Method and apparatus for providing cross-benefits based on a customer activity

• US 8,700,456 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Packes, Jr., John M., Bemer, Keith, O'Shea, Deirdre, Jorasch, James A., Alderucci, Dean, Walker, Jay S., Tedesco, Daniel E., Tulley, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tri V
• Application Number:
  US12/938,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20110047022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 705 14-300, 709/218
• US Class Current: 705/14.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes

Abstract

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, a controller receives an indication of acceptance by a customer of an offer for a subsidy from a second vendor (e.g., a subsidizing vendor). The offer may define, for example, a reduction in the price charged for an item purchased from a first vendor and an obligation for the customer to fulfill in exchange for the subsidy. The customer is charged a second price for the items, which is less than the total price, and may even be zero.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a controller device, an indication that a customer accepts an offer from a second vendor for a subsidy of a purchase, at a reduced price, of at least one item from a first vendor, the at least one item having an associated total price, and the offer defining an obligation for the customer to fulfill after purchasing the at least one item, the obligation being in addition to payment of the reduced price;

after receiving the indication of the acceptance of the offer, charging the reduced price for the at least one item to a credit card account of the customer;

determining, by the controller device, an expiration date of the offer by which the obligation must be fulfilled by the customer;

determining, by the controller device, that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date; and

in response to determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date, charging by the controller device to the credit card account of the customer at least the difference between the total price and the reduced price.

2. The method of claim 1, in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:

receiving an indication that the customer did not initiate a new service agreement with the second vendor for a service.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the service comprises at least one of:

telephone service,

Internet service,

banking services,

credit card account service,

insurance service,

securities trading service,

satellite television service, and

cable television service.

4. The method of claim 1, in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:

receiving an indication that the customer returned at least one of the at least one item to the first vendor.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving customer information from the customer; and

in which the step of determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises;

determining that the customer information is not accurate.

6. The method of claim 1,

in which the obligation includes a requirement that the customer make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date;

and

in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises;

receiving an indication that the customer did not make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date.

7. A non-transitory data storage device storing instructions configured to direct a controller device to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a controller device, an indication that a customer accepts an offer from a second vendor for a subsidy of a purchase, at a reduced price, of at least one item from a first vendor, the at least one item having an associated total price, and the offer defining an obligation for the customer to fulfill after purchasing the at least one item, the obligation being in addition to payment of the reduced price;

after receiving the indication of the acceptance of the offer, charging the reduced price for the at least one item to a credit card account of the customer;

determining, by the controller device, an expiration date of the offer by which the obligation must be fulfilled by the customer;

determining, by the controller device, that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date; and

in response to determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date, charging by the controller device to the credit card account of the customer at least the difference between the total price and the reduced price.

8. The data storage device of claim 7, in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:

receiving an indication that the customer did not initiate a new service agreement with the second vendor for a service.

9. The data storage device of claim 8, in which the service comprises at least one of:

telephone service,

Internet service,

banking services,

credit card account service,

insurance service,

securities trading service,

satellite television service, and

cable television service.

10. The data storage device of claim 7, in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:

receiving an indication that the customer returned at least one of the at least one item to the first vendor.

11. The data storage device of claim 7, the instructions being configured further to direct the controller device to perform:

receiving customer information from the customer; and

in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises;

determining that the customer information is not accurate.

12. The data storage device of claim 7,

in which the obligation includes a requirement that the customer make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date;

and

in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises;

receiving an indication that the customer did not make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a data storage device in communication with the processor, the data storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving an indication that a customer accepts an offer from a second vendor for a subsidy of a purchase, at a reduced price, of at least one item from a first vendor, the at least one item having an associated total price, and the offer defining an obligation for the customer to fulfill after purchasing the at least one item, the obligation being in addition to payment of the reduced price;

after receiving the indication of the acceptance of the offer, charging the reduced price for the at least one item to a credit card account of the customer;

determining an expiration date of the offer by which the obligation must be fulfilled by the customer;

determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date; and

in response to determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date, charging to the credit card account of the customer at least the difference between the total price and the reduced price.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:

receiving an indication that the customer did not initiate a new service agreement with the second vendor for a service.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, in which the service comprises at least one of:

telephone service,

Internet service,

banking services,

credit card account service,

insurance service,

securities trading service,

satellite television service, and

cable television service.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises:

receiving an indication that the customer returned at least one of the at least one item to the first vendor.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, the instructions being configured further to direct the processor to perform:

receiving customer information from the customer; and

in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises;

determining that the customer information is not accurate.

18. The apparatus of claim 13,

in which the obligation includes a requirement that the customer make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date;

and

in which determining that the customer did not fulfill the obligation before the expiration date comprises;

receiving an indication that the customer did not make an additional purchase from the second vendor before the expiration date.