Systems and methods wherein a buyer purchases a product at a first price and physically acquires the product at a location associated with a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving transaction information, the transaction information being associated with (i) a buyer who arranges to purchase a product at a first price and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price different from the first price; and
transmitting information that enables the buyer to physically acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant in exchange for providing payment of an amount based on the first price,wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price to the merchant, and at least one of a central controller and a processing device operating on behalf of a third party causes payment of an amount based on the difference between the first price and the second price to be provided to the merchant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided wherein a buyer purchases a product at a first price and physically acquires the product at a location associated with a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, the second price being different from the first price. Transaction information associated with the buyer and the merchant is received. Information that enables the buyer to physically acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant in exchange for providing payment of an amount based on the first price, such as by providing payment to a central controller, is transmitted. According to one embodiment, a central controller provides payment of an amount based on the second price to the merchant.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving transaction information, the transaction information being associated with (i) a buyer who arranges to purchase a product at a first price and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price different from the first price; and transmitting information that enables the buyer to physically acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant in exchange for providing payment of an amount based on the first price, wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price to the merchant, and at least one of a central controller and a processing device operating on behalf of a third party causes payment of an amount based on the difference between the first price and the second price to be provided to the merchant.
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2. A method, comprising:
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receiving transaction information, the transaction information being associated with (i) a buyer who arranges to purchase a product at a first price and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price different from the first price; and transmitting information that enables the buyer to physically acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant in exchange for providing payment of an amount based on the first price, wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price to a central controller, and the central controller provides payment of an amount based on the second price to the merchant. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method, comprising:
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receiving, via a Web site, from a buyer a selection of a product and an indication of a willingness to acquire the product from a merchant; establishing for the buyer a first price for the product, wherein the merchant offers the product for sale at a second price different from the first price; arranging via the Web site for the buyer to purchase the product; receiving a transaction identifier; receiving a product identifier that identifies the product; determining whether the transaction identifier is associated with the product; arranging for the buyer to provide the first price for the product if the transaction identifier is associated with the product; arranging for the buyer to provide the second price for the product if the transaction identifier is not associated with the product; and transmitting information that enables the buyer to physically acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant, wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price to a central controller, and the central controller provides payment of an amount based on the second price to the merchant.
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27. A method, comprising:
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receiving, via a Web site, from a buyer a selection of a product and an indication of a willingness to acquire the product from a merchant; establishing for the buyer a first price for the product, wherein the merchant offers the product for sale at a second price different from the first price; arranging via the Web site for the buyer to purchase the product; receiving a transaction identifier; receiving a product identifier via a POS terminal, the product identifier identifying the product; determining whether the transaction identifier is associated with the product; arranging for the buyer to provide the first price for the product if the transaction identifier is associated with the product; arranging for the buyer to provide the second price for the product if the transaction identifier is not associated with the product; and transmitting information that enables the buyer to physically acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant, wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price to a central controller, and the central controller provides payment of an amount based on the second price to the merchant.
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28. A method, comprising:
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receiving from a buyer a selection of a product via a Web site; establishing for the buyer a first price for the product, wherein a merchant offers the product for sale at a second price different from the first price; arranging via the Web site for the buyer to purchase the product; receiving a transaction identifier; receiving a product identifier that identifies the product; searching a database for a record that corresponds to the transaction identifier; determining a second product identifier from the record; and determining whether the second product identifier is associated with the product; arranging for the buyer to provide the first price for the product if the second identifier is associated with the product; arranging for the buyer to provide the second price for the product if the second identifier is not associated with the product; and transmitting information that enables the buyer to acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant, wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price to a central controller, and the central controller provides payment of an amount based on the second price to the merchant.
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29. A method, comprising:
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receiving via a Web site a request to purchase a product and an indication of a willingness to acquire the product, wherein a merchant offers the product for sale at a second price different from a first price; storing in a database a record that indicates; a product identifier that identifies the product, the first price for the product, and a first transaction identifier that uniquely identifies the record; receiving via a POS terminal; a product identifier, and a second transaction identifier; determining whether the second transaction identifier matches the first transaction identifier; arranging for the buyer to provide the first price for the product if the second transaction identifier matches the first transaction identifier; arranging for the buyer to provide the second price for the product if the second transaction identifier does not match the first transaction identifier; and transmitting information that enables the buyer to physically acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant, wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price to a central controller, and the central controller provides payment of an amount based on the second price to the merchant.
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30. A method, comprising:
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receiving a product identifier that identifies a product presented for purchase, wherein a merchant offers the product for sale at a second price different from a first price; receiving a transaction identifier from a buyer; determining whether the transaction identifier identifies a record of a database, the database storing a plurality of records, each record being associated with a transaction and indicating a first product purchased in the transaction at the first price that the buyer had arranged to purchase; determining, if the transaction identifier indicates a record of the database, from the indicated record a first product and the first price for the first product; determining whether the product presented for purchase is the first product; arranging for the buyer to provide the first price if the product presented for purchase is the first product indicated by the transaction identifier; determining the second price for the product if the product presented for purchase is not indicated by the transaction identifier; arranging for the buyer to provide the second price if the product presented for purchase is not indicated by the transaction identifier; and transmitting information that enables the buyer to physically acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant, wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price to a central controller, and the central controller provides payment of an amount based on the second price to the merchant.
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31. A method, comprising:
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receiving transaction information, the transaction information being associated with (i) a buyer who arranges to purchase a product at a first price and (ii) a merchant that offers identical products for sale at a second price different from the first price; and transmitting information that enables the buyer to acquire the product at a location associated with the merchant in exchange for providing payment of an amount based on the first price, wherein the buyer provides payment of an amount based on the first price to the merchant, and at least one of a central controller and a processing device operating on behalf of a third party causes payment of an amount based on the difference between the first price and the second price to be provided to the merchant.
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Specification