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/44
• 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 identifying an identification code corresponding to a merchant, the method comprising:

providing the merchant access to an account;

instructing the merchant to execute a transaction using the account;

parsing one or more transactions made using the account to identify the transaction; and

extracting from the transaction the identification code of the merchant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the account is configured to decline any charges that are made to the account.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein access to the account is provided by shipping, to the merchant, a physical credit card that is associated with the account.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein access to the account is provided by transmitting, to the merchant, an account number that is associated with the account.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the merchant is instructed to execute the transaction at a particular time and/or for a particular amount.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transaction is identified by parsing the one or more transactions for a transaction that matches an account number associated with the account, the particular time and/or the particular amount.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the account number associated with the account is matched based on a hash value of the account.

8. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to identify an identification code corresponding to a merchant, the method comprising:

providing the merchant access to an account;

instructing the merchant to execute a transaction using the account;

parsing one or more transactions made using the account to identify the transaction; and

extracting from the transaction the identification code of the merchant.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the account is configured to decline any charges that are made to the account.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein access to the account is provided by shipping, to the merchant, a physical credit card that is associated with the account.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein access to the account is provided by transmitting, to the merchant, an account number that is associated with the account.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the merchant is instructed to execute the transaction at a particular time and/or for a particular amount.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the transaction is identified by parsing the one or more transactions for a transaction that matches an account number associated with the account, the particular time and/or the particular amount.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the account number associated with the account is matched based on a hash value of the account.

15. A system for identifying an identification code corresponding to a merchant, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

providing the merchant access to an account;

instructing the merchant to execute a transaction using the account;

parsing one or more transactions made using the account to identify the transaction; and

extracting from the transaction the identification code of the merchant.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the account is configured to decline any charges that are made to the account.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein access to the account is provided by shipping, to the merchant, a physical credit card that is associated with the account.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein access to the account is provided by transmitting, to the merchant, an account number that is associated with the account.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the merchant is instructed to execute the transaction at a particular time and/or for a particular amount.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the transaction is identified by parsing the one or more transactions for a transaction that matches an account number associated with the account, the particular time and/or the particular amount.