Method of providing a trial of a referral service to a merchant based on a plan for expansion

• US 7,734,509 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Lutnick, Howard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, MATTHEW E
• Application Number:
  US11/673,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

Disclosure includes selecting a merchant from a plurality of merchants based at least in part on an expansion plan, enabling a trial mode for the merchant, during the trial mode, receiving an indication of a first order for the merchant, forwarding the indication of the first order to the merchant, allocating a first payment for the first order to the merchant, and requesting an acceptance of a membership status from the merchant.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting, by a computer system configured to provide order referrals, a merchant from a plurality of merchants based at least in part on an expansion plan;

enabling, by a processor of the computer system, a trial mode for the merchant;

during the trial mode, receiving, by the computer system, an indication of a first order for the merchant from a remote device;

forwarding, by the computer system, the indication of the first order to the merchant;

allocating, by the computer system, a first payment for the first order to the merchant; and

requesting, by the computer system, an acceptance of a membership mode from the merchant, in which the membership mode includes an end to the trial mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a request to enable the trial mode from the merchant.

3. A method comprising:

determining, by a computer system configured to provide order referrals, that a merchant meets a criteria of an expansion plan;

assigning, by a processor of the computer system, a trial status to the merchant that meets the criteria;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication of an order;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication of a payment for the order;

transmitting, by the computer system, the indication of the order to a remote device associated with the merchant; and

allocating, by the computer system, at least a merchant portion of the payment to the merchant based, at least in part, on the trial status of the merchant with a referral provider.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a request for the trial status from the merchant.

5. A method comprising:

assigning, by a processor of a computer system configured to provide order referrals, a trial status to a merchant based, at least in part, on a plan for the expansion of the merchant;

receiving, by the computer system, an indication of an order for the merchant;

forwarding, by the computer system, the indication of the first order to a remote device of the merchant; and

determining, by the computer system, an allocation of a payment for the order based, at least in part, on the trial status.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a request for assignment of the trial status from the merchant.

7. The method of claim 6, in which the trial status is assigned in response to the indication of the request for assignment of the trial status.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising requesting an acceptance of a membership mode from the merchant, in which the membership mode includes an end to the trial mode.

9. The method of claim 5, in which the trial status is assigned not in response to a request from the merchant to assign the trial status.