CHANGING TRIAL STATUS IN A REFERRAL SERVICE

• US 20080195500A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Lutnick, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US11/673,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195500A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.43
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent

Abstract

Disclosure includes selecting a merchant from a plurality of merchants, enabling a trial mode for the merchant, during the trial mode, receiving an indication of a first order for the merchant, forwarding the indication of the first order to the merchant, allocating a first payment for the first order to the merchant, requesting an acceptance of a membership status from the merchant, and performing a predetermined action based on at least one of a response to the request for the acceptance and a lack of response to the request for the acceptance.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting a merchant from a plurality of merchants;

enabling a trial mode for the merchant;

during the trial mode, receiving an indication of a first order for the merchant;

forwarding the indication of the first order to the merchant;

allocating a first payment for the first order to the merchant;

requesting an acceptance of a membership status from the merchant; and

performing a predetermined action based on at least one of a response to the request for the acceptance and a lack of response to the request for the acceptance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting an inquiry regarding a reason for a rejection if the response includes a rejection to the request.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an indication of the reason for the rejection; and

adjusting at least one parameter of the method in accordance with the reason.

4. The method of claim 3, in which the at least one parameter includes at least one of an information collection parameter, an information reporting parameter, a pricing parameter, a timing parameter, an order transmittal parameter, and a payment transmittal parameter.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a first element configured to receive an indication of a first order for a merchant during a trial mode, forward the indication of the first order to the merchant, and request an acceptance of a membership status from the merchant; and

a second element configured to select the merchant from a plurality of merchants, enable the trial mode for the merchant, allocate a first payment for the first order to the merchant, and perform a predetermined action based on at least one of a response to the request for the acceptance and a lack of response to the request for the acceptance.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, in which the predetermined action includes extending the trial mode if the first element does not receive the acceptance from the merchant.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, in which the second element is configured to extend the trial mode by at least one of a predetermined number of total orders, a predetermined total sales amount made for the merchant, and a predetermined amount of time.

8. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of an order;

receiving an indication of a payment for the order;

transmitting the indication of the order to a merchant;

allocating at least a merchant portion of the payment to the merchant based, at least in part, on the trial status of the merchant; and

changing the trial status of the merchant.

9. The method of claim 8, in which changing the trial status of the merchant includes changing the trial status of the merchant from including a trial mode to including a non-trial mode.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting a first indication of a request to change the trial status to the merchant.

11. The method of claim 10, in which the request includes a request to change the trial status from including a trial mode to including a non-trial mode.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

extending the trial mode after receiving an indication of a negative response to the request.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a negative response to the request;

transmitting an indication of an inquiry regarding a desire for an extension of the trial mode; and

extending the trial mode after receiving an indication of a positive response to the inquiry.

14. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of an order for a merchant;

determining a trial status of the merchant;

determining an allocation of a payment for the order based, at least in part, on the trial status; and

changing the trial status of the merchant.

15. The method of claim 14, in which changing the trial status of the merchant includes changing the trial status of the merchant from including a trial mode to including a non-trial mode.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising transmitting a first indication of a request to change the trial status to the merchant.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

extending the trial mode after receiving an indication of a negative response to the request.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a response to the request from the merchant.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

performing at least one inquiry of the merchant if the response includes a rejection.

20. The method of claim 19, in which the at least one inquiry includes at least one inquiry regarding a reason for the rejection.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving an indication of the reason for the rejection; and

adjusting at least one parameter of the method in accordance with the reason.