Web-based searching for payment card products with credit pre-approvals

• US 20080015979A1
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bentley, Shanan
• Application Number:
  US11/486,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20080015979A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A method includes receiving input at a website from a user to indicate at least one preference of the user in regard to a payment card product that the user wishes to acquire. The method further includes selecting at least one payment card product from a plurality of payment card products. The payment card in question is selected based at least in part on the preference indicated by the user. The method also includes requesting a pre-approval credit evaluation of the user and receiving a result of the pre-approval credit evaluation. In addition, the method includes downloading a display page to the user to indicate the selected payment card product and to indicate that the user has been pre-approved for the payment card product.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving input at a website from a user to indicate at least one preference of the user in regard to a payment card product that the user wishes to acquire;

selecting at least one payment card product from a plurality of payment card products, said selected at least one payment card product being selected based at least in part on the at least one indicated preference of the user;

requesting a pre-approval credit evaluation of the user with respect to the selected at least one payment card product;

receiving a result of the pre-approval credit evaluation; and

downloading a display page to the user to indicate the selected at least one payment card product and to indicate that the user has been pre-approved for the selected at least one payment card product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the downloaded display page includes a hypertext link to direct the user to a website maintained by or for an issuer of at least one of the selected at least one payment card product.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloaded display page includes a plurality of entries, each of said entries corresponding to a respective payment card product.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each of said entries includes a respective indication that the user has been pre-approved for the corresponding respective payment card product.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one but not all of said entries includes a respective indication that the user has been pre-approved for the corresponding respective payment card product.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein a first one of said entries corresponds to a respective payment card product offered by a first issuer, and a second one of said entries corresponds to a respective payment card product offered by a second issuer different from the first issuer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input at said website from said user to identify said user;

and wherein the requesting the pre-approval credit evaluation includes transmitting data to identify said user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmitting data includes transmitting data to a credit bureau.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the user an indication that the user has selected one of the payment card products.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting, to an issuer of one of said payment card products, a code indicative of said result of said pre-approval credit evaluation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said transmitting said code is performed in response to receiving said indication from said user.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting, to an issuer of one of said payment card products, information for populating an online application form for said one of said payment card products.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said transmitting said information for populating is performed in response to receiving said indication from said user.

14. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a user to search for payment card products;

requesting the user to indicate at least one preference of the user concerning the payment card products;

requesting the user to indicate whether the user wishes to be considered for pre-approval for at least one of the payment card products;

requesting the user to enter information that identifies the user;

receiving input from the user to (a) indicate said at least one preference, (b) indicate that the user wishes to be considered for pre-approval for at least one of the payment card products, and (c) identify the user;

searching a database of said payment card products to identify a plurality of said payment card products that match the user'"'"'s at least one preference;

determining one of said identified plurality of payment card products that is enabled for pre-approval processing;

sending data that identifies the user to a third party appointed to perform pre-approval processing for the determined one of said payment card products;

receiving an indication from said third party that the user is pre-approved for the determined one of said payment card products; and

downloading a results page to the user, the results page including a plurality of entries, one of said entries identifying said determined one of said payment card products and indicating that the user is pre-approved for said determined one of said payment card products, said one of said entries including a hypertext link to a website maintained by or for an issuer of said determined one of said payment card products.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the user has actuated said hypertext link.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving from said third party a code that represents a pre-approval transaction performed by said third party with respect to said user; and

transmitting said code to said website in response to receiving the indication that the user has actuated said hypertext link.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the information requested from the user includes the user'"'"'s name, social security number and date of birth.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the information requested from the user includes an account number for an existing payment card account held by the user.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the request from the user and the input received from the user are received at a website different from the website maintained by or for said issuer.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the database includes payment card products from a plurality of issuers.

21. A method comprising:

downloading, to a first user, a first display page indicative of a first offer for a payment card product, said first display page including a first hypertext link to a first webpage maintained by or for an issuer of said payment card product; and

downloading, to a second user, a second display page indicative of a second offer for said payment card product, said second offer being pre-approved, said second display page including a second hypertext link to a second webpage maintained by or for said issuer;

said first webpage for processing non-pre-approved applications for said payment card product, said second webpage for processing pre-approved applications for said payment card product.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

downloading the first display page is performed in response to receiving an indication that the first user is not pre-approved for said payment card product; and

downloading the second display page is performed in response to receiving an indication that the second user is pre-approved for said payment card product.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein:

downloading the first display page is performed in response to receiving an indication that the first user does not wish to be considered for pre-approval for payment card products; and

downloading the second display page is performed in response to receiving an indication that the second user is pre-approved for said payment card product.

24. A method comprising:

receiving input from a user to indicate at least one preference of the user in regard to a payment card product that the user wishes to acquire;

selecting at least one payment card product from a plurality of payment card products, said selected at least one payment card product being selected based at least in part on the at least one indicated preference of the user;

requesting a determination as to whether the user is eligible for at least one promotional offer with respect to the selected at least one payment card product; and

providing information to the user to indicate the user'"'"'s eligibility for the at least one promotional offer.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the input from the user is received via a web site.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the input is received via a telephone interactive voice response unit (IVRU).

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the input from the user is received via an interactive television system.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the promotional offer is pre-approval of the user'"'"'s application for the selected at least one payment card product.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the promotional offer is a financial benefit related to the user'"'"'s use of the selected at least one payment card.