SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COUPON-LESS PRODUCT LEVEL DISCOUNTS

• US 20130024256A1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Wolf, David M., Rhoads, Lindsey C., Puranik, Manjushri H., Miller, Matthew James, Boggess, David William, Muthukrishnan, Sathish B., Kimes, Charles Lafayette, Newhouse, Sherree
• Application Number:
  US13/188,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A product level discount is managed during a transaction by receiving a transaction identifier associated with a transaction, where the transaction identifier comprises a transaction value, a customer account identifier, a merchant identifier, and a product identifier. A product identifier is assessed to determine whether the transaction qualifies for a rebate credit in accordance with a predetermined offer. A rebate credit value is based on the transaction information and the predetermined offer, and qualification may be determined based on at least one of the customer account identifier and the merchant identifier. The product identifier could be a SKU code, which may be the basis for qualifying for the rebate credit. A merchant associated with the merchant identifier, which is part of the transaction, does not need to be informed of the application of the rebate credit to the customer account, which occurs after completion of the transaction.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer based system for managing a product level discount, transaction information associated with a transaction from a merchant, wherein the transaction information comprises a transaction value, a transaction account identifier, and a merchant identifier;

receiving, by the computer based system, a product identifier from a computing device;

assessing, by the computer based system, the product identifier to determine whether the transaction information qualifies for a reward in accordance with an offer based on rules of a rewards program associated with the transaction account; and

determining, by the computer based system, the reward based on the transaction information and the offer.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining, by the computer based system, an amount of the reward based on at least one of the transaction account identifier and the merchant identifier, wherein the reward is a monetary value.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

verifying, by the computer based system, completion of the transaction; and

applying, by the computer based system, the reward to a transaction account associated with the transaction account identifier in response to the completion of the transaction, wherein a notification of an amount of the reward is associated with the transaction triggering the reward on a statement associated with the transaction account.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the product identifier is a SKU code.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the qualification for the reward is based on the SKU code.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein a merchant associated with the merchant identifier is not informed of the application of the reward to the transaction account,

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the transaction is initiated by the computing device that comprises a unique computing device indicator, and wherein the unique computing device indicator is associated with the transaction account.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the product identifier is captured at the computing device, prior to initiating the transaction,

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising sending a notification of the offer to a user associated with the transaction account to incentivize completion of the transaction.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the user receives the notification of the offer on the computing device,

32. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

applying, by the computer based system, the reward to the transaction at a point of sale; and

determining, by the computer based system, authorization of the transaction in response to the applying the reward, wherein the reward is a monetary value.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the transaction is initiated by the computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a unique computing device indicator, and wherein the unique computing device indicator is associated with the transaction account.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the offer is established by at least one of a transaction account issuer, a loyalty account issuer, a merchant, and a product supplier.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the offer identifies a transaction associated with an everyday purchase as an eligible transaction.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising sending a notification of the offer to a user associated with the transaction account to incentivize completion of the transaction.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the user receives the notification of the offer on the computing device.

38. The method of 37, wherein the qualification for the reward is based on at least one of an aggregate transaction history associated with the transaction account, and real time spend data associated with the transaction account.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the offer contains criteria defining a rebate for a. class of products, and wherein the product identifier is analyzed to determine whether a product associated with the product identifier qualifies for the class of products defined by the criteria.

40. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computer based system for managing a product level discount, cause the computer based system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the computer based system, transaction information associated with a transaction from a merchant, wherein the transaction information comprises a transaction value, a transaction account identifier, and a merchant identifier;

receiving, by the computer based system, a product identifier from a computing device;

assessing, by the computer based system, the product identifier to determine whether the transaction information qualifies for a reward in accordance with an offer based on rules of a rewards program associated with the transaction account; and

determining, by the computer based system, the reward based on the transaction information and the offer.

41. A computer based system for managing a product level discount comprising:

a network interface communicating with a memory;

the memory communicating with a processor for managing a product level discount; and

the processor, when executing a computer program, performs operations comprising;

receiving, by the processor, transaction information associated with a transaction from a merchant, wherein the transaction information comprises a transaction value, a transaction account identifier, and a merchant identifier;

receiving, by the processor, a product identifier from a computing device;

assessing, by the processor, the product identifier to determine whether the transaction information qualifies for a reward in accordance with an offer based on rules of a rewards program associated with the transaction account; and

determining, by the processor, the reward based on the transaction information and the offer.