REDEMPTION OF GIFT CARDS

• US 20130151401A1
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Scipioni, German, Nguyen, Loc, McClure, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/714,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20130151401A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/348 Single-use cards, i.e. without possibility of recharging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and system for facilitating the redemption of gift cards are described. The method includes linking a gift card issued by a merchant to a user account, receiving a payment request from the user, processing the payment request so that the merchant is paid with funds in the account, receiving a transaction identifier from the merchant, identifying the merchant, verifying that the account is linked to a gift card issued by the merchant, retrieving a value of the gift card, transmitting the transaction identifier and a request to redeem the gift card, and receiving and depositing funds corresponding to a full or partial value of the gift card.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory device storing user account information, wherein the user account information comprises the user'"'"'s gift card information; and

one or more processors operable to;

link a gift card issued by a merchant to a financial account of the user;

receive a payment request from the user at a merchant payee device;

process the payment request so that the merchant is paid with funds in the financial account;

receive a transaction identifier from the merchant;

identify the merchant;

verify that the financial account is linked to a gift card issued by the merchant;

retrieve a value of the gift card;

transmit the transaction identifier and a request to redeem the gift card;

receive funds corresponding to a full or partial value of the gift card; and

deposit the received funds into the financial account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is further operable to transmit a notification to the user regarding the payment request.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors is further operable to receive a message from the user accepting or declining use of the gift card.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors is further operable to receive a message from the user that a full or partial value of the gift card be redeemed.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors is further operable to request that the full or partial value of the gift card be redeemed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transaction identifier and the request to redeem the gift card are transmitted to a third party.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the funds corresponding to a full or partial value of the gift card are received from the third party.

8. A method for redeeming a gift card, comprising:

linking a gift card issued by a merchant to a financial account of a user;

receiving a payment request from the user at a merchant payee device;

processing the payment request so that the merchant is paid with funds in the financial account;

receiving a transaction identifier from the merchant;

identifying the merchant;

verifying that the financial account is linked to a gift card issued by the merchant;

retrieving a value of the gift card;

transmitting the transaction identifier and a request to redeem the gift card;

receiving funds corresponding to a full or partial value of the gift card; and

depositing the received funds into the financial account.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting a notification to the user regarding the payment request.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a message from the user accepting or declining use of the gift card.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a message from the user that a full or partial value of the gift card be redeemed.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising requesting that the full or partial value of the gift card be redeemed.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the transaction identifier and the request to redeem the gift card are transmitted to a third party.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the funds corresponding to a full or partial value of the gift card are received from the third party.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a server are adapted to cause the server to perform a method comprising:

linking a gift card issued by a merchant to a financial account of a user;

receiving a payment request from the user at a merchant payee device;

processing the payment request so that the merchant is paid with funds in the financial account;

receiving a transaction identifier from the merchant;

identifying the merchant;

verifying that the financial account is linked to a gift card issued by the merchant;

retrieving a value of the gift card;

transmitting the transaction identifier and a request to redeem the gift card;

receiving funds corresponding to a full or partial value of the gift card; and

depositing the received funds into the financial account.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises transmitting a notification to the user regarding the payment request.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises receiving a message from the user accepting or declining use of the gift card.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises receiving a message from the user that a full or partial value of the gift card be redeemed.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises requesting that the full or partial value of the gift card be redeemed.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the transaction identifier and a request to redeem the gift card are transmitted to a third party, and the funds corresponding to a full or partial value of the gift card are received from the third party.