Methods for an alternative payment platform

• US 7,848,960 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TrialPay Incorporated (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TrialPay Incorporated (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Angelos, Terry, Rampell, Alastair, Campbell, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian; Mila
• Application Number:
  US11/924,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• 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 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for providing an alternative payment platform, including method and systems for providing a platform for presenting an alternate offer to a user who is engaged with a primary offer and receiving an indication of the user'"'"'s engagement with the alternate offer, wherein the user'"'"'s engagement with the alternate offer serves as an alternative form of payment for an item associated with the primary offer. Such methods and systems may further include methods and systems for selecting one or more alternate offers engagement with which serves as an alternative form of payment for an item associated with a primary offer, presenting the selected alternate payment offers to a user, receiving an indication of engagement with at least one of the alternate offers, receiving payment in exchange for presenting the accepted offer and providing payment to the offeror of the primary offer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in response to a pre-determined event detected at an electronic commerce platform during a transaction between a primary vendor and a user, using a computer to;

identify an advertiser from a plurality of advertisers based at least in part on a matching criterion; and

cause an alternate offer from the identified advertiser to be displayed to the user;

wherein fulfillment of the alternate offer entitles the user to receive an item of the primary offer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined event includes initiation of the transaction between the primary vendor and the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined event includes navigating away from a web page displaying a primary offer from the primary vendor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined event includes cancelling a purchase associated with a primary offer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the matching criterion includes an expected revenue to either the primary vendor or advertiser.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the matching criterion includes an expected cost to the advertiser.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the matching criterion includes an overall profit of the transaction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the matching criterion includes the item of the primary offer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the matching criterion includes a characteristic of the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristic of the user includes a demographic characteristic.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristic of the user includes a location of the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the alternate offer to be displayed includes serving online content containing the alternate offer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the alternate offer to be displayed includes sending the user an e-mail containing the alternate offer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein fulfillment of the alternate offer includes accepting the alternate offer.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein fulfillment of the alternate offer includes viewing an item of content.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein fulfillment of the alternate offer includes completing a survey.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a payment from the advertiser.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a payment to the primary vendor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the payment is not equal to a retail price of the item of the primary offer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary offer includes an offer for virtual currency.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the virtual currency is usable in a gaming environment.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary offer includes an offer to access premium content.

23. In a gaming environment, a method comprising:

using a computer, serving a primary offer for virtual currency usable in the gaming environment;

identifying an advertiser based on a matching criterion; and

in response to a pre-determined event during an interaction with the primary offer, causing an alternate offer from the advertiser to be displayed to a player in the gaming environment, wherein fulfilling the alternate offer entitles the player to receive the virtual currency.