Gift-card and online payment system

• US 8,700,472 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2010
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Retail Royalty Company (American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Retail Royalty Company (American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gray, Beau
• Primary Examiner(s): ADE, OGER GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US12/904,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20110112919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 705/17
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"

Abstract

A method, system, media, and device are directed to providing a check-out of a merchant transaction. A gift-card redemption interface is provided for redeeming a gift-card. A payment interface is provided for presenting a plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options comprising a credit-card payment option and a non-credit-card payment option. A mechanism is provided for performing operations. The operations include restricting a use of the gift-card redemption interface with the payment options; and processing the merchant transaction based on payments the gift-card.

Claims

1. A method for providing a check-out of a merchant transaction comprising:

in a device;

providing a gift-card redemption interface for redeeming a gift-card to fulfill the merchant transaction;

providing a payment interface for presenting a plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options comprising a credit-card payment option and a non-credit-card payment option to fulfill the merchant transaction, wherein the merchant transaction includes at least one item that is redeemable with the gift card and purchaseable with the plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options;

providing a mechanism for performing operations comprising;

restricting a use of the gift-card redemption interface with at least one of the plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options; and

processing the merchant transaction based on a payment from the gift-card that fulfills at least a portion of the merchant transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gift-card redemption interface and the payment interface are configured to be provided in a side-by-side view, and wherein the non-credit-card payment option comprises a bill-me-later option or a payment from an online account.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a purchase interface for modifying the merchant transaction in a side-by-side view with the gift-card redemption interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein restricting the use of the gift-card redemption interface comprises at least one of:

disabling a user interface entry for the non-credit-card payment option if the gift-card redemption interface is selected;

or

restricting a use of a combination of the gift-card and at least one of the non-gift card payment options for fulfilling the merchant transaction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the merchant transaction is further based on another payment from the credit-card payment option if a value of the gift-card is insufficient to fulfill the merchant transaction.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a credit value for fulfilling another merchant transaction; and

applying the credit value to the payment before processing the merchant transaction.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing in a computer memory information about any remaining balance on the gift-card after processing the merchant transaction; and

providing the gift-card with the remaining balance as an option for fulfilling another merchant transaction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the merchant transaction further comprises:

sending, to a payment processor, the merchant transaction and payment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the gift-card redemption interface further comprises:

providing an entry for a gift-card or a selection of at least one available gift-card for a user authorized to fulfill the merchant transaction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the gift-card redemption interface provides a management of a plurality of gift-cards, wherein the management comprises adding or removing the gift cards, or modifying attributes of the plurality of gift-cards.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the gift-card redemption interface and providing the payment interface are performed by a server device, wherein the server device provides the interfaces over a network to a client device, and wherein restricting the use of the gift-card redemption interface with at least one of the plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options is performed by the client device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein restricting the use of the gift-card redemption interface with at least one of the plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options is performed by a browser operating with the client device, and wherein the browser receives the interfaces, restricts the use of the gift-card, and receives a combination of the gift-card and the credit-card payment option asynchronous with communications to the server device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the payment interface is provided as a flip-through interface that operates within the browser asynchronous with communications to the server device.

14. A system for providing a check-out of a merchant transaction comprising:

a server device that is configured to perform actions comprising;

providing a gift-card redemption interface for redeeming a gift-card to fulfill the merchant transaction;

providing a payment interface for providing a plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options comprising a credit-card payment option and a non-credit-card payment option to fulfill the merchant transaction;

causing a client device to restrict a use of the gift-card redemption interface with a provided payment option of the plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a client device in communication with the server device, the client device configured to perform actions comprising;

restricting the use of the gift-card redemption interface with the provided payment option of the plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options; and

processing the merchant transaction based on a payment from the gift-card that fulfills at least a portion of the merchant transaction.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the actions of the client device further comprise:

providing the gift-card redemption interface, the payment interface, and a purchase interface for modifying the merchant transaction in a side-by-side view.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein restricting the provided payment option comprises:

disabling a user interface entry for the non-credit-card payment option or the gift-card redemption interface.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein processing the merchant transaction is further based on another payment from the credit-card option if a value of the gift-card is insufficient to fulfill the merchant transaction.

19. A processor readable medium having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for providing a check-out of a merchant transaction comprising instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform actions that comprises:

providing a gift-card redemption interface for redeeming a gift-card to fulfill the merchant transaction;

providing a payment interface for providing a plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options comprising a credit-card payment option and a non-credit-card payment option to fulfill the merchant transaction;

providing a mechanism for performing operations comprising;

restricting a use of the gift-card redemption interface with at least one of the plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options; and

processing the merchant transaction based on payments from a combination of the gift-card and any necessary amounts from the credit-card payment option if a value of the gift-card is insufficient to pay for the merchant transaction.

20. A processor readable medium having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for providing a check-out of a merchant transaction comprising instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform actions that comprises:

receiving a gift-card redemption interface for redeeming a gift-card to fulfill the merchant transaction;

receiving a payment interface with a plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options comprising a credit-card payment option and a non-credit-card payment option to fulfill the merchant transaction;

restricting a use of the gift-card redemption interface with at least one of the plurality of additional non-gift-card payment options; and

processing the merchant transaction based on payments from a combination of the gift-card and any necessary amounts from the credit-card payment option if a value of the gift-card is insufficient to pay for the merchant transaction.

21. A computer implemented interface configured to:

in a device;

provide an ability to accept multiple cards for payments and to combine the card payments with other forms of tender to fulfill a merchant transaction;

automatically block determined combinations of tenders for fulfilling the merchant transaction; and

provide projected post transaction value of each of the multiple cards used for payments.

22. The interface of claim 21, further comprising:

a digital wallet configured to provide a plurality of images of the multiple cards, wherein the images are configured to be selected to activate the card to be used for payments.

23. The interface of claim 21, wherein the multiple cards comprise at least one gift-card.

24. The interface of claim 21, wherein the combinations of tenders are blocked real-time.