Methods and systems for providing a merchant funded incentive rebate or awards program
First Claim
1. A method of providing a merchant funded incentive rebate or awards program, the method comprising:
- enrolling at least one participating member account with enrolled member information being stored in memory, the enrolled account capable of being used to make both internet based purchases with participating online merchants and point-of-sale purchases at a participating merchant'"'"'s place of business;
having at least one participating merchant in the program funding merchant incentive rebates or awards for qualifying purchases by a participating member using a member'"'"'s enrolled account;
receiving account purchase transaction information from at least one processor belonging to a tracking entity, the at least one processor being located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, and said at least one processor tracking account purchases to provide account purchase transaction information, said account purchase transaction information including account purchase transaction information of at least one participating merchant in the program;
monitoring all of said account purchase transaction information being provided by the at least one processor belonging to a tracking entity, said account purchase transaction information including account purchase transaction information of at least one participating merchant in the program, and correlating said account purchase transaction information with stored enrolled member identifying information using at least one processor that is located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant;
determining, via at least one processor that is located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, whether or not a purchase transaction is with a particular participating merchant using an enrolled member account, and whether said purchase transaction is a qualifying purchase entitling the participating member to a participating merchant funded incentive rebate or award; and
calculating, using at least one processor located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, an incentive rebate or award due an enrolled member for a qualifying purchase with a participating merchant, based upon an established formula or participating merchant sales incentive.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention involves facilitating retail transactions between participating enrolled members and participating merchants funding awards to said members. Incentive offers may be advertised to members, including targeted offers to specific members. Account purchase transaction information of participating merchants is a) tracked by processor(s) belonging to a tracking entity, b) monitored by processor(s) and correlated with stored enrolled member information, and c) processor(s) determine whether a purchase transaction is between an enrolled member and participating merchant and if such transaction entitles the member to a merchant funded award; with such processor(s) being located other than at the participating merchant'"'"'s location. The remote monitoring and determining gives the program transparency; no special purpose cards/accounts need to be presented by the member and no additional checkout procedures need to be performed by participating merchants. The awards can be applied as a credit or offset to various accounts, financial instruments or obligations.
87 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of providing a merchant funded incentive rebate or awards program, the method comprising:
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enrolling at least one participating member account with enrolled member information being stored in memory, the enrolled account capable of being used to make both internet based purchases with participating online merchants and point-of-sale purchases at a participating merchant'"'"'s place of business; having at least one participating merchant in the program funding merchant incentive rebates or awards for qualifying purchases by a participating member using a member'"'"'s enrolled account; receiving account purchase transaction information from at least one processor belonging to a tracking entity, the at least one processor being located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, and said at least one processor tracking account purchases to provide account purchase transaction information, said account purchase transaction information including account purchase transaction information of at least one participating merchant in the program; monitoring all of said account purchase transaction information being provided by the at least one processor belonging to a tracking entity, said account purchase transaction information including account purchase transaction information of at least one participating merchant in the program, and correlating said account purchase transaction information with stored enrolled member identifying information using at least one processor that is located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant; determining, via at least one processor that is located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, whether or not a purchase transaction is with a particular participating merchant using an enrolled member account, and whether said purchase transaction is a qualifying purchase entitling the participating member to a participating merchant funded incentive rebate or award; and calculating, using at least one processor located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, an incentive rebate or award due an enrolled member for a qualifying purchase with a participating merchant, based upon an established formula or participating merchant sales incentive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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9. A method of generating incentive rebate or awards information for a merchant funded incentive rebate or awards program, the program including participating members, at least one enrolled account for a participating member with enrolled member information being stored in memory, the enrolled account capable of being used to make both internet based purchases with participating online merchants and point-of-sale purchases at a participating merchant'"'"'s place of business, and at least one participating merchant in the program funding incentive rebates or awards for qualifying purchases by a participating member using a member'"'"'s enrolled account, the method comprising:
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receiving account purchase transaction information from at least one processor belonging to a tracking entity, the at least one processor being located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, and said at least one processor tracking account purchases to provide account purchase transaction information, said account purchase transaction information including account purchase transaction information of at least one participating merchant in the program; monitoring all of said account purchase transaction information being provided by the at least one processor belonging to a tracking entity, said account purchase transaction information including account purchase transaction information of at least one participating merchant in the program, and correlating said account purchase transaction information with stored enrolled member identifying information using at least one processor that is located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant; determining, via at least one processor that is located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, whether or not a purchase transaction is with a particular participating merchant using an enrolled member account, and whether said purchase transaction is a qualifying purchase entitling the participating member to a participating merchant funded incentive rebate or award; and calculating, using at least one processor located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, an incentive rebate or award due an enrolled member for a qualifying purchase with a participating merchant, based upon an established formula or participating merchant sales incentive. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A system for providing a merchant funded incentive rebate or awards program, the program including participating members, at least one enrolled account for a participating member with enrolled member information being stored in memory, the enrolled account capable of being used to make both internet based purchases with participating online merchants and point-of-sale purchases at a participating merchant'"'"'s place of business, and at least one participating merchant in the program funding merchant incentive rebates or awards for qualifying purchases by a participating member using a participating member'"'"'s enrolled account, the system comprising:
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receiving account purchase transaction information from at least one processor belonging to a tracking entity, with the at least one processor being located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant in the program, and said at least one processor tracking account purchases to provide account purchase transaction information, said account purchase transaction information including account purchase transaction information of at least one participating merchant in the program; monitoring all of said account purchase transaction information being provided by the at least one processor belonging to a tracking entity, said account purchase transaction information including account purchase transaction information of at least one participating merchant in the program, and correlating said account purchase transaction information with stored enrolled member identifying information using at least one processor located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant; determining, via at least one processor located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, whether or not a purchase transaction is with a particular participating merchant using an enrolled member account, and whether said purchase transaction is a qualifying purchase entitling the participating member to a merchant funded incentive rebate or award; and calculating, using at least one processor located at a location or locations other than the location of a participating merchant, an incentive rebate or award due an enrolled member for a qualifying purchase with a participating merchant, based upon an established formula or participating merchant sales incentive. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification