Electronic Transaction Receipt System and Method

• US 20140122172A1
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chapterhouse LLC (Marsh & McLennan Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Afterbot Incorporated
• Inventors: Galanis, Peter, Nadler, James G., Greene, James D., Hylton, Duane A., Schultz, R. Steven
• Application Number:
  US14/072,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20140122172A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0457 the tickets being sent electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00

Abstract

In connection with a sales transaction, an electronic receipt is issued to the buyer that includes hyperlinks. A hyperlink can be associated with post-sale interaction with the product seller, the product manufacturer or parties acting on their behalf that involves the product itself, such as a product return procedure, a product warranty procedure, receiving rebate notices and recall notices, product registration procedures and similar functions.

Claims

1. A method for providing electronic receipts using an electronic receipt generator, comprising the steps of:

a. conducting a first plurality of sales transactions between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers;

b. transmitting information about each of the first plurality of sales transactions to the electronic receipt generator;

c. generating by the electronic receipt generator an electronic receipt for each of the first plurality of sales transactions, wherein each receipt comprises detailed information describing the sales transaction, wherein the detailed information comprises sale price, total transaction amount, item description, and information indicating completion of the sales transaction;

d. generating by the electronic receipt generator information from the first plurality of electronic receipts that describes the first plurality of sales transactions but that does not personally identify any individual buyer;

e. transmitting the information generated from the first plurality of electronic receipts to a third party; and

f. performing market analysis by the third party using the information generated from the first plurality of electronic receipts.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a. generating by the electronic receipt generator information from a second plurality of electronic receipts that are associated with a buyer and that are associated with the plurality of sellers;

b. converting by the electronic receipt generator the information generated from the second plurality of electronic receipts to a determined format; and

c. transmitting the converted information generated from the second plurality of electronic receipts to the buyer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

a. conducting a sales transaction between the buyer and a first seller;

b. transmitting information about the sales transaction to the electronic receipt generator over a first network;

c. generating by the electronic receipt generator an electronic receipt comprising detailed information describing the sales transaction, wherein the detailed information comprises sale price, total transaction amount, item description, information indicating completion of the sales transaction, and a hyperlink associated with a product return procedure;

d. transmitting the electronic receipt over a second network to a computing device operated by the buyer, wherein the first and second networks are distinct;

e. displaying the detailed information on the computing device;

f. activating, by the buyer, the hyperlink on the computing device;

g. transmitting, to the computing device and in response to activation of the hyperlink, return information containing steps for returning the product;

h. displaying the return information on the computing device;

i. requesting, by the buyer, a return shipping label for the product;

j. transmitting the return shipping label to the computing device; and

k. producing a hard copy of the return shipping label using the computing device.

4. A method for generating de-identified electronic receipts using an electronic receipt generator, comprising the steps of:

a. conducting a first plurality of sales transactions between a plurality of buyers and a plurality of sellers;

b. transmitting first data about each of the first plurality of sales transactions to an electronic receipt generator, wherein the first data identifies individual buyers associated with each of the first plurality of sales transactions;

c. generating by the electronic receipt generator an electronic receipt for each of the first plurality of sales transactions, wherein each receipt comprises detailed information describing the sales transaction, including sale price, total transaction amount, item description, and information indicating completion of the sales transaction; and

d. generating by the electronic receipt generator second data from each of the electronic receipts that describes each of the first plurality of sales transactions but that does not personally identify any one of the individual buyers of the plurality of buyers.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting the second data generated from the electronic receipts to a third party; and

b. generating market analysis data by the third party using the second data generated from the first plurality of electronic receipts.