System and method for directing and instructing customers to deal with specific merchants using incentives

• US 7,392,205 B1
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MFTB Holdco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: iNest Realty, Inc. (Match Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Forward, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alvarez; Raquel
• Application Number:
  US11/182,400
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705/14, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/14.23
• 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 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A buyer-seller matching system that uses incentives to verify commissions from matching the buyer with a seller. An item locator system that comprises a repository of information about items for purchase may be provided over a network for users to access information about items for purchase. Along with each item, the system presents an incentive that may be realized if that item is purchased from a designated third party seller. The user then executes the purchase with the seller, who pays the system the agreed upon fee and also issues a certification of purchase to the buyer. The user may then take the certification of purchase back to the central repository to redeem the incentive. The item locator system then checks to verify that it has received a fee or commission from the seller for bringing the seller a buyer of the item. The fee or commission may be based on the price of the item, such as if the item is a new house for sale and the seller is a new house builder.

Claims

1. A method for providing, via an item locator system, an incentive for an item purchase, comprising:

providing, from an item locator system to a buyer, a listing of an item offered for sale by a seller and incentive information describing an incentive available to the buyer upon purchase of the item from the seller, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system;

receiving, at the item locator system, proof of funding of a purchase of the item purchased from the seller, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system; and

electronically providing, from the item locator system, the incentive to the buyer, in return for receipt of the proof of funding of the purchase of the item purchased from the seller, only if the buyer did not utilize a co-broker for the purchase of the item, other than the item locator system, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing, from an item locator system to a buyer, a listing of an item offered for sale by a seller and incentive information describing an incentive available to the buyer upon purchase of the item from the seller, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system comprises displaying the item and the incentive information on a web page.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is a new home.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is a used home.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is real property.

6. A method for providing, via an item locator system, an incentive for an item purchase, comprising:

providing, from an item locator system to a buyer, a listing of an item offered for sale by a seller and incentive information describing an incentive available to the buyer upon purchase of the item from the seller, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system;

receiving, at the item locator system, proof of funding of a purchase of the item purchased from the seller, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system; and

electronically providing, from the item locator system, the incentive to the buyer, in return for receipt of the proof of funding of the purchase of the item purchased from the seller, only if the buyer utilized a buyer'"'"'s agent with a fee arrangement with the item locator system, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing, from an item locator system to a buyer, a listing of an item offered for sale by a seller and incentive information describing an incentive available to the buyer upon purchase of the item from the seller, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system comprises displaying the item and the incentive information on a web page.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the item is a new home.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the item is a used home.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the item is real property.

11. A method for receiving an incentive for an item purchase, comprising:

locating, using an item locator system, an item for sale by a seller and incentive information describing an incentive available to a buyer upon purchase of the item from the seller, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system;

completing purchase of the item from the seller located through the item locator system, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system; and

electronically receiving the incentive, from the item locator system in return for purchasing the item from the seller, wherein the incentive is received only if a co-broker, other than the item locator system, was not used, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of locating, using an item locator system, an item for sale by a seller and incentive information describing an incentive available to a buyer upon purchase of the item from the seller, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system comprises viewing the item and the incentive information on a web page.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing proof of funding of a purchase.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the item is a new home.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the item is a used home.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the item is real property.

17. A method for receiving an incentive for an item purchase, comprising:

locating, using an item locator system, an item for sale by a seller and incentive information describing an incentive available to a buyer upon purchase of the item from the seller, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system;

completing purchase of the item from the seller located through the item locator system, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system; and

electronically receiving the incentive from the item locator system, in return for purchasing the item from the seller, wherein the incentive is received only if a buyer'"'"'s agent with a fee arrangement with the item locator system was used, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of locating using an item locator system, an item for sale by a seller and incentive information describing an incentive available to a buyer upon purchase of the item from the seller, wherein the seller is other than the item locator system comprises viewing the item and the incentive information on a web page.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing proof of funding of a purchase.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the item is a new home.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the item is a used home.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the item is real property.