System and method for offering an incentive to a user of an electronic commerce web site

• US 20070005432A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XPRT Ventures LLC
• Original Assignee: XPRT Ventures LLC
• Inventors: Likourezos, George, Scaturro, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.140
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

The invention provides a computerized electronic auction payment system and method for effecting a real-time payment for an item won in an electronic auction by setting up and maintaining electronic auction payment accounts for prospective bidders and sellers. The prospective bidders provide funds to their electronic auction payment accounts maintained by the computerized electronic auction payment system, prior to being deemed as winning bidders, via direct deposit, using a credit card, or sending a check, money order, or other financial document to an operator of the computerized electronic auction payment system. In one embodiment, upon being deemed as a winning bidder, the winning bidder accesses a payment page, enters the total amount of funds to be transferred to the seller, and authorizes the computerized electronic auction payment system to effect a real-time payment by debiting his, i.e., the winning bidder'"'"'s, respective electronic auction payment account and crediting the electronic auction payment account of the seller, and/or another account specified by the seller. In an alternate embodiment, the prospective bidder authorizes the computerized electronic auction payment system to effect a real-time payment to the seller upon the prospective bidder being deemed the winning bidder (i.e., immediately following the conclusion of the auction). That is, without the winning bidder having to access the payment page.

Claims

1. An electronic commerce method comprising:

offering a user of an electronic commerce web site an incentive for using funds stored in a payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for an electronic commerce transaction;

receiving authorization from the user to use funds stored in the payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction; and

rewarding the user for responding to the incentive for using funds stored in the payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of rewarding includes entering the user in a sweepstakes drawing.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sweepstakes drawing is a weekly sweepstakes drawing.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sweepstakes drawing includes a prize having a predetermined monetary value.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying the offered incentive on the electronic commerce web site.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an amount of funds deducted from the payment account during a predetermined period.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an average amount of funds from the payment account used to effect payment during a predetermined period.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic commerce web site is an electronic auction web site.

9. An electronic commerce method comprising:

debiting a payment account corresponding to a user of an electronic commerce web site, said payment account storing funds therein; and

entering the user in a sweepstakes drawing based on the user authorizing the payment account to be debited.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the sweepstakes drawing is a weekly sweepstakes drawing.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the sweepstakes drawing includes a prize having a predetermined monetary value.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the sweepstakes drawing is provided as an incentive to the user.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an amount of funds deducted from the payment account during a predetermined period.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an average amount of funds from the payment account used to effect payment during a predetermined period.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the electronic commerce web site is an electronic auction web site.

16. An electronic commerce method comprising:

offering a user of an electronic commerce web site to be entered into a sweepstakes drawing based on using funds stored within a payment account corresponding to the user to effect payment for an electronic commerce transaction; and

entering the user in the sweepstakes drawing based on using funds stored within the payment account to effect payment for the electronic commerce transaction.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sweepstakes drawing is a weekly sweepstakes drawing.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an amount of funds from the payment account used to purchase at least one item offered for sale via the electronic commerce web site.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an amount of funds deducted from the payment account during a predetermined period.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the user'"'"'s chance of winning the sweepstakes drawing is based on an average amount of funds from the payment account used to effect payment during a predetermined period.