Apparatus and methods for enforcing purchase agreements

• US 7,637,428 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Robert C., Breitenbach, Matthew D., Walker, Jay S., Van Luchene, Andrew S., Suarez, Jose A., Fincham, Magdalena M., Alderucci, Dean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US11/937,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/385, 705/14
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for establishing online a buyer price for a first plurality of products. In one embodiment, the buyer price is lower than a retail price of the first plurality of products, the first plurality of products to be picked up during a subsequent transaction at a retailer. Thereafter, a second plurality of products that the buyer has actually received during the subsequent transaction is determined. A penalty may be assessed if the first and second plurality of products do not correspond.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform steps of;

establishing a buyer price for a first product, the buyer price being different than a retail price of the first product;

establishing a redemption code which identifies the buyer price and the first product;

charging a financial account for the buyer price; and

charging the financial account for a penalty amount if the redemption code is received in connection with a purchase that does not include the first product, wherein charging the financial account for a penalty amount comprises;

charging a retail price of a second product; and

adjusting a rebate amount to be credited to the financial account.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the step of charging a retail price of the second product comprises:

charging the financial account the difference between the retail price of the second product and the buyer price.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the step of charging a retail price of the second product comprises:

charging the retail price of the second product to the financial account; and

crediting the buyer price to the financial account.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the redemption code comprises:

an alphanumeric code.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the redemption code comprises:

a bar code.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform steps of;

establishing online a buyer price for a product, the buyer price being lower than a retail price of the product;

establishing an agreement that the product is to be received during a subsequent transaction at a retailer;

providing, prior to the transaction at the retailer, a redemption code which identifies the buyer price and the product;

charging a financial account for the buyer price; and

charging the financial account for a penalty amount if the redemption code is received in connection with the transaction at the retailer, and the transaction does not include the product.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein charging the financial account a penalty amount comprises:

crediting an amount that is less than the buyer price to the financial account.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein charging the financial account a penalty amount comprises:

determining a retail price of a received product; and

reducing an amount to be credited to the financial account by a difference between the retail price and the buyer price.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

crediting the reduced amount to the financial account.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the financial account is a credit card account.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that a substitute product was received in lieu of the product; and

reducing an amount to be credited to the financial account by a difference between a retail price of the substitute product and the buyer price.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the redemption code comprises:

an alphanumeric code.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the redemption code comprises:

a bar code.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform steps of;

establishing online a buyer price for a plurality of products, the buyer price being lower than a sum of a retail price of each of the plurality of products;

establishing an agreement that the plurality of products are to be received during a subsequent transaction at a retailer;

providing, prior to the transaction at the retailer, a redemption code which identifies the buyer price and the plurality of products;

charging a financial account for the buyer price; and

charging the financial account for a penalty amount if the redemption code is received in connection with the transaction at the retailer, and the transaction includes at least one additional product received in addition to the plurality of products.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein charging the financial account for the penalty amount comprises:

reducing a refund amount to be credited to the financial account by a retail price of the at least one additional product.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform steps of;

establishing a buyer price for a number of units of a product, the buyer price being different than a retail price of the number of units of the product;

charging a financial account for the buyer price;

transmitting a redemption code which identifies the buyer price and the number of units of the product; and

charging the financial account for a penalty amount if the redemption code has been received in connection with a purchase that does not include the number of units of the product.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein charging the financial account for the penalty amount comprises:

reducing a refund amount to be credited to the financial account.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

crediting the reduced refund amount to the financial account.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the financial account is a credit card account.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, in which the step of charging the financial account for a penalty amount if the redemption code has been received in connection with a purchase that does not include the number of units of the product comprises:

charging the financial account for a penalty amount if the redemption code has been received in connection with a purchase that includes more than the number of units of the product.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform steps of;

establishing a buyer price for a product, the buyer price being different than a retail price of the product;

charging a financial account for the buyer price;

identifying a retailer from which the buyer is to take possession of the product;

transmitting a redemption code which identifies the buyer price, the product and the retailer from which the buyer is take possession of the product;

receiving the redemption code; and

charging the financial account for a penalty amount if the redemption code has been received from a retailer other than the retailer from which the buyer is to take possession of the product.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform steps of;

associating a first credit card account with a second credit card account;

establishing online a buyer price for a first plurality of products, the buyer price being less than a retail price of the first plurality of products;

generating a redemption code;

associating the redemption code with the buyer price;

setting a credit limit on the first credit card account to an amount based on a retail price of the first plurality of products;

receiving the redemption code;

receiving a request for an amount greater than the credit limit of the first credit card account; and

charging the second credit card account for a penalty amount based on the received request.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 in which the step of charging the second credit card account for a penalty amount comprises:

decreasing a rebate amount to be credited to the second credit card account.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform steps of;

associating a transaction identifier with a credit card account;

establishing online a buyer price for a first plurality of products, the buyer price being different than a retail price of the first plurality of products;

associating the transaction identifier with the first plurality of products and the buyer price;

transmitting the transaction identifier;

receiving, from a retailer, data associated with a transaction at the retailer in which the transaction identifier was used; and

charging the credit card account for a penalty amount if the transaction includes an additional product beyond the first plurality of products, and the additional product was not paid for.