Method for allocating commissions over the internet using tags

• US 6,334,111 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Benedor LLC
• Original Assignee: Careau & Co.
• Inventors: Carrott, Richard F.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/680,421
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/10, 705/14, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/14.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives

Abstract

A method and structure for allocating commissions for sales made over the Internet including providing a link to a merchant site, attaching a tag to potential customers who select the link (where the tag identifies an association between the potential customers and a salesperson who provided the link), and allocating the commissions for purchases made by the potential customers based upon the tag.

Claims

1. A method of allocating commissions for sales made over a computer network comprising:

providing a link to a merchant site;

attaching a salesperson specific tag to potential customers who select said link, wherein said salesperson specific tag identifies an association between said potential customers and a salesperson who provided said link; and

allocating said commissions for purchases made by said potential customers based upon said salesperson specific tag.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein said purchases include future purchases.

3. The method in claim 1, further comprising storing said salesperson specific tag as a cookie on a potential customer'"'"'s computer when said potential customer selects said link.

4. The method in claim 1, further comprising storing said salesperson specific tag in a database separate from said potential customer'"'"'s computer when said potential customer selects said link.

5. The method in claim 1, wherein said attaching of said salesperson specific tag is transparent to said potential customer.

6. The method in claim 1, further comprising registering said potential customer when said potential customer makes a purchase, said registering including updating said database with additional identifying information of said potential customer.

7. The method in claim 1, wherein said providing of said link includes placing said link on an Internet Web location, providing said link in Internet chat rooms, virtual worlds, posting to newsgroups, providing said link via e-mail, providing said link in person, or providing said link in printed form.

8. A method of allocating commissions for sales made over a computer network comprising:

providing a link;

processing said link through a link-processing site and attaching a salesperson specific tag to potential customers who select said link, wherein said salesperson specific tag identifies an association between said potential customers and a salesperson who provided said link;

forwarding said potential customers from said link processing site to a merchant site;

registering said potential customers at a registration site; and

allocating said commissions for purchases made by said potential customers based upon said salesperson specific tag.

9. The method in claim 8, wherein said purchases include future purchases.

10. The method in claim 8, further comprising storing said salesperson specific tag as a cookie on a potential customer'"'"'s computer when said potential customer selects said link.

11. The method in claim 10, further comprising storing said salesperson specific tag in a database separate from said potential customer'"'"'s computer when said potential customer selects said link.

12. The method in claim 8, wherein said attaching of said salesperson specific tag is transparent to said potential customer.

13. The method in claim 8, further comprising registering said potential customer when said potential customer makes a purchase, said registering including updating said database with additional identifying information of said potential customer.

14. The method in claim 8, wherein said providing of said link includes placing said link on an Internet Web location, providing said link in Internet chat rooms, virtual worlds, posting to newsgroups, providing said link via e-mail, providing said link in person, or providing said link in printed form.

15. A method of using a computer program on a computerized system to allocate commissions comprising:

using said computer program to provide a link to a merchant site;

using said computer program to attach a salesperson specific tag to potential customers who select said link, wherein said salesperson specific tag identifies an association between said potential customers and a salesperson who provided said link; and

using said computer program to allocate said commissions for purchases made by said potential customers based upon said salesperson specific tag.

16. The method in claim 15, wherein said purchases include future purchases.

17. The method in claim 15, further comprising using said computer program to store said salesperson specific tag as a cookie on a potential customer'"'"'s computer when said potential customer selects said link.

18. The method in claim 17, further comprising using said computer program to store said salesperson specific tag in a database separate from said potential customer'"'"'s computer when said potential customer selects said link.

19. The method in claim 15, wherein said using said computer program to attach said salesperson specific tag is transparent to said potential customer.

20. The method in claim 15, further comprising using said computer program to register said potential customer when said potential customer makes a purchase, said using said computer program to register including using said computer program to update said database with additional identifying information of said potential customer.

21. The method in claim 15, wherein said using said computer program to provide said link includes using said computer program to one of place said link on an Internet Web location, provide said link in Internet chat rooms, virtual worlds, posting to newsgroups, provide said link via e-mail, provide said link in person, or provide said link in printed form.

22. A computerized system for allocating commissions comprising:

a computer network location having a link;

a link processing site adapted to attach a salesperson specific tag to potential customers who select said link, wherein said salesperson specific tag identifies an association between said potential customers and a salesperson who provided said link;

a merchant site connected to said link processing site; and

an administration site adapted to allocate said commissions for purchases made by said potential customers at said merchant site based upon said salesperson specific tag.

23. The system in claim 22, wherein said purchases include future purchases.

24. The system in claim 22, wherein said link processing site stores said salesperson specific tag as a cookie on a potential customer'"'"'s computer when said potential customer selects said link.

25. The system in claim 24, further wherein said link processing site stores said salesperson specific tag in a database separate from said potential customer'"'"'s computer when said potential customer selects said link.

26. The system in claim 22, wherein processing occurring at said link processing site is transparent to said potential customer.

27. The system in claim 22, further comprising a registration site adapted to register said potential customer when said potential customer makes a purchase and update said database with additional identifying information of said potential customer.

28. The system in claim 22, wherein said computer network location comprises one of an Internet Web location, Internet chat rooms, virtual worlds, posting to newsgroups, or through any other vehicle for interfacing in, on, or over the Internet, e-mail.