Methods for viral marketing with visual communications

• US 8,341,038 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gofiniti LLC
• Original Assignee: Gofiniti LLC
• Inventors: Rolf, Devon A., Burrell, Jonathan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEVINE, ADAM L
• Application Number:
  US13/073,632
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705 26- 272
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• 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 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Methods for providing a payment account enabling an accountholder of the account to obtain discounts on purchases made at point of sale terminals of a plurality of different merchants and to pay for the purchases with the provided account. Methods further include providing an accountholder of the payment account an online user-account that enables the accountholder to access websites corresponding to the plurality of different merchants and to obtain a discount on each online purchase made at said websites by virtue of said access to a website at which said online purchase is made from said online user-account. The methods further include providing payment accounts to persons sponsored by the accountholder and to individuals sponsored by such sponsored persons and paying commissions to the accountholder based upon purchases made at point of sale terminals of the plurality of different merchants by persons or individuals within such a sponsored network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of virally marketing offerings from a plurality of merchants, said computer-implemented method comprising:

providing, via an electronically-accessible site, a communication platform for communicating visual communications, wherein said providing of said communication platform employs at least one electronic processor and a database;

affiliating with a plurality of merchants;

receiving an enrollment of a person enrolling to be a member of said communication platform;

providing to said member of said communication platform, via said electronically-accessible site, a membership account;

providing to said member, via said membership account at said electronically-accessible site, at least one web-page for displaying information;

enabling the member to select a plurality of digital images for presentation in visual electronic communications of the member;

receiving selections, based upon inputs by the member, of a plurality of digital images in the creation of a visual electronic communication of the member, wherein each said digital image of said plurality of selected digital images corresponds to an offering of a merchant and wherein a plurality of different merchants have offerings presented in said visual electronic communication;

enabling the member to select to use a browser plug-in for said visual electronic communication of the member;

enabling said member to enter text for display in association with said visual electronic communication corresponding to the member;

associating, with each digital image of said plurality of selected images, a corresponding electronic link for electronically linking to a website of the merchant corresponding to the offering in the digital image, wherein each said electronic link comprises an identifier associated with said website of the merchant and enables an electronic processor to identify the member;

displaying information that is indicative of an opportunity to become a member of said communications platform, wherein said information that is indicative of an opportunity to become a member of said communications platform comprises at least one of an icon, a logo, and text indicative of an opportunity to become a member of said communications platform;

communicating said visual electronic communication of said member by publishing to said site said visual electronic communication including said selected digital images;

receiving, at an electronic processor and initiated from a communications device, an electronic indication that a one of said electronic links corresponding to a digital image presented in said visual electronic communication of said member at the site at which the visual electronic communication is presented has been selected, wherein said received electronic indication comprises an electronic communication indicative of a selection of said electronic link;

electronically directing, based upon said received electronic indication that a one of said electronic links in said visual electronic communication of the member has been selected, the communications device from which said selected electronic link was selected to the website of the merchant corresponding to said selected electronic link;

receiving a first commission from the merchant corresponding to the selected electronic link for a purchase made at the website of the merchant by the party who selected said electronic link corresponding with the merchant;

enabling the member to invite, via an electronic message, another person to become a new member in said communications platform, wherein the member is a first member;

enrolling the invited person as a second member of said communication platform;

enabling the second member of said communication platform to view said visual electronic communication of said first member;

enabling said second member to redistribute said visual electronic communication of said first member;

receiving information indicative of a redistribution by the second member of said visual electronic communication of said first member;

automatically associating with said redistributed visual electronic communication a new electronic link that enables an electronic processor to identify the second member;

receiving, at an electronic processor and initiated from a communications device, an electronic indication that said new electronic link associated with said redistributed visual electronic communication of said second member at the site at which the redistributed visual electronic communication is presented has been selected;

electronically directing, based upon said received electronic indication that said new electronic link associated with said redistributed visual electronic communication of the second member has been selected, the communications device from which said selected new electronic link was selected to the website of a merchant corresponding to said selected new electronic link in said redistributed visual electronic communication;

receiving a second commission from the merchant corresponding to the selected new electronic link in the redistributed visual electronic communication of said second member for a purchase, at the website of the merchant corresponding to the selected new electronic link in the redistributed visual electronic communication of said second member, by the party who selected said new electronic link corresponding with the merchant in the redistributed visual electronic communication of said second member;

enabling said first member to access, via the first member'"'"'s membership account, websites corresponding to said merchants with which a said affiliation has been made;

receiving a third commission on a purchase made by the first member at a said website corresponding to an affiliated merchant when said first member accesses said website corresponding to an affiliated merchant via said first member'"'"'s membership account at said site;

enabling said second member to access, via the second member'"'"'s membership account, said websites corresponding to said merchants with which a said affiliation has been made;

receiving a fourth commission on a purchase made by the second member at a said website corresponding to an affiliated merchant when said second member accesses said website corresponding to an affiliated merchant via said second member'"'"'s membership account at said site;

enabling said first member to enroll into a first payment account, wherein said first payment account enables the first member to make purchases online and at physical retail stores;

allocating at least a portion of said third commission to said first member;

paying said allocated portion of said third commission to said first member;

enabling said second member to enroll into a second payment account, wherein said second payment account enables the second member to make purchases online and at physical retail stores; and

allocating at least a portion of said fourth commission to said second member.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising:

allocating a fifth commission to said first member for a purchase made by said first member, at a physical retail store of a first merchant, using said payment account of said first member; and

allocating a sixth commission to said second member for a purchase made by said second member, at a physical retail store of a second merchant, using said payment account of said second member.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising providing a special, limited-time offer to said first and said second member on behalf of one of said affiliated merchants, wherein said offer comprises an offer for a discount on a purchase price of a good sold by said merchant associated with said special, limited-time offer.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said visual electronic communication comprises a first visual electronic communication, wherein said method further comprises enabling said first member to create a second visual electronic communication comprising video.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said providing, via said electronically-accessible site, said communication platform for communicating visual communications comprises providing a website that comprises a mash-up.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising providing a discount buying program for consumable products.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising providing a particular service feature and establishing and requiring receipt from said first member of a periodic membership fee to enable said particular service feature.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising providing functionality for each said member to use a personal contact list, accessible via said site, to send an electronic message to a person listed in said personal contact list.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said allocating at least a portion of said third commission to said first member comprises allocating a part of said third commission to said third member.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said providing, via an electronically-accessible site, a communication platform for communicating with visual communications comprises providing said electronically-accessible site to a mobile communications device and wherein said receiving an electronic indication that a one of said electronic links corresponding to a digital image presented in said visual electronic communication of said member at the site comprises receiving said electronic indication from said mobile communications device.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said enabling said first member to enroll into a first payment account further comprises enabling the first member to associate a bank account of the first member with said first payment account.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said providing, via an electronically-accessible site, a communication platform for communicating with visual communications comprises providing said electronically-accessible site to an interactive television and wherein said receiving an electronic indication that a one of said electronic links corresponding to a digital image presented in said visual electronic communication of said member at the site comprises receiving said electronic indication from said interactive television.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising providing a click-to-call function, in association with a said digital image presented in said visual electronic communication, that enables a viewer of said visual electronic communication to initiate a voice communication with a merchant corresponding to the digital image associated with said click-to-call function.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1, said method further comprising providing a click-to-call function, in association with a said digital image presented in said visual electronic communication, that enables a viewer of said visual electronic communication to initiate an audio/visual communication with a merchant corresponding to the digital image associated with said click-to-call function.

15. The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the steps of

wherein said paying said allocated portion of said third commission to said first member comprises depositing said allocated portion of said third commission in said first payment account of said first member;

and

wherein said paying said allocated portion of said fourth commission to said second member comprises depositing said allocated portion of said fourth commission in said second payment account of said second member.