Retail system for selling products based on a flexible product description

• US 8,150,735 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2007
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Kim, Peter, Jorasch, James A., Mik, Magdalena, Tedesco, Daniel E., Sammon, Russell Pratt, Golden, Andrew P., Mueller, Raymod J., Bemer, Keith, Van Luchene, Kathleen
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil, Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US11/746,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20070208625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 705 10- 44
• US Class Current: 705/26
• 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 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

According to one described embodiment, a method is provided in which transaction information is determined. The transaction information is associated with (i) a buyer who has arranged to purchase a product from a central controller at a first price established between the buyer and the central controller and (ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, different from the first price, without offering the product for sale to buyers at the first price. Information is transmitted that facilitates the acquisition of the product by the buyer, in exchange for payment provided by the buyer to the central controller. An amount based on the second price is provided to the merchant.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by an electronic controller, transaction information associated with

(i) a buyer who has arranged to purchase a product from the electronic controller at a first price established between the buyer and the electronic controller, and

(ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, different from the first price, without offering the product for sale to buyers at the first price;

transmitting, by the electronic controller, information that facilitates the acquisition of the product, by the buyer, from the merchant, in exchange for payment provided by the buyer, to the electronic controller, of an amount based on the first price; and

providing, by the electronic controller, an amount based on the second price to the merchant, wherein the central controller comprises at least one computer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

arranging for the buyer to purchase the product at the first price.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a third party provides, to the electronic controller, payment of an amount based on the difference between the first price and the second price.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises receiving transaction information from the merchant, and wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting information to the merchant.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor result in:

determining transaction information associated with

(i) a buyer who has arranged to purchase a product from a central controller at a first price established between the buyer and the central controller, and

(ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, different from the first price, without offering the product for sale to buyers at the first price;

transmitting information that facilitates the acquisition of the product, by the buyer, from the merchant, in exchange for payment provided by the buyer, to the central controller, of an amount based on the first price; and

providing an amount based on the second price to the merchant.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor result in;

determining transaction information associated with

(i) a buyer who has arranged to purchase a product from a central controller at a first price established between the buyer and the central controller, and

(ii) a merchant that offers the product for sale at a second price, different from the first price, without offering the product for sale to buyers at the first price;

transmitting information that facilitates the acquisition of the product, by the buyer, from the merchant, in exchange for payment provided by the buyer, to the central controller, of an amount based on the first price; and

providing an amount based on the second price to the merchant.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a buyer, an indication of a selection of a product from a Web site;

determining a first price for the selected product, wherein a merchant offers the selected product for sale at a second price different from the first price;

receiving, via a point-of-sale terminal, a credit card number associated with the buyer;

determining whether the credit card number is associated with the product;

arranging for the buyer to provide

(i) the first price for the product if the credit card number is associated with the product, and

(ii) the second price for the product if the credit card number is not associated with the product; and

transmitting information that facilitates the acquisition of the product, by the buyer, from the merchant.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor result in:

receiving, from a buyer, an indication of a selection of a product from a Web site;

determining a first price for the selected product, wherein a merchant offers the selected product for sale at a second price different from the first price;

receiving, via a point-of-sale terminal, a credit card number associated with the buyer;

determining whether the credit card number is associated with the product;

arranging for the buyer to provide

(i) the first price for the product if the credit card number is associated with the product, and

(ii) the second price for the product if the credit card number is not associated with the product; and

transmitting information that facilitates the acquisition of the product, by the buyer, from the merchant.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor result in;

receiving, from a buyer, an indication of a selection of a product from a Web site;

determining a first price for the selected product, wherein a merchant offers the selected product for sale at a second price different from the first price;

receiving, via a point-of-sale terminal, a credit card number associated with the buyer;

determining whether the credit card number is associated with the product;

arranging for the buyer to provide

i) the first price for the product if the credit card number is associated with the product, and

iii) the second price for the product if the credit card number is not associated with the product; and

transmitting information that facilitates the acquisition of the product, by the buyer, from the merchant.

10. A method, comprising:

establishing, between a buyer and a purchasing system comprising an electronic system controller, a first price for a product;

arranging, by the purchasing system, for the buyer to take possession of the product at a retailer, the retailer being a different entity from the purchasing system,

wherein the retailer offers, to buyers that do not establish the first price with the purchasing system, the product for sale at a second price that is different than the first price; and

transmitting, by the purchasing system to the retailer, verification information that facilitates authorization, by the retailer, of the buyer to take possession of the product,

wherein the buyer provides a payment, based on the first price, to the purchasing system in exchange for the right to take possession of the product at the retailer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first price is based on the second price.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first price is not entirely a function of the second price.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitting verification information comprises:

transmitting a one way hash function facilitating a determination by the retailer, using the one way hash function, of whether redemption information possessed by the buyer authorizes the buyer to take possession of the product.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitting of the verification information comprises:

receiving, from the retailer, information indicative of an attempt, by the buyer, to take possession of the product; and

transmitting, to the retailer, verification information authorizing the buyer to take possession of the product.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitting of the verification information comprises:

transmitting, to the retailer, the verification information that authorizes a plurality of buyers to take possession of a plurality of products.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

arranging for the retailer to receive payment from a party other than the buyer in exchange for providing the product to the buyer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the payment received by the retailer is based on the second price.

20. The method of claim 10, in which the electronic system controller comprises a Web server and the electronic system controller is in communication with a plurality of customer devices via an electronic communication network.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor result in:

establishing, between a buyer and a purchasing system comprising an electronic system controller, a first price for a product;

arranging, by the purchasing system, for the buyer to take possession of the product at a retailer, the retailer being a different entity from the purchasing system, wherein the retailer offers, to buyers that do not establish the first price with the purchasing system, the product for sale at a second price that is different than the first price; and

transmitting, by the purchasing system to the retailer, verification information that facilitates authorization, by the retailer, of the buyer to take possession of the product, wherein the buyer provides a payment, based on the first price, to the purchasing system in exchange for the right to take possession of the product at the retailer.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor result in;

establishing, between a buyer and a purchasing system, a first price for a product;

arranging for the buyer to take possession of the product at a retailer, the retailer being a different entity from the purchasing system, wherein the retailer offers, to buyers that do not establish the first price with the purchasing system, the product for sale at a second price that is different than the first price; and

transmitting, to the retailer, verification information that facilitates authorization, by the retailer, of the buyer to take possession of the product, wherein the buyer provides a payment, based on the first price, to the purchasing system in exchange for the right to take possession of the product at the retailer.