PROMOTION INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORTING PROMOTION LINKS AND CODES

• US 20120215638A1
• Filed: 04/18/2012
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Enpulz LLC
• Inventors: Bennett, James D., Winslade, Christopher C.
• Application Number:
  US13/449,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20120215638A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 : Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 : Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 : Insurance

Abstract

An online sales/automatic rebate and coupon redemption system provides online customers automatic retrieval and redemption of all applicable rebates and coupons during purchase. Purchase orders from customers are selectively fulfilled and products are shipped to the customers either by the system for online sales with automatic rebate and coupon redemption or by other merchant or manufacturer environments. The system purchases from merchants using applicable coupons and rebates and then sells the products to the customers, passing the savings to them. The system makes it possible to automatically retrieve coupons and rebates for items in a shopping cart during the activity of an online purchase at an electronic mall or an online merchant site. The system provides coupons to potential customers via email, based on customer profile, geographical information, etc. Manufacturers and merchants can update coupon value and content based on ongoing sales and volume of customer activity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving from a plurality of promoter systems a plurality of promotion data, first promotion data of the plurality of promotion data including first web page link data and a first code;

storing the plurality of promotion data;

storing information relating to a first user;

identifying, based at least in part on the information relating to the first user, a selection from the plurality of promotion data, the selection including the first promotion data; and

delivering the selection to the first user device to provide a visual presentation including at least the code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivering comprises delivering via an email.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the email includes the code and a first web page link corresponding to the first web page link data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying is responsive to a request.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the request originates from the first user.

6. The method of claim 4, performed by a server system, wherein the request originates from the server system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the first user includes user interaction history.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the first user includes user profile information.

9. A method comprising:

receiving from a plurality of promoter systems a plurality of promotion data, first promotion data of the plurality of promotion data including first web page link data and a first code;

storing the plurality of promotion data;

storing information relating to a first user;

identifying a selection from the plurality of promotion data, the selection including the first promotion data;

accessing the information relating to the first user;

delivering the selection to the first user device to provide a visual presentation including at least the code.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the delivering comprises delivering via an email that includes the code and a first web page link corresponding to the first web page link data.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the identifying is responsive to a request.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the request originates from the first user.

13. The method of claim 11 performed by a server system, wherein the request originates from the server system.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the delivery is destined for presentation via a third party web page.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the information relating to the first user involves user interaction history.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the information relating to the first user includes user profile information.

17. An infrastructure that supports online interaction, the infrastructure comprising:

a server system that receives, from a plurality of promoter systems, a plurality of promotion data, first promotion data of the plurality of promotion data including first web page link data and a first code;

said server system stores the plurality of promotion data;

said server system stores information relating to a first user;

said server system identifies a selection from the plurality of promotion data, the selection including the first promotion data;

said server system accesses the information relating to the first user; and

said server system delivers the selection to the first user device to provide a visual presentation including at least the code.

18. The infrastructure of claim 17, wherein said server system delivers the selection to the first user via an email.

19. The infrastructure of claim 18, wherein the email includes the code and a first web page link corresponding to the first web page link data.

20. The infrastructure of claim 17, wherein the server system identifies the selection responsive to a request.

21. The infrastructure of claim 20, wherein the request originates from the first user.

22. The infrastructure of claim 17, wherein the information relating to the first user includes user interaction history.

23. The infrastructure of claim 17, wherein the information relating to the first user includes user profile information.

24. The infrastructure of claim 17, wherein the server system comprises a web based server system having a search engine that supports electronic searching by the user and a user interface comprising one or more web pages.

25. An infrastructure that supports online interaction, the infrastructure comprising:

a server system that receives, from a plurality of promoter systems, a plurality of promotion data, first promotion data of the plurality of promotion data including first web page link data and a first code;

said server system stores the plurality of promotion data;

said server system stores information relating to a first user;

said server system identifies, based at least in part on the information relating to the first user, a selection from the plurality of promotion data, the selection including the first promotion data; and

said server system delivering the selection to the first user device to provide a visual presentation including at least the code.

26. The infrastructure of claim 25, wherein said server system delivers the selection to the first user via an email.

27. The infrastructure of claim 26, wherein the email includes the code and a first web page link corresponding to the first web page link data.

28. The infrastructure of claim 25, wherein the server system identifies the selection responsive to a request.

29. The infrastructure of claim 28, wherein the request originates from the first user.

30. The infrastructure of claim 25, wherein the information relating to the first user includes user interaction history.

31. The infrastructure of claim 25, wherein the information relating to the first user includes user profile information.

32. The infrastructure of claim 25, wherein the server system comprises a web based server system having a search engine that supports electronic searching by the user and a user interface comprising one or more web pages.

33. The infrastructure of claim 25, wherein the delivery is destined for presentation via a third party web page.