System and method for offering an incentive to a user of an electronic commerce web site

• US 7,599,881 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: XPRT Ventures LLC
• Original Assignee: XPRT Ventures LLC
• Inventors: Likourezos, George, Scaturro, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil, Frantzy
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRAHAM, CLEMENT B
• Application Number:
  US11/510,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 38
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

The invention provides a computerized electronic auction payment system and method for effecting a real-time payment for an item won in an electronic auction by setting up and maintaining electronic auction payment accounts for prospective bidders and sellers. The prospective bidders provide funds to their electronic auction payment accounts maintained by the computerized electronic auction payment system, prior to being deemed as winning bidders, via direct deposit, using a credit card, or sending a check, money order, or other financial document to an operator of the computerized electronic auction payment system. In one embodiment, upon being deemed as a winning bidder, the winning bidder accesses a payment page, enters the total amount of funds to be transferred to the seller, and authorizes the computerized electronic auction payment system to effect a real-time payment by debiting his, i.e., the winning bidder'"'"'s, respective electronic auction payment account and crediting the electronic auction payment account of the seller, and/or another account specified by the seller. In an alternate embodiment, the prospective bidder authorizes the computerized electronic auction payment system to effect a real-time payment to the seller upon the prospective bidder being deemed the winning bidder (i.e., immediately following the conclusion of the auction). That is, without the winning bidder having to access the payment page.

Claims

1. An electronic commerce method comprising:

offering a user of an electronic commerce web site via a graphical user interface an incentive to use funds stored in a payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for an electronic commerce transaction;

receiving authorization from the user by at least one processor to use funds stored in the payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction; and

rewarding by the at least one processor the user for responding to the incentive for using funds stored in the payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction, wherein the incentive is not rewarded by the at least one processor if the user uses a payment source other than the Payment account to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction,

wherein the payment account is maintained by a database maintaining a plurality of payment accounts each corresponding to a respective user of a plurality of users, including the user, of said electronic commerce web site, each of said plurality of payment accounts storing funds therein and each being used for electronic commerce transactions,

wherein at least one payment source is used to obtain funds for storing within the payment account corresponding to the user prior to using hinds stored in the payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction, wherein the at least one payment source is selected from the group comprising;

a bank account and a credit card account.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of rewarding includes entering the user in a sweepstakes drawing.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sweepstakes drawing is a weekly sweepstakes drawing.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sweepstakes drawing includes a prize having a predetermined monetary value.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying the offered incentive on the electronic commerce web site.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an amount of funds deducted from the payment account during a predetermined period.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an average amount of funds from the payment account used to effect payment during a predetermined period.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic commerce web site is an electronic auction web site.

9. An electronic commerce method comprising:

debiting a specific payment account corresponding to a user of an electronic commerce web site by at least one processor, said specific payment account storing funds therein; and

entering the user by the at least one processor in a sweepstakes drawing based on the user authorizing the specific payment account to be debited, wherein the user is not entered in the sweepstakes drawing if the user authorizes a payment account other than the specific payment account to be debited.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the sweepstakes drawing is a weekly sweepstakes drawing.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the sweepstakes drawing includes a prize having a predetermined monetary value.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the sweepstakes drawing is provided as an incentive to the user.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an amount of funds deducted from the specific payment account during a predetermined period.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an average amount of funds from the specific payment account used to effect payment during a predetermined period.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electronic commerce web site is an electronic auction web site.

16. An electronic commerce method comprising:

offering a user of an electronic commerce web site via a graphical user interface to be entered into a sweepstakes drawing if said user uses funds stored within a specific payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for an electronic commerce transaction; and

entering the user in the sweepstakes drawing by at least one processor if said user used funds stored within the specific payment account to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction, wherein the user is not entered in the sweepstakes drawing if the user used a payment source than the specific payment account to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sweepstakes drawing is a weekly sweepstakes drawing.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an amount of funds from the specific payment account used to purchase at least one item offered for sale via the electronic commerce web site.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an amount of funds deducted from the specific payment account during a predetermined period.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an average amount of funds from the specific payment account used to effect payment during a predetermined period.

21. An electronic commerce method comprising:

offering a user of an electronic commerce web site via a graphical user interface an incentive for using a specific payment system to effect payment for an electronic commerce transaction originating via the electronic commerce web site, wherein the specific payment system comprises a database storing a plurality of payment accounts, each of the plurality of payment accounts storing funds therein for use in effecting payment for electronic commerce transactions originating via the electronic commerce web site;

determining by at least one processor if the user originated the electronic commerce transaction via the electronic commerce web site, and, if yes, determining if payment for the electronic commerce transaction was effected using a payment account corresponding to the user and stored within the database of the specific payment system; and

rewarding by the at least one processor to the user the offered incentive if the payment account corresponding to the user and stored within the database of the specific payment system was used to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction, wherein the incentive is not rewarded by the at least one processor if the user uses a payment system other than the specific payment system to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction,

wherein at least one payment source is used to obtain finds for storm within the payment account corresponding to the user prior to using the payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction, wherein the at least one payment source is selected from the group comprising;

a bank account and a credit card account.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the incentive is selected from the group consisting of providing free shipping for an item purchased via the electronic commerce transaction, and entering the user in a sweepstakes drawing.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the specific payment system includes a payment server executing application software for determining the payment account from the plurality of payment accounts corresponding to the user and for deducting funds from the payment account for effecting payment for the electronic commerce transaction, and wherein access to the specific payment system is provided via a link displayed on at least one web page corresponding to the electronic commerce web site.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of payment accounts including payment information for use in effecting payment for electronic commerce transactions originating via the electronic commerce web site.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the specific payment system includes a payment server executing application software for determining payment information corresponding to the user and using said payment information for effecting payment for the electronic commerce transaction, and wherein access to the specific payment system is provided via a link displayed on at least one web page corresponding to the electronic commerce web site.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the payment information includes information selected from the group consisting of credit card information, and bank account information.

27. The method according to claim 21, further comprising displaying the offered incentive on the electronic commerce web site.

28. The method according to claim 22, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an amount of funds transferred to the payment account corresponding to the user during a predetermined period, and wherein the payment account is created and maintained by the specific payment system.

29. The method according to claim 22, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an average amount of funds from the payment account used to effect payment during a predetermined period, and wherein the payment account corresponds to the user and is created and maintained by the specific payment system.

30. The method according to claim 21, wherein the electronic commerce web site is an electronic auction web site.

31. A method for rewarding an incentive offered to a user of an electronic commerce web site maintained by an electronic commerce system, the method comprising:

receiving at least one input from the user via a payment web page to effect payment via a specific payment system, in operative communication with the electronic commerce system, to another user of the electronic commerce web site;

effecting payment to the another user of the electronic commerce web site via the specific payment system; and

rewarding the incentive by at least one processor to the user of the electronic commerce web site for using the specific payment system to effect payment, the incentive offered is displayed on at least one web page associated with the electronic commerce system, the specific payment system comprises a database storing a plurality of payment accounts, each of the plurality of payment accounts storing funds therein for use in effecting payment for electronic commerce transactions originating via the electronic commerce web site, wherein the incentive is not rewarded by the at least one processor if the user uses a payment system other than the specific Payment system to effect payment,

wherein a plurality of payment sources are used to obtain funds for storing within the plurality of payment accounts prior to using funds stored in the plurality of payment accounts to effect payment for the electronic commerce transactions originating via the electronic commerce web site, wherein the plurality of payment sources are selected from the group comprising;

bank accounts and credit card accounts.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the incentive is selected from the group consisting of providing free shipping for an item offered for sale via the electronic commerce web site and purchased by the user, and entering the user in a sweepstakes drawing.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the specific payment system includes a payment server executing application software for determining a payment account from the plurality of payment accounts corresponding to the user and for deducting funds from the payment account for effecting payment for an electronic commerce transaction originating via the electronic commerce web site, and wherein access to the specific payment system is provided via a link displayed on at least one web page corresponding to the electronic commerce web site.

34. The method according to claim 31, wherein each of the plurality of payment accounts including payment information for use in effecting payment for electronic commerce transactions originating via the electronic commerce web site.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the specific payment system includes a payment server executing application software for determining payment information corresponding to the user and using said payment information for effecting payment for the electronic commerce transaction, and wherein access to the specific payment system is provided via a link displayed on at least one web page corresponding to the electronic commerce web site.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the payment information includes information selected from the group consisting of credit card information, and hank account information.

37. The method according to claim 31, wherein the incentive is entering the user in a sweepstakes drawing, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an amount of hands transferred to a payment account corresponding to the user during a predetermined period, and wherein the payment account is created and maintained by the specific payment system.

38. The method according to claim 31, wherein the incentive is entering the user in a sweepstakes drawing, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an average amount of hinds from a payment account used to effect payment during a predetermined period, and wherein the payment account corresponds to the user and is created and maintained by the specific payment system.

39. The method according to claim 31, wherein the electronic commerce web site is an electronic auction web site.

40. An electronic commerce method comprising:

rewarding a user of an electronic commerce web site by at least one processor an incentive having a monetary value, wherein the incentive is rewarded to the user for using a specific payment method for effecting payment for an electronic commerce transaction, and wherein the incentive is displayed by at least one web page accessible via at least one web page of the electronic commerce web site maintained by an electronic commerce system, wherein the incentive is not rewarded if the user uses a payment method other than the specific payment method to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction; and

redeeming the rewarded incentive by the at least one processor for the user when effecting payment for an item purchased via the electronic commerce web site by the user,

wherein the specific payment method comprises the steps of;

debiting by the at least one processor a payment account corresponding to the user, wherein said payment account is stored within an electronic database of a plurality of payment accounts corresponding to a plurality of users of said electronic commerce web site, wherein said database and a payment segment of said electronic commerce web site are maintained by an electronic commerce payment system integrated with said electronic commerce system, each of said plurality of electronic commerce payment accounts storing funds therein and each being used for user transactions in the electronic commerce system; and

crediting by the at least one processor at least one account to effect payment for the item purchased via the electronic commerce web site,

wherein at least one payment source is used to obtain finds for storing within the payment account prior to debiting said payment account to effect payment.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the incentive is a predetermined amount of funds, and wherein the step of rewarding comprises depositing the predetermined amount of funds into a payment account corresponding to the user.

42. The method according to claim 40, wherein the at least one payment source is selected from the group comprising:

a bank account and a credit card account.

43. An electronic commerce system comprising:

means for offering a user of an electronic commerce web site an incentive for using funds stored in a payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for an electronic commerce transaction;

means for receiving authorization from the user to use funds stored in the payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction; and

means for rewarding the user for responding to the incentive for using funds stored in the payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction, wherein the incentive is not rewarded if the user uses a payment source other than the payment account to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction;

wherein the payment account is maintained by a database maintaining a plurality of payment accounts each corresponding to a respective user of a plurality of users, including the user, of said electronic commerce web site, each of said plurality of payment accounts storing hinds therein and each being used for electronic commerce transactions,

wherein at least one payment source is used to obtain funds for storing within the payment account corresponding to the user prior to using hinds stored in the payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction, wherein the at least one Payment source is selected from the group comprising;

a bank account and a credit card account.

44. The system according to claim 43, wherein the means for rewarding comprises means for entering the user in a sweepstakes drawing.

45. The system according to claim 43, further comprising means for causing the display of the offered incentive on at least one web page of the electronic commerce web site.

46. An electronic commerce system comprising:

means for offering a user of an electronic commerce web site an incentive for using a specific payment system to effect payment for an electronic commerce transaction originating via the electronic commerce web site, wherein the specific payment system comprises a database storing a plurality of payment accounts, each of the plurality of payment accounts storing funds therein for use in effecting payment for electronic commerce transactions originating via the electronic commerce web site;

means for determining if the user originated the electronic commerce transaction via the electronic commerce web site, and, if yes, determining if payment for the electronic commerce transaction was effected using a payment account corresponding to the user and stored within the database of the specific payment system; and

means for rewarding the user the offered incentive if the payment account corresponding to the user and stored within the database of the specific payment system was used to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction, wherein the incentive is not rewarded if the user uses a payment system other than the specific payment system to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction,

wherein at least one payment source is used to obtain funds for storing within the payment account corresponding to the user prior to using the payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction, wherein the at least one payment source is selected from the group comprising;

a bank account and a credit card account.

47. The system according to claim 46, wherein the incentive is selected from the group consisting of providing free shipping for an item purchased via the electronic commerce transaction, and entering the user in a sweepstakes drawing.

48. The system according to claim 46, wherein the specific payment system includes a payment server executing application software for determining a payment account from the plurality of payment accounts corresponding to the user and for deducting funds from the payment account for effecting payment for the electronic commerce transaction, and wherein access to the specific payment system is provided via a link displayed on at least one web page corresponding to the electronic commerce web site.

49. The system according to claim 46, wherein each of the plurality of payment accounts including payment information for use in effecting payment for electronic commerce transactions originating via the electronic commerce web site.

50. The system according to claim 49, wherein the specific payment system includes a payment server executing application software for determining payment information corresponding to the user and using said payment information for effecting payment for the electronic commerce transaction, and wherein access to the specific payment system is provided via a link displayed on at least one web page corresponding to the electronic commerce web site.

51. The system according to claim 46, further comprising means for displaying the offered incentive on the electronic commerce web site.

52. An electronic commerce system comprising:

means for rewarding a user of an electronic commerce web site an incentive having a monetary value, wherein the incentive is rewarded to the user for using a specific payment method for effecting payment for an electronic commerce transaction, and wherein the incentive is displayed by at least one web page accessible via at least one web page of the electronic commerce web site maintained by an electronic commerce system, wherein the incentive is not rewarded if the user uses a payment method other than the specific payment method to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction; and

means for redeeming the rewarded incentive for the user when effecting payment for an item purchased via the electronic commerce web site by the user,

wherein the specific payment method comprises the steps of;

debiting by the at least one processor a payment account corresponding to the user, wherein said payment account is stored within an electronic database of a plurality of payment accounts corresponding to a plurality of users of said electronic commerce web site, wherein said database and a payment segment of said electronic commerce web site are maintained by an electronic commerce payment system integrated with said electronic commerce system, each of said plurality of electronic commerce payment accounts storing funds therein and each being used for user transactions in the electronic commerce system; and

crediting by the at least one processor at least one account to effect payment for the item purchased via the electronic commerce web site,

wherein at least one payment source is used to obtain funds for storing within the payment account prior to debiting said payment account to effect payment.

53. The system according to claim 52, wherein the incentive is a predetermined amount of funds, and wherein the step of rewarding comprises depositing the predetermined amount of finds into a payment account corresponding to the user.

54. The system according to claim 52, wherein the at least one payment source is selected from the group comprising:

a bank account and a credit card account.